Self-evaluation audit tool: Vision Provision Impact · evaluation) however they feel is appropriate for them. This audit tool is designed to be a short summary and record of the Church

© The National Society (Church of England and Church in Wales) for the Promotion of Education 2018 Page 1

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Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS)

Self-evaluation audit tool: Vision Provision Impact

Introduction

As part of the SIAMS process schools are expected to ‘ensure that a robust and continuous (Church school) self-evaluation is in place’. This document

is offered by the Church of England Education Office as a model which may be used, but schools are free to carry out their Church school audit (self -

evaluation) however they feel is appropriate for them. This audit tool is designed to be a short summary and record of the Church school self-

evaluation work the school has done as part of its development as a Church school, it should not repeat information available elsewhere on websites

or in other school documents. The seven strands provide a structure to follow. If information has been provided in one strand it does not need to be

repeated in another. Detailed responses to every single question of each strand are not needed. Schools

should pull ideas together using those questions, the focus should be on actions taken and the impact of

those actions.

SIAMS seeks to answer the following inspection question: How effective is the school’s distinctive

Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to

flourish? When awarding a grade to the school the inspector will start by seeking to decide if the evidence

supports a grade of Good. If yes, they will then be determining if the school’s case for excellence is convincing.

In whatever way it is approached, the audit should have in mind the following three questions:

Who we are as a school?

Why we are here?

How then do we live?

This will help the school to articulate its Christian vision. It will also help the school to articulate how this is reflected in the school’s provision because

it is a Church school, and how this impacts pupils and enables all to flourish.


It is the responsibility of leadership at all levels including the foundation governors, or equivalent in academy schools, to ensure the self-evaluation

process happens. However, the whole school community should be involved. The views of pupils, parents and carers, the church and other community

groups should be sought. It is recommended that the audit should be an ongoing process, a running summary, and not something that is left to the term

before inspection. This will help reduce the workload of staff. The local diocese should be able to provide advice, training and support. When the

school is called for inspection no further work should be done on the audit at that time, as part of in school inspection documentation it will be

understood as working document that is ‘in process’ not a finished document.

Useful documents to consider:

Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS): An evaluation Schedule for Schools and Inspectors

SIAMS Methodist Appendix

Religious Education in Church of England Schools: A Statement of Entitlement

Church of England Vision for Education: Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good

Mental Health and Wellbeing: Towards a Whole School Approach

Valuing All God’s Children

School website:

The school website will be the first thing any inspector will look at to find out about your school. We recommend that a there is a dedicated page on

your site covering what it means to your school community to be a Church school in your context. This should avoid the need to put descriptive detail

in any audit material. This might include:

A statement of your school vision and how it is distinctively Christian through reference to a Christian narrative, biblical text or theological

ideas. Include any associated values.

Relationships with your local church or churches and the mutually beneficial links these bring. This will include the role of church workers in

school and the school’s involvement in the life of the local church community.

Links you have with charities and organisations that help you to encourage your pupils to be courageous advocates for change. Links with the

local community including faith and belief communities.

Any policies or documents that reflect your understanding of, and approach to, spiritual development.

Details of what you are doing to support the mental health and wellbeing of both pupils and staff.

Collective worship policies and practice. RE policy and practice should be with other curriculum subjects

This is not an exhaustive list and there would be many other exciting things happening at your school that you would want to include.

https://www.methodistschools.org.uk/downloads/siams-training---methodist-appendix-2017.pdf

https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-10/re_statement_of_entitlement_2016_0.pdf

https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-10/2016%20Church%20of%20England%20Vision%20for%20Education%20WEB%20FINAL.pdf

https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/Valuing%20All%20God%27s%20Children%27s%20Report_0.pdf


Vision: Who we are as a Church school? Why we are here? Name of School: Castlemorton Church of England Primary School URN:145837

Date and grade of last SIAMS inspection: Date and grade of last Ofsted Inspection: January 2015 GOOD

School context

The vision of the school

Castlemorton CE Primary School is a small, inclusive Church of England Academy set in wonderful, rural surroundings, in an area with limited

local housing. Number on roll has been falling over the last three years as larger cohorts leave and smaller ones enter. School makes positive

attempts to attract children from a wider area and many parents choose to travel a distance to send their children to Castlemorton.

We serve a community that has chosen our setting for the curriculum it offers and for the love and care it provides. The community is mainly

White British and cultural diversity is limited, however there is a great deal of diversity in the talents, characteristics and needs of the pupils who

come here.

We are a Church school that serves all the community. We include everyone; those of faith and those with a preference for none. We are deeply

Christian in our ethos and our mission and see this as a way of allowing children to make informed decisions for themselves. We respect

difference but open the door wider to Christian teaching. (Deeply Christian- serving the common good.)

We are part of the Diocese of Worcestershire Multi Academy Trust which brings the benefits of being part of something bigger, where learning

and sharing can take place. (To love, to learn, to serve).

Children enter school with a mixed range of needs, in fact it is what makes Castlemorton unique. We have a large percentage of children with

SEND of which some have complex needs, a significant group of leaners that are vulnerable, some very privileged pupils and others in need of

support from Children’s Social Care. We cater for individual needs through quality first teaching approaches, targeted intervention and the

support we offer.

Our data picture reflects the extremes of ability with children gaining full marks on SATs and others unable to access them because of their stage

of development, complexity of need and the curriculum they are working on. The results across all key stages match or exceed predictions made

by teaching staff.

Staff are experienced teachers who work hard to ensure that each child is valued for who they are and given a pathway to learning that best

meets their needs.

Castlemorton has been graded as Requiring Improvement in its previous two Ofsted inspections. Staffing stability and consistency of practice as a

result, have changed the way school operates. The staff team are cohesive and work together effectively to ensure that there is real quality in the

education provided. Leadership at all levels is impacting positively on outcomes with middle leadership strengthening.

