St Peter's Church of England Primary School (VC)

Inspection of St Peter’s Church of England Primary School (VC) Ellfield Close, Bishopsworth, Bristol BS13 8EF

p.1

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 Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 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.

p.1

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. 11 and 12 June 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils demonstrate the school values of resilience, friendship and forgiveness. They enjoy coming to school and are respectful. They know and understand the school rules of ‘be friendly and respectful, be ready to learn and be safe’.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

In the classroom, pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. At social times, pupils enjoy the range of activities on offer to them in the playground. Older pupils show maturity and self-regulation when playing rugby or football together. Pupils behave well. In the rare instances when bullying occurs, staff deal with it swiftly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are active and responsible citizens who support the community. Pupils host and attend the café church service at the local church, raise money for charity or write to the prime minister to raise concerns about fair trade. Pupils describe their school as a place where everyone is welcome. They say differences are respected.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto is ‘a world of opportunities’. This describes the wide range of activities that enhance pupils’ lives at school. Trips and residential visits allow pupils to explore learning beyond the classroom and bring learning to life. The school promotes pupils’ wider development well, such as their economic understanding. For example, pupils made a seasonal soup, which they sold at the school’s Christmas fair.

p.2

better?

The school responded swiftly and productively following below-average results in national assessments in reading and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2023. Since the headteacher’s appointment, the quality of education has improved significantly. The new headteacher has brought a fresh eye to the curriculum, enabling staff to build on existing strengths. Changes have been made to the curriculum and to how it is taught. This means that leaders have an acute awareness of its impact.

p.2

better?

The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. The school has identified the small steps of knowledge it expects pupils to learn and remember. The curriculum and learning experiences in the early years are carefully planned. They provide firm foundations for pupils’ learning in Year 1 and beyond. For example, in mathematics, children are immersed in activities. This helps them to learn about number and recognising amounts. In Year 1, pupils build on this and count in fives on a scale. Older pupils build on this further. They learn how to tell the time in hourly intervals before telling the time to the nearest minute.

p.2

better?

The impact of the well-taught curriculum has been significant. Pupils produce a range of high-quality work. It shows their development of knowledge and skills through the curriculum. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make adaptations to learning so that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. 11 and 12 June 2024

p.2

3

Assessment is used well in most areas of the curriculum. The pedagogy used by staff means that pupils revisit their learning regularly. Knowledge organisers, recall activities and retrieval in lessons are tools that help pupils to know more and remember more. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is new. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. They struggle to connect new content with what has come before.

p.3

3

Reading is a top priority. In the early years, children follow a structured phonics programme. Pupils learn the sounds they need to know to read consistently well. They read books that are accurately matched to these sounds. This allows them to practise reading, so they become fluent and accurate. Assessment is accurate and allows the school to pinpoint which sounds pupils know. Pupils who fall behind receive effective support to catch up. Classrooms have enticing reading areas and a rich variety of texts. These are helping older pupils to develop a genuine love of reading.

p.3

3

The ‘windmill’ and ‘lighthouse’ teams provide high-quality, expert support. This support is tailored to pupils and their families. Staff adopt a tenacious approach to getting pupils to attend school. This has meant that persistent absence has greatly declined. Attendance has increased for all groups of pupils.

p.3

3

The school places a high emphasis on pupils’ personal development. A variety of clubs, such as cricket, netball, judo and choir, are available. These help pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils appreciate the junior leadership responsibilities they have. These include ‘games makers’, where pupils work with leaders to enhance the playground provision. Pupils across all classes help improve the school environment. For example, as eco-warriors, they recycle and remind the whole school to conserve energy by switching off the lights.

p.3

3

Staff appreciate the way in which the new headteacher has introduced positive changes and is considerate of their workload. Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are resolute in driving it forward. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the education that their children receive.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas, the curriculum is new and not firmly embedded. There remain some gaps in pupils’ knowledge in these areas. The school needs to make sure that the new curriculum plans are implemented effectively so that pupils are building secure knowledge and skills to achieve consistently well in all areas of the curriculum. 11 and 12 June 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 December 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been several staffing changes since the previous inspection. The headteacher took up the post in September 2023.  This is an above-average-sized primary school. Children in the early years foundation stage are taught in the Nursery and in two Reception classes.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is well above the national average.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 June 2024

p.5

6

 This was the first 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 met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, representatives from the local authority and the deputy director of education for the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, history and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke to staff and looked at samples of work in other curriculum areas.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

6

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.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, and the staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Gavin Summerfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Caroline Musty Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 June 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7