Nailsworth Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Nailsworth Church of England Primary School Nympsfield Road, Nailsworth, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 0ET

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 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 Good 10 and 11 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this safe and welcoming school. Many describe it as fun and caring. Pupils uphold the school’s values of community, love, respect and perseverance. These guide them successfully in their work and play.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, the school has raised expectations and redesigned much of the curriculum to make it more ambitious for all pupils. It is rightly proud of the improvements. This shows in the higher than national published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics. Most pupils leave school well prepared for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high standards for behaviour. Pupils live up to the ‘ready, respectful and safe’ rules. For example, they show ‘respect’ in their positive interactions with staff and each other. Learning flows without disruption. Pupils strive to earn house points or become ‘star of the week’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to take on important roles. These include being house captains and reading ambassadors. The school nurtures pupils’ talents and interests through clubs such as fencing, technology and sports. Pupils develop a sense of community by singing to older residents and taking part in local gardening projects. All of this, and much more, supports pupils in becoming responsible and active citizens.

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

Leaders have taken decisive action and worked determinedly to drive rapid improvements. They have put pupils at the heart of decisions made. Staff are highly positive about the guidance they receive to hone their practice. They appreciate how leaders are mindful of the impact on workload. Governors understand their role. They provide effective challenge to develop the school further.

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

The school has built a strong reading culture. Books feature prominently across the curriculum. In Reception Year, children eagerly join in with familiar stories and rhymes. Pupils enjoy class book discussions and the diverse range of texts they study. Staff skilfully select books to broaden pupils’ understanding of the wider world. For example, pupils learn to be thankful for what they have through the books they read about characters who face adversity.

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

From the start of Reception Year, children confidently read and write the sounds they have learned. This continues into Year 1, where pupils blend sounds and read words fluently and accurately. Staff use ongoing checks to find out what pupils remember well. Those who slip behind get effective support to help them keep up. The impact of the school’s work can be seen in the above national average results of the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2024.

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

Over the past year, the school has introduced important changes in many subjects. The curriculum now sets out the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn and the order in which it needs to be taught. Pupils discuss their recent learning very well. For 10 and 11 December 2024

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example, in art, pupils in Year 6 understand how to use techniques, such as cross hatching and shading. In science, pupils in Year 3 confidently explain how magnets attract and repel. However, in a few subjects, it is not sufficiently clear how new learning connects to prior knowledge. This prevents pupils from deepening their understanding of concepts. Furthermore, in some wider curriculum subjects, the school is still developing systems to check that pupils remember what they learn in the long term.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain content clearly and introduce pupils to rich vocabulary. Teachers use quizzes and checks to make the most important knowledge stick in pupils’ minds. For example, in mathematics, daily ‘flashbacks’ help pupils recall prior learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified quickly. Staff provide extra support, such as ‘scoop group’ sessions, to help pupils close any gaps in their knowledge. This helps pupils with SEND learn successfully alongside their peers.

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Pupils behave well. They like how the school applies the rules fairly. From the start of Reception Year, staff teach children about good listening and taking turns. Pupils across the school build on this positive start. If pupils find it harder to manage their behaviour, leaders act fast to secure the right support.

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The school extends pupils’ learning beyond the classroom. In forest school, pupils learn to persevere and take responsibility. Visits from the police and dog charities reinforce safety online and in the community. Trips to places of worship develop an understanding of different beliefs and cultures. Pupils play their part in making sure that they treat others how they want to be treated.

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Pupils, staff and most parents and carers praise the school highly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not identified the ways in which prior knowledge connects to new learning. This means that staff do not maximise opportunities to make these clear, which prevents pupils from deepening their understanding of important concepts. The school should ensure that all subjects map these connections to support staff and pupils in developing their understanding over time.  In some wider curriculum subjects, the school is in the early stages of implementing systems to check how well pupils learn the curriculum. Consequently, the school does not have a secure understanding of what pupils know and remember in all subjects. The school should develop effective assessment systems to check the impact of its work on helping pupils remember their learning in the long term. 10 and 11 December 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). 10 and 11 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Sarah Broadbent (Executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 and 19 October 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is currently part of an informal partnership with Upton St Leonard’s Church of England Primary School in Gloucester.  The acting deputy headteacher started in April 2024. The executive assistant headteacher took up their post in September 2024. A new chair of governors joined the school in September 2024.  The school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester. It received a section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character in January 2024. Its next inspection under section 48 is due within five years of this date.  The school does not currently use 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 10 and 11 December 2024

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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.  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 held discussions with the executive headteacher, the executive assistant headteacher, the acting deputy headteacher and other school staff. The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair. He also held a telephone call with the local authority and representatives from the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and physical

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education. 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 considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors listened to some pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: met the designated safeguarding lead; checked the single central record of adults working in the school; took account of the views of 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during breaktime and lunchtime. They spoke with pupils and staff about behaviour.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff to discuss how the school supports their

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workload and well-being.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start and end of the school day. They considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Dale Burr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Dadds Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 December 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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