Turnditch Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Turnditch Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The executive headteacher is David Brown, who is responsible for this school and one other.

Roxanne Bunn is the head of school. This school is part of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sarah Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sarah Charles.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and welcoming school. There is a strong sense of community. The positive way in which pu...pils interact with one another is reflected in their comments that 'nobody is left out at Turnditch'.

Parents and carers also recognise the strength of the school's culture, typically describing it as 'lovely, caring' and 'supportive'. Pupils and staff are proud to be part of the school.

Pupils behave well.

They demonstrate respect which the school enthusiastically promotes, including through the weekly 'respect raffle'. Pupils know that staff care about them. They trust that they can share their worries but also that they will be encouraged to achieve well.

The school has high expectations of pupils. Pupils live up to these and take pride in their achievements.

The school provides pupils with opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

Pupils engage well with these, volunteering as members of the ecological council or as anti-bullying ambassadors. Older pupils enjoy taking responsibility for supporting their younger peers. They help children in the early years to settle into the school's routines.

Pupils help staff around the school site, including by organising the dining hall at lunchtime.

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

The school has recently raised the ambition of the curriculum. This includes the introduction of a new phonics scheme.

Staff receive training and are well equipped to ensure that children in the early years quickly learn to read well. They provide children and older pupils with regular opportunities to practise the skills of reading. Those at risk of falling behind their peers receive the help they need to keep up.

Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors.

The mathematics curriculum has also been enhanced. The school has carefully considered how best to teach mathematics to pupils learning in mixed-age classes.

Pupils consistently benefit from opportunities to build on their existing mathematical understanding, whatever their age. They recall their learning including some of the key terminology that they have studied. Pupils develop strong skills in mathematical calculation.

In most areas of the curriculum, teachers use their secure subject knowledge to check pupils' understanding. In the main, pupils know how the activities they complete link to the knowledge that they need to learn. However, at times, teachers provide pupils with activities, guidance and feedback that do not focus clearly enough on the important knowledge that the curriculum identifies.

When this is the case, pupils do not learn or recall the curriculum as well as they could.

Pupils achieve well in reading and mathematics and this is reflected in national tests. However, achievement in writing has not been as high.

The school provides pupils with advice about what high-quality writing involves. Until recently, the school has not provided pupils with regular opportunities to practise their writing skills and develop writing stamina. Some of the work to improve pupils' writing is at the earliest stages.

The impact of this is that pupils do not write as successfully as they could.

The school promptly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff know how to adapt the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND are fully included in the learning.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Behaviour around the school is calm. Pupils talk proudly to visitors about their favourite aspects of the school.

Pupils and children in the early years benefit from high-quality pastoral support. They develop positive relationships with their teachers and other staff.

The school has carefully considered the provision for pupils' personal development.

Pupils' learning is enriched by educational visits, including residentials, during which they build their skills of resilience and teamwork. Pupils develop their talents and interests. They participate in sporting events and school performances.

Pupils' understanding of the school's values is particularly strong. They can talk clearly about the 'Turnditch ten' values. However, pupils' understanding of the fundamental British values is less well developed, nor do they have a secure understanding of protected characteristics.

They do not know why these concepts are important or relevant to their lives beyond school.

The school is proactive in identifying and addressing areas for development. The curriculum has been improved.

Staff benefit from a comprehensive offer of training that helps them to improve their practice. They are supported well by the school and trust in relation 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)

• At times, staff do not provide pupils with work and support that is clearly focused on the important knowledge that the curriculum indicates pupils should learn. This hinders how well some pupils are able to build their knowledge and recall their learning. The school should ensure that it supports staff so that they can provide pupils with work and guidance, which helps them to learn and remember the curriculum.

• Pupils do not routinely benefit from opportunities to practise what they learn about how to write well. As a result, the quality of pupils' writing is not as high as it could be. The school should ensure that pupils have regular and targeted opportunities to practise writing and develop their writing skills.

• Pupils are not able to recall some of their learning of fundamental British values and protected characteristics or explain the importance of these ideas. This means that they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should ensure that its provision for teaching pupils about British values and protected characteristics is sufficiently high quality to enable pupils to be well prepared for their next steps and their lives beyond school.

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 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 January 2020.