St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Wilfrid’s CofE Primary School Main Street, Calverton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG14 6FG

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy life at St Wilfrid’s CofE Primary School. Always polite and respectful, they told inspectors they love their school and the range of experiences it offers. Caring staff make sure that pupils feel safe and resolve any worries quickly. Parents and carers who spoke to inspectors were also full of praise for the school. Parents value the way that staff and leaders communicate with them and involve them in their children’s education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for their next stages in education and beyond. Character development is at the heart of everything the school provides. Guided by the school’s values, pupils develop mature attitudes to spirituality, diversity and equality. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy, and how to maintain positive relationships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years get off to the best possible start. Expert staff are attentive to their needs and interests. Staff take every chance to stretch children’s curiosity as they eagerly engage with learning and play in the well-resourced learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils respond well. They have positive attitudes and achieve well. There are few disruptions to learning.

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

The curriculum is broad and challenging. The school has precisely identified the important knowledge that pupils will learn. Learning is sequenced to support pupils to gain a depth of knowledge as they progress. The curriculum for the early years has been meticulously designed to make sure that pupils gain knowledge, skills and vocabulary to be very well prepared for key stage 1.

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

The school quickly identifies when pupils have additional needs. Expert staff make sure that pupils with SEND receive the support and resources they need to be successful alongside their peers.

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

Reading is prioritised in the school. Children begin learning phonics at the very start of Reception. They enjoy the routines of phonics lessons and demonstrate high levels of concentration. The school checks pupils’ progress in reading carefully. Where it is needed, staff provide targeted support to help pupils to keep up. Pupils gain fluency as they practise reading books that are matched carefully to their phonics knowledge.

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

Teachers use their excellent subject knowledge to present information clearly. They encourage pupils to make links between new learning and what they have learned previously. Pupils eagerly use subject-specific vocabulary as they discuss their learning. On most occasions, learning activities encourage pupils to think deeply and practise skills as they acquire knowledge. However, at times, in key stages 1 and 2, activities are not as sharply focused on the important knowledge in the curriculum as they could be. When this is the case, pupils’ learning is less secure. 11 and 12 March 2025

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Pupils are exposed to a wide range of opportunities to explore subjects in depth. For example, in history, pupils learn the important concepts that historians use to make sense of the past. In science, they experiment and take measurements and record their observations. Teachers use appropriate strategies to check pupils’ understanding, such as asking probing questions. There are occasions, however, in key stages 1 and 2, when these checks are not always completed and gaps in pupils’ understanding are not identified swiftly.

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The school’s programme for personal development is exceptional. This begins in Reception where children enjoy interesting activities that help them to learn about the world they live in. Older pupils gain valuable leadership skills as they take on responsibilities in the school to support their peers. Many pupils, including those with SEND, enjoy the wide variety of extra-curricular activities on offer. Pupils benefit further from an array of trips and visits that bring learning to life and provide memorable experiences. Members of the local community visit the school to talk about their careers and experiences to raise pupil’s aspirations.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. In the early years, children develop excellent learning behaviours as they play and work together. Throughout the school, pupils listen attentively to staff and engage positively with activities.

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The new leadership has had a positive impact on the morale of staff at the school. One member of staff described it as, ‘a breath of fresh air’. Staff are united in their commitment to develop their expertise and further strengthen the school’s provision. They value the support they receive to manage their workload. Dedicated governors play an active role in supporting and challenging school leaders. They engage well with the school to make sure that all pupils benefit from the curriculum and wider opportunities it provides.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On some occasions, learning activities do not focus sharply enough on the important knowledge that is identified in the curriculum. When this happens, pupils do not gain knowledge as securely as they could. The school should ensure that staff have a strong shared understanding of the curriculum and the expertise to design learning activities that enable pupils to meet the ambitious aims of that curriculum.  At times, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding as precisely as they could. This means that, occasionally, misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not 11 and 12 March 2025

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addressed as swiftly as they could be. The school should ensure that checks on pupils’ understanding are used systematically to support learning.

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed in 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2019.

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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 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 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 met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke to representatives of Nottinghamshire County Council and the Diocese of Southwell.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and music. 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. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a teacher.

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 Inspectors also visited lessons, spoke to some pupils about their work and looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  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 held meetings with leaders and scrutinised records relating to attendance, behaviour and personal development.  Inspectors considered the views of staff, pupils, and parents shared through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Johnston Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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