All Saints CofE (C) Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that:
  • teachers design tasks that are sufficiently challenging, particularly for the most able and disadvantaged pupils, enabling them to make stronger progress
  • teachers use time in lessons as productively as possible by setting pupils tasks that are closely related to the learning purpose
  • teachers benefit from sharing the best practice that already exists in the school and beyond.
• Improve progress and attainment for all pupils by ensuring that:
  • all staff have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve
  • pupils’ work reflects the highest standards of their presentation and literacy skills across all subjects
  • pupils are supported to apply their phonics skills in their writing
  • additional funding is used as effectively as possible to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
• Improve outcomes in the early years by ensuring that:
  • all adults have the highest expectations of what children can achieve, and insist on their best efforts at all times
  • learning activities better support children to develop their independence and critical thinking.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors have established an ambitious culture. All staff share their vision for the school. Leaders and managers work well together as a wider leadership team, with shared responsibilities.
• Middle leaders and managers have received support to develop their skills. This has improved the leadership of SEND, early years and mathematics in particular. As a result of strengthened leadership, pupils’ progress in mathematics improved by the end of key stage 2 in 2018. Pupils with SEND make progress in line with other pupils and outcomes in the early years are improving.
• Leaders have streamlined the priorities in the school development plan to ensure that they are sharply focused on the things that will make the most difference to improving the school. Teachers value the specific training and support they have received to improve the quality of their teaching. This is starting to have an impact, for example in relation to asking more challenging questions of pupils. There is more to do to ensure that all teachers have high enough expectations of all pupils.
• Teachers are well motivated and proud to work at the school. They share leaders’ ambition. They are confident about senior leaders’, governors’ and managers’ commitment and capacity to support them to bring about improvements where they are needed.
• Leaders have comprehensively reviewed and revised the curriculum. Pupils now experience a better balance of learning across subjects, covering a wide range of topics which broaden their horizons. Open-ended challenges allow them to develop their curiosity and critical thinking. Pupils have a choice in the way they present their research, which helps them to engage more deeply with the topic. Their work reflects their obvious enjoyment and fascination in learning about the world around them. This supports pupils’ spiritual development well.
• Following the last inspection, governors commissioned a review of the impact of pupil premium funding. This correctly identified that leaders need to evaluate interventions more rigorously to ensure that the funding has greater impact. Leaders have put in place a robust plan to improve provision and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. This has already had an impact on improving their attendance. There is more work to do to ensure that additional funding has a greater impact on academic outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
• Other additional funding is used effectively. For example, the physical education (PE) and sport premium pays for sports kit to develop a sense of pride in representing the school at sporting competitions. It also pays for pupils to take part in sports such as tennis, encouraging them to take up the sport outside school at the local Alrewas tennis club. As a result, pupils understand how to live a healthy life. Their physical and emotional well-being is well supported by the school.
• Christian values, including trust, love and respect, underpin the school’s ethos. A strong sense of community, known as ‘koinonia’, permeates the work of the school. Pupils enjoy supporting projects in the local area, such as fund-raising for a statue called ‘Free Spirit’ for the National Memorial Arboretum, commemorating the role of horses in the First World War. Pupils proudly act as Alrewas Ambassadors, carrying out charity work in the village. Pupils learn how to be good citizens through this commitment to contributing to society. They have well-developed social skills and show willingness to participate in a wide range of community projects.
• Pupils understand the difference between right and wrong. They learn about democracy and fundamental British values in lessons and assemblies. On the centenary of the end of the First World War, pupils learned how the war started and ended, as well as the impact it had on people’s lives. They were encouraged to reflect on the impact on their own lives that so many people died to protect their freedom today.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Since the last inspection, they have supported leaders well to address the areas for improvement, ensuring that the school development plan is more sharply focused on priorities that will bring about the necessary improvements. They are holding leaders to account more effectively for progress against the plan.
• Governors are committed to the school. Many governors have professional expertise in areas such as finance, human resources and statistics. They use their individual skills and expertise to support an area of the school’s work and to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum, where appropriate. Governors are leading the way in this and encourage parents to volunteer their skills and expertise to broaden and deepen the pupils’ learning in different subjects.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff have a good understanding of the school’s safeguarding policy and statutory guidance. Leaders make sure that staff and governors receive regular training and updates in child protection. The headteacher, as the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), attends regular local authority network meetings and cascades training to staff through staff briefings.
• Staff are sensitive to pupils’ care and welfare needs. They are vigilant and report any concerns promptly. Pupils appreciate the care that staff show them. They know that there is always an adult to talk to if they need it.
• When they make referrals, staff follow up on the outcomes to ensure that no child is at risk. They work closely with other agencies, such as the police, to ensure that children are protected from harm. They also work closely with families where necessary to help them keep their children safe.
• Leaders ensure a safe environment for pupils through regular and detailed risk assessments, as well as an annual audit of safeguarding practice.
• Arrangements for carrying out checks for new members of staff are rigorous. Staff receive comprehensive induction in relation to safeguarding and the school maintains an up-to-date, accurate record of all staff training and renewal dates.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Positive relationships between teachers, pupils and other adults ensure that lessons are calm and orderly. Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning mean that, in the main, they are engaged in lessons. Well-established routines support pupils’ learning throughout the school.
• Leaders have provided considerable support for teachers to improve their skills and there is evidence of some impact. However, the quality of teaching across the school is not yet consistently good. This is because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve, particularly the most able pupils. This means that not enough pupils achieve the high standards of which they are capable.
• In response to the last inspection, teachers and other adults have been supported to use questions more effectively to challenge pupils. Teachers are now starting to ask more open questions which require pupils to explain their answers. In lessons, pupils talk confidently, for example about how they arrived at the correct answer in mathematics or why they chose specific words or language features in English. However, some teachers’ questions still do not give pupils enough opportunities to explain their thinking. As a result, some pupils, particularly the most able, do not make as much progress as they should.
• The teaching of mathematics has improved. Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils are now given more opportunities to apply their problem-solving and reasoning skills. Pupils say they think the mathematics lessons are harder this year. They are offered a choice of increasingly difficult challenges in lessons. However, teachers do not direct pupils enough towards the hardest challenges. Pupils, particularly the most able, often select mid-range challenges rather than the most difficult. As a result, not enough pupils achieve the higher standard expected for their age.
• Some teachers use the time in lessons efficiently and flexibly, adapting their approaches to address pupils’ needs and pick up on any misconceptions. Timely interventions help to ensure that all pupils stay on track and keep up with their peers. However, some teachers do not ensure that time in lessons is used as productively as it should be. Some teachers provide detailed introductions to lessons which are helpful for some pupils to recap their learning. However, for some pupils, this is not necessary. They could move on more quickly to more challenging work. Some learning time is lost when pupils finish their work and teachers and other adults do not spot this quickly enough to move them on without delay. As a result, pupils do not make consistently good progress.
