St Nicholas Chantry Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Nicholas Chantry Church of England Primary School Highdale Avenue, Clevedon, Somerset BS21 7LT

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Rosanna O’Reilly. This school is part of the Futura Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Gary Schlick, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Malcolm Broad. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

St Nicholas Chantry Church of England Primary School is welcoming and friendly. Pupils learn about the school’s values of ‘create, aspire and nurture’ in assemblies and through their learning. Staff are relentless in their ambition to help pupils thrive. Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in their high attendance.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can do. Pupils understand and meet these. Most have positive attitudes to their learning. They are eager to share their ideas and value the rewards they receive for their positive engagement. Pupils speak enthusiastically about how they strengthen their knowledge through visits to places of interest. Beyond the classroom, pupils socialise happily. They understand it is important to treat everyone fairly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take pride in the responsibilities they hold. These include being house captains, pupil chaplains and kindness ambassadors. Through these leadership positions, pupils become self-assured and independent. They are confident to express their opinions. They recognise that it is important to listen to the views of others.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils regularly participate in local community events, such as the local harvest festival. Opportunities such as these support them to become active citizens in their locality.

p.2

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

The school identifies and meets the needs all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Since the previous inspection, the school has redeveloped and strengthened its curriculum from the Reception Year through to Year 6. In the strongest subjects, pupils understand the important knowledge that will help them later. There is clarity over precisely what pupils should learn and in what order they should learn it. Pupils revisit learning regularly and link their knowledge to new ideas and concepts.

p.2

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

In some subjects the checks that staff make on pupils’ knowledge are not sufficiently precise. Consequently, the extent to which pupils have learned the curriculum is not always understood. In addition, not all staff have the training they need to support pupils to reach the intended curriculum goals. As a result, pupils do not always gain sufficient depth of knowledge in some subjects.

p.2

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

Children in the Reception Year settle into school life successfully. The curriculum supports them to develop in all areas of their learning. Staff carefully consider how to develop the skills and knowledge that children need to prepare them for what they will learn later. For example, children use hole punches and wool for threading. This helps them strengthen the muscles in their hands and prepares them for writing.

p.2

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

Children in the Reception Year develop early mathematical skills and practise measuring and counting successfully. Staff hold high-quality conversations with children. This supports children to express themselves clearly and broadens their range of vocabulary. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.2

3

Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Books are well matched to the sounds they know. As pupils get older, they successfully build their ability to read accurately and fluently. The school puts precise support in place for pupils who fall behind. This allows them to catch up rapidly with their peers.

p.3

3

The school has established a new behaviour system that sets clear expectations in lessons and around the school. Pupils’ conduct around the school is calm and purposeful. They know what is expected and most behave well. Occasionally, pupils become distracted in lessons, but this does not disrupt the learning of others. Pupils find the restorative conversations helpful for reflecting on their behaviour. Pupils show respect in their interactions with staff.

p.3

3

The provision for personal development is a strength of the school. Opportunities to enrich pupils’ experiences are well planned. Pupils have a mature understanding of British values. They know that in a democracy everyone must accept the result, even if they do not agree. Pupils understand how to keep fit and healthy. They are alert to online risks and know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils make visits to places of interest which broaden their cultural awareness. The school ensures that all pupils benefit from these opportunities.

p.3

3

Governance at the school is very effective. The trust and the local governance committee have the skills and expertise to fulfil their roles well. They have an accurate picture of the school through robust systems of checking and quality assurance. They ensure that the education that the school provides has a positive impact on all its pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, what is known about pupils’ understanding of the curriculum is not used to make necessary adaptations. This prevents pupils from learning in as much depth as they could in these subjects. The school should ensure that assessment is used to inform teaching so that it supports pupils to build their knowledge over time.  In some subjects, the teaching of the curriculum does not support pupils to reach the intended curriculum goals. Therefore, pupils do not build a sufficient depth of knowledge in these subjects. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise required to make the right pedagogical choices to teach the curriculum as planned. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.3

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.

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). 8 and 9 October 2024

p.4

School details

Website www.stnicholaschantryschool.org.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of The Futura Learning Partnership.  There is an after-school club.  The school uses no alternative provision.  This is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2024.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth-form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, subject leaders, members of the governing body, the CEO, a trustee and the chair of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, French and geography. 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.  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

p.6

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Matthew Shanks Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

p.6

7

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.

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