Rushbury CofE Primary School

Inspection of Rushbury C of E Primary School Rushbury, Church Stretton, Shropshire SY6 7EB

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 6 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. 6 and 7 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This a school proud to be at the heart of its community. Because of its size, everyone knows and cares for everyone else. There is a shared commitment to helping everyone feel valued, even if they only join the school for a short time. As several pupils explained, the school ‘is one big family’ in which they feel safe and happy. This is why attendance is so good.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This sense of caring responsibility to each other is evident in the way older pupils actively support younger pupils. For example, the sports ambassadors help younger pupils try new sports and play safely at lunchtime. It is also visible in lessons when younger pupils learn from their older classmates. Behaviour is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff want pupils to achieve well and be confident about taking the next steps in their education. Pupils are keen to do well in their lessons. They work well together and independently. They achieve good outcomes and participate fully in the opportunities available to them. For example, younger pupils love their weekly walks. Older pupils enjoyed their trips to the beach and RAF Cosford. Many pupils attend the Friday sports club led by the headteacher, as well as sewing and homework clubs.

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better?

The school has made changes to its curriculum over the last two years to make sure that it is broad and suitably ambitious for all children and pupils. Staff are becoming more confident in how to lead and deliver this curriculum effectively. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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better?

Leaders have thought carefully about how to sequence the steps in learning pupils need to build in each subject. The curriculum has been designed to enable pupils from different year groups to make progress towards the same end point, for example in a piece of persuasive writing. However, sometimes the learning is not adapted to reflect the different starting points of pupils. There are occasions when pupils are given tasks they are not yet ready for, or tasks that do not provide them with enough opportunity to deepen their learning. Sometimes, this is because teachers have not checked closely enough how much pupils already know. In some subjects, such as mathematics, this checking of understanding is more robust. The school is tackling these small areas of inconsistency as part of its work to improve the curriculum.

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better?

Children in Reception benefit from being in the same environment as key stage 1 pupils. They learn how to communicate, behave and learn because they see it modelled well by the older pupils. Their progression into Year 1 is seamless. 6 and 7 December 2023

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There is a clear process in place to identify accurately any pupils with SEND. External support is used to assess needs and ensure that teachers know what adaptations to make for these pupils.

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A high value is placed on reading. Children in Reception develop a love of reading and books from the outset. They learn to read well, thanks to the strong phonics teaching. As pupils get older, they become confident, fluent readers because the school has carefully considered how to help them develop their reading skills as they move through the school. There is a shared love of reading, with many opportunities to read together and independently during the day. Opportunities such as author visits and participating in a book festival help pupils to see reading as an important part of their wider development.

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The ‘ready, respectful, safe’ school rules are firmly embedded. Pupils are keen to make the right choices as they understand their decisions impact others. Relationships are warm and respectful. There are clear routines in place to support excellent behaviour. Even the youngest pupils follow these well, entering the school quietly and putting their coats away independently after playtime.

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Independence is an important part of personal development at Rushbury. Pupils spend time in lessons working independently and they concentrate well, persisting when they find tasks challenging. They have a strong sense of social responsibility. This is taught within the curriculum but also learned practically through the many ways in which they actively support each other and the community. For example, the school council and the ‘Rushbury Rotakids’ raised the money for a community defibrillator.

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The school has excellent relationships with parents and carers, the local community and other external partners, including involving them in shaping the school’s new values. Governors work diligently to ensure the school is fulfilling its responsibilities. Staff feel valued. Everyone is proud to be part of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Learning tasks are not always adapted well enough for pupils. Sometimes, this is because teachers have not checked carefully enough what pupils already know. As a result, gaps in some pupils’ knowledge go unnoticed and others are not enabled to deepen their learning when ready to do so. The school should ensure that teachers are confident in adapting learning when needed and check that this is happening in all subjects. 6 and 7 December 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 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). 6 and 7 December 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 October 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school. The school’s last section 48 diocesan inspection was in March 2020. 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 last section 48 inspection.  The school provides before- and after-school care on site.  The school is not currently using 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 6 and 7 December 2023

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, governors, a representative from the local authority and spoke with a representative from the diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the 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 inspectors listened to pupils read to a familiar adult and visited other lessons.  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.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including comments submitted

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via the free-text facility. The inspectors also spoke to some parents in person.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beech, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janet Lewis Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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