Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery Buntingsdale Park, Tern Hill, Market Drayton, Shropshire TF9 2HB

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this warm and welcoming school. They readily welcome new arrivals to the school. Pupils celebrate differences between themselves and others. They are encouraged to become considerate and tolerant young people. Pupils live out the school’s values of friendship, respect and responsibility. However, sometimes, they do not focus fully on their learning in lessons and, at times, become distracted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations, and pupils follow an ambitious curriculum that is well organised for mixed-age classes. Most pupils achieve well. However, some pupils who fall behind with their learning do not always get the right support to help them to keep up with their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils form strong, trusting relationships with one another and staff. They value the nurturing support they receive when they need it. Pupils are happy and safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A rich range of wider opportunities enhance and support the curriculum. A range of clubs and educational visits broaden pupils’ experiences and develop their talents and interests. Pupils are proud of their leadership responsibilities. These include being members of the ‘sports crew’ who help to organise games and equipment or the eco-warriors who help to plant flowers and encourage more wildlife. This helps pupils to develop into responsible and active citizens.

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

Pupils learn from an engaging curriculum that covers a broad range of subjects. The 5 November 2024

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curriculum has been recently reorganised to accommodate different mixed-age arrangements. Lessons follow a clear sequence of learning that is set out logically from the early years onwards. The school has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to know in all subjects. Most pupils progress well through the curriculum. In a small number of subjects, the school’s checks on what pupils know and can do are not used well enough to identify gaps in pupils’ learning over time.

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The school has effective processes in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. Overall, they benefit from additional teaching and support. Progress towards agreed targets is closely monitored and additional support is provided, if needed, from external professionals.

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Reading is a high priority. Pupils are enthused by the rewards they receive for reading regularly. This helps them to develop a love of reading. There is a well-planned phonics curriculum. Where this is implemented well, staff model new learning clearly and routinely check whether pupils have grasped a concept before moving on. However, the curriculum is not always implemented consistently well for all groups of pupils. This includes pupils with SEND and those at the earliest stages of learning to read. Sometimes, pupils who fall behind with their reading do not receive precise enough help to catch up.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. For example, mock elections develop pupils’ understanding of democracy, while ‘fair-trade fortnight’ helps pupils have a deeper understanding of the world around them. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe both online and offline. Pupils are proud of their sporting successes in the competitions they take part in. There is a wide range of clubs on offer, including a variety of sports, a choir and the popular ‘happiness club’. There is a strong focus on learning to be mentally and physically healthy. Staff care about pupils’ well-being. Warm nurturing relationships are established as soon as children join the school in the early years.

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Pupils who need extra help to manage their behaviour are well supported. Pupils get along with each other and play together happily during social times. Most pupils try hard with their learning. However, sometimes, staff expectations of pupils’ behaviour are not high enough. This leads to some pupils losing focus and struggling to concentrate. At times, it leads to them missing important information.

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The school does everything it can to ensure that pupils attend regularly. Staff track closely pupils’ attendance and punctuality. They provide support to individual families when needed. As a result, attendance is improving.

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The school is at the heart of the community. Staff, parents and carers comment on this. Parents appreciate the high-quality pastoral support systems in school.

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Governors understand their roles and carry them out well. Leaders have identified accurately the right areas for improvement. They understand the challenges that the school has faced recently to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the revised class groupings. They appreciate the impact this has had on workload. Staff show great 5 November 2024

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commitment. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variability in the teaching of early reading. This slows some pupils’ progress through the curriculum, particularly those who are at the earliest stages of learning to read and pupils with SEND. The school should ensure that staff receive the training and support they need so pupils get the necessary help to become confident, fluent readers.  Sometimes, the school’s expectations for pupils’ learning behaviours are not high enough. Some pupils lose focus and find it difficult to concentrate. The school should ensure that all staff use appropriate strategies to develop appropriate learning behaviours.  In a small number of foundation subjects, assessment systems to check what pupils know and remember over time are not well embedded. This means that in some subjects, staff do not check if pupils have any gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that effective systems are established for checking pupils’ knowledge and

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

understanding over time so any gaps in knowledge can be addressed.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall 5 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). 5 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.buntingsdale.shropshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.

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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.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. The lead inspector also met representatives from the governing body.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, 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 5 November 2024

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interest first.  The inspectors spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at break- and lunchtime.  The inspectors met with groups of staff and pupils and considered the opinions expressed through the staff surveys.  The inspectors met some parents at the start of the day and had regard to the views expressed through the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Cathy Young, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gail Peyton Ofsted Inspector 5 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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