Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery Chirbury, Montgomery, Powys SY15 6BN

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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?

This is a nurturing, welcoming school. Staff take time to get to know pupils and their families well. They genuinely care about pupils and their well-being. Pupils know that they can talk to staff about any worries or concerns that they may have. Pupils behave well. They are happy here and find it an exciting place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school with an eagerness to learn. They benefit highly from an extraordinary range of enrichment experiences outside of the classroom, including mountain biking, residential activities and hands-on practical learning experiences. These experiences exemplify the school’s motto of ‘take a RISK to be the best you can be’. Resilience, integrity, support and kindness are at the heart of the school’s work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school aspires for all its pupils to achieve well. Actions taken to improve some aspects of the curriculum have been effective. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Pupils who have fallen behind with their reading do not get the support that they need to become fluent and confident readers. Low achievement over time has not prepared pupils well for their next steps.

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

This school is emerging from a period of staffing instability that has slowed the pace of improvements over time. Staff and governors know where the school is doing well and what needs to improve further. 4 March 2025

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The school has put in place a curriculum that is well designed and arranged carefully. It sets out the key knowledge that pupils need to know in a logical order from the early years to Year 6. However, the checks that the school makes to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum are in the early stages of development. The school has not identified where there are training needs or how well pupils are faring in some areas. Furthermore, in some subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers carry out checks well enough within lessons. This does not identify the pupils who have not fully grasped a concept or those who are ready to move on to more challenging learning. This means that pupils are not achieving as well as they could.

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The school has prioritised strengthening the way that pupils learn to read. Staff training has improved the consistency and delivery of the phonics programme in recent times. However, pupils who find reading difficult do not get the regular support that they need to become confident, fluent readers. Some pupils move on to learning new sounds without securing a strong grasp of their prior learning. Sometimes, the books that pupils read do not match to the sounds that they know, and this affects their fluency and confidence.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and accurately. The school sets precise targets and actions to inform staff of suitable strategies to support pupils with SEND. However, this support is not always actioned. As a result, some pupils with SEND struggle to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence that they need, particularly when learning to read.

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Pupils’ behaviour is positive from the early years to Year 6. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They display the school values of support and kindness towards one another and play happily together at social times. Children settle happily into early years, where the school’s nurturing approach begins. The learning environment supports pupils to develop teamwork and independence. Clear routines and caring staff help children to adapt to school life. The school’s work to promote attendance and punctuality is effective. Staff work in partnership with parents and carers to understand the importance of their children arriving promptly and being in school each day.

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The school’s work to enhance pupils’ character and wider development is strong. Pupils learn important life lessons on topics such as healthy relationships, respect, diversity and online safety. Pupils of all ages experience a wide range of clubs in which they further develop their talents and interests. These include various sports, arts and the opportunity to learn an instrument and be part of the school’s rock band. This work on pupils’ personal development stands them in good stead for the next stage of their education.

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Governors and the whole school community work in partnership effectively. Governors understand their roles and responsibilities. They show commitment to supporting the school to improve further. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the support that they receive to manage workload successfully. Parents appreciate the commitment of the staff team and value the enrichment opportunities that the school provides. 4 March 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that some pupils who have fallen behind with their learning in phonics are catching up quickly enough, including those with SEND. As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning and are not well prepared for their next steps. The school should ensure that pupils who have fallen behind with their reading receive the support that they need to become fluent and confident readers.  In some subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers check pupils’ learning as effectively as they should. This leads to missed opportunities to address misconceptions or extend learning when pupils are ready. This means that pupils are not achieving as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are equipped to systematically assess pupils’ understanding within lessons to provide the support and challenge each child needs to achieve well.  The monitoring of the quality of education lacks rigour in some areas of the school’s

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

work. The school does not identify where there are staff training needs or how well pupils are faring in some areas. This means that not all pupils are achieving their best, including those with SEND. The school needs to establish precise and effective ways to identify how well pupils are faring and where there are staff training needs.

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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. 4 March 2025

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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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). 4 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Shropshire Hills Federation, which consists of three schools. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have responsibilities across all three schools.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school operates a before- and after-school provision.  The school makes provision for two-year-old children.  The school is within the Diocese of Hereford. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in March 2018. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 4 March 2025

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 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 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 lead inspector talked to representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  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 the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at

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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

Sarah Steer Ofsted Inspector 4 March 2025

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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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