Chilcote Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Chilcote Primary School.

They are happy and well cared for here. They know that there are trusted adults they can go to if they are worried or concerned. The school's values permeate all that the school does.

Pupils develop a deep understanding of 'respect, inclusion and togetherness'.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They build incredibly positive relationships with one another and with staff.

Pupils listen attentively and show high levels of respect. There are no distractions to learning.

The school has very high aspirations for pupils' achievement.

Pupils work diligently to rise to these aspirations. They ach...ieve exceptionally high standards in some subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics, by the time they leave the school. They are well equipped for their future learning.

Pupils engage excitedly with lessons and the many enrichment activities on offer. The school provides a wealth of varied activities and visits. These carefully link to pupils' learning and broaden their experiences beyond the local community.

Pupils enjoy many residential trips that help develop their resilience and teamwork. The school provides a wide variety of after-school clubs that develop pupils' talents and interests brilliantly.

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start.

Expert staff ensure that children swiftly develop their social and communication skills. They provide learning activities that precisely match children's stages of development and interests. Children show high levels of concentration.

They eagerly follow the well-established routines and thrive in an environment that provides no limits for their learning.

The school places the highest priority on making sure that pupils quickly learn to read. Pupils read a wide range of diverse and engaging texts that ignite their love of reading.

This starts in the early years where children learn many stories and rhymes. Staff deliver the phonics programme very effectively. They provide tailored support for any pupils who need extra help to learn to read.

This builds pupils' confidence and helps them to become fluent, accurate and enthusiastic readers.

By the time pupils leave the school, they write confidently and competently. However, when pupils are at the early stages of learning to write, sometimes teaching does not sufficiently address the errors that they make.

This leads to a small number of pupils repeating errors. This affects the accuracy and quality of writing that some pupils produce.

The school has designed a broad and rich curriculum.

In most subjects, the school has identified carefully the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Staff deliver this skilfully and revisit the key knowledge that pupils should know and remember. This helps pupils to remember and articulate their learning well.

However, in a small number of foundation subjects, the core knowledge is not as clearly defined. In these subjects, teaching does not sufficiently enable pupils to make links between the concepts that they study, and pupils do not develop a secure and deep body of knowledge in these areas.

The school has a rigorous approach to identifying the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

There are robust systems in place to ensure that pupils with SEND get the help they need. The school's highly effective and exemplary provision for pupils with SEND ensures that they achieve well.

The programme for pupils' wider development is exceptionally well crafted.

There are tailored opportunities for pupils to understand diversity and celebrate what makes everyone unique. Pupil leaders contribute highly to the life of the school. Older pupils are positive role models, acting as peer mentors and sharing their love of reading with younger pupils.

Staff make sure that pupils know how to keep safe and maintain good physical and mental health. Pupils know that it is important to be caring and inclusive. This leads to highly articulate pupils who are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

In lessons and at social times, pupils get along well. They play and learn together respectfully. Pupils work diligently in lessons.

They are polite, friendly and embody the school's values. Most pupils attend school well. When this is not the case, the school has rigorous processes in place.

The school provides effective pastoral support for pupils with social and emotional difficulties. This helps to secure good attendance.

The school has a strong vision and culture for ongoing improvement.

Staff work as a cohesive and happy team. They appreciate the opportunities for professional development and know that their well-being is considered. Parents and carers value the nurturing relationships and opportunities that the school provides.

The governing board is highly knowledgeable about the school. They have the skill set, drive and dedication to ensure that the school continues to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, teaching does not sufficiently identify and address errors that pupils make when they are learning to write. Some pupils make repeated errors that affect the accuracy and quality of their writing. The school should ensure that there is a consistent approach to identifying and addressing errors so that pupils achieve as well as they should.

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified precisely the core knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. In these subjects, pupils struggle to understand what they have been taught and make links between concepts they have studied. The school should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects sets out precisely what pupils should know and when so that pupils develop a secure and deep body of knowledge across the whole curriculum.