The Ferncumbe CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Ferncumbe CofE Primary School The Green, Hatton, Warwick, Warwickshire CV35 7EX

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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Outcome

The Ferncumbe CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The head of school is Tracey Webb. This school is part of Arden Forest CofE Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Adam Walsh, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Moon. There is also an executive headteacher, Sally Morris, who is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘The Ferncumbe Family’ is a phrase used by all. It perfectly describes this caring, inclusive school where pupils and staff look out for one another and everyone can ‘enjoy, believe and achieve’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy attending school. Each morning, there is a warm welcome at the school gate for everyone. Pupils know that the adults in school want the very best for them. They enjoy living up to these expectations and achieve highly in statutory assessments. Older pupils act as role models for their younger friends. Those in pupil leadership positions, such as school councillors and friendship ambassadors, use their roles to help make school even better for everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities. There is something for everyone, from visiting the Houses of Parliament during ‘democracy week’ to enjoying a trip to the theatre or taking part in a sporting activity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. One parent voiced the views of many by saying that the school is ‘caring and understanding, nurturing children’s personalities as well as their academic abilities.’

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

The school is aspirational for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum has been designed to help all pupils learn about, and appreciate, their local area and the wider world around them. Learning to 23 and 24 January 2024

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read, and to love reading, has been prioritised. As soon as children start in Reception, they begin to learn the sounds and letters they need. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme. The school regularly checks pupils’ phonics knowledge to identify those who need extra support. Pupils who are learning to read practise using books matched to the sounds they know. Older pupils read a wide range of interesting and challenging texts.

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The school has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember across the curriculum. This is sequenced so that pupils can build on what they are learning over time. Opportunities such as ‘science week’ bring the curriculum alive and enable pupils to develop life skills such as presenting information to others. Staff routinely revisit key content to support pupils’ understanding in mathematics. This means that pupils build the firm foundations needed to understand new concepts. For example, in Reception, pupils use their counting skills to find ‘one more’ and ‘one less’ than a number. In Year 1, they build on this by recognising numbers that are ‘greater than’ other numbers.

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Subject leaders are passionate about their curriculum areas. The school provides training to develop subject leaders’ skills. However, some systems in school do not sufficiently support subject leaders to check, both regularly and effectively, the implementation of the curriculum in their subjects.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported to learn and play alongside their friends. Additional needs are quickly and accurately identified. Staff are adept at making adaptations or offering support, if needed, so that all pupils are fully included in lessons and every aspect of school life.

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Pupils are encouraged to develop independence. Their views about school are listened to and valued. For example, pupils asked the school to buy chickens for them to care for. They use the eggs and apples from the orchard in baking club. Pupils can be nominated for kindness awards and gain confidence through taking on responsibilities including the ‘library squad’ and ‘thrive ambassadors’. Through ‘careers week’, pupils learn about the world of work. These opportunities prepare pupils for life beyond school.

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There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are respectful of the adults in school, as well as their friends. For example, on the playground, older pupils take care of younger pupils. Pupils in Year 6 ‘buddy’ children in Reception to help them settle into school life. Pupils behave well in lessons and around school.

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Pupils learn about, and celebrate, difference. They develop an understanding of different belief systems through, for example, the school inviting parents to talk about different cultures.

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Staff value working alongside colleagues from other schools within the trust to share good practice and expertise. Governors and the trust know the school well. However, they do not always assure themselves that their systems are working well enough to check that necessary actions are always carried out effectively. 23 and 24 January 2024

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The vast majority of parents are extremely positive about all aspects of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders are still developing their expertise. A small number of subject leaders have not yet identified when their curriculum is not being implemented in the way they intend. The school should continue to develop the expertise and capacity of subject leaders to evaluate the effectiveness and consistent delivery of the curriculum.  Although the school identifies when important actions need to be taken, the implementation and impact of these actions are not always fully checked. This means that the school does not always know if what was planned has been put in place and is working. The school should ensure that planned actions are consistently carried out and checked.

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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 predecessor school, The Ferncumbe CofE Primary School, to be good in November 2014.

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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. 23 and 24 January 2024

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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). 23 and 24 January 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Ferncumbe CofE Primary School has been part of the Arden Forest CofE Multi Academy Trust since April 2021. The former headteacher is now the executive headteacher.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school runs on-site before- and after-school provision.  The school received its last section 48 inspection of church schools in November 2019. The next inspection is planned for November 2024.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with 23 and 24 January 2024

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subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans where they were available, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult. The lead inspector also looked at pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school and other senior leaders. The special educational needs coordinator was not in school during the inspection.  The inspector met with the chair and representatives of the local governing body and the CEO of the multi-academy trust.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspector spoke to pupils about pupils’ behaviour.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspector also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector talked to parents and families at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Rachel Henrick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

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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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