Somerfords' Walter Powell CofE Academy

Inspection of Somerfords' Walter Powell CofE Academy Dauntsey Road, Great Somerford, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 5HS

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Christina Brugger. This school is part of Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Stephen Mitchell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Daniel. The headteacher is also responsible for two other schools. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Somerfords’ Walter Powell C of E Academy is a happy place, where pupils enjoy learning. Pupils talk positively about how the school values help them to think of others, overcome mistakes and to have the confidence to ‘show who they really are inside.’ Parents speak highly about the school’s caring and nurturing ethos and the role it plays in the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils meet the high expectations that the school has for their behaviour. They are polite, courteous and follow the school rules well. This starts in the Nursery where children listen carefully and play well with one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Staff take time to form respectful and positive relationships with pupils. Pupils trust adults to listen and help them when needed such as if fall outs occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a range of experiences to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Pupils enjoy their residential visits and trips to museums. They say these experiences help them to learn new things. Pupils are keen to take on roles of leadership by becoming members of the worship council and pupil leadership team. They say these roles make them feel responsible and help them to make their school a better place.

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better?

The school has taken effective action to address the areas identified as needing improvement at the previous inspection. Expectations for what all pupils can achieve have been raised. The curriculum, which is adapted to meet the needs of pupils, has been designed well. It makes clear the precise knowledge that pupils need to know and when they need to know it.

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better?

The school ensures that learning to read is a real priority. This starts in the Nursery where staff introduce children to a wide range of songs, rhymes and stories. Children in the Reception Year learn and remember new sounds well. Teachers quickly identify pupils who struggle with reading. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly. Pupils have a positive view of reading. They say that reading ‘relaxes them’ and helps them to ‘build pictures in their minds.’ As they move through the school, pupils read a range of texts with increasing fluency and accuracy.

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better?

In mathematics, teachers benefit from the training they receive to teach the curriculum well. They model mathematical concepts clearly. Staff provide pupils with the resources they need to help them to develop their mathematical understanding. For example, older pupils use objects, such as number lines and two-sided counters, effectively to help them with their calculations when converting fractions to decimals. 16 and 17 April 2024

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In most subjects, teachers routinely check on what pupils know and remember. They use this information well to address gaps in, or build, pupils’ knowledge over time. In art, for example, pupils confidently use their previous knowledge of painting and collage to create imaginative monotype prints. However, in some other areas of the curriculum, the checks that teachers make are less effective. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall the important knowledge they have been taught. They do not make links to what they have learned before. This hampers the progress that some pupils make.

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The school knows the needs of an increasing number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. It works closely with external organisations to ensure that these pupils receive the help they need. Staff make appropriate adaptations to learning. As a result, pupils with SEND are supported to progress through the curriculum as well as their peers.

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Pupils work hard and want to do well. This starts in the early years where children sustain their concentration during activities and are eager to share their learning. The school has high expectations for pupil attendance. If attendance dips, the school works closely with parents to ensure that it improves.

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The school’s programme to develop pupils personally is carefully considered. Pupils learn about how to manage the potential risks in their local area, for example, road safety. They understand why fundamental British values and protected characteristics, such as individual liberty, are important in the modern world they live in. Pupils develop their character by supporting a local food bank or by taking part in community events.

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Trustees and the local academy council accurately understand the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They provide appropriate support and challenge to help improve the school. Staff value the opportunities they have to develop their expertise by working with colleagues from other schools.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The checks on pupils’ knowledge and understanding across the curriculum are not fully effective. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall previous learning and do not build their knowledge well. The trust needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively so that pupils learn and remember the curriculum successfully in all subjects. 16 and 17 April 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). 16 and 17 April 2024

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CEO of the trust

Stephen Mitchell Headteacher Christina Brugger

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CEO of the trust

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Bristol. The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2017, where the school was judged to be good.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2021.  There is a before-school club managed by the governing body.  The school has pre-school provision for two-, three- and four-year olds.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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. 16 and 17 April 2024

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 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, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, pupils, and representatives from the academy council. The lead inspector also met with senior representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single

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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 site. Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Spence Allen Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 2024

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