Kersey Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Kersey Church of England Primary School Cherry Hill, Kersey, Ipswich Suffolk IP7 6EG

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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 co-headteachers of this school are Jess Damant and Claire Dunnell-Paley. The school is part of the Tilian Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Andrew Berry, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Yapp.

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Overall effectiveness Good

The Kersey Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy in November 2021. When its predecessor school, Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged requires improvement. 25 and 26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and being part of the ‘Kersey family’. They have many opportunities to become more confident and resilient. For example, all pupils are practising music or reciting poetry as part of the school’s 150th anniversary celebrations. They form positive friendships and show respect to others. Pupils thrive as part of a caring community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High expectations support pupils to do their best. They study an ambitious curriculum that ensures they achieve well. Pupils take responsibility for their own learning by working independently to complete tasks. Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils enjoy learning. As a result, incidents of low-level disruption are extremely rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills and influence school decisions. For example, the worship, eco and learning councils meet frequently to improve life in school. Older pupils are reading buddies for younger pupils. Pupils meet regularly with people from the local community. These include the parish council, armed forces and the local Member of Parliament.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils attend creative and academic clubs to develop their interests and talents. These include music, choir and computing clubs. Pupils enjoy entering a range of competitions, such as garden design and sports events. Visits to farms, agricultural shows and the Science Museum help bring what pupils are learning to life. This greatly enhances pupils’ learning experiences.

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better?

The school is well led and managed. Leaders have put in place a well-designed and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. For each subject, it is clear what pupils will learn and how they will build their knowledge and skills over time.

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better?

Leaders have considered the implications of mixed year group classes. This has influenced the delivery of the curriculum. In English, mathematics and science pupils are achieving well. However, in some other subject areas the planned content is not delivered as well as it could be. Teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and can do. When this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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better?

The school has effective systems in place to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and accurately. Staff adapt lesson activities to ensure pupils with SEND successfully learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. The school’s ambition for every pupil to develop a love of reading begins when pupils start school. Staff are experts in delivering phonics. Some older pupils who have not had access to this reading curriculum from the start of their time in school are not yet fluent and confident readers. The current reading curriculum is not yet sufficiently established. This means pupils’ knowledge of 25 and 26 June 2024

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different types of books and authors varies because this part of the curriculum is not planned in enough detail.

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Children in the early years follow a well-planned curriculum. Leaders have prioritised developing strong foundations in reading, communication, language and number. There are clear routines that children understand and follow. Staff prioritise care and planning appropriate and meaningful activities. This ensures children enjoy their learning and develop the basic skills in preparation for more complex tasks. Consequently, children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Staff and pupils consistently follow these. When needed, staff work effectively with pupils who require support to make the right behaviour choices and manage their emotions. As a result, pupils understand what is expected and behave well.

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The school checks pupils’ attendance carefully. Robust systems are in place to identify and remove the barriers causing absence. This includes providing effective support for families and working with external agencies. As a result, pupils’ attendance is high.

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Leaders provide an extensive curriculum for pupils’ personal development. The range of opportunities available and take-up by pupils is exceptionally high. Pupils learn life skills, such as keeping safe, collaborating with others and the importance of democracy. This occurs because lessons, clubs and trips are planned to complement each other. For example, talking to local farmers helps pupils understand their science lesson topic of the life cycle of animals. The importance of understanding and being part of the local community is a high priority. The school’s inclusive approach ensures all pupils take part in many varied activities. Pupils learn tolerance and respect and develop an awareness of other cultures.

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Staff at the school feel valued and supported. Leaders care about staff well-being. Staff appreciate the training opportunities provided by the school and the trust.

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Governors and the trust are ambitious for the school to succeed. Effective action has been taken to improve the school. They complete regular checks and ask questions about key areas of the school’s work, such as the quality of education and safeguarding. This ensures school leaders receive effective support and challenge.

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The school engages well with parents and carers. Parents are extremely positive about the education, nurture and wider support that pupils receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, teachers do not always check what pupils have learned routinely. When this is the case, teachers do not plan learning that helps pupils build on what they already know. This means pupils are not able to apply what they know to more complex tasks. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure teachers use assessment effectively in all curriculum areas to check if pupils can use their knowledge and skills as intended.  The opportunity to read a wide variety of books is not sufficiently well planned. This means pupils do not always develop their awareness of different types of books and authors. Strengthening the curriculum to ensure a range of books are included will allow pupils to read more widely and help them to become more fluent and confident readers.

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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). 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

Co-Headteachers Jess Damant and Claire Dunnell Paley

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Kersey Church of England Primary School is part of the Tilian Partnership.  There have been substantial changes to the leadership at the school. There is a co-headteacher structure consisting of two headteachers and a new local governing body in place.  The school does not use the services of any alternative provision.  The school has its own breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school has a Christian character and ethos. It is part of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. The denominational education has yet to be inspected under section 48 of the Education Act.

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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. 25 and 26 June 2024

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 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 co-headteachers, teachers and support staff. Inspectors met with the CEO and other trust staff. Inspectors also met with members of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. For each subject, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils.  Inspectors visited a range of other subject lessons and looked at a wide range of subject curriculum plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts the pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors scrutinised the school’s records of behaviour and attendance and spoke with pupils to understand their experience of school.

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Inspection team

Rob James, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rebecca McCutcheon Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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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