Huntley Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Huntley Church of England Primary School Ross Road, Huntley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL19 3EX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The school was last inspected 12 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 11 and 12 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They enjoy learning and teachers help them to do their best. Pupils know the school’s values of ‘respect, courage and perseverance’ well. They are eager to share their favourite aspects of school life, such as looking after the school’s pet guinea pigs and giant African snail.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. Most pupils live up to these. They learn about the importance of treating others with respect, regardless of their differences. Parents and carers have confidence in the school’s care and support for their children. They share pupils’ confidence that any unkind behaviour is resolved quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a high-quality programme which contributes to their broader development. Pupils participate in opportunities that nurture their talents and interests. They appreciate spending time in the on-site forest school and wildlife garden. They value the ‘spiritual area’ in the school, where they can take time to reflect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish opportunities to contribute to the local community. For instance, they take part in litter-picking activities and promote care for the environment through the eco-committee. Pupils appreciate occasions when the school comes together as one community, such as the annual celebration of Founders’ Day.

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better?

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for pupils’ education and personal development. Governors are reflective and provide appropriate challenge and support to school leaders.

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better?

Pupils learn a broad curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn and the order in which they do so. Where this is the case, pupils develop detailed knowledge over time. In mathematics, for instance, pupils build on their understanding of number from the Reception Year, when they begin to learn multiplication tables. However, in some subjects, leaders have not outlined precisely enough the subject knowledge that is important for pupils’ future learning. For the youngest pupils, this means that teaching does not extend their vocabulary sufficiently.

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better?

Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum effectively. They check pupils’ learning and remedy pupils’ misconceptions when necessary. Teaching is adapted well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that pupils’ needs are identified accurately. They work in tandem with parents to plan and review support. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the curriculum successfully.

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better?

Leaders champion and celebrate reading. Pupils learn to read accurately and fluently. They start to learn phonics as soon as they join the school. Leaders 11 and 12 July 2023

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carefully select the books that pupils read. For pupils in the early stages of reading, books match closely the sounds they are learning. Once pupils read confidently, they read books that extend their reading abilities and interests further.

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Pupils are keen to earn prizes and recommend books to each other. Pupils enjoy listening to teachers and others read to them. For instance, pupils spoke enthusiastically about attending a local literature festival. In the Reception Year, children get to know some books and rhymes well. Leaders select books that help pupils understand and appreciate difference and diversity.

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Pupils typically conduct themselves well. Most follow routines eagerly and listen respectfully to adults and peers. In the Reception Year, children learn how to get on with others. They sustain their concentration when learning together and independently. Pupils have good attendance and are punctual.

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Pupils learn how to be active citizens. For instance, they learn about democracy by voting for the school council and observing local political processes. Pupils learn about careers and how to make positive contributions to society. The personal, social and health education curriculum ensures that pupils gain an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. Leaders adapt this curriculum to respond to trends, such issues relating to online safety. This helps to prepare pupils well for the future. Older pupils enjoy responsibilities, such as looking after younger pupils when they join the school.

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Leaders provide effective training for staff. This has improved teachers’ subject knowledge and enhanced teaching. Staff speak positively about how leaders help them to manage their workload. They value leaders’ and governors’ support for their well-being. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide useful training to staff and ensure that safeguarding maintains a high profile. Consequently, staff are confident in identifying and reporting concerns about pupils. Leaders make referrals to safeguarding partners when required and escalate their concerns if support is not forthcoming.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They say there is an adult they can talk to if they are worried. Leaders work with external agencies to provide the right support to pupils.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there are appropriate checks on adults working in the school. There is appropriate policy and practice to manage instances of harmful sexual behaviour. 11 and 12 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the crucial knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know precisely enough. As a result, pupils do not gain the same depth of understanding as they do in other subjects. Leaders need to make clear what is important for pupils’ future learning in all subjects.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 March 2011

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school and is part of the Diocese of Salisbury. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in May 2023.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  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 held discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders and members of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with 11 and 12 July 2023

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teachers and support staff, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and examined the school’s safeguarding records. Inspectors also spoke with a range of pupils and staff about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.

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Inspection team

James Oldham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jack Lacey Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 July 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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