Orchard Church of England Primary School, Broughton Astley

Inspection of a good school: Orchard Church of England Primary School, Broughton Astley Blenheim Crescent, Broughton Astley, Leicester, Leicestershire LE9 6QX

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Outcome

Orchard Church of England Primary School, Broughton Astley continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Orchard Church of England Primary School. They are polite and respectful. The school’s Christian values guide pupils in everything they do. Pupils know these values well and eagerly strive to earn rewards for demonstrating them. In lessons, pupils follow well-established routines and behave well. At playtimes, they play together in the pleasant outdoor space. Incidents of poor behaviour are exceptionally rare. Pupils feel safe in the school and trust the staff to deal with any problems quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils enjoy learning and try hard in lessons. Most pupils achieve well. Children in the early years get off to a good start. They demonstrate curiosity and resilience as they learn and play in the well-planned learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school supports pupils’ wider personal development well. There are opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities as members of the school council, sports ambassadors, well-being ambassadors or eco-warriors. Pupils appreciate the range of clubs and activities that they can take part in, as well as the trips and visits the school offers.

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

Reading has been prioritised in the school. In the early years and key stage 1, pupils benefit from a well-established phonics programme. Staff deliver phonics lessons expertly. They check pupils’ phonic knowledge often and make sure that pupils practise reading from books that are at the right stage for them. Pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up. As a result, almost all pupils quickly learn to read. Across the school, staff read to pupils daily from well-chosen stories and rhymes. Older children are exposed to a wide 2 and 3 July 2024

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range of texts that includes novels, poetry and non-fiction. This helps them to gain a rich vocabulary and develop into confident readers.

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Across the curriculum, the school has thought carefully about the knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it. In mathematics, for example, concepts are sequenced well so that pupils build on what they have learned previously. This helps them to make connections in their learning and remember what they have learned. In art, the curriculum supports pupils to develop skills while studying the work of an interesting variety of artists from around the world. In religious education, pupils deepen their understanding of Christianity and learn about other religions as they progress.

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In most subjects, the important knowledge is defined precisely. This helps staff to plan learning activities that are sharply focused and help pupils to learn securely. Staff routinely revisit prior learning to help pupils remember what they have been taught. However, in a small number of subjects this is not the case. In these subjects there is a lack of clarity about the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. As a result, lesson activities lack focus and learning is less secure.

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In lessons, knowledgeable staff provide pupils with clear explanations. They ask questions that make pupils think deeply about what they are learning and make links to what they know already. Staff routinely check pupils’ learning and address gaps and misconceptions quickly. The school makes sure that staff have all the information they need to adapt lessons, when necessary, for pupils with SEND. These pupils receive effective support and achieve well.

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The curriculum in the early years has been well considered to meet children’s interests as they learn about the world. The learning environment offers many opportunities for them to be creative, and to develop social skills and communication. Children eagerly practise writing and enjoy activities that support their growing number and shape knowledge.

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The curriculum for personal, social and health education prepares pupils very well for their future lives. Pupils gain a detailed understanding of how to maintain good physical and mental health. They know how to avoid risks and keep themselves safe. Across the curriculum, and in collective worship, pupils learn about British values, diversity and equality. They are knowledgeable and have mature attitudes.

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The school is calm and orderly. The vast majority of pupils attend school well and behave well. When this is not the case, the school supports pupils, and their parents and carers, to improve attendance.

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Staff are happy and proud to work at the school. They enjoy opportunities to develop their expertise and say that leaders are always mindful of their workload and well-being. Governors know the school very well. They provide valuable support and challenge to staff. Parents appreciate the caring, supportive culture in the school. 2 and 3 July 2024

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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 school has not identified precisely enough the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. As a result, sometimes learning activities lack focus and learning does not support pupils to gain knowledge securely. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum identifies precisely what pupils should learn and remember, and that learning activities support them to do so.

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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 May 2016.

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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. 2 and 3 July 2024

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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). 2 and 3 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in 2021.  The school uses no alternative provision.  This is a Church of England School. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in June 2019. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.

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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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other school leaders and staff.  The inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair. 2 and 3 July 2024

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 The inspector spoke to representatives of Leicestershire County Council and the Diocese of Leicester.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. The inspector listened to some pupils reading to their teacher.  The inspector also looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work in a number of other subjects.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 July 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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