Trowell CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Trowell C of E Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, caring and welcoming school. Pupils are kind and respectful.

They thrive in a supportive and aspirational environment. Staff are determined to empower all pupils to be well prepared for the next stage of their education. The school uses the 'Big 4' values of 'love others, aim high, believe we can do it and do the right thing' to promote positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils are keen to work hard and do well.

Pupils' behaviour in and around school is calm and focused. This is because expec...tations of how pupils should behave are high.

Pupils are motivated to learn. Their engagement during lessons is strong. Children in the early years settle well at school thanks to well-established routines.

Pupils appreciate how the school rewards their achievements and celebrates their success.

Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and respectful. This leads to pupils feeling safe.

They know that adults will listen to them and take any concerns seriously.

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy attending a range of extra-curricular clubs, such as football, archery and basketball. They raise funds for charities and support the local community by distributing harvest festival produce.

These activities help develop pupils' talents and interests well.

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

The school has recently reviewed the curriculum in all subjects to ensure that it is broad and ambitious. In most subjects, the curriculum is well sequenced and identifies the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn from Reception onwards.

For instance, the writing curriculum is designed in a logical way so that pupils can build on their prior learning. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to make connections in their learning. For example, in science, pupils apply their mathematical skills to measure reflected beams of light.

However, in a few subjects, exactly what pupils need to know is not set out clearly. This means that teachers are not always clear about how to help pupils build their learning towards the challenging curriculum goals that the school has set.

The school prioritises the teaching of reading.

It ensures that pupils read widely and often. As a result, pupils develop a love of reading and talk enthusiastically about the books they have read. Staff identify pupils who need extra support with their reading.

These pupils receive the help they need so that they keep up with their peers.

The phonics curriculum is well sequenced. Children start to learn to read as soon as they enter the Reception Year.

They learn new letters and sounds each day. However, although all staff have been trained in how to deliver phonics, there is inconsistency in how well this is taught. The books that some pupils use to practise their reading do not always match the sounds that they know.

As a result, these pupils do not read with confidence and fluency.

Children in Reception show good levels of concentration and independence. They are prepared well for their learning in Year 1.

The learning environment in the early years is engaging and activities are planned carefully to meet the needs of the children.

The school identifies pupils' needs, including pupils with SEND, quickly. Staff adapt learning activities appropriately so that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum and have the same opportunities as their peers.

Pupils with SEND achieve well and take part in all aspects of school life. This is also true for pupils who attend alternative provision at 'The Hive'.

The school works hard to encourage high attendance.

When pupils' attendance is not what it should be, the school takes appropriate action to ensure that it improves.

The school values pupils' wider development highly. There is a carefully considered curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education.

Pupils show a respect for diversity. They learn about different religions and cultures so that they have the knowledge they need to be ready for life in modern Britain. Pupils enjoy contributing to school life, for example as members of the school council.

Governors know the school's strengths and the areas that require further development. They challenge and hold leaders to account to continue the school's determination to keep improving. Staff fully support this ambition and appreciate the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few curriculum subjects are not developed fully. What pupils need to learn in these subjects is not identified in sufficient detail.

This means that pupils do not always develop the knowledge and skills in these subjects that they need for later learning. The school should continue to develop and refine the curriculum, and ensure that staff follow this closely, so that pupils achieve highly across the curriculum. ? Some pupils at the early stages of reading are given books that are not matched precisely to their phonics knowledge.

These pupils struggle to segment and blend some unfamiliar words. This prevents them from reading fluently and accurately. The school should ensure that the books pupils read are matched accurately to their reading ability.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in February 2020.