Kirton Lindsey Primary School

Kirton Lindsey Primary School Cornwall Street, Kirton Lindsey, Gainsborough, DN21 4EH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ attainment has, over time, been broadly average by the end of Year 6, although the proportions of pupils reaching higher levels in writing and mathematics has been below average.  The downward trend of below average attainment in Year 2 has been arrested and standards in reading, writing and mathematics have improved significantly. There are not yet the proportions of pupils making more than expected progress for achievement to be good.  The quality of teaching has been improved significantly. A significant amount is good or outstanding but some requires improvement and it is this that prevents pupils from making good progress over time.  There is a small amount of teaching that fails to engage pupils effectively which contributes to weaker attitudes to learning for a minority of younger pupils, who sometimes have trouble settling and concentrating on their work.

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The school has the following strengths

 Good leadership is embedded and the pupils’ performance and teaching quality is monitored rigorously. Good improvement is taking place and standards are rising rapidly and securely.  Strong teaching in Years 4, 5 and 6 raises the rate of pupils’ progress and is rapidly closing gaps in their learning.  Around school, pupils are calm, friendly and polite. The school has good arrangements to help those pupils who may be vulnerable and need additional help, which results in pupils feeling safe.  Provision for the children in the Reception Year is good; teaching in particular, which ensures all children make good progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors who observed 16 lessons, involving nine teachers.  Inspectors met with pupils, staff, representatives of the governing body and held a discussion with a representative of the local authority. They examined a range of the school’s documentation, including its policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe, data on pupils’ academic performance and its evaluation of the school’s work.  Inspectors spoke to parents and carers and scrutinised the views of 22 parents and carers expressed in the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Alan Lemon, Lead inspector Additional inspector Janet Lomas Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Kirton Lindsey is smaller than the average sized primary school. The number of pupils on roll has increased from 171 in 2010 to 208 in 2012. The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  Compared with all primary schools, the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average. Similarly, the proportions supported through school action and school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are average. The number of pupils who enter the school or leave other than at the usual time is above average.  There has been a recent significant change in staffing. Five teachers were appointed for September 2012, two of whom are new to the senior leadership team.  The school is co-located with a children’s centre which is managed independently. Provision made for pupils before and after school is also managed independently.  The school meets current government floor standards,which are the expected minimum

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Information about this school

standards set for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the already significant improvements and accelerate further improvement in the quality of teaching and the standard of pupils’ writing and mathematics by: – ensuring there is good expertise in teaching writing and mathematics – teachers being consistent in setting high expectations in both subjects – planning lessons so that pupils build systematically on what they have already achieved and learn all of the requisite skills in order to make good progress – ensuring lessons are challenging enough for pupils of all abilities and that pupils have greater scope to take charge of their own learning – providing more opportunities for pupils to evaluate their progress supported by consistently good feedback from teachers on what pupils have achieved.

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Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 Pupils’ progress has improved as a result of strong and effective leadership on raising achievement. However, the rate of progress over time has not been consistent enough to enable a significant proportion of pupils to make good progress overall. Some residual weaknesses in teaching mean that occasionally in lessons pupils make less progress than expected.  In several previous years, by the end of Year 2, attainment was on a downward trajectory. This decline has been halted and, in 2012, because of the impact of strong leadership effectively tackling weaknesses in teaching that caused some underachievement, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics across the school have improved significantly.  Attainment in 2012 at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 was broadly average and an above average proportion of pupils made expected progress in reading through Key Stage 2. Overall, the rate of pupils’ progress is accelerating, and attainment is rising securely. As yet,

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Inspection judgements

fewer pupils than average make more than expected progress by the end of Year 6 in writing and mathematics. In 2012, an above average proportion of pupils attained Level 5 and made more than expected progress in reading.  Progress is good in the Reception Year and the pace of learning is now being maintained in Years 1 and 2. Progress in Year 6 is very rapid and is closing the gaps opened up in some previous years.  Improvements in teaching have eliminated the legacy of underachievement, although more is required to ensure that over time pupils make consistently good progress in writing and mathematics. Leaders are focused on achieving this and are driving improvements in teaching through teachers’ professional development. In particular, improving writing and mathematics has a high priority in teachers’ performance management. This is ensuring a sharp and effective focus across the school on raising achievement.

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Inspection judgements

 Pupils supported through the pupil premium, as well as pupils supported through school action, school action plus and those with a statement of special educational needs have over time made less progress than other groups. More recently, as an outcome of leaders’ rigorous monitoring of pupils’ progress and setting challenging targets for all pupils, the gap between these groups of pupils and others has closed. However, as for many other pupils, their progress in writing and mathematics is slower than in reading.  Pupils have only recently been given sufficient opportunity at an early enough stage to develop good writing skills in order to tackle higher level work. The expectations set for good quality of writing are not consistent enough for pupils to achieve high standards. In a few mathematics lessons, particularly in Key Stage 1, pupils are slow to learn all the skills they need to subtract mentally. They also have too few opportunities to hone their number

