Milverton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Milverton Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 20 March 2019, 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 November 2014.

This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Since the last inspection, you were appointed as headteacher, in September 2017, and there is a new chair of the governing body.

You, school leaders and governors are ambitious for the school and are proud of what is offered to your pupil...s. You demonstrate a commitment to continual improvement and your values, 'fruits of Milverton', help to develop pupils as individuals. Pupils link these 'fruits' to British values and explain confidently how these help them to be better people and citizens.

Your emphasis on the school's values means that pupils treat each other with respect. Pupils' conduct and manners in lessons and around the school were exemplary. Pupils also reported it was 'okay to be different' here.

Integral to the school's ethos is your passion for an exciting curriculum, enhanced by a focus on six 'super learning skills'. For example, 'Ernie the Enquiring Eagle' is a character who encourages pupils to deepen their knowledge through questioning. These skills are developed through a carefully planned curriculum that includes numerous special activities, visitors and enrichment opportunities.

Pupils praised the forest school for its fun approach and identified how trips to such places as Compton Verney, the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and Marle Hall residential centre developed their learning. Pupils value the support and warmth offered by teachers and feel confident they can approach any adult for help and support. One pupil commented: 'This is a unique school – teachers are really encouraging and always help you.'

Another reflected: 'I'm proud to be here.' Pupils also valued opportunities for additional responsibilities and they talked about school councillors who raised money for Red Nose Day, learning councillors and house captains. All parents spoken to on the playground, and the majority of responses to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, expressed positive views about the school.

One parent stated: 'The school cares about the emotional and personal development of their children as much as their academic journey.' The overwhelming majority of parents agreed that their children were safe and happy in school. Governors have talked to pupils, met with subject leaders and received presentations from a range of leaders.

As a result, they are knowledgeable about the current position of the school. Governors' ability to provide effective challenge for leaders is enhanced through the range of training they attend and the skills audits they have used to review their own expertise. You work effectively with other leaders to analyse the school's performance and implement improvement initiatives.

Assessment information and test data are used well to identify and close gaps that pupils may have in their learning. You undertake regular checks on the quality of teaching and learning to ensure that staff address any areas previously identified through feedback. Due to this effective monitoring and evaluation, you have correctly identified the school's next improvement priorities.

Although your improvement planning sets appropriate end-of-year achievement targets, the measurable outcomes are not precise enough to assess the effectiveness of actions throughout the year. You have addressed the previous inspection report's areas for improvement. Effective curriculum planning by the subject leader for mathematics means pupils are able to practise their skills in mathematics across a range of subjects.

Leaders have also improved the standards of presentation of work across subjects, including mathematics, through the shared expectations of 'Percy Pea' that are on display in classrooms. The final area of improvement from the previous inspection led to the introduction of initiatives such as the bronze, silver and gold differentiation strategy. This ensures that pupils, including the most able, now attempt work that better meets their needs, and, as a result, make better progress.

However, not all teachers start the most able pupils at the higher levels of challenge, which means they make less progress. Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose.

Staff receive statutory updates and regular training on the latest safeguarding requirements. Recent training has included keeping pupils safe from the influence of radical or extreme views. All staff spoken to knew how to respond to any safeguarding issues that they may come across.

During the inspection, several pupils talked about visits from a police officer and the fire brigade to help them understand how to keep safe. E-safety is taken seriously and in school the use of technology is well monitored by leaders through electronic systems. Pupils were also able to identify how to keep safe online and knew the age requirements for the use of different social media platforms.

Inspection findings ? In 2017 and 2018, at the end of key stage 2, attainment at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average. In the same period of time, the amount of progress made by pupils at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics was average when compared to national outcomes. However, the progress made by pupils in mathematics was slower than that made in reading and writing in 2017 and 2018.

• Leaders have responded effectively to the slower progress made by pupils in mathematics. The leader for mathematics has worked with external bodies that offer expertise and has implemented a clear planning structure and a system of challenges to ensure that work better meets the needs of pupils. This has led to increased challenge and improved progress for all pupils, including the most able.

However, more time is needed to embed these initiatives to ensure that progress in mathematic matches that made in reading and writing. ? The introduction of the bronze, silver and gold challenges by leaders has also led to work that is better matched to the needs of pupils. Pupils report that this new system helps them attempt more appropriate work.

For example, in a Year 6 class where pupils were solving algebraic problems, the most able pupils started their work on the most difficult task, 'gold'. This effective challenge led to good progress. However, this level of challenge varies across the school and at times less progress is made.

• I also reviewed why assessment information at the end of key stage 1 in 2018 indicated a significant difference in the attainment achieved by boys in reading, writing and mathematics, when compared to that made by girls. Your analysis of this information and your response demonstrated that effective action has already been taken to address this issue. A range of evidence demonstrated that the majority of boys and girls are now making similar progress in key stage 1 and across the school.

• Leaders and governors ensure that pupil premium funding is well spent; most disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points. Leaders review disadvantaged pupils' performance and implement effective interventions if pupils fall behind. Assessments at the start and end of these interventions demonstrate steps of progress for all pupils, relevant to the specific needs of individual pupils.

Documents detail clearly the way in which additional funding is spent. However, it is not possible to review the effectiveness of all expenditure until the end of the year, as some milestones are not measurable. The current attendance of nearly all disadvantaged pupils is better than the national average and leaders are working well with families and agencies to support those whose attendance is below the national average.

• In 2016/17 there were proportionally more fixed-term exclusions than in other schools nationally. Leaders work with other agencies to maximise support for pupils and there were examples of this working well. Leaders track incidents of poor behaviour thoroughly and the number of incidents, including bullying, racism or homophobia, is very low.

Since September 2018, there have been no fixed-term exclusions. Pupils say that behaviour is very good in class and on the playground. Pupils and parents report that bullying is extremely rare.

Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? they continue to embed the initiatives for mathematics, so that progress matches that in reading and writing in key stage 2 ? plans for improvement, including the pupil premium plan, have measurable milestones, so that leaders and governors can evaluate their effectiveness throughout the year ? they further enhance the quality of teaching and learning by sharing the most effective practice that exists within the school. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

Yours sincerely Mark Cadwallader Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection, I met with you, the deputy headteacher, the mathematics leader, the chair and other members of the governing body. I spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day and considered the 114 responses to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, including the 100 written comments. I also considered the 27 responses to Ofsted's staff questionnaire.

I scrutinised a range of school documentation including the single central record, the school's self-evaluation and improvement plans, the minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding information and records of behaviour. I visited classrooms with you and the deputy headteacher and looked at pupils' work in mathematics and some examples of the wider curriculum. I observed pupils' behaviour throughout the day and spoke to pupils at break, lunchtime and in lessons.