Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of Kelvedon St Mary’s Church of England Primary Academy Docwra Road, Kelvedon, Colchester, Essex, CO5 9DS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive headteacher of this school is Lois Osborne and the interim head of school is Steve Taylor. This school is part of Canonium Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lois Osborne, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andy Hayman.

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 eight years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 5 and 6 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kelvedon St Mary’s is a vibrant happy place to learn. Pupils learn a varied curriculum. They look forward to the interesting lessons that teachers plan for them. Pupils try hard and achieve well. Teachers help pupils to deepen their understanding of the curriculum through questions and a range of activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the early years, pupils embody the school values, ‘the 6 Rs’, which include being resourceful, reflective and resilient. These help pupils to develop good learning habits. Pupils use these values when faced with new learning challenges. Pupils enjoy celebrating their learning successes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, caring and respectful towards each other. From Nursery, they learn to take turns and play well with their peers. This creates a calm and purposeful atmosphere in the school. Pupils have strong, positive relationships with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about making a difference in their school community through a range of pupil leadership roles. These include school council, ‘rota kids’ and holy council. Pupils learn about being courageous and why it is important to use your voice to make changes. For example, pupils in Year 2 have created posters to encourage less food waste at lunchtime.

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better?

Starting from the early years, the school has implemented a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. Leaders have considered what they want pupils to learn and when. In the early years, the curriculum clearly outlines what children will learn so they are well prepared for Year 1. Staff review the curriculum regularly to ensure that it meets pupils’ needs.

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better?

In many subjects, staff use effective questioning to identify pupils’ misconceptions. They check what pupils have understood, so that they can move pupils on with their learning quickly. In some instances, the work that pupils get does not always match their stage in learning. This is because, in a few subjects, staff do not always check that pupils have a solid understanding of previous learning before introducing new content.

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better?

The curriculum is well planned. However, teachers do not always implement it as leaders intend. This is because some staff do not always have guidance and training to teach the curriculum to leaders’ high expectations. In some subjects, pupils do not learn the important subject knowledge that leaders have set out.

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better?

Reading is of high importance in the school. From Nursery, children learn the foundations needed to begin to learn the sounds that letters make. Children in Reception quickly learn to read. They are confident with their sounds and achieve highly with their reading. Children are well prepared for the Year 1 curriculum. Pupils who find reading tricky get the support they need to practise their phonics. They 5 and 6 March 2024

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quickly become confident, fluent readers. There is a love of reading across the school. Children in Nursery delight in listening to stories. Pupils in Year 6 confidently debate the books and genres they like and dislike.

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Staff quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff know pupils well and from Nursery children get the support they need to achieve well. Staff in the specially resourced provision are highly skilled. They support pupils with autism spectrum disorder and complex needs to integrate successfully into the classroom. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND access all areas of the curriculum, including enrichment opportunities, such as inclusive sports clubs. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. They achieve well.

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Pupils learn about friendship, relationships and emotions in an age-appropriate way. They learn about changes and how to manage their emotions with this. Pupils are cared for very well. They value the relationships they have with staff. Pupils are confident to talk to staff about their worries and concerns.

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Pupils enjoy clubs, such as football, computing and mathematics clubs and make good use of them. They are proud to represent their school in sporting fixtures. Pupils are particularly excited about their school newspaper ‘Kelvedon Kronicle,’ which pupils produce to raise awareness of issues in their school community and to celebrate success.

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Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school. They have highly positive attitudes to learning. They know why regular attendance is important. Attendance is high.

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The trust and school leaders work well to improve the school. They focus on making things even better for pupils. Senior leaders have worked at pace to make changes to the school’s curriculum. The school supports staff to improve their practice. Staff appreciate the support they get from leaders and are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils do not learn the curriculum the way that leaders intend. This means that, in these subjects, pupils develop gaps in learning, for example, with vocabulary, and work is not always well matched to what pupils already know and can do. The school needs to ensure that, in all subjects, staff consistently teach the curriculum highly effectively and in the way leaders intend. 5 and 6 March 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). 5 and 6 March 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 December 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. Pupils who attend the provision are registered pupils at the school and the majority of pupils have education, health and care plans. There are eight places available in this provision. Places are funded by Essex County Council.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  The school has a Christian character and ethos. It is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford. It has not yet received a section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character. The next section 48 inspection will be in the next two years.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 5 and 6 March 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, art and design and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work in some other subjects.  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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders, including leaders who work within the trust and representatives from the board of trustees and local governing board. Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for SEND, behaviour and attendance, and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Nerrissa Bear, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gina Bailey Ofsted Inspector 5 and 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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