All Saints CofE Primary School, Bednall

Inspection of All Saints CofE Primary School, Bednall School Lane, Bednall, Stafford, Staffordshire ST17 0SD

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Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2024

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Zoe Scott. This school is part of the Staffordshire University 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, James Capper, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mary Walker. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

All Saints CofE Primary is a nurturing and inclusive school. There is ambition for all pupils to achieve the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. However, this vision is not yet fully realised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a real family ethos at this school. Parents, pupils and staff all comment on this. Staff know the pupils and their families well. This has continued as the pupils attending have come from further afield. One parent’s comment was typical of many when they said, ‘All Saints Primary is a wonderful family school that has served my children well.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work and play together well. They enjoy coming to school. Leaders do all they can to make sure pupils attend regularly and on time. Leaders set clear expectations for pupils’ behaviour. They make sure any pupil who needs help to regulate their behaviour gets it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trips and visitors give pupils opportunities to deepen their learning. For example, a trip to a recycling factory helped pupils to understand materials they were studying in science. Every pupil is given an opportunity to contribute to school life in some way. School councillors say, ‘We make the big decisions for our school.’

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better?

The school has been through a period of staff instability. Changes of responsibility in school, and staff turnover, have hindered the school’s ability to secure consistency in some areas they are seeking to improve.

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better?

Where the curriculum is more established, pupils learn well. In mathematics, the clear sequence of learning is followed in well-structured lessons. Pupils build on previous learning when they encounter new concepts. However, the curriculum is newer in a number of other subjects. This is because the school has identified that the previous curriculum did not build well enough on what pupils already know and have made changes as a result. Consequently, staff are currently developing their skills in delivering many subjects. Learning sequences are not always implemented consistently well. Pupils do not learn as well as they should.

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better?

The school has made a number of changes with regard to subject leadership. The school is developing leaders at all levels to enable them to check how well the changes to the curriculum have led to improvements. However, there are inconsistencies in how well these checks precisely identify what is working well and what is not. As a result, there is a lack of clarity with regard to how the school understands how effectively the curriculum is being delivered.

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better?

The school has prioritised reading. Reading is celebrated through ‘All Saints All Star’ awards. Older pupils have worked hard with leaders to identify interesting books for each class, which are put in book baskets. The school has adopted a new scheme to 30 April and 1 May 2024

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teach reading. This is having a positive impact on how well pupils are learning to read. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they know. However, teaching in phonics is not always consistently precise and effective. Pupils do not always secure the letter sounds they are learning in lessons.

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There is a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at school. Their specific needs are identified swiftly and provision for them is well planned. Staff have training so that pupils get the extra help they need. The school supports pupils with complex needs well.

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Pupils understand diversity and different ways of life. They learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Pastoral support is provided when pupils need it. Pupils’ talents and interests are celebrated in assemblies. They are also encouraged to expand their interests through activities provided by school. These include cheerleading, archery and circus skills.

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The trust and governors are aware of the needs of the school and what it needs to do better. The trust is providing effective support in securing necessary improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all staff are as expert in teaching phonics as the school would like. As a result of this, there is some inconsistency in how well the early reading curriculum is delivered. This means that some pupils do not make as much progress as they could with their reading. The school should ensure that all staff receive the support they need to teach phonics effectively.  In many subjects, the curriculum has been recently revised and is at an early stage of implementation. Staff are developing their expertise in delivering the intended curriculum. There is some inconsistency in their delivery of the intended learning as a result. This leads to pupils not learning as well as they should. The school should ensure that staff can effectively deliver the curriculum well.  The evaluation and monitoring of subjects is not yet fully effective. The school does not always know how well subjects are implemented and so is not aware of

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

inconsistency in delivery of the curriculum. The school should ensure that subject leaders are able to carry out their roles effectively and bring about improvement in these subjects. 30 April and 1 May 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). 30 April and 1 May 2024

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School details

Website www.allsaints-bednall.staffs.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provider.  The school operates a before- and after-school provision.  The school is part of the Staffordshire University Academies Trust, which consists of 21 schools.  The school is within the Diocese of Lichfield. It has not yet had a section 48 inspection. The school’s section 48 inspection will take place within three years.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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 During the inspection, the lead inspector held meetings with the headteacher and the senior teacher. He met three members of the local governing board, including the chair of the board, as well as the chair of the trust. He also met the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and deputy CEO of the trust. He held a telephone conversation with a representative of the diocese.  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 carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and physical education. They met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and viewed examples of pupils’ work. An inspector also evaluated work in art and design and history.

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 An inspector observed pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2 read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors spoke with members of staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspectors considered the responses, including the free-text comments, to Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys. An inspectors spoke to parents at the end of the school day.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s improvement priorities, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records, attendance records and minutes of meetings held by the trust board.

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Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarahjane Cuncannon Edwards Ofsted Inspector 30 April and 1 May 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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