Clehonger CofE Primary School

Inspection of Clehonger CofE Primary School Gosmore Road, Clehonger, Hereford, Herefordshire HR2 9SN

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Clehonger Church of England Primary School is a friendly and welcoming school. Pupils enjoy coming to this inclusive school and attend well. The school is an important part of the community. The school’s core values lie at the heart of its work. From the moment pupils start at the school, they are encouraged to show respect, resilience and take responsibility. Positive relationships are a high priority for the school. One pupil reflected this well stating, ‘We all respect each other in this school.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has prioritised the development of the curriculum so that it better meets the needs of all pupils. Leaders are ambitious. The school has worked effectively to raise expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils work hard in lessons to meet these high expectations. While leaders have taken steps to improve the quality of education pupils receive, it is still early days. There is a collective ambition to ensure the new curriculum is implemented effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from trusting relationships with adults. They are confident that staff will listen to any worries they may have. As a result, pupils feel happy and valued. They learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They behave well in lessons and around the school.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has redesigned the curriculum to ensure it is ambitious for all pupils. The curriculum identifies the knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Improvements to the curriculum are now enabling current pupils to make better progress across the curriculum. Published outcomes last year were low. These do not reflect the current improved progress pupils make as they learn the curriculum. This is particularly the case in reading and writing. Teachers’ subject knowledge of the English curriculum is strong. They have received high-quality training to deliver the curriculum well. However, in some other subjects, such as art, some teachers’ subject knowledge does not support pupils well enough. Explanations are not clear which makes it difficult for some pupils to develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.

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

The curriculum is not yet implemented consistently in all subjects. Pupils’ knowledge is more developed in some subjects than in others. For example, older pupils can describe the importance of a fair test when conducting scientific investigations. Pupils can recall facts about Henry VIII, demonstrating their historical knowledge. However, pupils do not make connections between their current and prior learning. As a result, pupils’ knowledge and understanding is not yet in as much depth as the curriculum intends.

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

Leaders have a clear understanding of what needs to happen to ensure the curriculum is implemented well. Much of this work has already started and is having a positive impact. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff know pupils’ needs accurately. Learning is adapted to meet pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. 5 and 6 November 2024

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Reading is a very high priority in the school. Pupils develop a love for reading. From an early age, pupils learn the phonics needed to read fluently. Books are well-matched to the sounds that pupils know. There is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language skills in the early years. This helps them to gain the vocabulary they need for future learning. Children get off to a positive start in the early years. They learn routines quickly and behave well. The curriculum meets younger children’s needs well. They are encouraged to develop their independence. This helps children to take responsibility for their own actions from an early age.

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The curriculum extends beyond the academic. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about democratic processes through voting for their peers to take on leadership roles in the school. Those who have these roles, such as responsibility rangers, actively contribute to the school and wider community. For example, they select the different charities the school will raise money for each year. There are a wide range of extra-curricular activities available and participation levels are high. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Individual pupils’ needs are met well through pastoral support. The school ensures that all pupils receive the support they need. Pupils feel safe in school.

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Governors have worked hard to increase their effectiveness since the previous inspection. They hold leaders to account and provide a balance of challenge and support. Governors know the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement well. Staff appreciate the steps that the school takes to support their well-being and workload. They are proud to work at the school. Relationships between staff, pupils, governors and parents are positive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not yet being implemented consistently well. As a result, some pupils do not develop a secure and understanding of the curriculum. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively to ensure all pupils learn well over time and progress as well as possible through the curriculum.  In some subjects, some teachers do not always deliver the content of the curriculum with sufficient clarity. This is because their subject knowledge is not secure. As a result, some pupils do not always embed the knowledge and skills needed. The school needs to strengthen teachers’ subject knowledge to ensure that pupils achieve well in all subjects.  In some subjects, some pupils are not consistently able to connect what they are currently learning with what they have learned previously. As a result, in these 5 and 6 November 2024

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subjects, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that all pupils can make connections between their prior and current learning in all subjects so that they can deepen their knowledge of the curriculum.

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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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school works collaboratively with Hereford Marches Federation of Academies (HMFA).  The school is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in February 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school operates its own pre-school provision for two-, three-and four-year-olds.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for pupils.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the executive headteacher, head of school and early years leader. The inspectors also met with a range of teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the HMFA and held conversations with representatives from the Diocese of Hereford and the local authority.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body.  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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Year 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to some parents before and after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Matt Fletcher, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sian Williams Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 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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