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 The quality of teaching across the school is improving rapidly. Leaders’ monitoring of teaching shows it is much less variable in quality than in the past. Currently, while some is outstanding and a fair proportion is good, a little still requires improvement.  Good teaching in the Reception Year ensures all children are developing their capacity to learn at a fast rate and enjoy school. Good expertise in teaching children to link letters and sounds, write and to count means children quickly acquire a good level of basic skills ready for entering Year 1.  Across the school, good teaching draws effectively on knowledge of pupils’ prior attainment and capabilities to plan challenging lessons. This is particularly prevalent in Years 4, 5 and 6. Knowing pupils well and by keeping a close check of their progress in lessons, teachers question and support in ways that help pupils consolidate new learning and move on at a

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Inspection judgements

good rate.  Outstanding teaching sets high expectations and lessons move at a fast pace. Pupils manage the demands well and learn very effectively, achieving high standards in their work. Handheld computers are used very effectively by pupils and the teacher to access learning resources. In an outstanding Year 6 English lesson, lower-attaining pupils’ writing was significantly improved by them frequently revisiting a video of a scene on a handset. This proved a considerable help in them thinking and together finding interesting, sophisticated language to write good descriptive sentences.  Where some teaching has less impact it is because it is not focused sharply on how pupils learn effectively. Feedback to pupils on their progress sometimes lacks good advice and support on what to do to improve. Occasionally, pupils have few opportunities to use their knowledge and skills to learn independently and have to listen to their teachers for too

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Inspection judgements

long.  Leaders have a firm grasp of the weaknesses that currently exist in a small amount of teaching and are resolute in tackling these. Presently, some of the teaching of writing and mathematics lacks enough expertise and here teachers’ expectations are occasionally not yet high enough. New concepts and learning objectives are not explained well enough with the result that pupils are unclear on how to approach a task.  In a few lessons, the planning of pupils’ work gives insufficient attention to what pupils already know or the next steps they need to take. This sometimes causes younger pupils’ loss of interest, poor concentration and low-level distractions from the work to be done.

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Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 A few of Years 1 and 2 pupils’ attitudes to learning are adversely affected by teaching that fails to engage them in interesting, challenging work. High enough expectations for good behaviour are not set for these pupils. As a result, they do not always settle well in lessons and lack concentration.  More generally, pupils are amenable to behaving well. When expectations are clear, as in the Reception Year and for the oldest pupils, classes are settled and pupils stay focused on their work and activities. Pupils behave well around the school and say typical behaviour is good, which reflects what parents say. The very few pupils who have difficulty in always behaving well are supported effectively by the school’s learning mentor.  In and around the school pupils are calm, friendly and polite. In general, they show good regard for each other and are keen on helping. They are made aware of different forms of

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Inspection judgements

bullying although the incidence of bullying is very low. Pupils are reassured in being able to raise any concerns and by the positive way in which their concerns are dealt with.  The extent to which pupils are actively engaged in the life of the school has improved significantly. The pupils’ parliament provides many opportunities for pupils to share in decisions and contribute ideas. This promotes their understanding of democracy, rights and responsibility and is one of many ways in which their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is developed.  Pupils feel safe in school and all of the arrangements for keeping them safe are well implemented and robust.

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Inspection judgements

 Good leadership and management provide the school with clear direction and this has raised standards and improved teaching. Expectations have been raised and a culture of ‘can do better’ has taken root. Barriers to improvement have been removed, staff morale is high and they are fully behind the headteacher’s ambitious aims for the school. Recent appointments have added substantial experience and expertise to the team of teachers and this has a positive impact on improving performance.  The school’s capacity for further improvement is good. Rigorous monitoring and robust evaluation of the school’s work is embedded in leadership and increasingly influencing how teachers plan lessons and understand their impact. The outcomes of self-evaluation drive teachers’ performance management. Their annual targets focus sharply on where pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching needs to improve.  Leaders have an accurate assessment of what requires improvement and are effectively

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Inspection judgements

tackling the areas where pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching need to be stronger. This informs the current development plan and performance management targets for every teacher. Improvement is closely monitored and progress is good. The overall picture shows clearly that leaders are improving pupils’ outcomes and strengthening teaching.  A new partnership with another primary school has been valuable in further developing leadership and management, broadening teacher’s professional development and in refining the moderation of assessments of pupils’ work.  The curriculum is sufficiently broad and matched to pupils’ prior attainment and different capabilities. It provides opportunities across subjects to promote pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Good progress has been made by creating further engaging and enjoyable work for pupils, for example the substantial flower and vegetable garden in the school

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Inspection judgements

grounds.  The local authority monitors the school’s performance and supports it with an accurate annual evaluation of its effectiveness. An officer is attached to the school who maintains a regular dialogue with school leaders on school effectiveness. The local authority’s dialogue and reports contribute significantly to leaders’ evaluations and priorities for improvement.  The governance of the school – governors take part in a wide range of relevant training which equips them well to perform their duties effectively. Their good knowledge and understanding of the school and its strengths and weaknesses are used in monitoring the school and challenging leaders effectively. As a result, the governing body sets high expectations and has ensured a good pace of improvement – the governing body stays closely involved in the day-to-day work of the school and stays well-informed. Governors are rigorous in gaining and interpreting information

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Inspection judgements

from the school about its performance. Through their frequent visits and contacts with staff, governors evaluate critically the extent to which the school is improving.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 117739 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 401688

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 208 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kay O’Brien Headteacher Collette Randall Date of previous school inspection 1 February 2010 Telephone number 01652 648792 Fax number 01652 649420 Email address head.kirtonlindseyprimary@northlincs.gov.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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