Codnor Community Primary School Church of England Controlled Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Sharpen the milestones and success criteria in the school’s development plan so that governors can hold leaders even more rigorously to account for the work that they do.
• Improve outcomes for all groups of pupils across a wide range of subjects by:
  • tracking more closely the progress that all pupils, especially the disadvantaged, make across a range of subjects, including English and mathematics, by ensuring that any barriers to achievement are precisely identified so that they can be effectively overcome
  • ensuring that teachers, when needed, step in quickly to offer additional challenge for the most able pupils during lessons.
• Improve pupils’ knowledge and understanding of a wider range of cultures.
• Ensure that the website meets requirements on the publication of specified information for parents.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have looked closely at pupils’ test results and the work they complete in class. Leaders are accurate in their evaluation of the strengths of the school and what needs to be improved further.
• The headteacher has established an effective leadership team. Leaders at all levels are aware of their responsibilities. Leaders play an important role in checking the progress that pupils make and the quality of teaching and learning.
• The headteacher has successfully created a culture where pupils are cared for and encouraged to care for each other and their school. One parent who summed up the views of many who spoke with inspectors said, ‘This school is wonderful’.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils’ books, work on display and inspectors’ observations during the inspection show that pupils have the opportunity to learn in a variety of ways, such as making sandwiches to learn about healthy eating and how to write clear instructions, or creating timelines to understand historical information. During the inspection, children from the early years and pupils in key stage 1 celebrated harvest festival with their families in the school hall. Pupils in key stage 2 learn to play a wide range of musical instruments.
• Leaders make effective use of the primary physical education and sport funding. Leaders have employed a sports coach who teaches physical education lessons alongside teachers to improve their skills in teaching this subject. The coach provides several sporting clubs for pupils to take part in after school, such as kwik cricket, cross-country and mini-tennis. He keeps a close check on which pupils attend. He has actively encouraged disadvantaged pupils to attend these clubs. His detailed records show that by the end of the summer term 2016, every disadvantaged pupil was participating in a sport. This is a significant improvement on previous years.
• Leaders manage the performance of teachers carefully. Leaders set targets for teachers which relate to the school’s improvement plan. The headteacher makes use of the national standards for teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning. He reports to the governors about the performance of teachers. He is prepared to not recommend a pay rise if he feels it is undeserved.
• Leaders promote British values well. Pupils learn about democracy through their membership of the school council. Pupils understand about the importance of following the law because they relate this to their school rules. Pupils are encouraged to be respectful of each other, for example in lessons when they listen to, and reflect upon, each other’s views and ideas, even though they may be different from their own.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development well. Pupils show respect for adults and each other alike. They have opportunities to sing in the school choir, visit a theatre, represent their classmates on the school council and learn to play a musical instrument. Work on walls and in pupils’ books shows that they learn about a range of faiths and cultures. However, the pupils who spoke with the inspectors did not show a clear knowledge of this aspect of their learning.
• The local authority has only recently offered additional support to the school. This is because it judges the school to be good. It has helped leaders in their drive to improve standards by brokering support from a local leader of education.

