Silverton Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Silverton Church of England Primary School Coach Road, Silverton, Exeter, Devon EX5 4JY

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 25 and 26 March 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations are high at this rapidly improving school. Children make a flying start when they arrive in Nursery. Pupils go on to achieve well, particularly by the end of key stage 2. Staff know pupils individually. They look to link learning to pupil’s interests and build on what they already know, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy the things they are taught. For example, they talk enthusiastically about learning to read, historical themes and the useful trips they experience.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND learn alongside and as well as their peers, including in the early years. Pupils learn, for example, about cultures and beliefs around the world, as well as how to read, write and do mathematics. As a result, pupils are well prepared to continue their education when they move on to secondary school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff want the best for pupils. Pupils generally respond positively. Occasionally, some pupils need reminding to do their best. Some also worry about poorer behaviour from the past. However, they also rightly recognise that things have changed. Pupils share breaktimes joyfully, often sorting any problems together without help. Pupils’ attitudes to learning improve, especially as they get older.

p.2

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

Silverton is a strong and improving school. Federation and school leaders have worked together determinedly to turn around a previous decline in standards. Expectations are now higher, and the school is improving step by step. Leaders have secured the commitment of staff to make things better. As a result, the quality of the curriculum has improved, pupils are learning more and are prepared effectively for secondary education. However, some parents and carers are less confident because there has been a lot of change until recently. The school’s work to improve its engagement with parents and carers, although well planned, has had a varied impact.

p.2

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

The school has designed an effective curriculum, including in the early years. Useful approaches to improve the curriculum are making a big difference. For example, subject specialists from across the federation support subject ‘ambassadors’ in the school effectively. This work has helped the school ensure it has identified what it wants pupils to learn in all subjects precisely. As a result, staff are clear about what pupils should learn and when. Regular checks are made on pupils’ learning, and the curriculum is adapted to ensure pupils, including those with SEND, remember what is intended.

p.2

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

The school ensures the needs of pupils with SEND are identified early and accurately. Useful individual plans help staff know what pupils with SEND need and how to support them. This is typically successful, and many pupils with SEND are included successfully.

p.2

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

Leaders know there is more to do. Although there are many examples of strong curriculum delivery, some inconsistencies remain. Where delivery is strong, pupils achieve very well. Staff help pupils to remember the key things they need in readiness for the next lesson. However, occasionally, the activities teachers give pupils do not match what 25 and 26 March 2025

p.2

3

they want pupils to learn well enough. There are other times when learning is not adapted precisely to ensure pupils with SEND build on what they already know and can do. Furthermore, pupils are sometimes asked to write creatively before they have the fluency in their handwriting and spelling to do this well.

p.3

3

Reading has the highest priority. High-quality texts underpin much of the curriculum. The school has an established, effective programme for teaching reading. Pupils learn to read rapidly. Staff carefully check pupils’ knowledge and target approaches to ensure pupils who need extra support can keep up. Pupils learn to love reading. They say they enjoy the books their teachers share with them and the opportunity to use the well-presented library or to read books from The Bookery.

p.3

3

Children flourish from the moment they start in the effective, nurturing early years provision. Staff deliver the school’s ambitious curriculum with skill and enthusiasm. Language and communication underpin precisely designed learning areas across indoor and outdoor spaces. Staff promote high expectations through the positive relationships they establish with children. Staff ensure children make the most of the learning opportunities provided through useful questioning and the careful use of assessment. Children develop mature attitudes to learning and are well prepared for key stage 1.

p.3

3

Pupils’ wider development is promoted well. Pupils’ social and moral development is stimulated very effectively through regular school and federation events. Pupils learn about different cultures, diversity and fundamental British values. Trips and visits are utilised whenever possible to enrich and enhance pupils’ learning. For example, considered residential trips alongside peers from across the federation allow pupils to experience urban life in Bristol or historically important venues in Bath.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the activities teachers plan are not well enough matched to the intended learning or adapted sufficiently for some pupils with SEND. This means that, occasionally, pupils do not build on what they already know or can do. The school should ensure that teachers plan activities adapted more closely to what they want pupils to learn so pupils’ achievement, including those with SEND, is more consistent.  The school’s approaches to teaching writing do not ensure that pupils have the transcription skills needed to write fluently. This means pupils can find it difficult to complete more complex writing tasks because they still have to focus on their handwriting or spelling. The school should ensure that staff teach transcription skills consistently and effectively. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.3

4

 The school’s engagement with parents and carers, although improving, has had varied results. This means some parents are less confident about the school’s work and how it is improving provision for their children. The school should strengthen how it engages with parents to ensure that parents are clear about how the school is managed, what changes are being made and the impact of leaders’ work on their children’s outcomes.

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). 25 and 26 March 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the last inspection there has been a change in the leadership. The previous head of school left in July 2024. The executive principal of the federation took on the role of head of school in September 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is designated as having a religious character. Its last section 48 inspection was in September 2017.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education 25 and 26 March 2025

p.5

6

provision.  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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including reading, mathematics and history. 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 listened to some pupils read.  Inspectors met with leaders, including the executive principal, an executive headteacher from the federation, school improvement leads from the federation, the early years lead and the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspectors spoke to representatives from the governing board, including the chair.

p.6

6

They also spoke with representatives from the local authority and from the diocese.  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.  Inspectors took account of the answers to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to the Ofsted staff survey.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including documents relating to governance, leaders’ evaluations, the long-term strategy of the federation and information about the school’s curriculum.

p.6

Inspection team

Matthew Barnes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Carl Thornton Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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