Clayton-le-Woods Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Clayton-le-Woods Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy learning and playing at this caring school where everyone is valued and included. They are unfailingly polite and show kind attitudes towards each other. The foundation for these positive attitudes is formed in the early years, when children learn to enjoy listening, sharing, taking turns and helping each other to tidy up.

Pupils helped to devise the school's rules, which they know are fair and effective. They rise to staff's high expectations of behaviour. They know that the school expe...cts them to do their best.

They work hard and most achieve well in most subjects.

Pupils enjoy attending a wide range of sporting, artistic and cultural activities which the school arranges for them outside lesson time. They relish opportunities to take on responsibilities, for example by being librarians or 'guardian angels' who help younger pupils at lunchtime.

They take their responsibility for the environment seriously, including by recycling, planting bulbs and looking after the school's woodland area.

Pupils benefit from activities, including 'Mindfulness Mondays', which help them to develop their decision-making skills, resilience and understanding of emotions. They show a strong understanding of, and respect for, people whose beliefs and ways of living are different from their own.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has undertaken a rigorous and wide-ranging review of the curriculum in all subjects. Curriculums are ambitious, take into account the heritage of the local area and flow seamlessly from the early years through to the end of Year 6. The well-devised early years curriculum ensures that children are well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

Teachers have clear guidance about what they should teach and in which order as pupils move up the school. They use this information well to build on pupils' prior knowledge. Staff's revisiting of learning helps pupils to remember curriculum content over time.

Teachers identify links between subjects and use them to deepen learning.

From the Nursery Year, when children enjoy songs, stories and rhymes, the school prioritises reading. Well-trained teaching staff ensure that almost all pupils are fluent and accurate readers by the end of Year 1.

Those pupils who find reading difficult have the help that they need to make good progress through the reading curriculum. Pupils read books which cater for a wide range of interests and link to subjects such as history and geography. They enjoy being rewarded for reading for pleasure.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to devise effective learning activities. They make the most of the school's woodland area to give pupils unforgettable learning experiences. Early years teachers have a strong understanding of how young children learn.

They have high expectations of children's listening and speaking skills within a learning environment which is rich in language.

In most subjects, teachers use their checks on learning to inform future teaching. However, in relation to writing skills, at times some teachers do not identify or address misconceptions and gaps in learning sufficiently well.

As a result, sometimes teaching does not match the learning needs of some pupils well enough. These pupils do not write as accurately as they could in relation to spelling, grammar and punctuation. They make the same mistakes over time.

For some pupils this weakness in writing hinders their written communication across a range of subjects.

The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Support for pupils with SEND is expertly devised.

These pupils have the help that they need to follow the school's ambitious curriculum with success alongside their peers.

Pupils' positive behaviour in lessons and at social times begins in the early years. They become increasingly independent and resilient as they move up the school.

Skilled and patient staff use effective strategies to help pupils who have behaviour needs to manage their feelings and actions.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their interests and talents. They have opportunities to lead, including by being prefects and members of the school council.

The school makes sure that pupils with SEND can participate in all these wider aspects of school life. Pupils are well prepared for life in a diverse and modern Britain. They celebrate difference, such as in culture and religion.

The school works well with parents and carers to involve them in their children's education and ensure good attendance. Staff are proud to work at the school. They know that leaders value their hard work and consider their well-being and workload when making decisions.

Skilled governors use their detailed knowledge of the school to make a strong contribution to its development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, some teachers do not use their checks on pupils' writing skills well enough to identify and address misconceptions and gaps in learning.

As a result, some pupils do not write as accurately as they could. Weaknesses in the writing skills of these pupils sometimes hinder the quality of their written communication across the wider curriculum. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment information effectively to inform future teaching so that all pupils communicate consistently well in writing across the curriculum.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.