The Headteacher and Business Manager have effectively managed budgets over many years however, financial constraints due to falling roll and

also the impact of the National Funding Formula make leadership and management decisions increasingly challenging.


An inclusive Church School at the heart of a rural community where there is a strong commitment to provide a quality of education that meets

the needs of ALL the pupils. Through a Christian approach of love and cooperation, we aim to create successful learners, confident individuals and

responsible citizens, with confidence in their own abilities, reliance to cope with challenges, high aspirations for themselves, a positive and caring

attitude and a lifelong love of learning so that they flourish as human beings.

Love Learning, enjoy life and care for one another- LOVE-LIGHT-ALL.

Care, Commitment, Cooperation, Confidence.

Data box:

SIAMS requires assurance that the school is meeting the academic needs of its pupils. A Church school should have a calling to the marginalised. Please

include some detail about how groups of vulnerable of pupils (including the more able) are achieving in the school.

GLD remains high at 90% (10 pupils) and only 1 or 2 children have not met the standard over the past three years.

KS1 data for children meeting age related expectations is high with 1 or 2 children not meeting the standard. (14 pupils, R, W, M 85%).

KS2 data (11 pupils, R, W, and M 55%) is more of a mixed picture this year with the two children working below the level of the test having an impact

on the overall data picture. Reading results were good (73% ARE, 45% GDS). Writing and maths were in line with predictions and teacher assessment

(64% ARE, 27% GDS).

Progress indicators are also mixed with the impact on children with SEND being significant. Reading +1.6, Writing -1.7, Maths -2.9

Support for vulnerable pupils: Who are your significant groups of vulnerable pupils and how is any gap between these pupils and others in the

school diminishing?

Pupil Premium (PP) - there are currently 6 children eligible either because of FSM or Ever6 and they have all demonstrated progress across the curriculum.

They present need for support in different ways and school look to each of them individually to provide the additional support they need. They all talk

positively about learning and feel supported with the strategies offered to them. They feel included. There are 1 or 2 children in cohorts across the school

and their attainment ranges from working at greater depth to working towards meeting the standard. The gap in performance is still there but it is closing.

For example a child in year 1 achieved phonics from a low starting point. We were disappointed with the results for the child in KS2 (Year 6) as they struggled

with the test conditions. School continues to work on strategies to support disadvantaged children and use research from the Education Endowment Fund

to support practice. For example, school have worked creatively to engage with the parents of these children more effectively and currently all parents speak

to the teachers more regularly than before. The children are more prepared for school and know who to go to for support.

SEND (15 pupils) - school has a high proportion of children with significant learning and cognitive needs and these children are vulnerable because of the

support they need. Quality first teaching and targeted intervention supports children but with finances as they are the provision is not as extensive as school


and staff would wish it to be. Chadsgrove learning support assessments provide an excellent assessment of a child’s needs and difficulties and these assessments

are in place for the children that need them. Children make good progress from their starting points with children achieving things many thought they were

not capable of. E.g. Year 1 phonics x 2 children, riding a bike, reading and writing independently, extended writing pieces… staff have high expectations set in

realistic parameters and know the children well. Children with significant cognitive SEND impact negatively on the data especially when cohorts are small.

Own custom school group- Disadvantaged School has established its own criteria for the group of disadvantaged learners. Evidence of disadvantage

from FFT research allowed the school to consider which children would be part of the group from FFT where it was found that in the Malvern area up to

20% of the children ought to be considered ‘disadvantaged’. We found that a similar if not slightly higher percentage of our children fell into this group and

we now look to this group of children to see if we can make a difference. It includes children eligible for PP and those with SEND and also those with other

vulnerabilities. We have worked to change the mindset of this group of learners through self-efficacy and self-belief. The children talk positively about strategies

that support them (#yesUcan and model and walk away) and have more self-confidence to work hard and ask for help, building on prior learning and learning

from mistakes. Attainment and progress data pictures are mixed but generally good progress is being made from starting points and barriers are being

overcome more easily and in a positive way.

Some additional information

Policy checker:

The list below are policies that, if you have them, are likely to be relevant at a SIAMS. The list is not exhaustive. The inspector may ask for them to be

available in school during the inspection but if they are on the school website this will support the smooth running of the inspection.

Assessment and marking

Local church/parish involvement: Involvement of

clergy

Excellent relationships and support from Rev. Chris. Weekly worship, Governance,

monitoring, wellbeing support for staff and children. Access to charitable funds for

vulnerable families through Castlemorton POORS charity. Open access to Church.

What charities does the school currently support? Gambia Link School – annually £1300 (been sustained for the past 15 years)

Comic/Sport Relief, Children in Need, Malvern Food Bank, Race for Life.

Do you have links with other schools e.g. abroad? Boraba Lower Basic Primary School and Korrup Nursery School.

What RE syllabus do you use? Key support resources

used for example Understanding Christianity

Worcestershire Syllabus and Understanding Christianity

Accreditation, awards and quality marks? Gold Sports Mark

Links with diocese for example service level

agreements, secondments

SLA, training and support accessed from- Tim Reid, Duncan Jones, Shahne Vickery

Part of DOWMAT


Behaviour/Anti-bullying

Collective worship

Equality and inclusion

Mental health and wellbeing

Religious education

Relationships and Sex Education policy

SEND

SMSC and spiritual development

Provision and Impact: How then do we live?

Provision: What do you do because of your Christian vision?

(Actions taken)

Focus on the ‘Valued added’ of being a Church school, point to the things that

happen because it’s a Church school. Explain how these things develop from

your Christian vision.

Impact: How do you know it is working?