Governance of the school

• Governors are highly supportive of the leaders. They are ambitious for the pupils to do well. They work with senior leaders in school to check on the progress pupils are making by looking at assessment information, visiting classrooms and looking at pupils’ work.
• Governors maintain close links with school leaders so that they are familiar with the strengths and areas for improvement in the school. They receive reports from leaders so that they are knowledgeable about the performance of the school. Recently, governors met with leaders to discuss the reports. The governors, instead of the leaders, then presented the reports and answered questions from the full governing body. In this way, they demonstrated a clear understanding of provision in school.
• Governors have received training from the local authority to help them ask more precise questions during meetings. Governors, representatives of the local authority and leaders are certain that this happens much more than in previous years. However, this is not reflected in governors’ minutes.
• The school’s plans for improvements, including those written specifically for different aspects of school life, such as each key stage and the provision for special educational needs, outline the improvements that are to be made, how and by whom. However, more detail, such as key milestones and sharper success criteria, would allow governors to ask more focused questions and hold leaders more closely to account.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders make sure that all the appropriate vetting checks take place before a new member of staff starts working at the school.
• Governors have a secure understanding of safeguarding because they undertake the appropriate training. Governors check to make sure that procedures in school are rigorous.
• Staff who spoke with the inspectors were clear about how to report any concerns they may have about a pupil’s welfare.
• Leaders and teachers have established effective relationships with parents. Parents who spoke with the inspectors said that staff are very approachable and supportive, if they have any concerns.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes to learning. Pupils respond well to the clear routines that teachers have put in place. For example, in a key stage 1 class, pupils immediately recognised the tune that was played to indicate that it was time to tidy up. Pupils responded quickly and tidied away the equipment without fuss.
• Teachers use assessment well to build on what pupils already know and understand. Teachers begin lessons by recapping on previous learning so that pupils can build upon these skills and knowledge to make progress.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use questions skilfully to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. They routinely ask pupils to explain their answers to check that there are no misconceptions.
• The specialist music teacher’s enthusiasm and programme of teaching are effective in engaging pupils in their music lessons. Pupils who were learning to play a variety of brass instruments were keen to show off their skills. Pupils demonstrated a clear understanding of beat and rhythm while they played a simple tune together.
• Teachers set targets for pupils to improve their work. Pupils say that the teachers discuss their targets with them so that they understand what they have to do to improve their work further. Pupils say that this motivates them to do well.
• Teaching assistants provide effective additional support for pupils, both in class and in small groups, to help them to understand the ideas that are being taught.
• Reading is taught well. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to plan learning that matches the ability of the pupils. Pupils are keen to improve their reading skills. Key stage 2 pupils take their role as reading buddies seriously. They read with pupils in school who do not read at home. Pupils at the early stages of reading correct their own mistakes using the skills they have been taught in class. More confident readers have clear preference for favourite books.
• Pupils’ books show that generally, teachers give feedback to pupils in line with the school’s policy. Pupils say that they use the information the teachers give them to help them improve their work. Pupils’ books showed that pupils make progress, for example with their handwriting and spelling, as a result of the teachers’ comments.
• Occasionally, pupils, particularly those who are the most able, mark time as they wait for further instructions from the teacher or they continue to complete work that they can already do, instead of moving on to something more challenging quickly. This is because teachers do not consistently step in to provide this challenge in a timely manner. When this happens, progress for these pupils slows.
• Leaders and teachers check that pupils are making progress across a wide range of subjects by looking at their work. There is scope for developing a more precise method of tracking the progress that pupils make in all subjects to ensure that they all make the progress of which they are capable across the whole curriculum.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils confidently talk about how proud they are of their school. During the inspection, pupils approached inspectors unprompted to share what they were doing and to tell inspectors about their school.
• Pupils show respect and care for each other. They say that bullying is very rare, but that someone will help them if it does occur. During the inspection, one pupil was upset. Another pupil spontaneously comforted him, saying, ‘Don’t worry, it’ll all be ok’.
• Pupils talk knowledgeably about how to keep themselves safe, including when they are using modern technology. They know that adults in school will keep them safe. They are aware of the systems leaders have put in place to keep them safe, such as the school gates being secure. Parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, and those who spoke with inspectors all agreed that their children were safe in school.
• Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy. During the inspection, a group of key stage 1 pupils were learning how to write instructions by making a healthy sandwich. Pupils were able to explain to inspectors why it is important to wash your hands before preparing food.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Attendance is above the national average, indicating that pupils enjoy coming to school.
• During lunchtime, pupils behave well, eating lunch and chatting sensibly. Almost all pupils notice their litter and put it in the bin, so very little is left on the floor.
• During playtime and lunchtime, pupils play together well. They play running games or use the toys that are provided. At the end of playtime, pupils tidy away quickly and move back into lessons without delay.
• Posters displayed around school remind pupils of the good behaviour that is expected of them while they are at play.
• Very occasionally, a few pupils lose concentration in class. When this happens, they become fidgety and are distracted from their learning.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• School information shows that children start school with skills, knowledge and understanding that are often below those that would be typically expected of children their age.
• By the end of 2016, the proportion of pupils in Year 6 achieving the expected standard in reading, writing, mathematics, spelling, punctuation and grammar exceeded that seen nationally. Similarly, the proportion achieving the higher standard in writing, mathematics, spelling, punctuation and grammar exceeded that seen nationally, while this was broadly average for reading.
• In 2016, by the end of Year 6 the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in all of reading, writing and mathematics and the proportion achieving the higher standard exceeded that seen nationally.
• Pupils make good progress when they are learning to read. Since 2013, there has been an increase in the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1. In 2015, this exceeded that seen nationally. By the end of 2016, every pupil had achieved the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
• Observations during lessons and work in pupils’ books across a range of subjects show that pupils currently in school, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are making good progress from their different starting points. Even though pupils have only been back at school for a few weeks this year, improvements can already be seen, for example in pupils’ handwriting and spelling.
• In 2016, school information shows that the difference between achievement of disadvantaged pupils and that of others is diminishing, albeit slowly. Leaders have already identified that even more can be done to accelerate the progress that disadvantaged pupils make. Leaders are commissioning a review of pupil premium spending to make sure that this happens quickly.

