Caldecote Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Caldecote Community Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They recommend it highly. The school challenges them with an ambitious curriculum.

Pupils enjoy expanding their knowledge through engaging learning activities, as well as the exciting trips on offer. Staff are very supportive. They encourage pupils to be resilient.

They are always available with a listening ear when pupils need them. Parents and carers value this approach. They think highly of the school.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities. Th...ey develop talents through attending clubs or playing on a sports team. Special visitors, such as a Paralympian, inspire pupils to take part.

Pupils learn about responsibility through leadership roles, such as being part of a 'safety group' or an 'eco-councillor'. They appreciate making a positive difference to their school environment.

The school's new values of 'care, challenge, persevere and succeed' are well understood.

These values encourage pupils to behave well and work hard to achieve their goals. Pupils understand these expectations. They know that 'care' means to listen to and respect others.

Pupils do their best to live up to the school's high expectations. This helps them be successful. Pupils achieve well at Caldecote and are well prepared for their next stages.

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

Reading fluency is the bedrock of the curriculum. Children in the early years get off to a tremendous start with learning to read. Staff deliver the phonics programme expertly.

They monitor pupils' progress through the programme closely. Staff act swiftly to ensure that pupils receive effective, tailored support when needed. This enables new pupils, many at the early stages of learning to speak English, to catch up quickly with their peers.

Consequently, pupils thoroughly enjoy reading and achieve high standards.

The ambitious curriculum is well-considered and sequenced coherently for most subjects. Starting in the early years, there is a sharp focus on language development, alongside essential knowledge for children's next stage.

Staff support children well to develop their communication skills. They engage children expertly in meaningful conversations about their learning. This sharp focus on language continues right through school.

The school ensures pupils learn and use a wide range of subject-specific vocabulary. Teachers support pupils well to explain their learning in clear sentences. They check regularly how well pupils are learning.

Teachers adjust their teaching and lesson content promptly to address misconceptions and insecurities in pupils' knowledge.

The school has reviewed the curriculum for a few subjects. To make the curriculum more relevant for pupils, the school has identified the most appropriate knowledge it wants pupils to learn.

There are still a few subjects where this design needs refining as the school has not set out precisely when some of this important knowledge should be taught. Additionally, inconsistencies in staff subject knowledge mean sometimes new learning is not presented clearly to pupils. This means that pupils develop insecurities in their knowledge and do not achieve as well in these subjects as they do in others.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Largely, these pupils get the right support, particularly with learning in subjects like English and mathematics. However, in some subjects, teachers do not adapt learning activities sufficiently.

This hinders pupils with SEND from building on their knowledge as successfully.

The school ensures pupils understand the new behaviour policy. Subsequently, pupils behave well and follow school routines in classes and at unstructured times.

Staff support pupils sensitively to manage their emotions when needed. Pupils receive helpful guidance to reflect maturely on their actions and the impact on others.

Pupils' attendance is a priority.

It is monitored carefully. The school works diligently to identify the causes of absenteeism. It is tenacious in ensuring pupils and families receive effective support.

Pupils' attendance rates are improving over time. The school is unwavering in its pursuit of continuous improvements until pupils' attendance meets its high expectations.

Pupils' personal, social, health and economic education is well organised.

Pupils learn how to stay healthy both mentally and physically. They learn about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils are open to different views and understand that people should be treated equally.

However, their understanding of fundamental British values, equalities and different cultures does not develop as deeply as it should. The school does not make clear when and how pupils will learn this important knowledge.

Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively.

They know the school well and challenge leaders to ensure the continued improvement of the school. The committed staff welcome necessary changes. They appreciate that the school considers their views around workload and how it acts to put helpful measures in place.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum design in a few subjects needs further refinement. Additionally, the subject knowledge of staff is inconsistent across the different subjects they teach.

As a result, the delivery of learning in some subjects is not as clear for pupils. Pupils do not gain the depth of understanding the school intends. The school should support staff to develop the knowledge they need to implement the refinements to the curriculum effectively.

• In some subjects, teachers do not adapt lesson activities sufficiently to meet the needs of pupils, particularly those with SEND. This makes it difficult for some pupils to develop a secure understanding of the intended knowledge. The school should ensure that learning activities are adapted when necessary to ensure all pupils can learn as well as possible throughout the curriculum.

• The school has not made explicit enough how it teaches pupils about the fundamental British values, cultural diversity and equalities. As a result, pupils do not gain an age-appropriate understanding of these values and difference in the world. The school should ensure that the provision for pupils' personal development makes clear how pupils will develop their understanding of life in modern society.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2016.

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