Ellwood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ellwood Primary School Bromley Road, Ellwood, Coleford, Gloucestershire GL16 7LY

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Outcome

Ellwood Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treasure the many opportunities presented to them by this warm and welcoming school. The school’s motto of ‘believe, achieve, belong’ is demonstrated by the way there are opportunities for everyone at Ellwood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are complimentary of the variety of clubs on offer. These include gardening, art, gymnastics and multi-sports. Personal accomplishments, such as learning to tie shoelaces and learning to swim, are celebrated in badge-making club. Pupils are empowered to be charitable and entrepreneurial. For example, they design events to raise money for charity. This helps pupils develop a sense of community and altruism.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a secure understanding of the school rules. Consequently, they behave well. Attitudes to learning are positive. Pupil mentors support their peers to manage their feelings and emotions. For example, they encourage pupils to use calming techniques such as ‘magic circle’ to let a negative thought go. Pupils are united in their desire to be the best they can. This starts in the early years, where children settle quickly and benefit from positive relationships with adults. Pupils trust adults to care for them. They feel safe and happy at school.

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

The school has developed a well-defined curriculum. Leaders have thought about how pupils can remember their learning over time. Because of this, the school has made recent changes to some subject plans. Curriculum plans have been enhanced to demonstrate the precise intended learning and how pupils will learn this over time.

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

In subjects where the curriculum is established, for example in mathematics, teaching includes regular reviews of previous learning. Teachers make links between pupils’ current knowledge and new learning. They check pupils’ knowledge and address any gaps through ‘maths meetings’. As a result, pupils achieve well in these subjects. In a minority 29 November 2023

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of subjects where the curriculum is less established, some pupils have gaps in knowledge and find it difficult to remember their learning.

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Children in early years learn to read as soon as they start school. All staff are trained to teach the phonics scheme. Pupils are regularly assessed so that the books they read match the sounds they know. Assessment also helps staff to identify any gaps in knowledge. The school’s selection of ‘brilliant books’ helps pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy ‘log circle’ stories in the outdoor environment. The school considers ways to increase parental engagement. For example, leaders hold ‘read and rave’ sessions. This is where parents learn about supporting their children with reading while pupils get to have fun at a school disco. Because of this commitment to reading, pupils at Ellwood learn to read with confidence and fluency.

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Leaders have identified that previously, the writing curriculum did not help all pupils to deepen their knowledge, for example developing their own writer’s voice when writing for different audiences and purposes. Leaders have addressed this head-on by developing the curriculum for writing to include key vocabulary. While it is already having an impact for many pupils, there is work to be done to ensure this is embedded in all year groups.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Targets for these pupils are specific to their current needs. As a result, pupils with SEND get the precise help they need, for example bespoke support to learn to read. Pupils with SEND gain confidence and independence.

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Staff expect good behaviour. Pupils rise to these expectations. They are tolerant and respectful of others’ views. Leaders track attendance figures and provide additional support to any families that need it. As a result, pupils attend well.

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Leaders have carefully considered the school’s offer beyond the academic. Pupils are taught about morality through scenario-based learning. They learn about other cultures, such as through a drumming event, when learning about the continent of Africa. Pupils enjoy forest experience sessions. They benefit from trips to the Dean Heritage Centre to learn about local history. Pupils learn about personal space and healthy relationships. Because of this, pupils are prepared for later life.

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Leaders prioritise allocating time to monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum. Staff say this consideration of time means there is minimal impact on workload. Because of this regular evaluation, leaders and governors have a secure understanding of the strengths of the school and what it needs to do to improve. Governors are highly supportive of the school and know it well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In some wider curriculum subjects, some pupils have historic gaps in learning. As a result, these pupils find it difficult to build their knowledge based on what they know and remember. The school must ensure that gaps are identified and the curriculum is adjusted to enable all pupils to build their knowledge well.  Some pupils have not secured a deep knowledge of writing. As a result, these pupils have not developed their own writer’s voice when writing for different audiences and purposes. The school must continue to embed their work to support writing and check how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum.

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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 in May 2018.

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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.

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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). 29 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michelle Ireland

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 headteacher, school staff, parents, pupils and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, 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 listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult. 29 November 2023

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 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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at lunchtime and breaktimes. In addition, the inspectors met with pupils formally and informally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also looked at responses to the pupil survey and responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lakmini Harkus, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hilary Goddard Ofsted Inspector 29 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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