Kemble Primary School

Inspection of Kemble Primary School School Road, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6AG

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Emma Morrogh-Ryan. This school is part of the Corinium Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Chiquita Henson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin McLeman. 21 and 22 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s excellent personal development offer ensures pupils become knowledgeable active citizens. They learn to ‘courageously advocate’ for others. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are exemplary. They attend school very regularly. Pupils are safe and extremely well cared for by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and orderly environment. Children in Reception benefit from time spent with their Year 6 ‘buddies’ who show them how to get along with others. Children quickly gain the skills needed to make friends and learn together successfully. Pupils learn to make the right choices.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils to be the best they can be. This ambition is realised in most subjects, especially through the personal social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils have a detailed knowledge of how to maintain a healthy body and mind. They enjoy physical activities. Pupils learn to grow their own vegetables and herbs. Pupils aspire to have careers and they aim to contribute to local, national and global change.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand about life outside of Kemble. They learn respect and tolerance as ‘everyone is different’. Pupils say, ‘it’s okay to be you’. Pupils share their thoughts and views confidently, with maturity and humility.

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better?

The school’s vision and values are underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The school’s strong personal development offer ensures pupils learn about the fundamental British values in depth. Pupils become informed and well-rounded citizens with a clear social and moral conscience.

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better?

The school has rightly made learning to read a priority. Staff have a secure knowledge of phonics. The youngest pupils read books that match the phonics they learn. Staff support pupils who need extra help to learn to read. Staff support ensures pupils practise their phonics and reading regularly. As a result, pupils build their phonics knowledge, reading speed and accuracy well.

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better?

Pupils read a wide range of books. The books are specifically chosen to help pupils understand people’s lives that are different from their own. Visits from authors and trips to local literary festivals help to nurture pupils’ love of reading.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the school has worked tirelessly to develop its curriculum. Most subject curriculums are clearly sequenced to build pupils’ knowledge, skills and vocabulary over time. Leaders have thought about the needs of their school community. The school has identified the essential knowledge pupils must know and remember from the early years to Year 6. In these subjects, the school has broken down the essential knowledge into small, achievable steps. This helps teachers to accurately check that pupils have secured their knowledge. For example, pupils are 21 and 22 November 2023

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asked to explain their mathematical thinking using the correct mathematical vocabulary when solving problems. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education in these subjects.

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Nevertheless, there are a few subject curriculums, including in the early years, that are not as well developed. The essential knowledge the school wants pupils to know and remember is not identified. This makes it difficult for teachers to plan and check what pupils must know and remember. Pupils do not make connections between facts learned. As a result, pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge expected by the school. For example, pupils can remember historical facts but are unable to link important concepts.

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Leaders and external agencies work closely together to correctly identify pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This begins in the early years. Staff know pupils and their individual needs well. Pupils with SEND learn effectively. The school is developing a system to ensure parents have more information about their child’s provision.

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Staff have very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. This begins in the early years where children follow clear routines. Pupils quickly learn the skills to resolve conflicts and take responsibility for their own actions. Staff provide additional support to pupils who need help to recognise and manage their emotions and behaviour. This work is extremely effective.

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The trust prioritises the professional development of staff, governors and trustees. Staff benefit from working with colleagues and leaders from across the trust. This is starting to include the development of subject leaders in small schools.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils do not make links between important concepts well enough. This makes it difficult for them to build on prior knowledge. The school needs to identify the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn and to check and strengthen pupils’ knowledge of these concepts to help pupils make connections within and across subjects. 21 and 22 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). 21 and 22 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Kemble primary school is part of the Corinium Education Trust.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2020.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 21 and 22 November 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, staff, the chief executive officer, the chair of trustees and members of the local board of governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in the early years and PSHE.  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 considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Wigley Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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