Chuckery Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Chuckery Primary School Lincoln Road, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 2DZ

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

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Outcome

Chuckery Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a harmonious school with happy pupils. Leaders embrace the cultural richness of pupils in the school. They ensure they celebrate the many different faiths and backgrounds of the pupils. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported, and thrive here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in school is very strong. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and this is reflected in their positive attitudes to learning. Leaders have ensured that pupils are taught about what good behaviour looks like. One member of staff said, ‘If they don’t know how to behave, we teach them.’ Staff have consistent expectations of behaviour, both in the classroom and beyond. As a result, poor behaviour is infrequent and low-level disruption is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say bullying is very rare, but if it does happen, there are lots of people who will help them to sort it out. Leaders have ensured that pupils are given opportunities for regular check-ins with adults if they are feeling sad or worried. Some pupils are trained as mental health ambassadors. They are trained to spot other pupils who may be upset and are taught ways to comfort them, for example through meditative breathing or by listening to their worries.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and exciting. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn, from the time they start in Nursery until they leave in Year 6. Pupils achieve well, especially in reading and mathematics.

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

The reading curriculum has been carefully designed to give pupils the skills and the desire to read. This starts in the early years, where pupils in Reception start learning to read as soon as they arrive at school. Staff quickly ensure that they understand the routines and expectations of the phonics sessions so that children are ready to learn. Accurate assessment is used to identify any gaps in learning. Staff then ensure that support is 13 and 14 September 2023

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quickly put in place to help pupils catch up. The books that pupils read allow them to practise the sounds they are learning. In addition, the school has ensured that reading is fully inclusive. For example, pupils with visual impairments have access to books in Braille, large print and a vast selection of audiobooks, so that stories are available to all.

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Similarly, there is a buzz around mathematics in the school. Pupils say they love mathematics. As one pupil said: ‘Mathematics is everywhere. It is the first subject I want to do every day.’ Through effective training, leaders have ensured that all staff have excellent subject knowledge, but also know how to teach mathematics well.

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The rest of the curriculum is ambitious and, at times, goes beyond the national curriculum. For example, in the vast majority of geography units, opportunities for high- quality fieldwork are built in to enhance learning. Leaders have considered the key knowledge that they want pupils to know. However, in some subjects, the end-points that pupils must know throughout their learning are not always clear. This means it is harder for teachers to build on prior knowledge and to know what essential knowledge pupils need to remember.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported in the school. They are quickly identified, and support is put in place to overcome barriers to learning. Staff are well trained to support these pupils. For example, teachers ensure they break down learning into small steps and scaffold learning appropriately. This ensures pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils are proud of the range of roles and responsibilities they take on. Pupils can take on roles such as house captains, school councillors, art ambassadors and digital leaders. They know that their jobs have a real purpose. For example, the digital leaders talked confidently about how they delivered a presentation to younger pupils about how to stay safe online.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. Playtimes are harmonious. Pupils are taught how to play nicely with each other and to share. This starts in the early years. Pupils learn about different types of families and cultures. As a result, there is a welcoming ethos in the school.

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Staff are positive about the school. They feel that leaders and governors make time for them and listen to their views. They appreciate the well-being working group that works with leaders to consider workload.

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Governors have a very secure understanding of the school. They know the school well and have established clear lines of accountability that ensure leaders are held to account for the progress of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and 14 September 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember on their learning journey. This means that the work teachers set does not always follow on from what pupils can already do and does not always prepare pupils for future learning. As a result, pupils do not always learn what leaders would expect them to. Subject leaders should identify the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn as they progress through the subject.

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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 March 2018.

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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.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Cadmus Family of Schools federation. This comprises of seven schools from the Walsall area.  The school has provision for two-year-olds. However, they had not started attending at the time of the inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the senior leadership team to discuss school development.  The inspector met with representatives of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. 13 and 14 September 2023

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 The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to safeguarding, pupils’ personal development, and behaviour and attendance.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work.  The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The views of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Eve Morris, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 September 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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