Chopwell Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils at Chopwell Primary School are happy. They start the school day eager to learn and play with their friends. Leaders have high expectations of pupils.

They have worked hard to raise the attendance and punctuality of pupils. As a result, pupils are learning more. One parent, whose comments reflected the views of the majority, stated that, 'The school offers an amazing teaching environment that allows my child to bloom'.

Teachers manage behaviour well. Incidents of bullying are infrequent. On the rare occasions that bullying happens, staff help pupils to understand how their actions affect others.

Pupils understand how important it is to apologise..../>
Pupils move around the school calmly and sensibly. They play together well and treat each other with respect.

Leaders have established a 'buddy system' between Year 6 pupils and the Reception class. This encourages team play and mentoring. Year 6 pupils reported that they missed the contact with younger pupils when COVID-19 restrictions prevented classes mixing.

Leaders have created opportunities for pupils to learn how to be safe. Pupils know how to protect their identity online. Pupils know that there are adults they can talk to if they are worried about their safety.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to succeed. They have made reading a priority. As a result, children learn to read from their first day in Reception.

Nursery children learn and repeat songs and rhymes that help to develop their vocabulary and speech. Adults are strong role models for children in the early years. They teach children new sounds accurately and encourage children to use them as they learn through play.

Leaders have prioritised children's physical development in the early years. Activities to develop children's strength and control help them to have the skills they need to write at an early stage.

All staff have received the training they need to teach early reading well.

This helps pupils to read accurately and fluently. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils have been taught. Pupils go home with a book that they know they can read.

This helps them practise the sounds they are learning. Pupils have access to a variety of books that reflect the diversity in Britain today.

Learning in all subjects is well sequenced and meets the requirements of the national curriculum.

Leaders have planned pupils' learning from the early years to Year 6. Leaders have prioritised their work in mathematics and physical education (PE). They have provided the support and training that staff need to teach with precision.

Where training has been completed, staff are confident in teaching lessons. Learning builds carefully on what pupils already know. However, this work is new.

Leaders have not provided the training that teachers need in all areas of the curriculum. In subjects such as science, teachers are not delivering the curriculum accurately enough. As a result, pupils struggle to make sense of new ideas, for example, pupils' understanding of states of matter and separation techniques was not secure.

Teachers use assessment well to check what pupils understand. They take prompt action to address the misunderstandings pupils have. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly and accurately identified.

This includes pupils with physical needs. Teachers make changes to PE lessons to ensure all pupils are fully included. Pupils are supported in class so that they do not fall behind.

Leaders support families to make applications to more specialist services through the local authority, for example, speech and language therapy.

Leaders have created a curriculum that helps to develop pupils' character. Pupils work well together in small groups and are keen to share ideas.

Pupils take pride in their achievements. The personal, social and health education curriculum teaches pupils how people are not the same and can come from many different backgrounds. Pupils understand that those differences should be celebrated.

Prior to the pandemic, pupils had access to many sports and extra-curricular clubs such as basketball, drama, cooking and football. Pupils report that there are only a few clubs currently running. Leaders have not prioritised the wider curriculum offer with enough urgency.

Governors ensure that the well-being of staff and pupils is a priority in the school. Staff's workload is carefully managed. Staff are positive about the leadership of the school.

They readily take on extra leadership responsibilities. Governors regularly visit and consistently challenge leaders. They have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses within the school.

Parents are very positive about the support that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are tenacious and knowledgeable when following up safeguarding concerns.

Staff are trained to keep pupils safe. They understand the local context and help pupils to make safe decisions when they are in new situations. Staff take prompt action when concerns are raised.

Leaders work well with local agencies and social care. This ensures that families and their children are well supported.

Governors understand their duty to check safeguarding procedures and ensure that the pupils are safe.

When leaders recruit new staff, they check that adults are suitable to work with pupils. All the necessary checks are recorded accurately.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum plans are new in some areas and teachers have not been provided with the training they need to deliver learning to pupils with precision.

As a result, pupils' learning is insecure. New learning does not build carefully enough on what pupils already know. Leaders need to provide training to teachers so that their subject knowledge improves and teachers deliver the intended curriculum with accuracy.

• Since the pandemic, leaders have not provided enough opportunities for pupils to access extra-curricular activities and leadership opportunities in school or in the wider community. As a result, pupils have few opportunities to develop their own talents and interests. Leaders need to plan a rich and diverse programme of activities that will encourage pupils to be outward reaching and develop their interests outside the classroom.