South Petherton Church of England Infants and Pre School

Inspection of South Petherton Church of England Infants and Pre School Church Path, Hele Lane, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5DY

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since December 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school full of sparkle and joy. It places the utmost importance on pupils’ happiness and enjoyment. This helps pupils to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Staff and pupils display warm and caring attitudes to one another. Pupils feel they can turn to a trusted adult if they need help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils in all aspects of school life. Pupils live up to these high expectations. In the pre-school, children, including the two-year-olds, show sustained concentration during their learning. Pupils learn much of the curriculum well over time. Consequently, they are well prepared for junior school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the centre of village life. Pupils participate in many local events. This helps them to gain a strong sense of community. Pupils also learn to become global citizens. Through links to a school in Kenya, they understand life in the wider world. The school promotes the arts through its school choir and Christmas performances. Pupils develop a strong sense of moral purpose. For example, they collect donations for the local foodbank.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers speak highly of the school. They rightly praise its communication, its nurturing ethos and approachability of staff.

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

The school has an unrelenting focus on the whole child. Any decisions or changes are made in the best interests of pupils. This culture permeates the school. The strong and knowledgeable governing body supports and challenges the school in equal measure. It knows the school well because it makes frequent checks on its work.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum. It has given careful consideration to the order in which pupils learn new content. Consequently, pupils build on their prior knowledge well. This includes the early years. The school manages its split site with the pre-school effectively. For example, the pre-school is fully included in the school’s checks on the quality of education. Both the pre-school and main school work together to identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early. This helps them to get the adaptations and support they need. Consequently, all children get off to a strong start in the early years.

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

The school ensures that staff are well trained. As a result, staff implement the curriculum with the same high ambition as its design. In lessons, pupils focus well on tasks and work hard. Teachers check what pupils can remember. Pupils understand and use subject- specific vocabulary well. They expand on their thinking through extended written responses. This also allows pupils to practise and develop their writing skills.

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

The school has recently changed parts of the curriculum in some subjects to ensure that pupils learn even more. In these subjects, pupils have not developed their knowledge in the long term, and they struggle to recall some of their prior learning. The school knows it 12 and 13 November 2024

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needs to continue to embed and review the effectiveness of these changes on pupils’ learning.

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The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read. It has a rigorous and well- established approach for pupils to learn the phonics code. Staff quickly spot any pupils who fall behind and help them to keep up. The success of the reading curriculum can be seen in the very high outcomes for pupils. Results in the phonics screening check have been consistently above national averages over a sustained period. The school also promotes a strong love of reading. Pupils experience reading a rich range of books and authors. Children in the early years learn a variety of rhymes and songs.

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Pupils experience a well-considered offer beyond the academic. They develop their talents and interests through different clubs. The school broadens pupils’ horizons through various trips. For example, pupils visit a local farm to experience lambing season. Pupils have a strong voice in the school, such as through the school council. Children in the early years take on jobs to help with the running of their classroom. This helps to develop their leadership skills and promote their independence. In class and at playtimes, pupils’ behaviour is of a very high standard.

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The school has recognised that some pupils’ attendance in recent years has not been as strong as it should be. This has meant they have missed out on important learning. The school analyses attendance to check for patterns and has recently strengthened its attendance systems. These changes show early signs of improvement. However, the school recognises that it needs to continue to work with pupils’ families to secure high attendance for all groups of pupils in the long term.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum has changed recently. As a result, pupils have not acquired the depth of learning in these subjects due to historic gaps in knowledge when the curriculum was not as strong. The school should ensure it continues to embed the new curriculum, check how well pupils are learning it and make any further adjustments to the curriculum as necessary.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly. Consequently, they miss out on important curriculum content, which creates some gaps in their learning. The school should continue to implement its attendance systems and work with families to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Kirsten Carp and Richard Killen (co-chairs)

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School details

Headteacher Shan Weston Website www.southpethertoncofeinfants.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2013

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, many staff have joined the school, including the headteacher.  Since the last inspection, the school has taken on the running of the local pre-school. This operates on a different site within South Petherton. It admits children from two years old.  This is an Anglican school in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in February 2019. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years of this date.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. 12 and 13 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. 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 headteacher, groups of staff, groups of pupils and members of the local governing body. An inspector also held a telephone call with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics 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.  Inspectors also looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning in other curriculum areas.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector spoke to some parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, and Ofsted’s survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Jason Edge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Hicks Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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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