Clearwell Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Warm and trusting relationships exist between staff and pupils. Pupils feel safe in school.

They are confident that staff will take care of them and help sort out any problems. Pupils know the new school values of respect, responsibility and resilience. They are developing their knowledge of the wider world and their place in it.

The school's new curriculum is ambitious. There are raised expectations of... what pupils can achieve. In some subjects, these aspirations are being realised.

However, in other subjects, this work has just started. Pupils have gaps in their knowledge, skills and vocabulary that hamper their learning. Pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not well met in some subjects.

Pupils confidently talk about how to live a healthy life. They understand that physical education will help them to develop healthy lifelong habits. Pupils learn how to take care of their mental health.

They particularly enjoy outdoor learning experiences.

Pupils' interests and talents are nurtured and celebrated. This begins in Reception Year when children perform in whole school concerts.

Older pupils are proud to represent the school. For example, at sports events and singing in the local community.

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

The school works effectively with external professionals for the benefit of its pupils.

Leaders, including governors, communicate clearly and frequently with parents and carers, and the wider community to engage them in the school's ongoing development. The school has worked at pace to begin implementing the necessary changes to improve the quality of education that pupils receive. Throughout this time, leaders have been mindful of staff workload and well-being.

Staff appreciate this support.

The school has designed many carefully sequenced subject curriculums that enable pupils to know and remember more over time. Nevertheless, as aspects of the curriculum are being refined, teachers do not have a secure knowledge of what should be taught and when in some subjects.

This makes it difficult for them to check pupils' knowledge and understanding. Consequently, pupils' learning can be too easy or too difficult for them to complete. Gaps in their knowledge are not accurately identified or closed sufficiently well in these subjects.

This slows pupils' progress through the curriculum. For some pupils with SEND, the curriculum is not appropriately adapted to meet their needs.

In contrast, improvements made to the reading curriculum are having a positive impact on pupils' achievement, particularly in the early years and key stage 1.

Pupils are well supported to develop their early reading skills. Repetition through listening to, talking about and reading and writing phonemes and graphemes helps pupils build their phonics knowledge effectively. Pupils with SEND who are at the early stages of learning to read receive additional support to read well.

Pupils read books that match their phonics ability. Over time, most pupils go on to successfully develop their reading fluency and comprehension.

The school's successful approach to behaviour management is building pupils' awareness of themselves and the consequences of their words and actions.

Some pupils have additional help to learn how to recognise their emotions and respond appropriately to others. This support is swiftly put in place and has a positive impact on pupils' behaviour. The number of behaviour incidents and suspensions has reduced significantly.

The school is calm and orderly.

Pupils are starting to understand that they can have a positive impact on others' lives. This is helping pupils to understand about life in modern Britain.

However, they have difficulty recalling important knowledge about similarities and differences between British people, places, cultures and religions. Pupils do not have a secure knowledge of the fundamental British values.

The school has a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils attend school regularly.

The development of positive working relationships with parents ensures barriers to their child attending school are removed. This work is successful.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects the school has not identified the important content that it wants pupils to know and remember. Therefore, staff's knowledge of curriculum expectations is not secure in these subjects. The school should identify the essential knowledge that it wants pupils to know and remember in these remaining subjects so that pupils learn as well as they should.

• The school does not use assessment information effectively in some subjects to check and plan for the development of pupils' knowledge and understanding. As a result, the school does not adapt the curriculum and routinely rectify gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should support staff in using assessment information to effectively adapt the curriculum.

• Staff's knowledge of how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND in some curriculum subjects is not fully developed. Therefore, the use of learning resources and adaptations in these subjects do not help pupils to secure new knowledge. The school should ensure that staff know how to successfully support pupils with SEND to progress through the curriculum in all subjects.

• The school has not ensured that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils' knowledge of British values and the cultures, faiths and people living in Britain is superficial. The school should effectively prepare pupils for life in modern Britain so that they understand and respect differences in the world.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2015.