Clanfield CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Clanfield Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Clanfield is a harmonious place. Staff, pupils and parents and carers all feel that they are part of one close-knit family.

Pupils say that they feel they know everyone really well. Leaders' vision in this church school is based on the 'Parable of the Sower'. They want staff to provide the 'nutrients' to enable every child to 'grow and flourish'.

Happiness and joy are apparent everywhere. Pupils love learning and exploring in the school's well-designed grounds. They learn to develop their imagination and skills through creative projects, such as working with the... local sustainability group.

Leaders have lifted expectations of what pupils should know and be able to do. Pupils understand that they must work hard. They behave well in class, particularly older pupils.

There is a calmness in classrooms that supports all to learn. Everyone gets along, and bullying is a rare occurrence. Pupils trust adults to sort out any disagreements.

As a result, pupils feel safe.

Pupils experience lasting memories at Clanfield. They get to take on different leadership roles.

The themed 'commission projects' in the curriculum broaden pupils' character. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 were recently challenged to open an American diner to celebrate Thanksgiving.

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

Before the headteacher's arrival in 2019, a turbulent period had meant that the school had lost its way.

Courageously, the headteacher had to make sweeping reforms to ensure that pupils would get the education they deserved. She appointed a brand-new staff team and sought further training from the local authority and diocese to strengthen governance. The hard work has paid off and Clanfield has transformed.

Parents are full of praise.

Leaders have carefully crafted a bespoke curriculum that is ambitious and interesting. They have not let a pandemic slow down their plans.

Much of the curriculum is new, and teachers are finding their feet in delivering it for the first time. The early signs are positive. Up-to-date research has informed leaders' understanding of how to plot knowledge sequentially for each subject.

Leaders are supporting the development of staff's subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum. In subjects such as mathematics, teachers are clear about how to teach concepts so that pupils understand these securely. The activities that pupils do over time enable them to learn the content well.

However, in some other subjects, teachers sometimes set tasks that are more about having fun than learning. Although these are well intended, they do not actually help pupils to build detailed knowledge over time. Leaders are developing teachers' use of assessment to check what pupils have remembered.

This includes making greater use of revisiting prior learning.

The quality of pupils' handwriting across different subjects is variable. Some pupils struggle to develop a fluent style, which hinders their ability to convey their ideas in written form.

The loss of practice during the pandemic has hindered this further. In addition, teachers do not consistently set the highest of expectations for pupils' presentation of work. Leaders are aware of this and have recently introduced a new programme to teach handwriting.

Historically, pupils' phonics and reading outcomes have been high. Nonetheless, leaders have recently implemented a new phonics programme to improve this even further. Staff have been well trained to deliver this so far.

For pupils who are not progressing as they should, there are daily phonics 'keep-up' sessions. These are taught with increasing skill because staff use the resources and follow the plans of the programme exactly. Across the whole school, pupils' love of reading is tangible.

They are fortunate to be in a literature-rich environment. The range of high-quality books is excellent. Books from different cultures and walks of life help pupils to learn about modern Britain and the wider world.

The ambition for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is the same as for all other children. Staff provide the right support, time and care to give pupils with SEND what they need. Staff work closely with families and look to pinpoint any additional needs as early as possible.

Teachers open pupils' eyes to issues beyond where they live. Pupils are encouraged to think ethically and see their role in effecting change as adults of the future. Pupils show respect and tolerance to all.

Governance has come a long way. Governors are clear about their role and challenge leaders rigorously about the quality of pupils' education. They are known in school and are determined to make Clanfield the best it can be.

Staff are very happy. They feel listened to and valued. They are grateful for the ongoing professional development training that leaders provide.

There is a shared commitment to improve everyone's knowledge and skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is leaders' number one priority.

Relentlessly, the headteacher has trained all staff to believe that 'it can happen here'. Consistent and well-embedded policies and practice underpin what happens in this school. Record-keeping is organised, with attention to detail.

Leaders log everything, no matter how insignificant something might seem. With all the information to hand, leaders refer to the multi-agency safeguarding hub if warranted.

Leaders fight for what's best for the child.

This can involve challenging the decisions of other agencies. Serious case reviews are explored sensitively in staff training to understand what can be learned from them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not always set demanding work that helps pupils to develop detailed knowledge.

As a result, pupils remember what is enjoyable rather than what they have learned. Leaders need to further develop teachers' subject and pedagogical content knowledge, so that teachers know how to deliver the school's ambitious curriculum effectively. ? Teachers' expectations of the standard of pupils' handwriting fall below the national curriculum requirements.

Some pupils struggle to write in a consistent style and present work neatly. Leaders need to establish a common approach to how pupils are taught handwriting and present their work.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011.

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