Powick CofE Primary School

Inspection of Powick CofE Primary School 42 Malvern Road, Powick, Worcester, Worcestershire WR2 4RT

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Martha Worthington. This school is part of the Diocese of Worcester Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Vicki Shelley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Stevens.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Powick CofE Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Powick CofE Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy in August 2018. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and the wide range of additional activities on offer. They particularly enjoy art, design and technology, physical education and science. They appreciated the recent Year 5 ‘STEM day’ to promote their interests further. The school puts on fun trips designed to support the curriculum, such as visits to a local science museum, and a zoo to see animals in their habitats. Learning also takes account of the local environment, for example visiting the local church to learn about the civil war in England.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school’s intention for all pupils to do well. It ensures pupils who find work challenging, or have barriers to overcome, have the resources and support they need to achieve as well as other pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They are respectful to each other and supportive of those with additional needs. They observed the two-minute silence impeccably to commemorate the recent 80 th anniversary of the Victory in Europe. Pupils feel safe in school and know that there is always an adult to talk to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive on responsibilities, such as being a member of the pupil parliament, for example, by completing a litter collection project and presenting information to the local academy board. Pupils also benefit from participating in events, such as debating competitions.

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

The school has established an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, based on its own plans and a number of commercial schemes. It has tailored these suitably to take account of the local environment and the needs of its pupils. Combined with effective teaching this ensures that, overall, pupils achieve well. However, in a small number of cases this is not as successful.

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

Pupils start learning phonics as soon as they join the school in the Reception Year. Adults teach the scheme consistently well. Across the school, there are effective arrangements in place for any pupils who need to keep up or catch up. The school tracks pupils carefully to ensure they are making the progress they need to become fluent and confident readers.

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

Pupils are very proud of their library. Older ones are librarians and identify books so that pupils can select texts appropriate to their reading level. In early years, children vote on which story they would like to hear, thus gaining early experience of elections and democracy. The school promotes a love of reading, including through visits to the local public library.

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

The school identifies early on any pupils who may need additional help. This ensures that support is in place promptly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has ensured that the curriculum in each subject is adapted well to allow all pupils to access the learning. When needed, pupils with SEND, have access to 7 and 8 May 2025

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specialist resources. The school has prioritised support in Reception and Year 1 to address pupils’ needs early on.

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Teachers check regularly if pupils understand the learning and identify any gaps or misconceptions. They make effective links between subjects to help pupils remember more, for example recalling work in geography on rainforests when starting a history project on the Mayans. Subject leaders are well trained to check how well the curriculum is delivered. However, in a few instances, the curriculum is not having the impact that the school intends. As a result, pupils sometimes find it difficult to remember and apply important knowledge.

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The school’s values such as ‘perseverance’ underpin the life of the school. Most pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning. However, in a few cases, pupils lose focus during lessons. This is because some learning activities are not well enough matched to their needs or previous learning. As a result, some pupils do not consistently fully engage with learning. Pupils attend school regularly and the school is assiduous in following up on any unexplained or persistent absence.

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The school has put in place a programme of visits and wider experiences, including in early years, to enhance pupils’ learning. The Powick School Choir attended an event called ‘young voices’. Attendance in the choir is high. Pupils’ learning in history is enhanced through visits to local places of interest, such as a local blacksmith’s house. Pupils support local charities, including the West Midlands Air Ambulance. They benefit from a range of clubs including chess and art run by Year 6 pupils for younger children. They can vote for house captains and be subject monitors, such as in physical education. Pupils’ horizons and knowledge of other faiths is enhanced through visits to places of worship, including a recent trip to the Gurdwara.

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Leaders take full account of staff workload. A long-term project is taking place reviewing all aspects of the school’s work to establish what can be ‘kept, tweaked or ditched’. Governors and members of the trust are mindful of senior leaders’ workload and well- being. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

n In a few instances, the curriculum is not having the impact that the school intends. Consequently, some pupils find it difficult to remember and apply what they have previously been taught and are not achieving as highly as they could. The school 7 and 8 May 2025

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should ensure that the implementation of the curriculum enables pupils to achieve well across the breadth of the curriculum.

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n Sometimes, learning activities are not well enough matched to pupils’ previous learning or their needs. As a result, pupils sometimes lose focus. The school should ensure that learning choices more consistently take account of pupils’ previous knowledge so that learning time is maximised.

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school opened as an academy in August 2018. It is one of 16 schools in the Diocese of Worcester Multi-Academy Trust.  The current headteacher was appointed in January 2021, as was the assistant head of school.  The school currently makes use of one registered alternative provision.  The school has a Christan ethos. The last section 48 inspection took place in October 2017. The next scheduled inspection should take place by July 2026.

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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 7 and 8 May 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 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 meetings with the headteacher, assistant head of school, other leaders and staff.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils to learn their views of the school.  The lead inspector met with members of the trust, including the CEO, the chair of the trust and the director of education.  The lead inspector held a telephone discussion with a representative from the diocese.  The lead inspector also met with members of the local governing body, including the chair and vice chair.  Inspectors considered responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. This included parents’ free-text comments. They also considered additional feedback from

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parents. Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered information on pupils’ behaviour, attendance and personal development.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, they held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors heard pupils read to adults in the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

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Inspection team

Mark Sims, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Razia Ali Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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