A summary of the evidence of impact and note of where further evidence

might be found. Anecdotal, observations, pupil voice and views, visitor reports,

Strand 1: Vision and Leadership

In developing vision and leadership in a Church school the school must evaluate:

a) To what extent is the school’s vision and its associated values grounded in a clear theology firmly rooted in a Christian narrative? To

what extent do leaders show awareness and understanding of current thinking in Church school education?

b) To what extent does your Christian vision shape school policies and church school development plans? How is priority given to collective

worship and to religious education (RE)?

c) How well do leaders ensure that the school’s formal partnerships are supported, sustained and informed by the school’s Christian vision

and associated values? This includes how well school leaders work with the local diocese/circuit and churches.

d) How well do leaders ensure that all staff members at all levels are supported in the development of their understanding of the school as

a Church school? How well are future Church school leaders prepared and supported through professional development leading to

improved practice?


e) How well do governors ensure that a robust and continuous self-evaluation process is in place that involves the school community in

evaluating their effectiveness as a Church school?

f) Have the recommendations from the previous SIAMS inspection been addressed and brought about positive outcomes for pupils?

Impact of actions taken in this area

Christian Vision has been re-written after shared discussion with stakeholders and advice from Duncan Jones (SIAMS Inspector). It documents much

of the practice already evident in school life but has developed it so that the theological links are more explicit, access and understanding is clearer

and the vision permeates all aspects of school life. It inspires what we do. The decisions that are made and the intent by which things are done. We

know this because we can see it in action. We see this in learning- TR riding his bike, everyone has a part in festivals, strengths are celebrated and

shared, and everyone is included.

Because of this leaders are more aware of the Christian distinctiveness of the school and its importance as a Church School. Foundation Governor

monitoring has been sharpened by creating a vision that can be seen in action. Monitoring events, worship and RE is an established practice. Year 6

conversation with Governors is powerful- are the children leaving having fulfilled the aims of the school?

The revised vision has been developed from existing practice that parents have already bought into and makes theological links more explicit. It is

respectful of the inclusive nature of our school as both a Church School and one at the heart of the community. (Deeply Christian- serving the

common good). The change in the SIAMS inspection has seen a sharper theological focus and practice now reflects this. Practice is deeply Christian

in its aspiration for developing the whole child to live life in all its fullness. LOVE-LIGHT-ALL.

The vision has been carefully considered and the original motto of the school remains at the heart of the statement. It has been expanded and thought

about in a more theological way to allow for all stakeholders to access the underpinning Christian messages. This is evident in the mission of the

school – the aims, the relationships, working practices, lessons, behaviour and attitudes of the pupils…

Values friends have been developed so that children can access the values in a more child friendly way. The impact of this has been powerful- the

children have written plays for Worship, have enjoyed wearing badges when they have displayed the values of the ‘values friends’ and have enjoyed

becoming familiar with characters that show Christian values as well as learning characteristics.

The decision to join DOWMAT was based on Christian principles- stakeholders were keen to work with people who had an inclusive vision

themselves and to work with people who shared similar values. DOWMAT’s vision sits nicely alongside the vision of Castlemorton and the way the

Trust operates is streamlined to the Christian vision of the school. (To Love, to learn, to serve fits well with LOVE-LIGHT-ALL).

School has a strong partnership with St Gregory’s Church. The local incumbent is part the ex-officio on the Governing Body and leads Collective

Worship. The weekly worship has had a significant impact on learners for many years and children talk fondly of what they have learnt with Rev.

Chris and the way he has told the stories from the bible. Church wardens are part of the school community-TA/.Govs and this allows school to

access Church easily – we see it as an extension of the school. Services are held around the Christian Calendar in Church, some of which parents

are invited and others for school only. School only worship in Church is special and provides children with the opportunity to feel, as well as see,

what happens in a Church service. We value the services for Harvest and Easter as an opportunity for everyone in school to make a contribution to

the worship. We have looked at creative ways to make community services less like performances and to that end now have a unique and very special


service for Christmas. Parents, family members and friends are invited to sit with their children, the readings are shared with children reading with a

family member and the hymns chosen help to tell the Nativity story. Modern as well as traditional hymns are chosen so that everyone feels included

and connected to the service.

The Foundation Governor Committee has been formed to give priority to the school as a Church School. It allows more time to be dedicated to

areas of school life linked to its Christian Distinctiveness. Monitoring is planned from these meetings and from the SDP so that Governors can hold

staff to account and are well informed about the working practices in school. Recent monitoring has taken place by looking at RE books, talking to

pupils and by reviewing worship.

The spirituality policy has been written with the support of Shahne Vickery. The links made to spiritual capacities has had a great impact alongside

Roots and Fruits- window, mirror, door and the transformation made by actions taken. There is a rich array of opportunities to develop these

capacities, to reflect and transform. E.g. each half term children complete the reflection journals from Roots and Fruits and consider then- how do

we live our lives. Spirituality is linked to action then transformation and to providing opportunities for children to live life in all its fullness.

Children are more actively involved in permeating the vision across school life- links are made in worship, in the relationships and in the way they

speak to and behave with each other.

Adults treat each other in accordance with the vision- valued and loved for who they are, to foster the love of learning in all stakeholders, enabled

to enjoy life and shine their talents for others to share and to be deeply caring. E.g. professional dialogue and a ‘see feelingly’ attitude is evident in

practice. Listening and understanding with honesty and integrity. Bold enough to address areas for development and unacceptable behaviour but

handled with firmness, fairness, grace and dignity.

Collective Worship is the heart of our daily ‘coming together’ as a school. We assemble together for worship and the words Collective Worship and

Assembly are interchangeable. There is a weekly timetable for worship so that children have a range of experiences and different staff members take

a leading role. Roots and Fruits is the main driver for our worship themes and these values are linked to the School Values through our Values Friends.

Rev. Chris links his worship to the central theme as much as possible and offers an ‘open the book’ style worship linked to bible stories and extracts.

Putting our values into action is an important aspect of our worship – like Messy Church there is an opportunity for children to share ideas and put

them into actions through responsibility group activities.

RE plays in key role in curriculum. There are many of examples of children excelling in RE when they find other areas of the curriculum challenging.

Next steps:

To monitor the impact of the revised Vision and links to the Castlemorton Curriculum.

