Shottery St Andrew’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and governors have not focused on the right things to ensure that pupils are kept safe, behave well and benefit from a good education at Shottery St. Andrew's CofE Primary School. Their expectations have been too low.

There are serious gaps in safeguarding practice. Leaders have not made sure that all pupils learn to read accurately and fluently. They do not check how well pupils learn the curriculum.

Some pupils' learning needs are not well met, leading to disengagement.

This small, friendly school is at the heart of the Shottery community. Pupils are happy and feel safe at school.

Most enjoy coming to school. Pupils like the variety of club...s, trips and a residential experience which help them learn about the wider world and broaden their horizons. However, some pupils do not attend school regularly enough, particularly some who are disadvantaged.

This impacts negatively on how well they achieve in school.

Pupils play well together at social times. They are polite and respectful of one another.

However, leaders do not have effective systems in place to check on behaviour, including bullying, over time. A few parents and carers raise concerns about this aspect of the school's work.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum in key stages 1 and 2 which sets out clear end points for all pupils.

However, leaders have not ensured that teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum effectively. Learning is not clearly sequenced across mixed-age classes. This means that the work given to older pupils does not build on their previous knowledge and understanding, and does not reflect the ambitious end points identified in the curriculum.

At times, low-level disruption in classrooms disrupts learning for some pupils. This occurs when pupils have to wait too long for teachers to check their work or remind pupils of what to do next. This means that pupils become disengaged in their learning and do not make the progress they should.

Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified. However, they do not make sure that these pupils are supported effectively to have their needs met. Teachers do not know how to tailor or adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

This means that they do not provide, consistently well, the support pupils with SEND need to be successful.

Pupils enjoy reading. However, they have a limited range of books to choose from in school.

Consequently, pupils do not have a rich and diverse reading experience. Leaders are taking steps to address this. For pupils at the early stages of reading, their books match the sounds that they are learning.

However, some pupils struggle to apply new sounds when practising their reading. This is because leaders have not made sure that all staff have had the training needed to teach phonics well. As a result, there is variability in the teaching of reading, and pupils do not develop into strong readers quickly enough.

Leaders do not have high enough expectations of what younger children can achieve. Staff do not teach early reading and number well enough. Children in the early years enjoy singing songs and rhymes such as 'five little monkeys' and finding out about different shapes.

However, staff do not ensure all children participate fully in their learning. This holds back children from achieving well. Staff do not support children effectively so that they can learn to work independently.

As a result, children miss valuable opportunities to practise and apply their learning.

Leaders provide a well-ordered and planned personal development curriculum. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of positive and respectful healthy relationships.

They learn about other cultures and religions, and respect others' differences. Pupils learn about fire safety, road safety and how to stay safe when online. Pupils make the most of opportunities to take on extra responsibilities in school, for instance, volunteering to become school councillors.

They develop an understanding of right and wrong and how to keep themselves and others safe through the school's rules. Older pupils are very thoughtful and caring towards younger pupils.

Governors are not aware of the key weaknesses in the school.

Leaders do not accurately monitor important aspects of the school's work in a robust and systematic way. As a result, they do not know what to improve or how to improve it. Governors do not have the right plans in place to move the school forward.

Leadership capacity is weak. Staff are positive about recent improvements, including the support from leaders to manage their workload and promote their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Leaders have not ensured that staff have had the necessary training to identify and respond to safeguarding concerns. Leaders' weak identification of pupils who are vulnerable leaves pupils at risk of harm.

Leaders do not obtain the necessary information from a pupil's previous school/s to help ensure that vulnerable pupils are kept safe.

When concerns about a pupil's welfare are reported to leaders, accurate records are not maintained. Leaders undertake appropriate checks on staff prior to their employment. However, they do not confirm that the required relevant checks have been made on visiting professionals.

These weaknesses highlight a poor culture of safeguarding.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Safeguarding arrangements are not effective. Leaders do not obtain vital child protection information from previous schools.

Leaders' systems for recording and acting on concerns are not rigorous enough. Staff do not have the necessary knowledge to meet the school's statutory safeguarding duties. Leaders have not confirmed that the required safeguarding checks on visiting professionals have been completed.

This leaves pupils open to risk of harm. Leaders and governors should address safeguarding weaknesses as a matter of urgency to keep all pupils safe. ? Some pupils, including those in receipt of pupil premium, do not attend school regularly enough.

This means they miss out on their learning and other important aspects of school life. Leaders should ensure rigorous systems are in place to identify and address barriers to attendance. They should take appropriate action to improve pupils' attendance so that all pupils attend school regularly.

• Leaders have not ensured that staff have received the training they need to teach early reading effectively and consistently. This means that pupils do not develop into strong readers quickly enough. Leaders should develop staff knowledge and expertise, so that staff teach phonics effectively and consistently well.

• Leaders have not ensured that teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. Staff do not know how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. As a result, pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they should.

Leaders should support subject leaders to ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills to teach effectively, so that all pupils, including those with SEND, are successful. ? Leaders do not have effective systems in place to record and monitor pupils' behaviour, including bullying. As a result, leaders are unable to analyse behaviour records to gain an accurate understanding of what they need to do to improve behaviour, particularly eradicating low-level disruption in lessons.

Leaders should ensure that they take swift and effective action to improve pupils' poor behaviour for learning. ? Leaders have not ensured that staff plan and deliver an ambitious and effective early years curriculum. At times, teachers' delivery of the curriculum lacks rigour and children are not well supported in continuous provision.

This means that some children are not well prepared for their transition into key stage 1. Leaders need to ensure that the early years curriculum is ambitious, and that staff have the expertise to deliver it effectively. ? Governors do not have a comprehensive understanding of the school's weaknesses.

They are not holding leaders to account sufficiently well for the school's performance. Governance is not helping the school to move forward. Governors should take urgent action to improve their effectiveness.

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