St Giles CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Giles CofE Primary School Church Lane, Horsted Keynes, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 7AY

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Outcome

St Giles CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils delight in attending this friendly school. They are safe and know that the adults care for them. Pupils behave well. They learn about the vocabulary to explain their feelings. This helps them to recognise their own emotions and those of their peers. Pupils form positive relationships and enjoy spending time with one another. For instance, when at play, they become pirates on the school’s ship and appreciate their time in the reflection garden. Pupils uphold the school’s value of nurture well. For example, school buddies show a genuine care for younger pupils. This contributes to a culture where pupils feel part of the school family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for its pupils, and most pupils rise to meet the high expectations set. Pupils develop a broad range of knowledge across the curriculum. They produce a range of high-quality work that adorns the corridors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils delight in learning outside during forest school activities in the school’s moat. Pupils take an interest in global issues. For example, pupils in the eco-team champion the importance of recycling. Pupils enjoy close links to the community. They attend a range of celebrations at the local church and take part in events in their community.

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

The school provides a curriculum that meets the needs and interests of pupils well. In 2023 national tests, pupils’ achievement was lower than the school expected. Governors ensure that the school acts on the improvements needed. As a result, pupil achievement improved in the 2024 national tests. The school helps teachers to deliver the curriculum well. The steps in learning outlined in the school’s curriculum are clear. This helps teachers to know what to teach. Teachers receive training and support that help them to 15 October 2024

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refine their practice. As a result, teachers have secure subject knowledge. Teachers appreciate the support that the school gives them. They say that this helps them to manage their workload well.

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Pupils generally develop their knowledge across a broad range of subjects well. Children in the early years develop their phonics knowledge securely. The school has a keen focus on improving pupils’ reading. Teachers support pupils who fall behind in their reading to catch up quickly. As a result, pupils swiftly learn to read and develop a love of reading.

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Pupils draw on their knowledge of a wide range of texts when they write. They produce high-quality written work. Most pupils gain the mathematical knowledge needed to succeed. Children in the early years explore their understanding of number through a range of play activities. This helps them to embed what they need to know and prepares them well for the move into key stage 1. However, some older pupils’ recall of number facts, such as times tables, is not secure. This means that pupils can struggle when faced with more complex mathematical problems.

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Teachers motivate pupils to learn. They ensure that what pupils learn is relevant and interesting. Adults in the early years use the outdoor area well. They provide a variety of activities that link meaningfully to what pupils need to learn. Teachers across the school use questioning to develop pupils’ understanding. They introduce and model relevant vocabulary that helps pupils to explain their thinking. However, while pupils achieve well across most subjects, teachers do not always check what pupils know with enough care. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in some subjects.

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Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Teachers swiftly identify pupils’ needs. They provide helpful resources to support pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. Interventions outside the classroom are purposeful. For example, the school provides activities that support pupils to regulate their emotions. This helps pupils to remain focused when they return to class.

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Pupils behave well and show good attention in class. The school ensures that staff consistently apply the approach to managing behaviour. As a result, pupils are clear about the expectations for behaviour. Pupils across the school are keen to attend. The school supports the small number of families of pupils whose attendance is low to make improvements.

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The school provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils. Pupils engage in visits to local sites of interest. Visitors are welcomed into the school to enhance pupils’ learning. For example, pupils learn to play the drums and guitar and perform to parents and carers in the school’s rock band. Pupils engage in a variety of sports festivals and competitions. This strengthens their confidence in preparation for the move to secondary school. Pupils explain their understanding of equality with clarity. They say that everyone is welcome in this school. They respect one another’s points of view and form balanced opinions about what they hear in the news. 15 October 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers are not yet clear about the key learning milestones in some subjects, including mathematics. They do not always check pupils’ learning of these effectively or revisit learning that is not secure. This means that while pupils gain the knowledge needed across the curriculum broadly well, some pupils struggle to recall what they have learned. The school needs to clarify what pupils need to know and recall to ensure that pupils secure the knowledge outlined in the school’s curriculum.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2019.

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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. 15 October 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). 15 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 April 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England (voluntary-aided) school and is part of the Diocese of Chichester. A section 48 inspection to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school took place in June 2018. The next section 48 inspection is due by 2026.  The school provides a breakfast club and after-school childcare on site.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  The inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, governors, representatives from the Diocese and local authority, other leaders and a range of staff at the school. 15 October 2024

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 The inspectors focused inspection activity on the following groups of subjects: reading, writing, mathematics and art and design, science and history. For each group of subjects, inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including those related to the governance of the school.  The inspectors considered the views of parents and carers through their responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspectors spoke to staff and pupils during the inspection.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Graham Chisnell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

James Freeston Ofsted Inspector 15 October 2024

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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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