Strand 2: Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills

In developing Wisdom Knowledge and Skills in a Church school a school must evaluate:


a) How effective is your school at meeting the academic needs of all pupils through the curriculum? How effective is the school in identifying

and supporting those who are more vulnerable and who may have additional learning and personal needs?

b) How well does your school support all pupils in their spiritual development, enabling all pupils to flourish?

Impact of Actions taken

The school has always offered a rich and varied curriculum. The Curriculum Design has recently been reviewed to take into account of the changes

in expectations around the curriculum. School have thought more explicitly about the intent, implementation and impact of the curriculum as a whole

as well as in a subject specific way. E.g. the intentions of the overall curriculum are around inclusivity, offering a diverse range of experiences and being

connected to the needs of the pupils, so that they know more and can do more in order to become responsible citizens, successful learners and confident

individuals. The intentions for maths for example, while in keeping with the overall intent of curriculum design are around specific issues related to

mathematics and in our case ensuring that the developments in pedagogy and reasoning are sustained and impact on outcomes.

Our Curriculum is now about children knowing more and doing more. Changes have been made to knowledge content and skills progression. This

is being implemented for Foundation Subjects in a new way from September. Visits to other schools, online research and social media platforms have

supported staff to develop a pedagogical approach that will allow children to retain more knowledge and develop their skills across a sequence of

lessons. The approach will include a quiz at the start and end and 6 enquiry questions around a central theme. Knowledge organisers will detail

information helpful for the topic and the development of the key skills will be looked at across the sequence of learning, one of which will be linked

to developing mathematical skills across the curriculum. Early indicators show that pupils enjoy returning to content from prior learning and building

up a bank of knowledge and skills leads them to deeper understanding. E.g. Science- knowledge organisers; RE – Gandhi organiser; Debate- organiser

for Climate Change, Kahoot quizzes.

The data profile for school matches or exceeds predictions made. Cohort specific predictions are important as small numbers of children in each

year group and differing percentages of children with arrange of Special Educational Needs make year on year attainment comparisons more

complicated. School have high expectations for all children but are realistic about what a child might be capable of if their needs are complex and

linked to cognitive processing. For example, a pupil in year 6 (with Downs Syndrome and an EHCP to match needs) has been educated in our main

stream setting with high level need support and is now on a pathway through special school. This pupil was unable to access the KS2 tests but their

progress on their individual curriculum programme has been strong and parents support this.

Each cohort is unique and expectations and predictions are made using internal assessments, FFT tracking and DFE statutory data.

GLD remains high at 90% (10 pupils) and only 1 or 2 children have not met the standard over the past three years. These children have complex

cognitive needs or speech and language difficulties that impact on learning. They have made strong progress from their starting points and continue

to be supported with their learning needs in school through quality first teaching and targeted intervention. The EYFS curriculum is highly effective

and the children transition seamlessly in and out of reception. External LA moderation demonstrated strong practice and good understanding of

expectations.


KS1 data for children meeting age related expectations is high (14 pupils, R, W, M 85%). Children do well with rigorous and consistent teaching

approaches. Expectations are high and extra time is allocated to ensuring that those children who are vulnerable are given the support they need.

KS2 data (11 pupils, R, W, and M 55%) is more of a mixed picture this year with the two children working below the level of the test having an impact

on the overall data picture. Reading results were good (73% ARE, 45% GDS) with three out of the eleven children achieving marks of 120. Writing

and maths were in line with predictions and teacher assessment (64% ARE, 27% GDS). External LA writing moderation demonstrated strong practice

and good understanding of the expectations. Progress indicators are also mixed with the impact on children with SEND being significant. Reading

progress is positive as a result of some very high scores (+1.6). Early analysis shows that continued efforts are needed in mathematics to translate

what children are doing in lessons into test results. Additional PUMA and PIRA testing will be carried out as a result. The SPD priorities reflect the

outcomes of the data.

Amanda Smithson, SENDco has recently gained the SENCO Award from the University of Worcester and is bringing her knowledge, skills,

understanding and research into action plans for the next academic year. SEND provision has always been good and parents often expressly choose

us because of our offer and for the nurturing and caring ethos created. Chadsgrove special school provide our learning support assessments and this

has been an improvement as the reports are detailed and include detailed and specific support recommendations. Staff implement these through

quality first teaching and targeted intervention and support. School work well with a range of external support providers, including speech and

language, behavioural support team, Medical Education Team (MET), Educational psychologists and others.

Parental engagement is positive and as a result parents are doing more to help their children at home. School has offered parents of children with

Special Educational Needs additional drop in sessions and a chance to talk. Communication methods are varied and take into account the needs of

the families. We do have a few hard to reach parents and school continue to look at creative ways to engage these parents, especially with reading

at home, homework and punctuality.

Staff in school know pupils well. They provide for their individual needs with clear intentions for success. Assessments are made using SPTO and this

has been very successful but as this system is closing down school will be moving over to FFT tracking. This platform will allow staff to input data to

monitor pupil progress in a manageable way that will support outcomes and teaching and learning in the classroom.

School identify a school specific group of learners considered vulnerable using criteria established as part of a Strategic School Improvement Fund

project. These pupils are tracked more closely and the case studies reveal the positive impact the project has had on attitudes to learning amongst

our most disadvantaged. They say that they have more self-belief, can do things more independently and they know that they can make a difference

though hard work and the effort they put in, while knowing that support is there if they need it.

Spirituality is developed through developing spiritual capacities. School provides a range of opportunities detailed in our Spirituality Policy and children

are becoming more reflective about their actions and they understand that it is about transformation. The Windows/Mirror/Door from Roots and

Fruits has helped support the implementation, as children are invited to take on new learning and ideas through the window, reflect on them by

looking in the mirror and then walk out of the door keen to transform. All kinds of experiences are provided to enable all to flourish and transform

so that they are able to live life in all its fullness. (Forest School, responsibility group activities, visits, visitors, competitions, tournaments, sporting


events, whole school projects, time for quiet and stillness, worship, spaces, links with the Church, global links, relationships, lessons, friendships,

charitable giving, enterprise, events and social activities, performances, debates, clubs, networks and partnerships…).

