Corbett VA CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Corbett VA CofE Primary School Six Ashes Road, Bobbington, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY7 5DU

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Outcome

Corbett VA CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Corbett VA CofE Primary School is a caring school that pupils enjoy attending. There are warm, respectful relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils of all ages play and learn happily together. They embody the school motto of, ‘love to learn and learn to love’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They say that they make good friends in school and that they feel safe. They know that there is always an adult to talk to if they have any worries. They particularly value the pastoral support they receive. The school rightly prides itself on its nurturing culture.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the best for every pupil. Changes are being made and leaders are keen to ensure that the clear vision for continued improvement is shared and understood by all. Pupils achieve well and learn the knowledge they need to be ready for the next stages of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They are learning the new school rule to be, ‘ready, respectful and safe’. This means that learning is not disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are aware that there have been many recent changes. Many of them value the consideration given to communicating these changes. They recognise that the school is on a journey of making improvements to become even better.

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

The school is emerging from a period of significant turbulence. Stable leadership is now in place and many positive changes are being made. Currently, not all staff fully accept some of the changes being made to improve the school. This is slowing the pace of some of these important changes. However, leaders and governors are unwavering in their determination to secure the very best outcomes for every pupil. 6 March 2024

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The curriculum for mixed-age classes has been carefully considered. The essential knowledge the school wants its pupils to know and remember is clearly set out. In some subjects, the school has identified that pupils have gaps in their knowledge as a result of weaknesses in the previous curriculum. These gaps are now being addressed. As a result, pupils are now able to build on their learning over time. For example, in geography, key stage 2 pupils’ knowledge of farming and fair trade around the world is impressive.

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In mathematics, pupils make links between previous and new learning. This begins in the early years, where children learn the essential concept of number. Activities to develop children’s mathematical vocabulary and understanding of number are engaging and effective. For example, children in the early years delight in measuring and comparing the sizes of dinosaur footprints.

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The school has recently introduced a new phonics scheme. Staffing instability has slowed the pace of embedding this scheme and there are not yet robust enough checks on how it is being implemented. This means that phonics lessons are not always delivered in the way that the school intends. However, pupils enjoy learning to read. If pupils fall behind, regular checks on what they know mean that they are quickly identified. Support is put in place to help them catch up. Older pupils enjoy listening to their teachers reading to them every day.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are involved in all aspects of school life. Pupils’ needs are swiftly identified. When necessary, learning is adapted effectively. As a result, pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum and learn alongside their classmates.

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The school has recently made necessary changes to the behaviour policy. It has increased the support to help pupils manage their own behaviour if they struggle. Pupils, including those with SEND, are responding well to this. They understand, and rise to, the expectations staff have of them. Classrooms are calm and playtimes are harmonious and sociable. A small number of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. The school’s work to improve this is beginning to have impact.

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Pupils access a variety of clubs, trips and leadership opportunities. They learn about democracy, for example by holding school elections. Pupil candidates prepare their manifestos to join the school council and eco council. The recently formed school choir has taken part in a national singing event and pupils take part in sporting tournaments with other schools. Events such as harvest festival give pupils opportunities to think about those who may be less fortunate than themselves.

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Governors know the school well. They are very supportive of new leadership and recent changes. Governors have ensured that effective external help for this small school is in place during this period of change. For example, the school works closely with the local authority and the diocese. This support has had significant impact. It provides both reassurance and challenge for leaders as they steer the school on its journey of improvement. 6 March 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff know that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. They receive appropriate training and there are processes in place to ensure that any concerns are reported, recorded and acted upon.

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Safeguarding

However, there are some aspects of safeguarding which could be improved even further. Some actions from a local authority safeguarding audit have not yet been acted upon. For example, with recent staff instability, it is not immediately clear if some staff have missed some important training. On occasion, meetings between safeguarding leaders are missed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has a culture of safeguarding which supports effective arrangements to identify, help and support pupils who may be at risk of harm. However, there are some minor improvements to be made to training records, safeguarding meetings and capacity of safeguarding leaders. Leaders should ensure that they implement these small changes quickly, to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are as robust as possible.  A new phonics programme has recently been introduced. At times, it is not delivered in the way the school intends. This hinders some pupils in building the skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. The school should ensure that the staff receive the right support to deliver the phonics programme as intended, and that they develop their systems for checking how the phonics programme is implemented.

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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 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2018. 6 March 2024

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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). 6 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Margaret Southall

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in June 2023.  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 June 2022.

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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 lead 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 inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with 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. 6 March 2024

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 The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other staff in school.  The inspectors met with the chair and representatives of the local governing body.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspectors spoke to pupils about pupils’ behaviour.  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 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parent free-text responses. The inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  The team inspector talked to parents and families at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Rachel Henrick, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Janet Tibbits Ofsted Inspector 6 March 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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