Packington Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Packington Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Packington Church of England Primary School has high expectations for every pupil. Pupils are happy, enjoy attending and feel safe. They are ready to learn and enjoy their lessons.

Pupils behave well. The school is calm and pupils concentrate on their learning. They play well together at playtimes.

They show respect for each other and for staff. One pupil explained, 'Our golden rule is to be kind and to treat someone as we would like to be treated.'

Pupils develop their leadership skills, for example, as school councillors and sports leaders.

...>Many pupils attend clubs and enjoy activities that develop their sporting and musical interests. Pupils benefit from an extensive programme of visits, including to the Houses of Parliament and a coastal residential visit.

Parents and carers value the school.

A parent of an older pupil, echoing the views of many, commented, 'We will be sad for our primary journey to come to an end but couldn't have asked for a better school for our child to attend.'

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

Ensuring that pupils learn to read is a priority at Packington. Children start learning letter sounds as soon as they begin school in the early years.

Daily phonics lessons get children off to a good start with learning to read. All staff receive training to deliver the school's phonics programme. The daily phonics sessions are delivered consistently well.

Books are matched to the letters and sounds that pupils are learning. Pupils who may be falling behind are identified quickly. These pupils receive extra support to catch up.

Pupils practise reading regularly. They become fluent readers. They enjoy reading and also being read to by adults.

The reading curriculum develops older pupils' skills to critique to what they read. Pupils develop confidence in reading with expression and understanding.

The school ensures that the subject curriculums are thought out and ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This begins in the early years with a curriculum and range of opportunities provided to lay the foundations children need for later learning. These subject curriculums identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn, and the order in which they need to learn it. Pupils learn well.

However, in some subjects, pupils do not deepen their understanding or develop skills as well as they could. The work they are given to complete is not sufficiently challenging in some subjects.

Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum.

The school identifies, and works with, external agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND get the support that they need. Teaching is adapted to enable these pupils to access the same learning as their peers. Most pupils with SEND achieve well.

The school checks pupils' learning effectively in mathematics, reading and writing. This identifies gaps in pupils' knowledge with precision and, in turn, informs the next steps in learning. For example, pupils undertake regular tasks to revisit what they have learned previously.

However, in other subjects, assessment is not used as effectively.

The school sets out high expectations of behaviour. These expectations are met.

Pupils appreciate and understand the school rules, which they believe are fair. Pupils understand the importance of the school's values of 'perseverance, courage, honesty, hope, kindness and forgiveness'. These values are lived out daily.

There are many opportunities to widen pupils' experiences beyond the curriculum. Pupils learn about healthy relationships. They learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including when online.

Pupils raise money for charity. The school provides opportunities, such as a science fair, for pupils to explore their future ambitions. Pupils learn about fundamental British values, diversity and equality.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They know that leaders consider their well-being and workload. They appreciate training opportunities, for example, to develop expertise in curriculum development.

Governors are fully informed about the school. They hold leaders to account and support them to bring about improvements. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In core subjects, teachers use formative and summative assessment well, to identify what pupils learn, and to identify gaps in their knowledge. Assessment is not as sharp in foundation subjects.

As a result, the school does not always identify gaps in pupils' knowledge precisely enough. The school needs to ensure that formative and summative assessment is used effectively in all subjects, thus enabling pupils to know, understand and do more. ? In some foundation subjects, the work given to pupils is not challenging enough.

As a result, pupils do not develop their knowledge, understanding and skills as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that pupils are appropriately challenged to build their learning over time in all subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in 5 and 6 February 2019.

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