St Peters CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Peters CofE Primary School Old Church Road, Harborne, Birmingham, West Midlands B17 0BE

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Outcome

St Peters CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school has many strengths. There are high expectations for behaviour and learning, and pupils respond very well to these. The school’s broad curriculum is efficiently organised; lessons run smoothly and pupils achieve much. In English and mathematics, for example, standards are strong and pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As well as classroom learning, pupils take part in trips and carry out jobs to help others. This supports them to take responsibility and show initiative. From Nursery to Year 6, there is a sense of pride in the school. This is evident in the high-quality displays of work, and in the attitudes of leaders, staff and pupils towards their work and towards each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are caring, supportive and reflect the school’s Christian values. In class and on the playground, pupils get along and consider one another’s feelings. Bullying is uncommon but pupils are taught how to spot it and report it should it happen. The school has informed and attentive routines for keeping pupils safe and promoting good behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents value being part of the school community. They have many positive things to say about school life and how happy the pupils are at this well-led, inclusive school.

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

St Peters CofE Primary is a successful school. It is well led and managed, has motivated staff and provides a worthwhile curriculum. Consequently, it continues to offer a good- quality education. Indeed, in several aspects, the school has strengthened its work since the previous inspection.

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

This is because leaders have made informed and effective decisions about ongoing school improvement. The teaching of early reading, for example, is now even stronger than 10 and 11 October 2023

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before. Staff have had recent training and the school has new resources. Phonics lessons take place daily. If any pupils take longer to learn, then staff provide additional tuition. This continues into key stage 2, when necessary. Once pupils can read fluently, staff introduce them to lots of books and, by Year 6, pupils have an impressive knowledge of different authors. Similarly, informed leadership of mathematics is reflected in pupils’ achievements.

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This attention to staff’s training and ongoing development is also apparent in other subjects. In art and design, for instance, subject-specific training has brought significant improvements to the curriculum and pupils’ learning. Informed thinking has ensured a clear line of sight in learning from early years through to Year 6. New learning builds securely on what has gone before. Pupils grow in confidence and competence and feel good about their achievements. This way of thinking is guiding curriculum development in other subjects, too. However, curriculum sequencing in some foundation subjects is better developed than it is in others. Leaders know this and have realistic plans for future curriculum development.

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However, St Peters CofE Primary is not just all about learning in class. Starting in early years, there is a commitment to learning outdoors and purposeful activity that develops both mind and body. Throughout the school, pupils go on trips to places near and far, including three residential stays away from home in key stage 2. On top of this, the school has recently introduced a new personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme. This supports pupils to develop a positive, optimistic outlook on life, to think about others and to stay safe.

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Most pupils have high attendance. When necessary, school staff work with parents and external services to improve the attendance of any pupils who miss too much school. This multi-agency working is also a strong feature of the school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school successfully meets a range of different needs. A well-trained SEND team supports this work and ensures that needs are identified accurately. With appropriate support, pupils participate in all aspects of school life and access the same curriculum as their peers.

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School staff say that leaders consider their views and workload when making decisions. They value the school’s investment in regular training and recognise the positive impact this has on their work.

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Many parents express high levels of satisfaction with the school’s work and engagement with the community. They drew particular attention to the purposeful learning and level of care provided for their children. Inspection evidence supports these views. Indeed, safety arrangements at the childcare club and during the school day, including when pupils move between the two sites, are managed well. Lessons, learning and playtimes run smoothy and safely because of the climate of respect in school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum thinking and design in some foundation subjects are stronger than they are in others. In some foundation subjects, either the curriculum tries to cover too much or some aspects do not receive enough attention. The school should continue to strengthen curriculum sequencing so that pupils can make the best possible progress in all subjects.  The school’s new PSHE curriculum is at an early stage of implementation. Further staff training is planned but has not yet taken place. The school should ensure that all staff understand how to implement the PSHE curriculum well.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2013.

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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. 10 and 11 October 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). 10 and 11 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Peters CofE Primary is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. It operates on two sites: an infant and a junior school site, located either side of St Peter’s Church.  The school’s most recent diocesan section 48 inspection took place in May 2019. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.  The school has a nursery that takes children from three years old.  The school provides before- and after-school childcare on the infant school site.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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 his evaluation of the school. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 The inspector considered published performance data about the school and looked at a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the curriculum, extra-curricular activities and school improvement planning and included documents published on the school’s website.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, other leaders, school staff, pupils and governors. He spoke on the telephone with the school’s improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and art and design. In these subjects, he discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. He also considered the curriculum in other subjects to check how they were organised and taught.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single

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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 inspector talked informally with pupils, parents and staff to gather general information about school life. He took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s and parents’ views.  The inspector observed pupils in class, at lunchtime, on the playground, at clubs, when moving between the infant and junior sites and at other times during the day.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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