Vision

Clifford All Saints Primary school is a welcoming, inclusive community inspired by the love of God, modelled in Jesus Christ, where we aspire to learn, to serve and to live life to its fullest.

 

Clifford All Saints Church of England Primary School is living up to its foundation as a Church school and is enabling pupils and adults to flourish. It has the following notable strengths

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Notable Strengths

• Leaders, as a result of the vision, have created an inclusive and equitable culture that enables people to live well together. Effective systems and practices are in place to ensure that people are treated well.

 

• The worship life in the school is rich and varied, which supports spiritual flourishing. This is enhanced by a range of partnerships with churches and other organisations.

 

• The school’s vision, represented effectively using appropriate imagery and vocabulary, is widely known. It guides strategic thinking to help move the school forward.

 

• The curriculum for religious education (RE) is well sequenced. It enables pupils to develop knowledge about Christianity and other world faiths.

 

• Aspirational and caring staff enable pupils to grow and learn well together. Through thoughtfully planned provision and support, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included successfully.

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Development Points

• Develop clear opportunities to raise pupils’ awareness of how they can stand up to injustice. This is an outworking of the ‘service’ value of the school’s vision. It will help them to recognise how they can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

 

• Embed a shared language of spirituality. This is so that opportunities for spiritual development can be planned more consistently into the taught curriculum.

 

• Build upon existing strategies to evaluate the impact of the schools’ vision. This is so that leaders and governors continue to take decisions that ensure the vision is a lived reality.

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Inspection Findings:

Vision and Leadership
School leaders have carefully crafted a Christian vision which enhances life at Clifford. It is lived out through a  set of values; integrity, kindness, service, wisdom and teamwork. It clearly articulates the foundation upon  which strategic decisions are based. There has been a period of significant change in recent years. As the school  moved from two sites to one, the vision helped leaders to bring the community together. It is displayed 
throughout the school, including the playground, as a constant reminder for pupils and adults. As a result, it is  widely known and drives improvement. The vision of the trust resonates with the school’s vision, and this has  led to fruitful partnerships developing. Support and challenge are provided through a specific church school trust group, as well as work with the diocese. Structures are in place that enable school leaders to receive  information and fulfil their monitoring role. Although this helps them to know what is happening in the school,  the evaluation of the information is less explicit. 

Vision and Curriculum
Leaders, supported by the trust, have created a broad curriculum and extra-curricular offer. A resolute focus  upon the value of ‘wisdom’ has enabled them to drive the acquisition of knowledge. Lessons are sensitively  adapted, with delivery styles varied to meet the needs of learners. Teachers and teaching assistants provide  carefully targeted guidance and focused interventions. This ensures that pupils are able to participate at a level that is appropriate to them. They are proud of their achievements, and these are celebrated every week. In order to embody ‘life in all its fullness’, they are provided with activities that enable their talents to shine. Opportunities such as Christian union meetings during lunchtimes are popular and support pupils’ spiritual  development. Throughout the day, there are opportunities to reflect upon learning. Staff training in spirituality  has enabled them to recognise spiritual moments across the taught curriculum. They are capturing these  moments in a meaningful way, but planned opportunities are not fully embedded. School leaders are in the early stages of developing a shared language of spirituality that can be used by everyone.

Worship and Spirituality
Collective worship is integral to the school day. It is carefully planned and structured to support spiritual development. The worship leader has developed a consistent organisational format which is widely used. It is displayed consistently in every classroom. A range of partnerships, including local churches, enrich worship. Artwork is integrated in ways that inspire pupils and enable a range of media and cultures to be explored. Pupils enjoy singing praise songs and do so with a deep sense of joy. They know that worship is invitational and choose to participate in whatever way they feel comfortable. A dedicated worship council of pupils supports the delivery of acts of worship. Their plans are thoughtfully considered and created with the guidance of adults. They undertake their responsibilities enthusiastically and ensure that activities can be accessed at an appropriate level. Considered responses, including prayers written by pupils, support spiritual development. Worship is concluded with a sending out mission that enables pupils to demonstrate the learnt value in their daily lives.

Vision and School Culture
Clifford is a highly inclusive school. The vision has driven leaders to ensure that high levels of acceptance exist. Pupils from different backgrounds and with different needs are welcomed. Staff are trained to ensure that adjustments are made to support those who need it. They recognise individual barriers and make adaptations to remove them so that pupils flourish. The behaviour policy, which is rooted in reconciliation and restoration, is implemented effectively. Pupils understand that when they have a problem they will be supported. Wellbeing is prioritised as a way of living out the vision. Leaders, including governors, monitor this regularly. The trust has structures to ensure that support is available when it is needed. Leaders enact their responsibilities to ensure that pupils and adults are cared for. Strong relationships flourish, and a sense of love permeates the school. It is embodied in an environment where people are known as individuals. Diversity is recognised as a strength. Parents from a range of cultural and faith backgrounds feel valued and appreciated. As a result, a dignifying culture that is welcoming and hospitable has been created.

Vision, Justice and Responsibility
The inclusive culture, resulting from the vision, actively promotes an appreciation of justice and responsibility. Pupils understand how to care for others. They readily contribute to activities that support causes in their community, such as donating to the local food bank. They know that acting with integrity is intrinsic to the vision. Opportunities to learn about justice, fairness and equality are woven through the taught curriculum. For example, older pupils read texts about the slave trade which arouses their passion to stand up for individual rights. Older pupils ‘buddy’ younger pupils and undertake the Young Leaders Award, which supports their understanding of responsibility. Pupils demonstrate that they have the skills and attributes to challenge injustice. However, their appreciation of how they can promote change both locally and globally is limited. 

Religious Education
The RE curriculum has been well sequenced to enable pupils to learn about Christianity and other world faiths. Teachers make discerning choices in implementing this curriculum to ensure that pupils learn effectively. They know the key features of different religions and this supports their appreciation of global diversity. As a result, it enables them to maintain the welcoming inclusive ethos of the school. Pupils are given the opportunities to consider big questions and reflect upon complex concepts. This supports their own spiritual flourishing. Recent decisions to refine the curriculum further have deepened pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Key staff have received training from the diocese which has broadened their awareness of effective RE. The subject leader supports teachers to plan well, and as a result there is consistency of approach across different classes. 

As a result of the vision, teachers plan and teach lessons that enable pupils to make good progress in RE. Pupils participate enthusiastically. Teachers recognise that barriers to learning should not become barriers to achievement. They work hard to include all pupils, irrespective of need. They use assessment, including pupil self-assessment, to identify gaps in learning. They then structure their teaching to address these gaps. Religious vocabulary is taught discreetly to ensure that pupils are able to express their knowledge accurately. The subject leader monitors teaching and learning to ensure that high standards are maintained. Learning tasks are purposeful and the quality of teaching is consistently high. Pupils’ religious understanding contributes to them becoming confident, well-balanced citizens.​​​