Chilcote Primary School

Inspection of Chilcote Primary School Chilcote Close, Birmingham, West Midlands B28 0PB

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

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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 January 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 3 and 4 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Chilcote Primary School. They are happy and well cared for here. They know that there are trusted adults they can go to if they are worried or concerned. The school’s values permeate all that the school does. Pupils develop a deep understanding of ‘respect, inclusion and togetherness’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They build incredibly positive relationships with one another and with staff. Pupils listen attentively and show high levels of respect. There are no distractions to learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has very high aspirations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils work diligently to rise to these aspirations. They achieve exceptionally high standards in some subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics, by the time they leave the school. They are well equipped for their future learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils engage excitedly with lessons and the many enrichment activities on offer. The school provides a wealth of varied activities and visits. These carefully link to pupils’ learning and broaden their experiences beyond the local community. Pupils enjoy many residential trips that help develop their resilience and teamwork. The school provides a wide variety of after-school clubs that develop pupils’ talents and interests brilliantly.

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start. Expert staff ensure that children swiftly develop their social and communication skills. They provide learning activities that precisely match children’s stages of development and interests. Children show high levels of concentration. They eagerly follow the well-established routines and thrive in an environment that provides no limits for their learning.

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

The school places the highest priority on making sure that pupils quickly learn to read. Pupils read a wide range of diverse and engaging texts that ignite their love of reading. This starts in the early years where children learn many stories and rhymes. Staff deliver the phonics programme very effectively. They provide tailored support for any pupils who need extra help to learn to read. This builds pupils’ confidence and helps them to become fluent, accurate and enthusiastic readers.

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

By the time pupils leave the school, they write confidently and competently. However, when pupils are at the early stages of learning to write, sometimes teaching does not sufficiently address the errors that they make. This leads to a small number of pupils repeating errors. This affects the accuracy and quality of writing that some pupils produce.

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

The school has designed a broad and rich curriculum. In most subjects, the school has identified carefully the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Staff deliver this skilfully and revisit the key knowledge that pupils should know and remember. This helps pupils to remember and articulate their learning well. However, in a small number of 3 and 4 June 2025

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foundation subjects, the core knowledge is not as clearly defined. In these subjects, teaching does not sufficiently enable pupils to make links between the concepts that they study, and pupils do not develop a secure and deep body of knowledge in these areas.

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The school has a rigorous approach to identifying the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There are robust systems in place to ensure that pupils with SEND get the help they need. The school’s highly effective and exemplary provision for pupils with SEND ensures that they achieve well.

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The programme for pupils’ wider development is exceptionally well crafted. There are tailored opportunities for pupils to understand diversity and celebrate what makes everyone unique. Pupil leaders contribute highly to the life of the school. Older pupils are positive role models, acting as peer mentors and sharing their love of reading with younger pupils. Staff make sure that pupils know how to keep safe and maintain good physical and mental health. Pupils know that it is important to be caring and inclusive. This leads to highly articulate pupils who are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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In lessons and at social times, pupils get along well. They play and learn together respectfully. Pupils work diligently in lessons. They are polite, friendly and embody the school’s values. Most pupils attend school well. When this is not the case, the school has rigorous processes in place. The school provides effective pastoral support for pupils with social and emotional difficulties. This helps to secure good attendance.

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The school has a strong vision and culture for ongoing improvement. Staff work as a cohesive and happy team. They appreciate the opportunities for professional development and know that their well-being is considered. Parents and carers value the nurturing relationships and opportunities that the school provides. The governing board is highly knowledgeable about the school. They have the skill set, drive and dedication to ensure that the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not sufficiently identify and address errors that pupils make when they are learning to write. Some pupils make repeated errors that affect the accuracy and quality of their writing. The school should ensure that there is a consistent approach to identifying and addressing errors so that pupils achieve as well as they should.  In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified precisely the core knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. In these subjects, pupils struggle to understand what they have been taught and make links between concepts 3 and 4 June 2025

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they have studied. The school should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects sets out precisely what pupils should know and when so that pupils develop a secure and deep body of knowledge across the whole curriculum.

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 March 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, new leaders have joined the school, including the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. A new chair of the governing body has also been appointed.  The school operates a before- and after-school provision.  The school does not use 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 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. 3 and 4 June 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 has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and senior leaders.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body. Minutes of governing body meetings were also reviewed.  The lead inspector talked to representatives from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science 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 held discussions about the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.

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 The inspectors looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  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 breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspectors met with groups of staff and pupils. They also considered the opinions expressed through Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspectors met with some parents at the start of the day. Inspectors also considered the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Cathy Young, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Hinton Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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