Fitzmaurice Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Fitzmaurice Primary School Frome Road, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1LE

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Outcome

Fitzmaurice Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is Simon Futcher. This school is part of the Palladian 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, Donna Tandy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ruth Balch.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Fitzmaurice Primary School. It is a happy and inviting place to learn. Pupils talk willingly about how the school’s motto of ‘aiming high, showing respect and having fun’ guides them every day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff set clear routines and expectations for pupils’ behaviour in school. They are determined that all pupils will learn well. Pupils’ behaviour fulfils these expectations. Pupils value learning both in the classroom and beyond. Pupils are caring and sensitive and support one another well. The school is a calm and orderly place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and place high levels of trust in staff to help them with any worries they have. The relationships between pupils and staff are warm and encouraging. The school creates an environment where pupils are listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of memorable activities that develop their interests and talents, for example visiting Stonehenge and performing as a dance troupe. Pupils make a tangible difference to the school as members of the equality team and as sports leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive. They feel that the school is a caring community where every pupil is included and valued as an individual.

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

The school has a well-designed curriculum in most subjects. The curriculum excites pupils’ interests and helps them build knowledge over time. For example, in mathematics, the 13 and 14 March 2024

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school has carefully considered the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. It is sequenced so that pupils build their understanding well from the early years to Year 6. Children in Reception develop their understanding of number patterns. Older pupils build on this. They competently use the mathematical knowledge they have learned before to compare fractions. Pupils benefit from revisiting learning regularly. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum.

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In a few of the subjects in the wider curriculum, the school does not make it clear enough what pupils need to know and remember. When this happens, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. As a result, pupils do not develop the same depth of understanding they do in other subjects.

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In most subjects, staff use assessment well to check what pupils know and remember. However, in a few subjects in the wider curriculum, staff do not use assessment well enough. Learning does not always match pupils’ starting points as well as it could. This means that some pupils do not develop the skills and knowledge the school intends.

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Pupils develop a love of reading across the school. Children learn to read soon after they start school. Staff use assessment with precision to identify pupils who find reading difficult. Pupils who fall behind quickly receive the help they need to catch up. As they move through the school, pupils secure the knowledge they need to read with accuracy and fluency.

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Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. Pupils’ positive attitudes to school begin in the early years. Secure routines mean children gain confidence and independence. Pastoral care is a strength of the school.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified accurately. Staff make sure pupils with SEND have the right additional teaching and pastoral support. Staff break down learning into small steps of content for pupils, including those with complex needs. The school works well with specialist services to support pupils’ individual needs. They learn the same curriculum as their peers. All pupils participate in the wider life of the school.

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Pupils have a range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils talk confidently about fundamental British values such as democracy. Pupils know about and learn to respect beliefs and religions that are different to their own. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The local governance committee and trust are knowledgeable about the school’s work. They know the school thoroughly and provide well-considered challenge and support. Staff appreciate that the school prioritises their well-being and workload. There is a strong team culture among staff. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and 14 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn has not been identified clearly enough. Pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and do not build their understanding over time. The trust should ensure that the key curriculum content is identified so that pupils know and remember more.  In a few subjects, the school’s approach to assessment is not used well. This means that staff do not form an up-to-date picture of how well pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. The trust should ensure that staff check precisely what pupils know and remember and use this information to inform or adapt the curriculum and future learning.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Fitzmaurice Primary School, to be good in May 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.

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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, 13 and 14 March 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 March 2024

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School details

Headteacher Simon Futcher (Executive Headteacher) Jo Hill (Head of School)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher was appointed in January 2024.  The school uses one unregistered 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, the special educational needs coordinators, the designated safeguarding leads, members of staff 13 and 14 March 2024

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and representatives from the trust, including the chief executive officer, and the chair and members of the local governance committee.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed the curriculum in history and computing.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View,

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Inspection team

Richard Vaughan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 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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