Curbar Primary School

Inspection of Curbar Primary School Calver Bridge, Calver, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 3XA

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 15–16 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy life at Curbar Primary School. In lessons, they display exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. At playtimes, pupils of all ages play happily together. Older pupils enthusiastically take on roles of responsibility such as playground monitors and reading buddies. They are proud to provide care and support for younger pupils. Pupils strive to follow the ‘Curbar code’ and to earn rewards for being good ‘Curbar citizens’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years are eager to learn. Staff help them learn to communicate effectively and work together. The curriculum provides them with an exciting range of activities that is well planned to match their interests and prepare them very well for key stage 1.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a safe and nurturing environment that pupils thrive in. Staff know the pupils very well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to enjoy all the same opportunities as their peers. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Staff support their well-being and teach them how to take care of their mental health. Parents and carers appreciate the exceptional levels of care that the school provides for their children.

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better?

The school has worked hard to develop an ambitious and interesting curriculum. It is designed to help pupils gain knowledge and develop skills to prepare them for their next stage in education. Staff have clearly identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn across the full range of subjects. The curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils deepen their understanding over time. Many aspects of the curriculum are new. Subject leaders know their subjects well. Staff have received training to support them to deliver the curriculum. However, the school has not yet established effective routines for checking how well all subjects are being delivered or how well pupils remember what they have learned.

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better?

In lessons, staff present new knowledge clearly. There is a strong focus on literacy and helping pupils to gain the vocabulary they need to understand and discuss increasingly-complex concepts. Lesson activities are designed to help pupils learn the important knowledge. On some occasions, lessons are not adapted well enough to support all pupils to gain knowledge quickly and securely. Pupils with SEND benefit from effective support from staff.

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better?

Pupils try hard in lessons. They produce work of good quality. Staff regularly check pupils’ learning and provide useful feedback to help them improve their understanding. However, sometimes pupils’ misconceptions are not identified quickly enough. Pupils do not always have opportunities to act on the feedback that they are given. As a result, pupils do not always progress as well as they might. 15–16 November 2023

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The school places a high priority on reading. There is a well-planned phonics programme in place for children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1. Staff routinely check pupils’ progress in reading and provide extra support when it is needed. Pupils in all years read from a diverse range of texts. They enjoy reading.

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In the early years, the curriculum is designed to precisely meet the needs of individual children. It helps them to build on what they know already and broaden their understanding of the world. Children in the early years enjoy listening to stories. They enthusiastically learn, and use, new vocabulary. In mathematics, they eagerly learn about numbers, shapes, and patterns. Learning activities are very well designed to help them develop physical and social skills.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, and around school, is exemplary. There are no disruptions to learning. Children develop remarkably positive attitudes to learning in the early years and these are maintained as they progress through the school.

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The school supports pupils’ wider personal development well. Through assemblies and lessons across the curriculum, pupils learn about diversity, equality and British values. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well planned to make sure that pupils gain an age-appropriate understanding of topics such as healthy relationships and online safety. The school provides pupils with extra-curricular activities that they enjoy. Pupils have opportunities to go on trips that include experiences of different cultures and religions.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. The school prioritises their well-being and helps them to manage their workload while providing opportunities to develop their expertise. Governors know the school and its priorities for further development well. They provide strong support and challenge to the school and fulfil their statutory duties.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Much of the curriculum is new. It is not yet delivered consistently well. This means that sometimes pupils do not gain new knowledge securely and their misconceptions are not always addressed quickly. The school needs to ensure that all staff deliver the planned curriculum effectively.  The school does not yet have a rigorous plan for checking the effectiveness of the curriculum. This means that potential areas for further development are not identified quickly enough. The school needs to establish a routine for systematically checking the impact of the curriculum. 15–16 November 2023

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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.

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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). 15–16 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Simon Beahan (executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 and 17 September 2008

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher is also the executive headteacher of another school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, subject leaders, other members of staff and members of the governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector spoke to the local authority school improvement partner. 15–16 November 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, English, mathematics, and geography. 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. The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  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.  Inspectors looked at curriculum plans for the early years and personal, social and health education (PSHE).  Inspectors considered the responses to staff and pupil surveys. They also considered responses to Ofsted Parent View and spoke to some parents.

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 Inspectors spoke with pupils to hear their experiences of the school.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Azemia Ofsted Inspector 15–16 November 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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