Charfield Primary School

Inspection of Charfield Primary School Wotton Road, Charfield, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire GL12 8TG

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

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The headteacher of this school is Melanie Willcox. This school is part of the Castle School Education 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), William Roberts, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon MacSorley.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since July 2015. 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 coming to this warm and welcoming school. They describe it as a place where there is always something fun to do and no one is left out. Pupils understand how the school’s values give them courage to try new things and help them to work together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and what they can achieve. Pupils live up to these expectations. They are polite and well mannered. This starts in the early years where children quickly learn the importance of following the school rules. Across the school, pupils are motivated to learn and work hard. They achieve well in many areas of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils build warm and respectful relationships with staff. They trust adults to help them with any worries that may arise. Pupils who struggle to manage their emotions benefit from the sensitive support they receive from staff who know them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs, trips and activities, including netball, the residential trip and visits to learn about life skills. They are proud of the leadership responsibilities they have such as house captain and assembly monitor. Pupils say these roles build their self- esteem and make them feel trusted.

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

With the support of the trust, the school has designed an ambitious curriculum. It makes clear the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn from the early years to Year 6.

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

The school knows what it does well and what improvements it needs to make to strengthen further the quality of education that pupils receive. For example, the school has been quick to analyse why older pupils reached the standards expected of them by the end of Year 6 in 2024, but a smaller proportion achieved the higher standard in mathematics and, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Pupils now have more opportunities to apply and deepen their knowledge. For example, in mathematics, older pupils confidently use their knowledge of graphs to solve more complex problems involving reflections.

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

Reading is a priority for the school. Pupils understand how reading gives them a way to 'escape' to a new place. They read a range of texts with increasing fluency, accuracy and expression. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Staff benefit from the training they receive which enables them to deliver the phonic programme effectively. Pupils learn and remember new sounds well. If pupils fall behind, they receive the help and support they need to catch up quickly.

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

The school has supported teachers to use effective strategies in which to implement the curriculum. In most subjects, teachers design learning activities which enable pupils to learn and remember important knowledge. In history, for example, children in the early years used words such as ‘moat’ and ‘drawbridge’ when describing the features of a 7 and 8 May 2025

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castle. Older pupils made links to their previous learning to explain concepts such as ‘lineage.’ However, in a small number of subjects, the learning activities that pupils experience lack precision. They do not enable pupils to build their understanding of curriculum content effectively enough. As a result, some pupils’ knowledge is not as secure as it could be.

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The school has strengthened its processes and systems to identify the needs of an increasing number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Individual pupil plans are now more precise and regularly reviewed. Where appropriate, learning is adapted effectively which enables most pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They listen carefully and take pride in their work. Children in the early years are excited to learn. They share, play and collaborate well together. The school manages attendance effectively. It works closely with parents and carers to ensure that if attendance dips, it is quickly addressed. Consequently, most pupils attend school regularly.

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The school's personal development offer is a central part of its work. It provides pupils with a range of opportunities to learn important skills, such as first aid. Pupils understand the importance of positive mental health and why fundamental British values, such as democracy, enables people to express their views. They develop their character well by singing to members of the local community, for example.

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Trustees and members of the local community council use their expertise to support and hold the school to account for its actions. Staff feel valued. The supportive environment, consideration of workload and strong team ethos that exists contribute positively to staff’s well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, learning activities do not focus precisely enough on what pupils need to learn. When this happens, pupils do not gain knowledge as securely as they could. The school needs to make sure that learning activities consistently help pupils to learn and remember the important knowledge that is identified in the intended curriculum. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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 9 and 10 July 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been changes to staffing and senior leadership since the last inspection. The headteacher took up their post in January 2018 and a deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2023.  The school is part of the Castle School Education Trust.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. They also met with groups of staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with the director of primaries, the chair of the education committee, the CEO and representatives from the local community council.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum

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in some other subjects.  An inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, they spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Wigley 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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