Early years provision Good

• The leader with responsibility for the early years has a clear understanding of the strengths of the provision in the Nursery and Reception classes, and what she wants to do to improve it further.
• Teachers have established clear, simple routines for children to follow. This means that, even at this early stage of the school year, children feel safe and know what is expected of them. Children behave well because the teachers have high expectations of them and engage them well in their learning.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Teachers plan learning that closely matches the needs and interests of the children. In the Nursery class, teachers make effective use of praise to encourage children. During the inspection, children had fun as they joined in with the actions to help them retell the story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.
• Teachers make effective use of the space in the classrooms and the outdoor area to provide a broad range of activities that promote learning. The environment is bright and exciting for children. This means children engage well with their learning.
• In the Reception class, the teacher promotes the characteristics of effective learning, such as exploring and being an active learner, very well. The teacher explains the characteristics to children so that they know that teachers want them to be busy and curious. An enticing rewards system is clearly displayed and motivates children well. For example, one child who had independently counted to 20 in the outdoor area was delighted to be told he would be ‘off the busy bus’ on the rewards display.
• Teachers and teaching assistants in both the Nursery and Reception classes encourage children to be independent. They purposefully provide equipment, such as pre-recorded instructions that are available on tables for children to be able to manage their own learning.
• The leader of the early years tracks the progress that the children make. Teachers and teaching assistants make effective use of assessments to move children’s learning on as soon as they are ready. No time is lost to promote progress. During the inspection, the teaching assistant was purposefully ensuring that the most able disadvantaged children were being challenged to count and write to the best of their ability.
• The early years teachers forge effective relationships with parents. Parents are encouraged to contribute to the assessments of their child’s progress and to celebrate their child’s successes.
• Over recent years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has risen. It now exceeds that seen nationally. Children, including those who are disadvantaged and the most able disadvantaged, make good progress from their starting points. By the end of the early years, children are well placed to start Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number 131156 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10002845 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 270 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Philip Moss Headteacher Steve Bower Telephone number 01773742537 Website www.codnor.derbyshire.gov.uk Email address stevebower@codnor.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 1 2 May 2012

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about governors’ attendance at meetings, the accessibility plan and the report on special educational needs on its website.
• This school is slightly bigger than the average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very low.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Day one of this inspection was a section 8 short inspection led by Vivienne McTiffen, Ofsted Inspector. The inspection was converted to a section 5 inspection at the end of day one.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, leaders with responsibility for key stages 1 and 2, the early years and for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and four other members of staff.
• Inspectors met with four members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority, two groups of pupils and parents as they brought their children to school in the morning.
• Inspectors heard groups of pupils read, observed learning in 16 lessons and observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime and playtime.
• Inspectors considered the responses from 42 returns for the online survey, Parent View, and three responses to the online staff survey. There were no responses to the online pupil survey.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ books, looked at work on display around the school and read a range of school documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, governors’ meeting minutes and the school’s self-evaluation report and development plans.

Inspection team

Di Mullan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Jeannie Haigh Ofsted Inspector Linda Lyn-Cook Ofsted Inspector Clive Worrall Ofsted Inspector