Pawlett Primary School

Inspection of Pawlett Primary School Academy Gaunts Road, Pawlett, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4SB

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Emma Barker. This school is part of The Priory Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, William Roberts, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Katie Dominy. 13 and 14 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Respect is at the heart of this school. Pupils live by the school’s values of respecting themselves, others and the environment. They learn well because they listen and participate considerately. Breaktimes and the breakfast club are harmonious. Pupils mix well. They share resources and spaces and speak to one another kindly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are clear about these expectations and understand the rules. As a result, pupils behave well. The pupil peer mentors are now using the same positive language. They are good role models and, for example, praise younger pupils for their ‘wonderful walking’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are positive across the school. Pupils feel safe and trust adults to listen to them if they have a worry. Pupils and parents value the nurture and pastoral care the school provides. Parents are positive about how staff communicate with them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has strengthened its links with and place in the community. Pupils enjoy taking part in visits to the local church and village events. They are particularly proud of their litter picking. These experiences help to develop their understanding of being a responsible citizen.

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better?

Pupils learn to read well. Right from their start in Reception, children enjoy listening to stories and rhymes. They quickly learn sounds that enable them to begin to read simple words. Regular checks on their learning mean that most pupils build accuracy and confidence. Any pupils who struggle receive the support they need to catch up. Older pupils thoroughly enjoy the texts they read and study. They appreciate the wide range of texts they can choose from, which help them to become capable readers.

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better?

The school has worked hard to sequence the curriculum appropriately from the early years. It has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. In a few subjects this is not yet as refined as it could be. As a result, teaching sometimes focuses on activities for pupils to complete, rather than developing the knowledge they need. Therefore, pupils recall what they have done, but do not remember more over time. In some subjects, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not as high as they are in reading and mathematics. As a result, pupils’ attitudes to their learning can dip in these subjects.

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better?

Pupils remember more in reading and mathematics. This is because teachers are clear about what should be taught and when. Pupils regularly revisit what they already know. This helps them become fluent with letter sounds and number recognition. Consequently, they confidently tackle increasingly complex texts and number problems. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn alongside their peers. Teaching makes sure that pupils with SEND have the resources they need to help them when necessary. 13 and 14 September 2023

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In Reception, children show curiosity and independence. They quickly settle into school life, playing and learning together well. Children know the routines and expectations adults have of them.

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The school supports teachers well. Teachers are positive about the trust’s work to improve their skills. They benefit from working with colleagues from other schools and trust specialists to deepen their subject knowledge. The school ensures staff know how it wants the curriculum to be taught. This has been useful due to the number of new staff joining the school. However, these agreed methods are not yet fully embedded, which means pupils do not learn as well in some subjects. The school is not always aware that pupils have not learned the intended curriculum. For example, in history, older pupils struggle to explain important concepts such as civilization, despite studying this idea a number of times.

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The school makes sure pupils understand diversity and equality. The school has chosen texts, visitors and visits that broaden pupils’ understanding of life in modern Britain. Pupils use their school parliament to discuss these issues and make sense of individual and community responsibility towards one another. This is further strengthened by a well-sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ work is sometimes focused on completing activities rather than enabling them to learn new knowledge. This means that pupils can recall what they have done but not what they have learned. The school should continue to develop teachers’ pedagogy so that pupils know more and remember more over time.  The school does not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum on pupils. As a result, it has an overly positive evaluation of what pupils know and remember. The school should develop an accurate evaluation of how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum.

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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. 13 and 14 September 2023

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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

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined The Priory Learning Trust in April 2019.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors 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. 13 and 14 September 2023

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 Inspectors held meetings with the executive principal, vice principal, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff, a trustee and members of the local academy council, the chief executive officer of the trust and the director of primary education and standards.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration

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responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s academy review and improvement plan.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Briscombe Ofsted 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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