Churcham Primary School

Inspection of Churcham Primary School Churcham, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 8BD

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Inspection dates: 30 and 31 January 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 30 and 31 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vision of ‘learning, respecting and growing together as a whole school family’ embodies Churcham Primary School. Pupils learn together and respect one another within and beyond the classroom. The large oak tree in the school playground is a central focus. Pupils place importance on the tree as their logo. They talk of it symbolising their growth during their time within this school family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils exemplify the school’s values. Transitions between activities are seamless. Pupils take great pride in their work, and they are keen to show off their learning. Pupils rise to the high expectations that all staff share.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy winter sports club, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workshops and musical instrument lessons. In Year 6, they embark on a residential visit with their partner school. This helps pupils to develop confidence and widen their friendship circles before secondary school. Pupils learn about various cultures, for example through their ‘Jamaica day’. Charity is high on the agenda for pupils. They choose which causes to support. This includes a local donkey sanctuary. This care extends to leaders’ efforts to promote sustainability. The school has carefully picked literature that encourages pupils to look after the environment.

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better?

The school is ambitious for pupils. Leaders are unwavering in their determination for all to succeed. The school recognises reading as essential for helping pupils to learn the curriculum. Children learn phonics as soon as they begin school. All staff have had training in the scheme. Staff assess pupils so they know where knowledge gaps are and act on these quickly. Consequently, pupils achieve well in phonics. Books are matched to the sounds pupils know securely. A love of reading is promoted through themed author days. Children visit the local library, and parents enjoy shared school library sessions. Children develop confidence, and as a result, they love to read.

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better?

The school has constructed a curriculum that is sequenced towards clearly defined end points in the majority of subjects. Teaching focuses precisely on the important knowledge the school wants pupils to know. The school has created assessments that review pupils’ learning well. In these subjects, pupils remember their learning and make links between different topics they have learned before. In a minority of subjects, however, the school has not designed the curriculum with enough precision. This means pupils can describe what they have done but not what they learned.

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better?

Early identification of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is prioritised. The school provides staff with useful training to help them understand how to support pupils with SEND in their learning. Targets for these pupils are precise and focused. As a result, pupils learn the curriculum well. 30 and 31 January 2024

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The school has designed a system for monitoring the curriculum. This is having a positive impact in many subjects, for example in early reading. Leaders check how well pupils are learning the curriculum. They support staff to develop their subject knowledge and expertise. This is shared widely with staff. As a result, teaching improves and pupils learn the curriculum well. This could be developed in some wider curriculum subjects with precise subject-specific support.

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In the early years, children are confident and know the classroom routines. Strong relationships between staff and children mean they feel safe and happy. Activities are matched to the knowledge the school wants children to learn. They benefit from enriching experiences, including visitors who bring their current storybooks to life. Misconceptions such as ‘skunks are always black and white’ are challenged. Communication with parents and transition from nursery is carefully planned. Because of this, children make a strong start at Churcham.

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The school’s sharp focus on the behaviour and wider development of pupils are a strength. Pupils learn to be a good friend and look after each other with genuine care. Pupils are clear that difference is to be celebrated. They are inclusive and celebrate events such as neurodiversity week to raise awareness. Leaders’ work to improve attendance has had a significant impact. Persistent absenteeism has reduced. As well as the school’s rigorous analysis and action, pupils do not want to miss the exciting experiences provided to them at school.

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Leaders and governors are aligned in their vision for the school. Governors’ evaluation of the school is accurate. They hold leaders to account effectively. The school is respected by parents. They are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the communication they receive. Parents describe their children as being happy and thriving.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of wider curriculum subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn has not been identified. As a result, pupils struggle to remember their learning. The school must identify the precise knowledge they want pupils to learn and sequence this coherently so that pupils remember what they have learned.  The school’s monitoring of some wider curriculum subjects is not specific enough. This means pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they do in the more established subjects. The school should ensure monitoring of the curriculum has a precise focus so that implementation of the curriculum can be developed at pace. 30 and 31 January 2024

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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). 30 and 31 January 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of a partnership with another primary school. The headteacher leads both schools.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, school staff, parents, pupils and governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with 30 and 31 January 2024

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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.  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

Emma Jelley Ofsted Inspector 30 and 31 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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