Tickenham Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Tickenham Church of England Primary School 174 Clevedon Road, Tickenham, Clevedon, Somerset BS21 6RG

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Outcome

Tickenham Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Elizabeth Lester. This school is part of The Futura Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Andrea Arlidge, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Malcolm Broad MBE.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Tickenham Primary School. They describe the school as a welcoming place, where there are lots of things to do. Pupils understand how the ‘Tickenham way’ helps them to be kind, respectful and to work hard. Parents speak highly about the school’s ‘family feel’ and the positive start children make.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are polite and courteous. They are keen to demonstrate the school’s ‘gem powers’. Pupils understand how they help them to stay focused and to behave well. This starts in the early years where children are eager to learn, listen to instructions carefully and show high levels of respect to one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They value the positive relationships they have with staff. Pupils trust that adults will listen to them. They say that staff are there for them if they need to share any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer to them, such as book club and choir. They are proud to become house or sport captains and members of the school council. Pupils say these roles help everyone to work as a team and make the school a better place.

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

The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. An ambitious curriculum has been designed that considers what pupils need to know and when they need to know it. 12 October 2023

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Reading is a priority in the school. Pupils read a range of texts with increasing accuracy, fluency and expression. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. They remember and learn new sounds well. Staff benefit from the training they receive to teach phonics effectively. Books that pupils read match the sounds they learn, which helps them to gain confidence. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch-up quickly.

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The school’s mathematics curriculum is designed well. In the early years, teachers model mathematical vocabulary. They encourage children to talk about and use their knowledge of number. Children respond well to this. They confidently describe number patterns. As they move through the school, pupils build on this. For example, older pupils use their mathematical knowledge well to solve more complex problems using multiplication.

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Pupils learn well in most of the wider curriculum subjects. In physical education (PE), for example, the school has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers present new information clearly. They make checks to find out how well pupils understand what they are learning. Pupils develop their ball control and understanding of different tactics well because of this.

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In some subjects, the school has put in place systems to check on the implementation of the curriculum. This enables the school to identify what is working well, gaps in pupils’ knowledge and next steps. However, some of this work in the wider curriculum is new. As a result, the school does not yet have an accurate understanding of how well pupils build knowledge or of the strengths and weaknesses in all subjects.

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The school has put in place clear systems to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Individual pupil plans are precise. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. Despite this, some parents of pupils with SEND raise concerns about how well the school communicates with them. The school is aware of this and has plans in place to ensure that parents of these pupils are better informed.

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Pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. The environment in classrooms and around the school is calm and purposeful. Children in the early years settle to new routines quickly. They take turns and play well together.

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The school has high expectations for pupil attendance. The procedures for managing and improving attendance are effective. Leaders track attendance closely and intervene early to stop pupils having too much time off. As a result, pupils attend school regularly.

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The school’s values underpin the approach to pupils’ personal development. Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy and individual liberty. They develop their sense of character by raising money for charities. Pupils say this helps them to help others who are less fortunate than them.

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Trustees and local governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. They provide appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. Staff value the training and collaboration with colleagues from other trust schools. 12 October 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not know what impact the intended curriculum is having in some subjects. As a result, they are unclear how well pupils build their knowledge. The trust must ensure that they have precise information about how effectively the curriculum is taught and how well pupils learn.

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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 on 14 and 15 December 2017.

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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. 12 October 2023

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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). 12 October 2023

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CEO of the trust

Headteacher Elizabeth Lester Website www.tickenhamprimaryschool.org.uk

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CEO of the trust

Dates of previous inspection 14 to 15 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is designated as having a religious character and is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Its last section 48 inspection took place in November 2017, when the school was judged to be outstanding.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2020.  There have been changes to the governing body since the last inspection.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 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. 12 October 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, pupils, representatives from the local governance committee and the trust.

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning.

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 The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2, and 3 read to an adult.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 12 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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