Chappel CofE Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are accepting of difference and understand that everyone is special. They enjoy participating in the activities the school provides, such as singing in assembly and exploring the forest school. This makes them feel part of a happy school community.

If pupils have a worry, they feel confident to talk to adults in the school. However, when these worries are more serious, they are not followed up effectively enough by leaders. Therefore, some pupils are potentially placed at risk.

Pupils explore a full range of curriculum subjects. However, some pupils do not learn what leaders intend. This means pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Pupils are now... getting the support they need to learn to read due to the new approach to teaching phonics. However, some are behind in their reading because this approach has only recently been introduced.

Pupils are eager to learn, and they behave well in lessons.

They share, take turns and include each other in their play. Instances of bullying are rare. They are resolved effectively where they do occur.

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

Leaders, including governors, have failed to ensure that statutory safeguarding responsibilities are met. Leaders do not routinely follow up on safeguarding concerns effectively. As a result, leaders have not established a culture where safeguarding is prioritised or where they can be sure pupils, including those who are more vulnerable, are not at risk.

The curriculum is planned to build pupils' knowledge over time. However, curriculum plans are not always used or understood well. Teachers sometimes do not see the value in the plans or in doing what they need to do to deliver them well.

For example, teachers adopt different approaches to mathematics than those set out by leaders. In science, teachers sometimes seek out their own resources rather than referring to any common set of teaching approaches or ideas. As a result, pupils too often do not learn what leaders intend.

In early years, leaders have identified early opportunities for children to explore curriculum subjects through the seven early years areas of learning. For example, pupils develop their understanding of the world by exploring the historical concept of 'yesterday' being in the past. Pupils enjoy exploring these topics, which provides a secure foundation for pupils to build on in Year 1.

Teachers check what pupils know and provide feedback about what pupils can improve. However, support staff do not always pick up on or address misconceptions quickly enough. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they should.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported appropriately. 'One plans' ensure that their needs are identified, met and reviewed. Teachers use recommended strategies and targets from the special educational needs coordinator to help pupils succeed.

Therefore, pupils with SEND are included and supported effectively to access the same curriculum as other pupils.

Leaders have made recent improvements to ensure that phonics is now taught effectively. The books pupils are given now match the letters and words they can decode.

Adults support pupils to segment and blend words appropriately. Those pupils who are behind, including older pupils, are now given specific help to catch up. This is beginning to work, with pupils' reading ability starting to improve.

However, too many pupils, including in early years, are still behind in learning to read.

Other aspects of teaching reading have not improved as much. While leaders have ensured that there are books for pupils of different ages to explore, learn from and enjoy, there is not a consistent approach to teaching reading.

Specifically, pupils do not have a continuity of experience in terms of how they learn about vocabulary, inference and prediction. They are therefore not able to understand what they read as well as they should.

Pupils' attitudes towards learning and each other are generally highly positive.

This includes pupils with SEND, who are keen to talk about and share what they have learned. As result, pupils' learning is not disrupted by inappropriate behaviour.

Pupils value the extensive range of clubs and competitive sporting opportunities available to them.

An effective programme of personal, social and health education ensures pupils learn about British values. This is further supported by the school's assembly programme. Pupils have access to a range of pupil leadership opportunities.

They wear their leadership badges with pride.

Suitable pastoral support is provided for pupils. However, this support, and the reasons it is needed, is not recorded well enough.

This means that leaders do not necessarily see when a range of issues is affecting the same pupil and may indicate the need for additional support.

The governing body lacks the necessary expertise to be able to hold school leaders to account effectively, and it has not done so. This includes for ensuring that pupils are safeguarded effectively.

Governors have not engaged well enough with safeguarding training. Therefore, they do not have the appropriate knowledge and skills to be fully effective in their governor roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Leaders have not established a culture of vigilance where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. They do not follow the appropriate guidance.

When staff report safeguarding concerns, leaders do not take effective action to follow them up.

They do not refer safeguarding matters to the local authority for assessment when they should. Leaders rely too heavily on knowing the families of pupils. Their approach to keeping children safe is too casual.

This is reflected in poorly kept safeguarding records. Leaders cannot be sure that vulnerable pupils are safe from harm.

The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe.

This includes when outside of school and when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that statutory safeguarding responsibilities are met. Patterns of concern have not been followed up or recorded effectively.

As a result, leaders are unable to assure themselves that pupils are safeguarded well. Leaders need to ensure that all statutory safeguarding responsibilities are met, including appropriate actions taken and recorded, so pupils are not placed at risk. ? Leaders' implementation of a new approach to phonics is at an early stage.

The teaching of other aspects of reading varies in quality. As a result, some pupils are not able to read as well as they should. Leaders need to ensure that the new phonics programme is used effectively and that there is a consistent, high-quality approach to teaching reading throughout the school.

• Too often, teachers do not know or follow leaders' curriculum plans. As a result, in some year groups, pupils do not learn as well as in others. Leaders need to ensure that all teachers understand and use the curriculum plans consistently well.

• The governing body does not have sufficient experience and expertise to hold school leaders effectively to account. As a result, governors have not provided appropriate challenge and support to school leaders. The governing body needs to ensure that it has an appropriate skillset to enable governors to hold school leaders to account effectively.