Two Village Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Two Village Church of England Primary School Mayes Lane, Ramsey, Harwich CO12 5EL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 18 and 19 July 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe at Two Village CofE Primary School. They are friendly and welcoming to visitors. They form strong relationships with the adults who work with them. Pupils trust staff to help them to sort out any friendship issues, including bullying. Pupils say bullying happens, but not often.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. However, these are not always communicated well by all staff. As a result, some pupils do not show enough respect to each other, or to adults. While many pupils achieve well, some adults’ low expectations mean that others do not make as much progress as they should.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

There are a range of opportunities for pupils to flourish outside the classroom. Pupils appreciate extra-curricular clubs, such as dance, musical theatre and mindfulness. Trips to Colchester Castle and the seaside broaden pupils’ horizons. A residential trip for Year 6 pupils builds their independence. Pupils can become learning ambassadors, school councillors and play leaders. These roles develop pupils’ leadership skills and involve them in the wider life of the school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

There have been many changes in staffing and leadership at the school. Pupils have shown resilience and coped well with these. They play and learn happily most of the time.

p.2

better?

Leaders have worked hard to drive improvements during a turbulent period. Their vision for the curriculum is clear and ambitious. In some subjects, such as mathematics and English, where curriculum leadership is stable, the aims of the curriculum are well understood. Plans are designed to give pupils the important knowledge they need, in the right order. Leaders check that the curriculum is implemented effectively. They support teachers to address any gaps in pupils’ learning.

p.2

better?

Reading is prioritised. Leaders promote a love of reading throughout the school. The newly refurbished library offers pupils a range of high-quality texts to choose from. In the early years and key stage 1, pupils learn the sounds they need to become fluent readers. Staff deliver the new phonics programme consistently well. They ensure any pupils who fall behind get the help they need. A growing number of pupils are reading fluently by the end of key stage 1.

p.2

better?

The aims of the wider curriculum are less well understood. Some curriculum leaders are new to their role. Others lead several subjects. As a result, in some subjects, leaders have not had time to ensure that all teachers are delivering the curriculum to a high standard. High turnover in the teaching staff has made it difficult for leaders to establish their vision. Consequently, in some subjects, pupils have not secured their knowledge as well as they should. 18 and 19 July 2023

p.2

3

Many pupils behave well in lessons. Leaders have acted decisively to support a small number of pupils with challenging behaviour. They have introduced a new approach to behaviour management, and trained staff in this. There is not yet a shared understanding of this approach. Adults’ expectations are not consistently high, and learning is sometimes slowed by poor behaviour.

p.3

3

Leaders have improved the systems for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers plan activities that enable pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. However, the provision for these pupils does not always match the plans. Pupils with SEND do not always get the precise support they need to work independently.

p.3

3

In the mixed early years and Year 1 class, the curriculum is designed to allow pupils to access the appropriate learning for their age group. Through a combination of adult-led and independent sessions, many pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of their learning journey. Sometimes, however, adults miss opportunities to model language and to reinforce key learning. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, do not learn as well as they could.

p.3

3

The school offers a range of activities to support pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles through the personal, social and health education curriculum. They understand fundamental British values, such as democracy and the rule of law. Pupils show an appreciation of diversity and value the differences in their own community.

p.3

3

Some parents hold negative views of the school. They have lost confidence because of the many changes that have happened. Trust leaders and members of the local schools board (LSB) know what the school needs to do to improve. They support the work leaders have already done in this respect. However, all are realistic about the time needed for this work to show impact.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders, including members of the trust’s safeguarding team, ensure that staff are trained to recognise the signs that a pupil may be at risk. Staff know their pupils well. They report any concerns they have promptly. Leaders act on concerns. Sometimes they call on external agencies for advice. They ensure that there is support in place for vulnerable pupils and their families.

p.3

Safeguarding

The school’s record-keeping systems are robust. Leaders ensure that the necessary checks on adults who work at the school are carried out. These are recorded appropriately.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes when they are online. 18 and 19 July 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is not a shared understanding of the aims of the wider curriculum. Consequently, the curriculum is not delivered consistently well across the school and across subjects. Pupils do not build their learning or consolidate important knowledge as well as they might. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans set out the progression in each area precisely and that teachers receive the training they need to deliver the plans effectively.  Staff do not have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. This means that silly behaviour and disruption to learning happen more often than they should. Leaders must ensure that the approach to behaviour management is understood by all staff and applied consistently, so that learning is not hampered by poor behaviour.  Some staff lack confidence in adapting provision to fully meet pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils with SEND do not always get the precise support they need to

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

access the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained to make the adaptations pupils need for successful learning in all subjects.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 18 and 19 July 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school joined the Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust in September 2020.  The executive headteacher leads two other local schools that are part of the trust. She took over the leadership of Two Village CofE Primary School on an interim basis in January 2023. A new headteacher has been appointed to start in September 2023.  The school offers before-school provision.  At the time of the inspection, the school was not using any alternative provision.  The school has a Christian religious character. The most recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (section 48) took place in January 2020. The school will receive its next inspection within eight years of this date. 18 and 19 July 2023

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum planning and a sample of pupils’ work in other subjects, including art, design and technology, French, history and geography.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leads to review records. An inspector scrutinised the single central record of

p.6

Information about this inspection

recruitment and vetting checks. Inspectors also spoke with governors, members of the trust, staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors spoke with members of the local schools board (LSB), including the chair of the LSB, and the chief executive officer of the trust. The lead inspector spoke on the telephone with a representative from the Diocese of Chelmsford.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of other school documentation and policies, including the school development plan, external reviews of the school and minutes of meetings of the LSB.  Inspectors gathered the views of pupils by speaking with them during lessons and at breaktimes. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.  Inspectors considered the views of parents by speaking to parents at the school gate, and by reviewing the 37 responses and 30 free-text responses submitted to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors gathered the views of staff by speaking with several of them and by reviewing the four responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

James Chester His Majesty’s Inspector 18 and 19 July 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7