Tarporley CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Tarporley CofE Primary School Park Road, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 0AN

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Outcome

Tarporley CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive and are happy at this caring and nurturing school. Relationships between adults and pupils are strong and respectful. Pupils are proud of their school and relish the wider opportunities that it offers to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for pupils to succeed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are curious and keen learners. They display a thirst for knowledge. Pupils become increasingly confident and articulate when expressing their thoughts and views. They achieve well. By the time that they leave the school in Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the demands of the key stage 3 curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. In the early years, children settle quickly into school routines. Older pupils enjoy working and playing alongside younger pupils, acting as strong role models. Classrooms are calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the wide-ranging experiences that the school provides to enrich their personal development. They enjoy different responsibilities such as acting as members of the school parliament. A broad variety of visits, visitors and after-school activities enhance pupils’ learning across the curriculum. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about their participation in singing workshops.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has implemented an ambitious curriculum from the beginning of the early years to Year 6. The curriculum meets the needs of pupils, including those with SEND, well. Governors have a sharp focus on supporting and challenging the school to continue to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has identified the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn across all year groups. This knowledge builds on what pupils already know in well- ordered steps. Teachers have been suitably trained. In most subjects, they use their 11 and 12 June 2024

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strong subject knowledge effectively to make sure that pupils learn the content of the curriculum well. In these subjects, teachers check that pupils have a secure understanding of what has been taught previously before introducing new learning. As a result, pupils progress successfully through these curriculums and achieve well.

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In a small number of subjects, the checks that the school makes to ensure the successful delivery of the curriculums are at an earlier stage than in other subjects. This means that the school does not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning in these subjects. It also means that the school is not able to identify when teachers might need additional support or guidance to deliver these curriculums as intended. At times, this means that pupils’ knowledge is not as secure as it could be.

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The school prioritises reading. It helps pupils to develop a love of reading from an early age. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about the books that they have read and enjoyed. They read with fluency and expression. Staff have been trained well to deliver the phonics programme successfully. They make sure that, children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1, read books that include the sounds that they have already learned. Teachers swiftly identify pupils who need help to keep up with the programme. They provide further support to help these pupils to catch up quickly.

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The school identifies the specific needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest opportunity. Staff make sure that these pupils receive appropriate support as they move through the school. Pupils with SEND achieve well and participate in all aspects of school life.

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Pupils behave well. They rarely disturb the learning of their peers. Pupils work and play productively and safely together. Their positive conduct contributes towards the school’s calm learning environment. The school has developed clear procedures to manage pupils’ attendance and punctuality. It works effectively with families to support pupils whose attendance needs to improve. As a result, pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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The school supports pupils’ wider development well. Pupils learn how to develop healthy relationships, including when online. The support for pupils’ emotional well-being and mental health is very effective. Pupils develop a mature understanding of a range of important issues, such as equality and diversity. The school also ensures that pupils understand fundamental British values such as democracy.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They benefit from strong teamwork and support to fulfil their roles effectively. For example, staff are fully involved in decisions about new policies and procedures which affect their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the checks that the school makes to assure itself that teachers are delivering the curriculum as the it intends are not as effective as in other subjects. This makes it difficult for the school to know when teachers need further guidance and support. At times, this makes it harder for pupils to build new learning on what they already know. The school should ensure that it checks the delivery of these curriculums more carefully so that it can be fully assured that pupils are learning all that they should.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school manages its own breakfast and after-school club.  This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Chester. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in March 2023. The next section 48 inspection is expected within the next five years.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. He also spoke with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. 11 and 12 June 2024

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 The inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. He talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspector also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and spoke with pupils. He also observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at play and lunch times.  The inspector visited the breakfast club.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.

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 The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He also met with parents and carers before school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector 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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