Elworth CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Elworth CofE Primary School School Lane, Elworth, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 3HU

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Outcome

Elworth CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and friendly school, where everyone values and celebrates the differences between people. Pupils live up to the school’s motto. Their actions show that they are ready, responsible and respectful. Positive relationships between staff and pupils are evident throughout the school. Pupils treat each other with kindness and consideration. They understand that all pupils have the right to an education, the right to be safe and the right to be heard. The school sets high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils know that it is important to work hard and to behave well. In lessons, pupils work well together. At breaktimes and during lunchtimes, they play happily together. Most pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well across a range of subjects. Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills and their

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What is it like to attend this school?

confidence. For example, pupils carry out a number of roles and responsibilities, such as being play leaders, safeguarding team members and sports ambassadors. Pupils also take an active part in charitable work. They value supporting causes within and beyond their school community. Pupils take part in activities that allow them to pursue their interests and talents. For instance, they enjoy developing their skills by attending netball, hockey, choir and dance. They appreciate the extensive range of trips and visits linked to their learning, including mountain climbing, camping, kayaking and residential trips.

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

In most subjects, the school has designed a curriculum that carefully identifies the small steps of learning that help pupils to build and connect their knowledge over time. Pupils achieve well in these subjects. However, in a few of the foundation subjects, it is less clear what pupils must know and remember. In addition, the order in which subject 3 and 4 October 2023

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knowledge will be taught has not been identified. This makes it difficult for pupils to build on what they already know. Lessons are calm and orderly. Pupils get on with their learning with minimal distraction. Staff use their secure subject knowledge to explain concepts clearly. Pupils are keen to ask questions and to volunteer answers. They are resilient enough to try again if their answers are not correct. Reading is a central focus across the school. Staff enthuse pupils about reading, whether this is in the phonics lessons or in the regular story time sessions. Books are everywhere in the school. Reading is celebrated and prioritised from the early years through to Year 6. There is a well-thought-out phonics curriculum that is delivered effectively by well- trained staff. Children in the early years, and pupils in key stage 1, typically read books that are matched to their phonics knowledge. Those pupils who find reading difficult

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receive effective support to catch up. By the end of Year 2, pupils are increasingly confident and fluent readers. In most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies well to pick up on pupils’ misconceptions. Teachers adapt their teaching to help pupils make up for gaps in their understanding. However, this approach is less well developed in a few of the foundation subjects. At times, pupils are introduced to new subject content before their understanding of earlier learning is secure or accurate. The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with SEND early. It ensures that pupils with SEND have effective support in place. This helps pupils to access the full curriculum successfully. The school regularly reviews how well pupils are progressing towards their individual targets and makes further changes to better support pupils as necessary. This enables pupils with SEND to learn and achieve well.

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A well-thought-out programme helps pupils to become kind and thoughtful young people who respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live. Pupils learn that everyone is unique and understand that they should not judge others because they are different from themselves. Pupils also learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Members of the governing body have a good insight into the school. They assure themselves that pupils are achieving well. Parents and carers are supported in many ways to help their children’s learning. For example, the website provides useful information that helps parents to better understand what their children learn in school. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about how the school takes account of their workload when introducing change. Staff fully appreciate the professional development opportunities that they have.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the strategies that teachers use to check pupils’ learning are not effective enough. This means that misconceptions are not identified or addressed before new learning is introduced. This leads to gaps in pupils’ understanding. The school should ensure that teachers are equipped to check that pupils are learning curriculum content as intended.  In a few subjects, the school has not identified what pupils should learn and remember, and the order in which new knowledge is taught is unclear. This hinders pupils from building on their knowledge as they move through the curriculum. In these subjects, the school should finalise its curriculum thinking so that teachers know what pupils should learn and when this should happen.

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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 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 3 and 4 October 2023

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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). 3 and 4 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 September 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a voluntary-controlled school. It is part of the Diocese of Chester. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2018. The school is awaiting confirmation from the diocese about its next section 48 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 leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector conducted deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, she met with subject leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. 3 and 4 October 2023

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 During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders and class teachers.  The inspector observed pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2 reading to a familiar adult. The inspector also spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  The inspector talked with staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority. The inspector also met with governors, including the chair of the governing body, as well as a representative from the diocese.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. She also spoke to several parents at the start of the school day.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil 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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at playtimes. She spoke with pupils about bullying, behaviour and leaders’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour.

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Inspection team

Kelly Butler, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 October 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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