Next steps:

Embed curriculum developments and monitor impact.

Use learning and research from SENDco Award so that the valuable resources can be used to best effect.

Document evidence of spiritual transformations.

Strand 3: Character Development: Hope, Aspiration and Courageous Advocacy

In developing character, a school must evaluate:

a) To what extent does your school’s vision and its associated values develop aspiration in all pupils, giving them resilience to cope well

when things are difficult and the perseverance to overcome barriers to their own learning and to make positive choices?

b) Do leaders make sure all pupils have curriculum opportunities to look beyond themselves, ask ‘big questions’ and think globally about life

and develop an understanding of disadvantage, deprivation and the exploitation of the natural world? How effectively has the school

explored and engaged in diocesan and other global companion/world church links?

c) How well does the school community connect their ethical and charitable activities to their vision and associated values? Do leaders

provide opportunities for all pupils to engage in social action and to understand how they can challenge injustice?

Impact of actions taken

Our Christian Vision- LOVE-LIGHT-ALL-Love learning, enjoy life and care for one another is aspirational in its message. The biblical links are rooted in

being inclusive, valued for who you are and promote the message that everyone should let their talents shine. School inspires the pupils to respect

and care for others but also that a life of enjoyment is rich and full and in order to achieve that they must be ambitious for success. Not is a selfish

way but in a way that values the qualities and characteristic that each of us is given and works hard to use them in the best possible way

Love is an important part of our Christian Vision and children know that they are loved in school. Scientifically, this means that the

chemicals in the brain produce the right amounts of serotonin and dopamine to allow for new neurological pathways to be made. In

other words when children feel loved the chemicals are there to make their brains grow! (The Little Book of Big Stuff about the Brain).

School has four starting values – care, cooperation, commitment and confidence – the Castlemorton Cs and the development of Values

Friends associated with these values has helped the children to access the understanding of values centered behaviour. The children are able to take

learning from stories and from each character and apply it to their own behavioural and learning choices. They are introduced to values vocabulary

and strategies to make positive choices and overcome barriers.


Strategies such as #yesUcan from GLOW maths has also supported the underpinning message of our Vision. Children have a strong sense of belief

in their own abilities, work ethic and resilience. The model and walk away strategy employed by staff allows children to be given the support they need

and then leaves them with time to work independently. Children talk positively about this strategy and like the success of doing things by themselves.

Worship is a platform for instilling the Christian Vision and Values and Roots and Fruits materials support the planning and delivery. The half termly

value is taken as a theme and other assemblies/worship tie in with the theme as much as possible, while also making links to the Castlemorton Cs

and our values friends. Messages about aspiration are provided through role models, primarily Jesus but also other courageous advocates from the

past and present.

Restorative behaviour approaches effectively support children to choose the right pathways and make the most of the opportunities they are given. These

are words from our school prayer which also unpins the messages that we convey the pupils.

School have a wonderful link with a school and a nursery in The Gambia. The partnership was established in 2003 and provides opportunities for the

children to learn about each other through shared curriculum projects. Children complete similar tasks in both countries around a shared theme and

the exchange work and ideas. It is not possible to take children to the school as it is in a remote part of The Gambia and would not be medically safe

to do so as part of a school group but we do our best to take lots of photographs and make shared resources in order to make it as ‘real’ as possible.

Staff, family members, students, ex-pupil and a parent have been to visit which impacts on the link in a positive way by demonstrating our values (care,

commitment, cooperation and confidence) and showing that we stick to them. We are courageous in our advocacy and show this to the pupils

through actions, as a result the children are empowered to support the link with their actions too. There is a charitable aspect to our partnership

and children are passionate in their desire to give of themselves to support each other children. The link is built on looking at similarities as well as

differences and to that end we promote the message that we give and take from each other. We give financial support for nursery teachers, school

materials and garden projects which has been sustainable over the 16 years of partnership. The success has partly because we have limited the support

we give to these three important areas and we draw up an annual action plan to support developments. The children support the Gambian Quiz and

Supper and the Jumble Sale both of which are dedicated to raising funds for Boraba and Korrup. They also collected small gifts to give to the children.

Children brought in things that were precious to them that they were willing to give which brought a tear to the eyes of staff. This generosity of heart

and of spirit is why the link is wonderful. The children in The Gambia also give. They work hard in the lessons and share their thirst for learning. They

prepare dances, songs and speeches that inspire us to make the most of every day. We share these with the children at Castlemorton so that learning

is collaborative and the sense of partnership strong. The people of Boraba and Korrup are from the Mandinka and Fula tribes and are Muslim.

Castlemorton children have learnt about language, culture and faith through the link, while we share our language, culture and Christian faith with

them in respectful ways.

‘Understanding, skills, and values, inspired by the school’s Christian ethos, will take children and young people of all faiths and none forward into a life in which

they can make a difference as global citizens.’ (Every Child of God Matter Everywhere, page 4.) Through our Christian ethos, this is what we do! The children

feel inspired to make a difference. E.g. at the recent RE debate around the Climate Crisis the pupils learnt about what can be done on a small and

large scale to combat the crisis and they actively wanted to find out more and do more. As a result school reduced the use of single use plastics at


the Summer BBQ, crisps bags are being collected at lunchtimes and agreement has been reached about writing an action plan for the Global

Neighbours Project organised by Christian Aid.

School raise money for charity in lots of ways. Sometimes the ideas come from staff and other times from the children. We recently raised £1400 for

cancer research by holding a 3km fun run (Race for Life). Every child, including those with disabilities completed the course with the whole school

cheering as those who needed help also made it over the line. Children wanted to raise money for school fund and did so through a small enterprise

project selling art work and books at the end of the school day. Children in need and comic/sport relief are also supported and children come up

with interesting ideas to support the appeal. Our harvest festival is a special occasion where food is donated to Malvern Food Bank.