• For the most part, teachers design tasks which engage pupils in their learning. Pupils say they enjoy learning because the teachers try to make the lessons fun. In some cases, however, activities do not have a clear learning purpose, which results in pupils spending time copying sentences or drawing charts which do not move their learning on effectively.
• Pupils enjoy the new approach to teaching the wider curriculum. They study subjects such as history, geography, information technology, art, and design and technology through open-ended topics, such as the Shang Dynasty or the Tudors. Teachers direct pupils’ learning by posing questions and pupils use their skills of research, analysis and synthesis to produce an outcome of their choice, such as a poster, a fact file or a model. Pupils talk proudly about how they produced them. The outcomes demonstrate pupils’ deep engagement with the themes.
• When teachers provide verbal feedback to pupils in line with the school’s policy, pupils are expected to reflect on this and respond with their thoughts in their books. This helps them to understand how they could improve their work. However, teachers do not always insist on the highest standards of presentation and care. As a result, pupils’ work does not always show what they are capable of achieving.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils at All Saints are confident and articulate learners. They have positive attitudes and say they enjoy learning. They particularly like researching topics such as the Tudors and the Victorians. Their work is displayed proudly around the school.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of after-school activities, such as sports and music lessons which support their personal and physical development. They compete in tournaments between schools and have achieved some success in events such as gymnastics. Pupils are inspired by trips and visits, for example to the Manchester Velodrome.
• Pupils’ achievements in learning, sport, music, attendance and behaviour are all celebrated with awards presented in assemblies and displayed in the hall. This helps all pupils to develop a sense of pride in themselves and their school.
• Pupils know that there is always an adult they can speak to if they have any concerns. In the nurture room, pupils who have social and emotional challenges can talk to a counsellor to help them with their problems. This helps pupils to develop emotional resilience.
• Pupils say that bullying hardly ever happens in school but, if it did, they would tell a teacher and they know it would be sorted out.
• Pupils are taught how to stay safe, including when online. They know that they should not share personal information with anyone over the internet. They feel safe in school. At breaktimes, pupils play happily together in friendship groups. They say if anyone needs a friend, they won’t be left on their own. Older pupils, who act as playground pals, will help them to find a friend.
• Pupils act as representatives on the health and safety committee. They carry out audits of the school site and equipment and make recommendations for improvements. Pupils say they feel their views are heard.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well around school and in lessons. Movement around school is well supervised. In lessons, there is rarely any disruptive behaviour.
• Pupils willingly take on roles of responsibility, such as school council representative or worship leader. Many older pupils supervise and support younger pupils, for example in the after-school club, where older pupils supervise younger pupils playing table tennis. Some pupils take on a number of responsibilities and say that they enjoy helping others. One girl said, ‘It’s what we do.’ This was a typical response, representative of the way many pupils described life at All Saints.
• Attendance is above the national average overall and has improved for disadvantaged pupils. There is very little difference between attendance for disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and other pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2018, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined dipped below the national average. Far fewer pupils achieved the higher standard in reading and mathematics in 2018 compared with the national average.
• Pupils’ progress by the end of key stage 2 in reading in 2018 did not match the stronger performance in writing. While progress in writing improved in 2018 and was well above the national average, progress in reading declined.
• Following the disappointing outcomes for mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2017, leaders revised the teaching of mathematics. As a result, progress in mathematics in 2018 improved to be broadly in line with the national figure. Work in current pupils’ books demonstrates that the work is pitched well to the expectations of the national curriculum. There is now more emphasis on problem-solving and reasoning activities in mathematics lessons. However, for the most able pupils, expectations need to be higher and the level of challenge increased to ensure that they are supported effectively to achieve their potential.
• Achievements at the end of key stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics at the expected standard have been consistently above the national averages. However, the proportions of pupils achieving greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics were all below the national averages in 2018.
• A very low proportion of pupils passed the year 1 phonics screening check in 2018 compared with the national average. Work in pupils’ books and current assessment information suggest that a higher proportion of pupils should achieve the expected standard this year. Current pupils’ reading skills are already well developed. However, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ writing are not as high, which results in some pupils not achieving the high standards in writing of which they are capable.
• In English, work in pupils’ books shows that there is a clear sequence of teaching for writing. Pupils enjoy a wide range of exciting stimuli for their writing, such as writing a diary entry for an evacuee. Pupils were able to describe the main features of the diary genre. They talked about why a diary is so engaging for readers and how they had selected vocabulary and language features to convey characters’ emotions.
• In subjects other than English, teachers do not insist that pupils apply their spelling, punctuation and grammar skills consistently in their writing. As a result, pupils’ work does not always showcase their true abilities.
• Disadvantaged pupils have not made as much progress as their peers in the past. The recent focus on improving attendance has had an impact on the attendance of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have plans in place to ensure that the impact of interventions to improve the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils is evaluated more effectively in future. Current assessment information indicates that, although narrowing, there is still a difference between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and that of others.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress. Their needs are identified quickly and addressed effectively through a range of interventions, including in-class support and small-group tuition.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• With the support of an external consultant, leadership of the early years provision has been strengthened since the last inspection. The early years leader has a clear philosophy which underpins the provision and ensures that the needs of the various age groups within it are met, including welfare and safeguarding requirements.
• Staff receive effective support to develop their skills. Teachers and other adults now assess children’s starting points more accurately. Staff take part in professional conversations with staff in other local schools. They have higher expectations of what children can achieve and are starting to plan learning activities that better address the needs and abilities of the children, building in greater challenge. As a result, outcomes are improving in the early years.
• Children come into school with skills and abilities that are broadly in line with those expected for their age. Children’s work and current assessments show that children are building well on their starting points, particularly in letter and number formation. However, adults do not always support children effectively to take care with presentation and produce their best work by applying their skills consistently.
• Staff work closely with external agencies to provide additional support for children and their families when appropriate. Children’s needs are identified quickly. Children benefit from specialist support from speech and language therapists and educational psychologists when it is needed.
• Teachers provide an increasingly varied range of learning experiences, which are better matched to children’s interests, such as forest school and dance sessions. Children learn about emotions through music. They are encouraged to show how music makes them feel through dance. This supports their emotional well-being and spiritual development well.
• Children in the Nursery and Reception classes enjoy working together. When they have the opportunity, they demonstrate a good understanding of how to cooperate and collaborate. For example, in the outdoor area, children held on to a canopy and encouraged each other to find ways to stop it blowing away in the wind. This was an excellent example of the children taking on responsibility and developing independence. In some other activities, however, adults over-direct children’s learning, which limits the opportunities children have to learn through exploration. There is scope for pupils to have more opportunities to develop their independence.
• Parents are fully involved in their child’s development through homework activities and drop-in opportunities. Staff welcome parents to the setting and encourage them to be involved in their children’s development. One parent’s comment was representative of others: ‘Teachers and teaching assistants spend time getting to know the children as individuals and finding out their strengths and interests.’

