Church Preen Primary School

Inspection of Church Preen Primary School Church Preen, Nr Much Wenlock, Shropshire SY6 7LH

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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 Outstanding 18 and 19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love learning at this small and friendly school. Pupils enjoy coming to Church Preen Primary school because of its ‘family’ environment. An ethos of support, praise and encouragement nurtures all pupils and helps them to thrive. Pupils show politeness and respect to themselves, staff and visitors. Pupils are kind and help each other in lessons and at play times. Pupils are safe in school. They know who to turn to if they have difficulties.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School leaders and staff work hard to help all pupils learn well. They usually have high expectations of pupils’ achievement and behaviour, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). School staff know and support each pupil well in and out of lessons. They make sure that all pupils have rich and rewarding wider experiences that build confidence and prepare them for the next stage of education. This includes taking part in outdoor learning in unique and attractive surroundings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils engage with a full enrichment programme to support their wider education. For example, they work with the Much Wenlock Olympic society, and take part in science and mathematics competitions. There are a wide range of leadership opportunities that help to build pupils’ sense of responsibility. This includes being members of the school council and helping to run clubs.

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better?

All pupils learn an ambitious and broad curriculum. This includes pupils with SEND. By the time they leave Year 6, pupils achieve well and are ready for the next stage of their education.

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better?

The school makes sure that pupils learn to read quickly. A new phonics scheme is helping all pupils read with confidence and fluency. Any pupil who falls behind, or who joins the school later than Reception, gets the support they need to catch up. In mathematics, pupils learn and use mathematical facts with confidence. They reason well and solve challenging problems. Staff ensure that pupils deepen their mathematical knowledge as they grow older.

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better?

The school has revised the wider curriculum over the last 18 months. In most subjects, staff use detailed topic and lesson plans to help pupils learn. In French and science, for example, these are helping staff teach effectively. In some other subjects, the topic and lesson plans need more development. Some of these topic and lesson plans do not always help to build up pupils’ learning over time well.

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better?

In most lessons, staff check that pupils are keeping up. This helps staff know who might need extra help. In a few instances, staff move pupils on before they are ready. This means they do not get the help they need. Subject, and other, leaders do not always check on this. They do not always know if all topic and lesson plans are helping all pupils learn well. 18 and 19 June 2024

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Most teachers and staff have secure subject knowledge. Some staff do not support early years learning with enough detailed knowledge. For example, some staff do not always show pupils what to do clearly enough or do not provide enough adapted learning and support for them. Pupils with SEND do receive extra support and care for their individual needs. They achieve well.

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Pupils’ behaviour and attendance are good. Most pupils behave very well in lessons and at social times. Some of the youngest pupils do not always have the effective support they need, from all staff, to behave well. As a result, a few pupils lose focus in lessons.

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In the early years, children enjoy individual attention and care. They settle into Reception because of close links with pre-school settings. Reception children are often taught well alongside pupils in Year 1 and Year 2. When taught on their own, reception children do not always get enough expert support from staff. For example, some ‘free-flow’ activities are not organised with enough detail.

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More broadly, pupils develop confidence and flourish during their time at school. There are many opportunities for them to develop talents and interests. Pupils enjoy taking part in sporting events at other schools and public performances such as singing. They raise funds for local charities and are eager to help others in the community.

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Most pupils take part in after-school activities. Many take up positions of responsibility in the school. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, staying safe, and the natural and wider world. A programme of assemblies, visitors and trips helps to broaden pupils’ horizons. This prepares pupils well for life in the wider world. An attractive outdoor learning area fosters a love of the local environment.

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Pupils benefit from extensive enrichment opportunities across the Edge Schools Federation, of which the school is a member. The federation also supports the school well through shared training, resources and ideas. A well-organised governing body provides effective support and challenge to the school. The school enjoys full and widespread support from parents and carers. Strong trust and understanding between home and school help to make sure that all pupils settle and progress well. All parents and carers would recommend the school to others.

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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, topic and lesson plans lack detail. They do not support staff effectively in order to make sure pupils’ learning is built up well over time. The 18 and 19 June 2024

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school should ensure that all topic and lesson plans set out clearly what is to be learned, how and by when, so that staff can use these to check that no pupil is left behind.  Subject and other leaders do not check regularly on the quality of topic and lesson plans, or on the effectiveness of their implementation. This means that they do not always know where the curriculum is being delivered most effectively or where further improvement is required. The school should support all staff in checking regularly on the quality of topic and lesson plans so that the school can provide assurance and feedback on the quality of pupils’ learning.  Early years staff do not all have the depth of skills and knowledge to support children’s behaviour and learning as effectively as they could. As a result, some staff do not provide effective support to help children get things right first time. The school should provide training for all early years staff in supporting learning

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and behaviour for children in the early years and by making sure that all learning activities are adapted effectively.

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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 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). 18 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 December 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Edge Federation. The federation consists of three rural primary schools. An executive headteacher works across all three schools. The head of school works across Church Preen Primary school and one other school. A single body is responsible for governance across all three schools.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 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. 18 and 19 June 2024

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 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, English and French. For each deep dive, inspectors visited a sample of lessons and considered samples of pupils’ work. They spoke to subject leaders, teachers and pupils about learning and behaviour. Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in other subjects such as science.  Inspectors evaluated pupils’ behaviour and attitudes in lessons, assemblies and at social times. They spoke with groups of parents before and after school.  Inspectors met with school leaders, including those responsible for SEND, safeguarding, the quality of education, early years, behaviour and attitudes, and

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personal development.  Inspectors met with members of the governing body, including its chair. Inspectors met with a local authority school improvement officer.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including written comments from parents, and responses to the Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Mike Cladingbowl, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sally Noble Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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