Each term children take part in a responsibility group activity (Sport and Health, Environment and Forest School. Community and Global Partnership,

ICT and Enterprise, Creativity) all of which are linked to the green concentric ring and the ‘drivers (things that Castlemorton is known for)’. These

activities provide an opportunity for children to put ideas into action. They allow them to engage in social action and are inclusive in their design with

staff ensuring that each pupil has a voice.

Next Steps:

Submit Global Neighbours documentation for accreditation linked to Gambia project 2020

Strand 4: Community and Living Well Together

In creating a community where all live well together a school must evaluate:

a) To what extent does your school’s Christian vision and associated values underpin relationships at all levels in the school community,

enabling pupils to disagree well and to practice forgiveness and reconciliation? Is this reflected in the school’s behaviour, exclusion and

attendance policies?

b) How well do leaders ensure there is support for good mental health in children and adults and a sense of belonging that embraces and

celebrates difference?


Our Christian Vision underpins all relationships and all interactions. Love learning, enjoy life and care for one another- LOVE-LIGHT-ALL-Love one

another, using your qualities well and caring about each other is part of our daily life. Forgiveness is a part of the daily language used in school, the

practice of forgiveness and reconciliation is strong. – ‘saying sorry means that you won’t do it again and if you say sorry then you start afresh; moving

on with the promise that you have made to try your very best not to do it again’. Children and adults know this and they can articulate it. Children

bounce back from disagreements well.

RE is used as a platform to engage children in discussion about the views of others. Children respect the opinion of others and disagree with each

other well. E.g. some might believe in the story of Creation while others believe in a more scientific theory in practice they respectfully accept and

appreciate each other’s point of view.


We are a Church school in the heart of the community serving in a deeply Christian way for the common good. This means that we respect the

views and wishes of others and invite the community to prayer and worship. This invitational practice is in keeping with the ethos of the school. We

open the door to Christian faith and teaching alongside respecting those with different faiths and those with none.

We live by our values. We challenge unacceptable behaviour and practice and try to find ways to approach things with understanding. Practices are

rigorous and supportive.

Children, staff, parents, family members, volunteers and Governors have a strong sense of belonging to Castlemorton. The term ‘family’ is often used

to describe the feeling that people get from being part of the school community. People talk of the feeling in school as being welcoming and friendly

where there is a strong sense of belonging and a feeling of love.

School has opened its doors to those seeking support. For example, a family living in Japan (Japanese mother and British father) visit family in this

country for an extended period of time and in order to do so the authorities in Japan ask that they attend school. We accommodate this and find

that it brings positive benefits to the community. They have visited twice and children remember each other and are keen to find out about each

other’s lives. The Japanese children share a little of their culture and language and they learn from us and our children.

School have supportive strategies for supporting positive mental health and a new policy is being created to outline the intensions and practices in

school. Our inclusive ethos means that children are accepted for who they are and participate fully in the rich range of opportunities school provide.

The use of the outdoors is especially important to our community and we use our wonderful school grounds well for sport, forest school, break and

lunch time, stories, prayer, stillness, drama, play, social events and for curriculum tasks.

School leaders try to make workload manageable. The constraints of budget mean that often staff are doing more than they should in order to provide

for the children in their class. This applies to leaders too. E.g. After a redundancy in April 2019 the Headteacher covers PPA time in KS2.

Staff wellbeing is supported with flexible approach to the use of PPA time and as a collegiate team staff support each other to make workload

manageable. School leaders continue to make the case for more funding and respond to consultations in the best interest of the school.

School leaders have taken on board the recommendations of the Report by Ofsted- Summary and recommendations: teacher well-being research report

and look for approaches that impact best on the quality of education. E.g. maths planning is in PowerPoint form and staff are able to return to previous

planning and adapt it to meet the needs of their current class. FTT system is being used which will reduce time spent on detailed assessments, marking

policies have been reviewed and continue to be reviewed annually. Joining DOWMAT has provided more training and networking opportunities and

staff have valued this. There is pressure on the money and therefore this does impact on the amount of resources teachers have access to but with

prudency and creativity we currently are able to provide what teachers need. The creative use of volunteers, trainee teachers, each other and TA

cover, have supported staff to fulfil their roles by providing additional human resource.

School look after each other. Staff deeply care for the children; they know them well and respond to their academic and emotional needs. Parents

feel confident to talk about their own needs as parents as well as the needs of their child.

Next Steps:

Mental Health and wellbeing practices and policy are reviewed.


Strand 5: Dignity and Respect

In creating a school environment built on dignity and respect a school must evaluate:

a) How well does your school’s Christian vision and associated values uphold dignity, Valuing All God’s Children ensuring through its policy

and practice the protection of all members of the school community?

b) How well does the whole curriculum provide opportunities for all pupils to understand, respect and celebrate difference and diversity?

c) Does the school have an approach to relationships and sex education (RSE) that ensures children are able to cherish themselves and

others as unique and wonderfully made, and to form healthy relationships where they respect and dignify others. (From 2020 onward)


Central to Christian theology is the truth that every single one of us is made in the image of God. Every one of us is loved unconditionally by God. We must avoid, at all

costs, diminishing the dignity of any individual to a stereotype or a problem. Church of England schools offer a community where everyone is a person known and loved

by God, supported to know their intrinsic value. (Extract from opening words of Valuing All God’s Children).

The school’s Christian vision upholds dignity in its policies and practices. There have been challenging situations where the utmost dignity and

respect has had to be taken. School have dealt with very difficult staffing challenges by trying to honour the statement above while also not

accepting behaviour that goes against the school’s code of conduct. Processes are thorough and fair and time is given thoughtfully to ensure that the

outcome is explained and understood. Relationships remain dignified and respectful throughout the process.

