Clive CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Clive CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 12 June 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2014.

This school continues to be good. You and the leadership team have maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have ensured that the curriculum is broad, balanced and filled with exciting opportunities.

Pupils acquire a wide range of skills that support both their academic learning and their personal development. As headteacher, you ensur...e that care for the pupils is at the heart of everything the school does. Pupils model the school's values of respect, responsibility and resilience well.

You, governors and staff have a thorough understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. As a result, your plans for improvement include the most appropriate priorities. Governors are highly ambitious for the school.

They provide support and challenge in carrying out their duties effectively. They make regular visits to the school, where they check what leaders have told them about the school's performance. The majority of parents are extremely happy with the school.

Many say that their children are settled and are making good progress. They value the friendliness and the care of staff. One parent said that the school is 'like a family'.

Staff are positive about the culture of the school. They all agree that pupils behave well and that the school challenges all pupils to make good progress. They feel well supported and respected by leaders.

Pupils told me that they enjoy school because the teachers help them and make learning interesting. They spoke enthusiastically about educational visits that support their learning, including to the village of Wroxeter as part of a project on Roman Britain. Pupils say that their work is varied and that they particularly enjoy practical work in science and art.

At the previous inspection, you were asked to ensure that pupils are consistently challenged to think and deepen their understanding. As a result of effective professional development, teachers now plan tasks that meet the needs of all groups of pupils. However, sometimes the most able pupils do not reach the most challenging part of the activity quickly enough in mathematics.

Additionally, although rates of progress are improving in writing, not enough pupils achieve greater depth in writing at the end of each key stage. Homework tasks now have closer links to pupils' interests. In addition to the weekly mathematics and English tasks that are sent home, pupils are encouraged to complete personal projects.

Pupils take time and care on these tasks, completing them to a high standard. They include projects based on how to look after a pet, a visit to a special place or a favourite sport. Following the last inspection, you were asked to share leadership responsibilities more widely.

As a result of reorganisation and professional development, middle leaders understand their roles and responsibilities well. They are able to demonstrate the impact that they have had on the quality of teaching and on pupils' subsequent achievement. You were also asked to ensure that there is a closer focus on how pupils stay safe online.

This is a high priority for all staff. Pupils talked confidently about how to use the internet safely. Safeguarding is effective.

Leaders have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Staff training is up to date and all staff understand their child protection responsibilities, including how to report any concerns that they have. Child protection records are stored securely and are well organised.

Governors understand their safeguarding responsibilities very well. They make regular checks on the school's safeguarding procedures, including pre-employment checks and child protection training records. Most parents and all staff agree that pupils are safe and well cared for.

Pupils say that they feel safe in school and can talk about how the school helps them to keep themselves safe. They were able to talk confidently about internet safety and road safety, including when they are out on their bicycles. Pupils say that there is no bullying at the school now, but that it has happened in the past.

They are confident that if someone was being bullied that an adult would stop it. Inspection findings ? My first key line of enquiry was to find out what impact leaders have had on improving rates of progress in mathematics. Attainment in mathematics has been below the standards expected nationally at the end of key stage 2 for the past two years.

In addition, pupils have made less progress in mathematics than in reading or writing. Improving standards in mathematics is a priority in your school improvement plans. You have ensured that all teachers have strong subject knowledge in mathematics and that this is imparted well to pupils.

Teachers provide purposeful opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills when problem solving and reasoning about their work. ? You track the progress made by pupils in mathematics carefully and this information is discussed in depth during termly meetings with teachers about the progress of pupils in their class. All teachers have a thorough understanding of pupils' starting points and plan tasks that build on prior learning in mathematics.

As a result, the majority of pupils are making good progress in this subject. Sometimes, the most able pupils have to complete easier tasks before they move on to harder work. This means that some pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.

• My second key line of enquiry was about how effective leaders' actions are to increase the number of pupils who are achieving greater depth in writing at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2. You have ensured that pupils have plenty of opportunities to apply their writing skills in a variety of subjects across the curriculum. Teachers have a high expectation of the vocabulary and language that pupils will use to make sure that their writing appeals to the reader.

• Teachers are able to assess the quality of pupils' writing accurately because their judgements are moderated both internally and externally. Current assessment information shows that in some year groups the proportion of pupils working at the highest standard in writing is increasing but in others it remains low. This means that occasionally some pupils do not reach the standard in writing of which they are capable.

• My final key line of enquiry was to explore how well the school's curriculum prepares pupils for life in modern Britain and for the next stages in their education. You have ensured that the curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils have the opportunity to practise their reading and writing skills in a variety of subjects.

They also develop important, specific skills in a range of subjects. For example, they enjoy planning and carrying out experiments in science, and in art and design tasks they are given enough time to make careful plans. Through effective planning, leaders ensure that pupils' skills and knowledge develop and are built on each year.

This ensures that there is no unnecessary repetition in classes of multiple year groups. ? Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They have opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities, including school council and eco committee membership.

They appreciate the school environment and enjoy taking care of it. For example, pupils are involved in recycling and gardening projects. They acquire an age appropriate understanding of a variety of world religions.

Pupils told me that it was important to understand the beliefs of others and that 'anyone would be welcome in their school' regardless of their religion or cultural background. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? the most able pupils are moved onto challenging tasks in mathematics more quickly ? the proportion of pupils working at the higher standard in writing increases at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Lichfield, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Shropshire.

This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Jo Evans Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection, I met with you, middle leaders, parents, governors and a representative of the local authority. Together we visited classrooms and looked at pupils work.

I also met with a group of pupils. I reviewed the school's website and documents, including the single central record, child protection systems, the school's self-evaluation, improvement plans, monitoring information and pupil progress and assessment information. I took account of the 20 responses by parents, including 14 comments from parents by text, and 12 responses from staff to Ofsted's questionnaire and seven responses to the pupil questionnaire.