Eastergate CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Eastergate CofE Primary School Church Lane, Eastergate, Chichester, West Sussex PO20 3UT

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are happy. They say that the staff are caring. Parents appreciate leaders’ actions to understand and meet their children’s needs. As one parent commented, ‘The entire team are always supportive and extremely positive. They create an environment where our child feels safe, secure and above all else, inquisitive.’ Pupils have access to and benefit from a range of wider opportunities. This includes a variety of clubs that promote physical activity and health.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well. However, there is more work to do to ensure that pupils reach these aspirations. Pupils do not always learn well in every subject. Leaders have recently strengthened how pupils are taught to read and develop their mathematical knowledge. Leaders are now focusing on improving the quality of education in other subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well most of the time. They are polite and are enthusiastic about their learning. Pupils feel able to talk to staff if anything worries them. They know that staff will help them with any concerns. Incidents of bullying are dealt with well by leaders. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have made well-considered improvements to the school’s curriculum. Staff understand the need for change and mostly feel supported to play their part. Some subject leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which they should learn it. In these subjects, leaders have provided teachers with appropriate guidance so that they can deliver the curriculum well. However, other subjects are still at an early stage of development. In these subjects, what pupils must know is not 8 and 9 June 2023

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clear enough and the learning is not sequenced in a logical order. This means that pupils do not build their knowledge and understanding securely.

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Leaders have made reading a key priority. Children in the early years start learning phonics as soon as they begin school. They quickly learn the sounds that letters make. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils in the early years and key stage 1 to practise and recall their phonic knowledge regularly. Leaders have a sharp focus on making sure that those pupils who have fallen behind gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident and fluent readers quickly. Teachers make sure that pupils read books which match the sounds they are learning.

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In some lessons, teachers present information clearly and confidently. They model strategies to help pupils be successful and select suitable activities to help pupils understand their learning and achieve well. However, there are times when teachers do not choose the most effective way to help pupils learn well. Teachers are not always ambitious enough for what pupils can achieve. This means that pupils do not do as well as they should. There are times when pupils are questioned carefully to find out if they really understand what they are learning. However, this is inconsistent. Some staff do not check on pupils’ learning accurately. This results in gaps in what pupils know.

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Children settle quickly into the early years. They adopt the clear routines to help them work and play safely and purposefully. Children have many opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas. The staff challenge and develop children’s thinking well by asking pertinent questions. Staff develop children’s understanding well through carefully constructed activities and conversations.

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Leaders have ensured that there are clear systems in place to identify the individual needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Teachers and support staff have a good understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders have positive links with outside professionals. Consequently, pupils benefit from specific programmes and help that support their learning. However, staff do not make adaptations in lessons to support pupils effectively enough. This means that some pupils with SEND do not achieve well.

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The school is calm and orderly. Pupils move safely and sensibly around the school. In the early years, children are considerate of one another. They play and learn together confidently, both inside and outside the classroom. Pupils benefit from the many opportunities provided to support their personal development. Educational visits are planned to extend their understanding of the world. Pupils visit museums and enjoy the trips they go on. For example, the visit to Bignor Roman villa adds to their learning in history.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are trained well in their responsibilities to safeguard pupils. Staff understand the importance of keeping a constant watch for signs that a pupil may be at risk. The school’s safeguarding procedures, including those for the safe recruitment of staff, are effective. 8 and 9 June 2023

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Adults use the school’s system to report and record diligently any concerns they may have. Leaders take swift action to ensure that pupils receive the help they need. Leaders work closely with external agencies where this is needed. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online and when not in school or at home.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn or the order in which it should be taught. Consequently, pupils do not build their knowledge and strengthen their understanding well enough and in sufficient depth. Leaders should ensure that, in every subject, teachers know what should be taught and when this should happen.  Teachers do not consistently make the right pedagogical choices. They do not set work that is ambitious enough or check how well pupils understand what they are learning. As a result, pupils do not always learn as well as they could. Leaders need to make sure that teachers have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver the intended curriculum well.  Staff do not adapt learning for pupils sufficiently well. This means that some pupils with additional needs struggle to access the curriculum effectively. Leaders need to support

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

staff to know how to modify learning and work to ensure that all pupils achieve consistently well.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 8 and 9 June 2023

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 8 and 9 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10242032 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 September 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.  The school’s next section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools is due in the next three years. The last inspection of this type took place in May 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders in school, including four representatives of the governing body.  Deep dives were carried out in the following subjects, early reading, mathematics, and design and technology. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority and the diocese. 8 and 9 June 2023

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 The inspector examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation and curriculum plans.  A meeting was held with the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector considered the safeguarding policy and examples of records of actions in relation to safeguarding concerns. The inspector also examined the school’s safer recruitment records and procedures, including the single central record.  The inspector took account of the 41 responses to Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also reviewed the 127 responses to the pupil survey and the 24 staff survey responses, along with a written communication from a member of staff.

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 June 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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