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 124231 Staffordshire 10054397 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 245 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Susan Durrant Mrs Anna Golden 01283 247940 www.allsaints-alrewas.staffs.sch.uk/ office@allsaints-alrewas.staffs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13 March 2018

Information about this school

• All Saints Church of England primary school is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. Very few pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN support and the proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan are both below the national averages.
• The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club. There is also a Nursery on site which children attend from the age of three.

Information about this inspection

• The lead inspector reviewed a wide range of published data and information on the school’s website prior to the inspection. This included policies, reports, curriculum information and governing body records.
• During the inspection, inspectors reviewed information about current pupils’ progress and work in pupils’ books; information about how leaders monitor the quality of teaching; attendance and behaviour records, and safeguarding documents.
• Inspectors visited a wide range of lessons across the school. The headteacher and assistant headteacher observed lessons jointly with inspectors.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils in lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes, and met with a group of pupils separately. The 16 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire were also taken into account.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher and assistant headteacher, middle leaders and governors. In addition, a representative from the local authority spoke to the lead inspector on the telephone.
• Inspectors took account of the 96 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Parent View, along with a number of free-text responses. Informal discussions also took place with a number of parents on the playground, prior to the start of the school day.
• The views of staff were taken into account through informal and formal discussions, and a small number of responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Jane Spilsbury, lead inspector Sarah Malam

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector