Pucklechurch CofE VC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Pucklechurch C of E VC Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and follow the school's values of friendship, generosity, compassion, forgiveness, respect and courage. They enjoy the responsibility of making a positive difference in school. For example, pupils in the 'Diversity Crew' award certificates to other pupils who follow school and British values.

This is an inclusive school. The teaching of the curriculum supports all pupils to learn well. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff expect pupils to work hard and achieve their best. Pupils are eager to meet these... expectations.

Staff and pupils enjoy positive working relationships built on respect and trust.

Pupils feel safe in school. They behave well. There are few incidents of low-level disruption.

Pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour are supported well. Bullying is rare. Pupils say if bullying does happen, adults deal with it quickly.

Pupils value the visits and wider opportunities the school provides. For example, pupils appreciated the trip to Stonehenge because it helped them understand their history topic. Pupils like attending the after-school sports clubs.

However, some pupils say they would like a wider range of extra-curricular clubs. Parents who responded to Ofsted's online survey agree.

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

Leaders have planned a broad, ambitious curriculum.

This begins in the early years. The curriculum sets out the essential knowledge pupils need to know and remember in each subject. This knowledge is carefully sequenced to ensure pupils learn well.

For example, pupils confidently solve mathematical problems because they can easily recall their number facts and times tables. Pupils are becoming fluent in numeracy as teachers give them regular opportunities for practice. However, the vocabulary pupils need to know to understand key pieces of information in mathematics and some other subjects, is not mapped out well enough.

For example, in music and mathematics, some pupils found it difficult to explain their thinking. This is because they do not have a secure understanding of musical and mathematical language.

Leaders have created effective systems for checking pupils' knowledge.

Teachers use assessment information well to provide extra support or challenge for pupils. This includes pupils with SEND. For example, a teacher slowed the tempo of the music so pupils could sing hip hop lyrics.

As the pupils became more confident, the teacher increased the tempo. Pupils say teachers encourage them to challenge themselves. This promotes a culture of high expectations.

Reading is high priority at Pucklechurch. Staff deliver a well-sequenced phonics curriculum. This supports pupils to learn new sounds as soon as they start school in Reception.

The books pupils read are precisely matched to the sounds they know. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning to read. They quickly spot pupils at risk of falling behind with their reading.

Staff intervene with extra support, which means pupils catch up with their peers. Pupils of all ages enjoy reading books for pleasure and listening to stories.

Children in Reception know the classroom routines and follow them most of the time.

Staff encourage children to talk about their learning. For example, in the mud kitchen children were making porridge for Goldilocks and retelling the story. They talked about bowls being full or half empty.

This helps them to learn early mathematical concepts.

Pupils with SEND receive the support they need to be successful learners. Teachers adapt the learning to meet their individual needs.

For example, teachers break learning down into smaller steps and provide useful resources. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as other pupils.

A number of parents raised concerns about important aspects of school life.

Leaders, including governors, do not communicate effectively with some parents and carers. As a result, some parents do not feel sufficiently informed or listened to.

Leaders have created a curriculum which supports pupils' character development and the school's Christian distinctiveness.

For example, through the school value of friendship, pupils learn about healthy relationships and consent. Pupils are tolerant and celebrate differences. However, they do not know enough about different faiths.

They enjoy opportunities to perform through Church services and music events.Staff are proud to work at Pucklechurch. They say leaders and governors consider their workload and well-being.

Leaders provide many training opportunities to develop staff's knowledge and skills. Governors know what is working well and what needs to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders complete appropriate safeguarding checks before staff begin to work at the school. Staff and governors regularly attend safeguarding training. This helps them to carry out their safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

Leaders prioritise the safeguarding of pupils. They quickly identify pupils who might need extra help. Leaders work with external agencies to ensure pupils and their families have support.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online. They benefit from the leadership of the 'Digi Crew' who teach other pupils how to use the internet safely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not identified some of the important subject-specific vocabulary that pupils need to learn.

This means that pupils do not fully understand some important concepts in these subjects. Leaders need to identify the vocabulary to be learned in each subject so that pupils deepen their understanding and are ready to learn more. ? Leaders' communication with parents has not been sufficiently effective.

Consequently, some parents do not feel fully informed about important aspects of the school's work. Leaders should continue to improve communication and engagement with parents, so they feel better informed and listened to.

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 May 2017.

Also at this postcode