Love for all is part of what we do day in day out; love for the children, the parents, families, Governors and each other. We accept each other for

who we are and value the voice of each person. Treating each other with respect and dignity. You see this in the relationships, in the way people

say sorry and the way people listen to each other.

A key principle with Pupil Premium allocation is to ensure that every eligible child knows that they are able to access opportunities in the same way

as every other pupil at school. This is not an explicit ‘I know’ situation where they are told and therefore they are different, it is shown in the fact

that they are confident in the knowing. E.g. a child can ask for guitar lessons, access to drama club, to purchase the end of year hoody or photo,

money for cake at a cake sale- they know they can access what others have if they choose. This is done with dignity and respect when they often

know that their families face extreme financial hardship. It is key to our inclusive Vision- LOVE-LIGHT-ALL.

The Gambia link is a powerful driver for understanding, respecting and celebrating difference and diversity. It provides children with a real link to a

community very different from their own. British Council themes –Identity and Belonging, Sustainable Living, Fairness and Equality, Conflict and

Peace, Rights and Responsibilities, have been as part of the curriculum based projects which have been varied in titles and content e.g. Friendship,

Water, Only one You, Stories, Journeys, Birds and Trees, Games, Weather and Seasons, People in Action, Gardens… We have always tried to pick

themes that respect their culture and concerns and look at similarities as well as differences through them.

The curriculum supports the development of respectful and dignifies language so that the children are tolerant of difference. They demonstrate this

through the sensitive way they support each other and treat those in our school who need extra help and support. They do it without even

thinking. Curriculum opportunities are woven into topics and children speak with confidence about difference and diversity. Staff challenge

stereotypical thinking through discussion so that they are exposed to a great array of diversity.

https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2063731/valuinggodchildren.pdf


Children’s unique talents are celebrated through the Curriculum. Gold Book Assemblies and Church services provide a platform for each child to

make a contribution about their learning and parents are invited to share these collective celebrations. Well done assembly at the end of each week

celebrates the work and efforts of individuals.

We try to demonstrate how an open minded approach to ideas can support learning. This can be demonstrated through our Jishobiki work with

Professor Fukaya from Chubu University. His annual visits offer a chance for the children to be taught by him and introduced to a different teaching

style. Jishobiki is a dictionary based programme that supports the development of vocabulary by building on children’s existing knowledge- what

they already know. Curiosity to find and learn new words is a powerful component of the method. Children talk openly about the benefits it has

brought them and what they have learnt.

We use BBC ‘Growing up’ programme as a basis for our RSE teaching. It includes the scientific elements of reproduction and puberty while also

providing materials to support the teaching and importance of relationships and self-worth. The children respond well to the programme and

discussions are open and respectful. Parents are invited to view the materials if they wish.

Healthy relationships are developed through action and restorative behaviour approaches. Collective Worship and the messages around ‘how we

live our lives’ often makes links to respect and dignity and the relationships we have with others. Children are encouraged to take on board the

messages through the ‘window’, reflect on them personally through the ‘mirror’ and then go through the ‘door’ ready to take action.

Next Steps

To look at mental health and wellbeing policy and practices- how effective is our offer?

Strand 6: The impact of collective worship:

In developing collective worship that is inclusive, invitational and inspiring the school community needs to evaluate the extent to which worship:

a) Offers the opportunity, without compulsion, to all pupils and adults to grow spiritually through experiences of prayer, stillness, worship

and reflection

b) Enables all pupils and adults to appreciate that Christians worship in different ways, for example using music, silence, story, prayer,

reflection, the varied liturgical and other traditions of Anglican/Methodist worship, festivals and, where appropriate, the Eucharist.

c) Helps pupils and adults to appreciate the relevance of faith in today’s world, to encounter the teachings of Jesus and the Bible and to

develop their understanding of the Christian belief in the Trinitarian nature of God and its language.

d) Enables pupils as well as adults to engage in the planning, leading and evaluation of collective worship in ways that lead to improving

practice. Leaders of worship, including clergy, have access to regular training.

e) Encourages local church community partnerships to support the school effectively in developing its provision for collective worship.



Collective worship uses the windows, mirror, door from Roots and Fruits, which is also explained in our Developing Spirituality Policy. Children are

offered, through invitation to take on board the ideas and messages, reflect on them and transform through action. Children are provided with

opportunities to develop their spiritual capacities. There is time for prayer, stillness, worship and reflection.

The daily worship takes different forms and we have recently purchased Roots and Fruits 2 which will expand the variety of liturgical traditions

offered. Rev. Chris, our local incumbent visits school weekly and the commitment he demonstrates through action reflects our school values. Children

respond well to his worship because he tells stories from the bible in endearing ways and leads the children in the traditional Lords’ Prayer. He has

always prayed for school in Sunday services in Church but we have recently asked that he make this more responsive to the requests of pupils and

he is now keeping a note of their prayer requests.

Roots and Fruits values are used half termly and there is an opportunity for each child to complete a reflection journal around that value. Children’s

responses are thoughtful and demonstrate good understanding.

The whole school recently visited Worcester Cathedral (July 2019) and completed a tour of the building and took part in Eucharist and Prayer Stone

workshops. This was an opportunity to learn about the Eucharist in a significant place, understanding its importance to Christianity and the place it

has in Church Services.

Jesus’ love and his teachings are used to inspire the pupils to act as he would have acted and to appreciate the relevance of faith today. The children

confidently use liturgical language of the language of the trinity within worship.

Children take an active role in planning, leading and evaluating worship. Time is precious in school and the documenting the evaluation is time

consuming so we include evaluation in the discussion when planning for the next week’s worship- What went well? What needs changing? Any

resources needed? This method has most impact on improving worship because it is live and real and changes can be made in response to requests.

Staff openly support the ideas of the children and together they plan quality Collective Worship and there is a transition period of pupil to pupil

training as part of succession planning. We have a team of pupils who lead Values Worship, another who lead on Roots and Fruits 1 and others who

support Rev. Chris with Bible readings and preparations. Children are excited and inspired to lead worship. For Pentecost two year 6 pupils lead the

worship in St Gregory’s Church which has inspired other to want to do the same.

