Priddy Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Priddy Primary School Priddy, Wells, Somerset BA5 3BE

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Outcome

Priddy Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s mission of ‘Being the best that you can be’ exemplifies Priddy Primary School. It promotes both the academic and broader development of pupils. The school has high expectations for all. Pupils rise to these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school rules of ‘Be respectful, be ready, be safe’. Consequently, they feel happy and safe at school. Pupils develop character through leadership opportunities. In younger years, pupils manage the fruit and are playground leaders. Pupils further up the school can be librarians who make book recommendations. Eco-warriors improve pupils’ understanding and care for the environment, such as caring for injured hedgehogs. This helps them to make tangible contributions to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils’ talents. Musical theatre, art and science clubs spark interests. Pupils enjoy trips, such as to the Somerset Rural Life Museum, the pantomime and to The Wild Place to learn about deforestation and conservation. Pupils develop community spirit through performances and showcasing artwork at the Priddy Folk Festival.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak highly of the support provided by the school for their children. There is a well-being action group that involves and considers the views of members of the school community.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. It has carefully sequenced the knowledge it wants pupils to learn in small steps towards bigger end points. The school has decided the vocabulary it wants pupils to know and remember. The most important concepts have been identified and these are taught well and revisited. The school has considered what pupils need to learn before they leave primary school. As a result, pupils build their knowledge securely. 26 March 2024

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Teachers’ subject knowledge has been developed through a series of training sessions, including how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adults model new concepts to pupils well. They use a variety of resources, such as a range of maps in geography, to develop pupils’ understanding. Because of this, pupils learn the knowledge leaders intend. For example, pupils in Year 2 learn that Uganda is a landlocked country. Pupils with SEND learn from the same ambitious curriculum. They learn alongside their peers and achieve well.

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Teachers check pupils’ understanding well in most areas of the curriculum. Assessment in subjects, such as reading, is well developed. In these subjects, assessment precisely identifies what pupils know and where gaps in learning lie. However, in a minority of wider curriculum subjects, where the curriculum is newer, assessment is not always used with enough precision to check what pupils know and remember. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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Reading has been prioritised. Children learn phonics as soon as they start school. All staff have been trained in the scheme to teach phonics well. Children read books that contain the sounds they have learned. Support is put into place quickly for children who need it. As a result, children learn to read quickly and achieve well in national assessments. Pupils get a chance to perform poetry, such as ‘C is for Curiosity’ at World Book Day. They attend a local literature festival. Pupils across the school develop a love for literature and reading.

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Children settle quickly in early years. They develop a secure understanding of number. Children identify odd and even numbers and sort these into categories. They are encouraged to position themselves so they can write well with their ‘feet flat on the floor and tummies to the table’. As a result, pupils learn to write letters and numbers correctly in line with the school’s agreed strategy. Children leave early years ready for learning in Year 1.

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Warm relationships between staff and pupils mean they feel well cared for. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning. Outside the classroom, pupils show consideration for one another. Pupils’ attendance is a high priority. The school takes effective action to encourage regular attendance. Consequently, attendance has improved and pupils attend well.

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The school’s well-structured personal development programme is a strength. Pupils know how to stay safe online and look after their mental health. Pupils understand the fundamental British values because they are threaded through the curriculum. They learn about road safety by making ‘slow down’ signs for the local community. Pupils develop an understanding of the world beyond Priddy.

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Priddy Primary school is well led. Governors hold leaders to account through clear lines of communication. The school has managed curriculum developments carefully. Staff are appreciative of the investment in their expertise. Leaders and governors are united in their ambition to deliver the best education they can for pupils. 26 March 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, assessment does not precisely identify what pupils know and remember. As a result, some pupils have gaps in knowledge. The school should ensure gaps in learning are assessed with precision to identify where pupils’ knowledge could be developed further.

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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 school to be good in September 2018.

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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, 26 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). 26 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Timothy Clements

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 September 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a change in headteacher since the previous inspection. The headteacher was appointed in September 2022.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There is a before- and an after-school club for pupils who attend the school.

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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. Inspectors discussed the 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, governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject 26 March 2024

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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 staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lakmini Harkus, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jyotsna Paranjape Ofsted Inspector 26 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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