Clearwell Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 December 2024

Warm and trusting relationships exist between staff and pupils. Pupils feel safe in school. They are confident that staff will take care of them and help sort out any problems. Pupils know the new school values of respect, responsibility and resilience. They are developing their knowledge of the wider world and their place in it. The school's new curriculum is ambitious. There are raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. In some subjects, these aspirations are being realised. However, in other subjects, this work has just started. Pupils have gaps in their knowledge, skills and vocabulary that hamper their learning. Pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not well met in some subjects. Pupils confidently talk about how to live a healthy life. They understand that physical education will help them to develop healthy lifelong habits. Pupils learn how to take care of their mental health. They particularly enjoy outdoor learning experiences. Pupils' interests and talents are nurtured and celebrated. This begins in Reception Year when children perform in whole school concerts. Older pupils are proud to represent the school. For example, at sports events and singing in the local community.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects the school has not identified the important content that it wants pupils to know and remember. Therefore, staff's knowledge of curriculum expectations is not secure in these subjects. The school should identify the essential knowledge that it wants pupils to know and remember in these remaining subjects so that pupils learn as well as they should.
• The school does not use assessment information effectively in some subjects to check and plan for the development of pupils' knowledge and understanding. As a result, the school does not adapt the curriculum and routinely rectify gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should support staff in using assessment information to effectively adapt the curriculum.
• Staff's knowledge of how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND in some curriculum subjects is not fully developed. Therefore, the use of learning resources and adaptations in these subjects do not help pupils to secure new knowledge. The school should ensure that staff know how to successfully support pupils with SEND to progress through the curriculum in all subjects.
• The school has not ensured that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils' knowledge of British values and the cultures, faiths and people living in Britain is superficial. The school should effectively prepare pupils for life in modern Britain so that they understand and respect differences in the world.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)