Biblical references linked to our Vision are repeated and referenced more often to instill the understanding of LOVE-LIGHT-ALL.

The SLA with the diocese provides access to a wide variety of training and it has been accessed as necessary by all stakeholders.

The church community partnership is extremely strong, Ideas are shared so that provision supports the community and develops and reflects current

thinking. St Gregory’s Church is an extension of school and is used as a resource for RE and a special place for worship. At times of great difficulty,

for children for example when children lost their mother, staff were able to take them to Church to say a prayer and visit the grave. For mothers’

day staff take the children to put the flowers sold by Friends of Castlemorton on her grave. Children have asked to visit Church to find a space for

stillness and prayer. Other examples are when it is prayer week, children have visited Church and have been invited to tie a ribbon on the tree and


to send their prayers to God. A display of Christmas cards depicting the Nativity Story are displayed each year and the children look forward to their

visit to see the cards.

Children talk positively about assembly/worship. They enjoy the coming together and as a small school the majority of our worship is as a whole

school.

Children are invited to send prayers to God and most do so. They talk positively about how prayers can help themselves and others.

Governors monitor worship and feedback to the full governing body and the Headteacher who is also RE coordinator. Feedback has been positive.

Next Steps:

To adapt and modify in light of reflections and evaluations. Maintain strong pupil input.

Do you think the impact of collective worship at Castlemorton CE Primary is currently good Yes/No

Strand 7: The effectiveness of religious education

In developing effective religious education, a school must evaluate the extent to which: -

a) Through effective curriculum planning, RE provision reflects the Church of England Statement of Entitlement, or Methodist equivalent,

develops religious literacy and meets statutory obligations.

i. How well does RE help pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living world faith through the exploration of core

theological concepts using an approach that critically engages with text? How well does RE help pupils consider the impact and

connection that Christianity has on Britain’s cultural heritage and the lives of people worldwide?

ii. How well does RE enable all pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of other major world religions and world views and

their impact on society and culture?

iii. How well does RE give pupils a safe space to critically reflect on their own religious, spiritual and /or philosophical convictions?

b) Do teachers share effective practice locally and regionally and engage in professional development? Does RE have in place rigorous

systems of assessment?


The introduction of key question sheets to plan out a unit, knowledge organisers and Kahoot quizzes has had a dramatic impact on the retention of

knowledge and on the development of key skills. Children are positive and excited about RE.

Understanding Christianity materials support the pupils in knowing about and understanding Christianity as a living faith. These materials alongside

the Worcestershire agreed syllabus allows children to critically engage with text (biblical texts, poems, hymns, extracts from biographies, quotes,

stories, prayers…). The pupils respond well to text and generally have a good understanding of Christianity.


Older pupils especially have more understanding of the link Christianity has to Britain’s cultural heritage but links are made at all ages through the

Christian celebrations through the year. Children learn about Harvest, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Candlemas, Lent and Easter, Pentecost in RE

and also through worship and services in Church. There is an overlap that allows for deeper understanding and appreciation of Christian traditions.

Christianity as a worldwide faith is explained and taught in RE using a variety of resources and online materials so that children can see and share

understanding of Christianity across the world. Teaching of other faiths and world views is done in a similar way to Christianity. Although more of

the curriculum is dedicated to the teachings of Jesus and of Christianity.

RE provides a platform to teach about diversity and open children’s minds to tolerant and inclusive thinking. The children respond well to this and

participate well in discussion. Their views are thoughtful and respectful. They consider how to respond carefully.

The materials for the Worcestershire syllabus provide a good starting point for teaching the major religions of the world but staff complement the

materials with other books, artefacts, resources and visits so that the topic has more resonance. For example in year 3/4 children were learning about

being a Hindu in Britain today and the burning of incense reminded them of a trip to the Hindu Temple in Key Stage 1. Taking time to set up the puja

table and making links to online videos provided the children with real life images that supported understanding. They asked more questions as a

result and retained more of what they have learnt because learning was meaningful and relevant.

RE allows children to form their own opinions and they talk openly about their considerations. Some children have formed deep convictions while

others are still learning about what they think and feel. RE provides a space for them to explore, change their minds, alter their views, and deepen

their convictions while respectfully learning about those of others.

The SLA with the diocese provides training and staff and Governors actively engage with aspects of the training programme that are relevant. E.g.

Understanding Christianity, SIAMS training, Headteacher and Chair of Governor briefings.

The Headteacher/RE coordinator also attends RE hub meetings where updates are given and discussed and activities planned for children from

different schools. E.g. RE debate.

Assessment of RE is linked to each topic and children are assessed at either meeting the expected criteria, emerging or exceeding. These grades are

then accumulated in the annual report where an overall grade for RE is given along with a description of how well the work was covered. Children

often do well in RE when they find other subjects more challenging and we delight and celebrate in these successes. We look to extend the thinking

of those pupils who have prior attainment that exceeds the criteria and look to support others who are working towards meeting the criteria.

Floor books and individual folders are used to capture work as a class. This is very effective especially for discussion where the views of the class can

be seen at a glance.

How effective is RE teaching and learning in the school? (In VA and former VA schools only)


Subject Strengths

Quality of discussion and child’s reflections and understanding.

Quality of education through teaching and learning – use of key questions and knowledge organisers.

Next Steps

To review RE 2 year cycle plan after completion.

Based only on your monitoring of teaching and learning in RE is the effectiveness of RE in

(school name) currently good

Yes/No

Overall Judgement: Do you think you have the evidence to demonstrate that Castlemorton CE

Primary is currently a good church school?

Yes/No

Self-evaluation audit tool: Vision Provision Impact · evaluation) however they feel is appropriate for them. This audit tool is designed to be a short summary and record of the Church

Documents