Spalding Parish Church of England Day School

Inspection of Spalding Parish Church of England Day School Clay Lake, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 2QG

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Diane Mulley. The school is part of Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jacqueline Waters- Dewhurst, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jerry Woolner. 11 and 12 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a nurturing environment in which pupils are happy and feel safe. The school’s motto, ‘flourishing, fulfilling and inclusive’, is at the heart of everyone’s work. Pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, rise to the very high expectations that the school has of them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the diversity within the school community. They build incredibly positive relationships with one another and with staff. In lessons and during social times, pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They listen attentively, show respect, and give their utmost when completing their work. Classrooms buzz with purposeful learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ time at school is enriched by many memorable experiences. They take part in an array of visits, which include going to The British Museum and to local businesses to learn about ‘the world of work’. Pupils love their challenge to ‘make £5 grow’, where they develop their enterprise skills. They make valuable contributions to the local community. These include writing letters as part of a transport project to ask for a school crossing patrol. This was a successful venture. Pupils leave school at the end of Year 6 as thoughtful and knowledgeable individuals. They are extremely well prepared to embrace the challenges of the next stage of their education.

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better?

Since opening in December 2019, the school has developed to be an exceptional place for all pupils to thrive. Leaders have worked relentlessly to completely transform the school. They have made strategic changes to bring about significant improvements to all aspects of school life. Leaders constantly review the school’s work. They provide highly effective professional development opportunities for all staff. This has led to staff developing a high level of expertise and subject knowledge. Pupils now receive a good quality of education.

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better?

The school has put in place an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of pupils well. The school’s curriculum is underpinned by key ‘drivers’ that focus on making a difference to the school itself, the local community, and wider world. In the majority of subjects, the knowledge that pupils must learn has been carefully identified. Staff emphasise the most important content to pupils in lessons. In turn, pupils confidently remember their learning. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not set out as precisely what pupils must learn. Where this is the case, in these subjects, pupils are not learning the most important content, and their knowledge of these subjects is less secure.

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better?

Reading is central to the curriculum. The school prioritises teaching pupils to read. The published performance data in 2023 showed that some pupils in Year 1 did not achieve as well as their peers nationally in phonics. A number of pupils joined the school during Year 1 who were new to speaking English. The school has taken urgent action to improve pupils’ outcomes in phonics. The phonics programme starts 11 and 12 June 2024

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right at the beginning of the Reception Year. The school has ensured that this programme is carefully ordered and delivered consistently well. Pupils who fall behind benefit from swift support to help them catch up quickly. Pupils, currently in the school, including those who speak English as an additional language, develop into confident and eager readers.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are carefully included in lessons alongside their peers. Teachers expertly adapt resources and provide extra support when needed. Pupils with SEND thrive in this setting.

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Children in the early years get off to an exceptional start. They transition incredibly well into school from many settings. Staff get to know children as individuals. They use this knowledge to tailor each child’s learning. Regardless of their starting points, children make excellent progress. Children are extremely well prepared for Year 1.

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Pupils live and breathe the school’s values in all aspects of school life. They are exceptionally well behaved. The school makes sure that pupils and their families understand the importance of attending school every day. Pupils have high attendance and love to come to school each day.

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Leaders are relentless in their endeavour to develop pupils into responsible citizens of the world. Deliberately planned rich experiences ensure pupils have a deep-rooted understanding of concepts such as diversity and democracy. The personalised after- school experiences ensure that all pupils, including the most vulnerable, learn how to be responsible and resilient.

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The school and trust unite to ensure an exceptional and memorable school experience for each and every pupil. Support and oversight from the trust have been instrumental in the school’s success. Staff are incredibly proud to work at the school. They appreciate all that the school does to help their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum requires further refinement. The curriculum content is not as precise in these few subjects as it is in the others. Where this is the case, some pupils’ knowledge is not secure, and they struggle to recall their learning. The school should precisely identify the essential knowledge and skills it intends pupils to learn, so that pupils know and remember more in these subjects. 11 and 12 June 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). 11 and 12 June 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school that is part of the Diocese of Lincoln. The most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2019.  The school opened in December 2019 as part of Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust.

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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 the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 June 2024

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy and a range of staff. They held meetings with the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, staff, and governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector met with the CEO and deputy CEO of the trust, and the trust educational development advisor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, geography and physical education (PE). For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors discussed the history curriculum with leaders, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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 considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View online survey. They also spoke with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Steven Barnes Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 June 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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