Orchard Community Primary School

Inspection of a school judged Good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Orchard Community Primary School Grange Drive, Castle Donington, Derby, Derbyshire DE74 2QU

p.1

Outcome

Orchard Community Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Fiona Shields. This school is part of the Symphony Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Tim Sutcliffe, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Harrison.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a joyful and welcoming school, held in high regard by parents and carers.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for its pupils. The curriculum successfully combines academic rigour with fun and enjoyment. Pupils are motivated and positive about school life. They flourish from the awe and wonder they experience from interesting subjects that they are taught. Pupils achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of support for pupils’ character development and well-being is central to the school’s ambition that all pupils will flourish in confidence and wisdom. Pupils understand their own character strengths, such as perseverance to keep going. The school supports them well to work on character attributes such as self-confidence and collaboration.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s positive ethos for standards of behaviour is effective. Pupils understand and act on the school rule of respect. They are polite and courteous. Pupils value the trusted adults that they can speak to if they have any worries. They are safe and happy.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy wider opportunities beyond the school day, that extend their interests and hobbies. For instance, they enjoy clubs such as netball, multi-sports and archery. They are proud of the trophies won in local sport competitions. 7 and 8 January 2025

p.1

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

The school’s curriculum sets out important knowledge that pupils must learn, beginning in the early years. The curriculum is well-sequenced with coherent links across subjects. For instance, pupils connect their understanding of healthy eating from personal social health and economic (PSHE) education, with the study of safe food preparation in design and technology. Pupils also understand the relevance of discrimination within the context of World War Two in history. Teachers revisit and review the key knowledge pupils need to know and remember to ensure that pupils are ready for the next stage of learning. As a result, pupils recall considerable knowledge and understanding of their studies.

p.2

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

The mathematics curriculum is well-planned. Professional development has secured teachers’ strong mathematical subject knowledge to teach the subject well. This begins in the early years, where children develop a strong understanding of number. There is a sharp focus on arithmetic proficiency across the school. Pupils enjoy mathematics.

p.2

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

The school has made effective changes to the English curriculum in both reading and writing. Reading is a priority and staff teach it well. Pupils read and enjoy a range of authors. Phonics is effective. Children in the early years make a strong start to learning the letters and their sounds. Those who need additional help to keep up, get the support that they need to achieve well. Pupils' reading books are matched to the phonic sounds that they are learning. High quality books are used to inspire pupils’ writing. Pupils enjoy rehearsing new sentence structures before they write at length. Many pupils achieve well with writing, especially with the appropriate and interesting language they choose to use. However, sometimes, pupils’ accurate application of core writing skills and knowledge is not as precise as it should be.

p.2

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

Teachers’ subject knowledge to teach the breadth of subjects is strong. Skilful staff explain new information in clear steps. They use careful questioning techniques to probe pupils’ understanding. Staff improve the quality of pupils' explanations through discussion. This includes the effective development of children's language in the early years. However, on occasions there are small inconsistencies in how well staff fully engage and support some pupils who struggle to access the knowledge being taught.

p.2

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

The school identifies and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and /or disabilities (SEND). These pupils benefit from appropriate support to help them achieve well.

p.2

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

Pupils are studious and concentrate well in class. Classrooms are calm purposeful places to learn. Pupils are proud that school behaviour is strong and no-one ever needs to be alone or not have a friend. Everyone is welcome here.

p.2

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

Pupils achieve well from the relevant and high quality PSHE curriculum. They know how to stay safe online. Pupils have appropriate knowledge about life in modern Britain, such as different kinds of families and the fundamental British values. The school nurtures pupil 7 and 8 January 2025

p.2

3

leadership talents. The school council undertakes active fundraising for charity. Sports leaders organise games for younger pupils. Eco-leaders encourage efficiencies in school.

p.3

3

Leaders know the school well and take appropriate actions to improve it. Trustees and governors work well together to maintain oversight of the school’s work. They know and understand their statutory duties. Staff are a strong and united team who are proud to work here. They value the opportunity to manage workloads through teams and collaboration. Staff benefit from the high-quality professional development that they get. Parents appreciate the extensive care and quality of education that their children receive at this school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasions, staff are not consistent in how well they engage and support some pupils who struggle to access and respond to the taught input. This means that some pupils miss some important steps in knowledge and do not secure their understanding as well as they should. The school should support staff to refine their teaching strategies, so that they consistently support pupils not to miss key knowledge being taught and in turn achieve higher standards.  Some pupils do not consistently apply the skills and knowledge important for fluent legible written work. This means that some writing presentation, spelling and grammatical accuracy is not precise and hinders the flow and quality of their writing. The school should ensure that staff are supported to focus pupils' attentions on the refinement and precision of their writing, so that they achieve higher standards.

p.3

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.

p.3

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 7 and 8 January 2025

p.3

4

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.

p.4

4

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2021.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 7 and 8 January 2025

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school manages a breakfast and after-school club for its pupils.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Symphony Learning Trust. Orchard Community Primary School converted to become an academy in April 2022. When the predecessor school, Orchard Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 January 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector met with senior leaders and subject leaders from the school, trust leaders, the chair of trustees and representatives from the governing body.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector considered the provision for pupils with SEND and spoke to a group of pupils with SEND.  The inspector discussed pupils’ attendance and behaviour with school leaders.  The inspector considered the views of parents who responded to Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments.  The inspector held discussions with staff and pupils.  The inspector considered a wide range of evidence, including the documents published on the school’s website.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

p.6

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Donna Moulds, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7