Inspectors tell Shropshire primary school it must improve
A primary school has been told it requires improvement with pupils’ progress “well below average”, according to inspectors.
Onny Church of England Primary School in Onibury, near Craven Arms, was inspected by Ofsted on March 12 and 13.
Inspectors found the school, which has 98 pupils aged between two and 11, had low attainment levels.
But Ofsted said the school, governors and executive headteacher Penelope Knight had a good understanding of what needed to be put right.
It also said children’s behaviour is “generally good".
The report said: “Leaders and governors have not maintained the standards of education that were in place at the time of the previous inspection.
“In recent years, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve have been too variable.
“Consequently, pupils’ progress has been well below average and attainment has been low.
“Too few pupils achieve the standards expected for their age, especially in writing and mathematics.”
It adds: “Leaders have not ensured that their expectations about teaching are clear and applied consistently across the school.
“Some lessons are not well matched to pupils’ needs, being too hard for some and lacking challenge for others.
“When this happens, it slows the progress pupils make and can lead to pupils losing concentration.
“The curriculum is broad and balanced. However, some subject leaders’ roles are not well developed and there is not a clear picture of progress in each subject across each year group.
“However, governors, leaders and staff have created a highly inclusive school with a positive Christian ethos and welcoming environment.
“Governors and leaders are now fully aware of the areas requiring improvement. They are taking appropriate action to address these. Pupils are very well cared for. They are safe and enjoy coming to school.”
SEND support
The report, published on Wednesday, added: “Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally good and, consequently, they teach most concepts securely, using subject-specific vocabulary correctly.
“Training and support are helping teachers and teaching assistants to maximise the impact of the new approaches to English and mathematics. Teachers also work with colleagues in other schools to share expertise.
“Support for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school.
“The school provides effectively for pupils with a wide range of needs. Pupils’ needs are identified quickly and are addressed in a variety of ways, including extra support in class and specialist interventions from both school staff and external agencies.”
The school has been approached for comment.
By Andrew Morris, Local Democracy Reporter
