St George's CofE First School and Nursery

Inspection of St George’s CofE First School and Nursery Stevenson Avenue, St. Georges C of E First School and Nursery, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 8LU

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Claire Martin. This school is part of Endeavour Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nicki Wright, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Clare Banks.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision, ‘Let your light shine’, encourages all pupils to do their best. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They display highly positive attitudes. In lessons, pupils are curious, engaged and enthusiastic about their learning. They work hard and produce work of good quality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has made many improvements including overhauling the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for pupils. However, weaknesses in some areas of the previous curriculum mean that some pupils have developed gaps in their learning over time. These pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be. 6 and 7 February 2024

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Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. Pupils feel safe and know that they can share any concerns they may have with any adult in school. Bullying is rare. Staff help pupils sort out any disagreements they may have.

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The school celebrates the diversity of the school community throughout the curriculum and the books they read. Pupils enjoy sharing their experiences of different traditions and religious celebrations with each other.

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Pupils speak with pride about the roles of responsibility that they are entrusted with, such as being sports leaders and school councillors.

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better?

The school is unwavering in its pursuit of continual improvement. The school, supported by the trust, has constructed a high-quality, ambitious and well- sequenced curriculum from Nursery to Year 4. The school has ensured that it breaks the learning down into small steps. Consequently, teachers know precisely what to teach and when.

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better?

Typically, staff have secure subject knowledge. However, in subjects such as mathematics, where the curriculum content has recently been revised, teachers sometimes lack the expertise and skills to deliver new learning consistently well. This means that staff sometimes do not support pupils to make secure enough connections between new topics and concepts. This prevents some pupils from deepening their learning, and from knowing and remembering more knowledge over time.

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better?

The school has successfully cultivated a love of reading by introducing pupils to a diverse range of suitable texts. This successfully helps to develop children’s knowledge of language and vocabulary. Reading has a high priority at this school. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme consistently well. The books that pupils read are carefully matched to their phonics knowledge. Skilled staff regularly check on what pupils know and remember. They support pupils who struggle to read to catch up quickly. However, on occasion, in other subject areas some gaps in pupils’ knowledge go unchecked by staff. This hinders pupils from learning as deeply as they should.

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better?

Staff swiftly identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make appropriate and thoughtful adaptations to enable pupils to access the full curriculum. All pupils from early years onwards are well supported to become increasingly independent and to take responsibility for their own learning.

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better?

In the early years, children develop strong foundations for their future learning. There is a sharp focus on building children’s vocabulary. Staff expertly deliver the well-planned curriculum and make adaptations to the activities to capture pupils’ 6 and 7 February 2024

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interests and encourage engagement. Adults encourage children to be inquisitive and to talk about their experiences.

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Pupils benefit from a strong personal development programme that is woven throughout the curriculum. The school’s values are inclusive to all faiths and the many pupils who speak different languages. Pupils know and understand the school’s values of respect, responsibility, compassion, honesty and forgiveness. These values guide them throughout all aspects of school life. Through assemblies, trips and enrichment days, pupils learn about relationships, diversity and fundamental British values. Workshops for pupils, such as a recent first aid workshop, strengthen the school’s excellent work to help pupils to stay safe. Pastoral support is effective. The school’s work on mindfulness enhances pupils’ well-being and helps them to understand their emotions. Pupils enjoy the after-school clubs that they attend, but would value a broader range of opportunities.

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The school’s strategies to improve pupils’ rates of attendance are having a positive impact. Staff work diligently to involve parents and carers with their children’s learning. Parents value the relationships they have built with staff.

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There is a strong team spirit across the school. There is a real commitment from all staff to making a positive difference to the lives of the pupils. Staff appreciate the school’s efforts to support them with workload and well-being. Governors and trustees have very secure knowledge of how to effectively support and challenge the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The new scheme for teaching mathematics is in the early stages of implementation and inconsistencies in teaching are evident. Some pupils are not being given enough opportunities to apply their learning to reason and problem solve. The school should make sure that pupils’ knowledge builds on what they know already, so that pupils can apply their learning to more complex mathematical problems.  Teachers’ assessment of what pupils know and remember over time is not precise enough in some subjects. Teachers are not able to accurately assess individual pupil achievement or identify any gaps in learning that they may have. The school should ensure that assessment procedures identify pupils’ individual needs in order to provide effective support for all pupils so that they are better prepared for their next stages in education. 6 and 7 February 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). 6 and 7 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Endeavour Schools Trust in September 2019.  The headteacher has been at this school since September 2023.  The school has a Christian ethos and is part of the Diocese of Worcester. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in April 2017.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and senior leaders. 6 and 7 February 2024

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 The lead inspector met with representatives from the local board, the chief executive officer and representatives from the trust.  The lead inspector talked to a representative from the Diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. 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 a sample of pupils’ work. Inspectors also talked to pupils and examined their work in English.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans. Minutes of governing body meetings were also scrutinised.  Inspectors looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them about

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behaviour, bullying and welfare.  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 talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the Ofsted Parent View survey and free-text comments. Inspectors also reviewed the responses to the staff and pupil surveys and gathered the views of staff and pupils through discussion.

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Inspection team

Cathy Young, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Khalid Din Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 February 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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