Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation)

Inspection of Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation) Aspenshaw Road, Birch Vale, High Peak, Derbyshire SK22 1AT

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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 Good 8 and 9 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They value the small school, family feel. As one pupil explained: ‘Everyone knows each other here. We enjoy being together.’ Older pupils are proud to take their turn to work with and support younger pupils. They understand the need to be positive role models.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ‘RESPECT’ values sit front and centre of the ethos of the school. They are commonly understood. Pupils know that they are expected to show resilience, empathy, self-awareness, positivity, excellence, communication and creativity, and teamwork. They do their utmost to do so.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about different people and communities from around the world. They learn to respect diversity. They are clear that any form of discrimination is not acceptable. Older pupils have an impressive understanding of fundamental British values and know why these are important. They know the full range of protected characteristics and are able to explain what these mean in law.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are eager to earn the rewards on offer in class. Older pupils enjoy exchanging ‘punch card points’ for the wide range of rewards that are on offer. Extra playtime is a firm favourite.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They say that they are well looked after and kept safe.

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better?

Pupils enjoy learning. All pupils, including children in the early years, benefit from lessons that build learning gradually, over time. Teachers plan and deliver engaging lessons. They adapt teaching well to meet the wide range of ages and needs in their classes. The curriculum, including in the early years, is well organised. In the majority of cases, the curriculum sets out what children will study and learn at each stage of their education. Content is periodically revisited, helping pupils to recall what they have learned before. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember. This means that the school cannot be sure that the most relevant and important knowledge is being taught and remembered.

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better?

The school has a well-established approach to teaching early reading. The phonics programme makes clear which sounds pupils should know term by term. Sounds are taught in a logical order. Teachers use consistent methods and resources. Children know what to expect in lessons. They join in enthusiastically. They remember the sounds that they have learned.

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better?

Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They study a wide range of books. They know why learning to read is important. They enjoy listening to their teachers read, saying that they bring texts to life by using different voices and dramatic effects. Pupils say that it is much better to read books rather than watch film adaptations. 8 and 9 May 2024

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However, the school’s reading curriculum beyond early reading is not fully sequenced. It does not set out, term by term, the precise aspects of reading that pupils are expected to master. This means that the school cannot be sure that content is being taught in the best or most logical order.

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Pupils get on well in mathematics. The programme is well ordered. Content builds cumulatively on what has gone before. Pupils remember what they have learned. Following published outcomes in 2023, the school has recognised the need to ensure that all pupils make the progress that they are capable of. It is now tracking pupils closely to ensure that this is the case.

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The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school accurately evaluates these pupils’ needs and makes sure that the right help is available both in and outside of lessons. The school works effectively with a range of external agencies to ensure that pupils get the support that they need.

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The school’s programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE) prepares pupils well for life beyond Thornsett. Pupils are taught how to understand and manage their feelings and emotions. A wide range of trips and visits supports pupils’ learning. For example, pupils were eager to tell inspectors how their trip to the House of Commons and the House of Lords helped to deepen their knowledge of democracy. Beyond the curriculum, pupils benefit from a wide range of extra- curricular activities. Annually, every pupil represents the school in an external sporting event.

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At all levels, leaders and governors are ambitious for pupils. They have a clear vision. They are determined that pupils will be ready for life beyond school. The school has a cohesive team of staff who work hard and who are equally committed. However, there is an inconsistent understanding of the role in subject leadership. Some leaders do not have a fully rounded view of how their subject links to and builds on what children learn in the early years.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

In a small number of cases, safeguarding records do not comprehensively document all of the actions that have been taken to keep pupils safe. As a result, in these cases, records are incomplete.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember. This means that the school cannot be sure that the most relevant and important knowledge is 8 and 9 May 2024

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being taught. The school should ensure that, across all subjects, the curriculum identifies the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember.  There is an inconsistent understanding of subject leadership. Some leaders do not have a fully rounded view of how their subject links to, and builds on, learning in the early years. The school should ensure that all leaders have a consistent understanding of their role, including how their subject builds on children’s learning in the early years.  The reading curriculum beyond early reading is not fully sequenced. The school cannot be sure that content is being taught in the best order. It cannot systematically assess how well pupils learn the curriculum. The school should ensure that the reading curriculum is fully sequenced.  In a small number of cases, safeguarding records do not evidence the full range of actions that have been taken to keep pupils safe. As a result, in these cases,

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records are incomplete. The school should ensure that all follow-up actions relating to safeguarding are fully and comprehensively documented.

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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). 8 and 9 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Thornsett Primary School is federated with Newtown Primary School. Together, they form the High Peak Federation. The schools share the same executive headteacher and governing body. Some staff have leadership responsibilities across both schools.  The school does not use any alternative education 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.  This was the first routine inspection that 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. 8 and 9 May 2024

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 Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and looked at curriculum documentation for religious education, computing, geography and PSHE.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the playground. An inspector visited the school’s breakfast club.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Mallender Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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