Coomb Briggs Primary School

Coomb Briggs Primary School Royal Drive, Immingham, DN40 2DY Inspection dates 26-27 September 2012

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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

 Teaching is not always planned well; in some lessons some pupils are not stretched enough and others find the work too difficult.  In a minority of lessons teachers spend too too long on complex introductions and explanations and do not explore pupils’ understanding sufficiently. As a result, in these lessons, pupils are not always clear about what they have to do, nor do they have the time to discuss their ideas and complete work successfully to achieve more.  Through well-planned training, teachers have good opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge but practice is too variable to ensure good achievement in every class.  While pupils attain broadly average standards in English at the end of Year 6, standards in reading are not as high as in writing. Fewer pupils attain above-average levels because the recent improvements in reading provision have yet to impact on pupils’ achievement in reading in Years 3 to 6.

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

 Standards in mathematics are broadly average at the end of Year 6. They are not higher because too few pupils attain above-average levels. This is because not all pupils apply their calculation skills accurately in problem solving, particularly when working independently.  While school leaders monitor and evaluate the school’s performance regularly, pupils’ achievement is no better than satisfactory overall because there is some lack of rigour.  In these activities the governing body is is not sufficiently involved in checking the accuracy of the school’s self-evaluation.

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The school has the following strengths

 There is some good teaching in the school and in these classes pupils achieve well.  Improved strategies to promote reading have had a positive impact, particularly in Years 1 and 2 where progress is accelerating.  Pupils’ behaviour is good; attendance is above the national average; pupils feel safe, happy and well cared for at school.  Pupils are enthusiastic about activities such as gardening, fundraising and working with, for example, groups in the wider community.  Leaders foster good relations with the local community and are committed to making the improvements required to raise achievement.  Parents are generally very positive about the school.

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Information about this inspection

■ Inspectors observed 17 lessons, eight of which were joint observations with the headteacher and senior managers. In addition, inspectors made a few other visits to classes, looked at pupils’ workbooks and listened to a number children read. ■ Meetings were held with pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, senior and middle managers and a representative from the local authority. ■ In presenting the inspection findings inspectors took account of the 13 responses to the on- line questionnaire for parents (Parent View) and feedback to the school from parents. ■ Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Rajinder Harrison, Lead inspector Additional inspector Michael Wintle Additional inspector

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Information about this school

■ This is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. ■ The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well below the national average. ■ The percentage of pupils supported at school action is average. The percentage supported by school action plus is well above the national average. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational needs. ■ The number of pupils who join the school part-way through Key Stage 2 is higher than would be expected in some cohorts, but generally most join in the Early Years Foundation Stage. ■ The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Accelerate the progress of all pupils by improving teaching, especially in Key Stage 2, so that it is consistently good or better in every class by ensuring that:  teachers’ planning matches the needs of all pupils effectively and that all pupils are challenged suitably  lesson introductions are clear and concise so that pupils understand what they are learning  all teachers deploy any teaching assistants in their classes to maximum effect throughout each lesson  teachers check pupils’ understanding before they undertake independent work by asking probing questions  pupils have more opportunities to share their ideas and extend their learning, and sufficient time to complete their tasks successfully.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Raise achievement in mathematics and reading in Years 3 to 6 by ensuring that:  pupils have a secure grasp of calculation skills and that they apply these skills confidently in their problem-solving activities  teachers have higher expectations of all pupils, but particularly the more able  that the accelerated progress in reading at Key Stage 1 is maintained through Key Stage 2.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Improve the leadership and management of the school by ensuring that:  the monitoring of teaching is rigorous and accurate and fully focused on evaluating the impact of teaching on outcomes for pupils  the governing body is involved fully in this monitoring and in checking that the school’s self -evaluation is accurate  senior managers use the good teaching that exists in the school to influence high performance throughout  teachers maximise the many opportunities they have to improve their skills so that their performance is consistently good.

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Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils requires improvement ■ Achievement is not good because teaching is not consistently good. In a minority of lessons work is not matched accurately to pupils’ ability and some pupils, particularly the more able, do not achieve as well as they might. ■ Overall standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average in English and mathematics. Standards in mathematics and reading are not as high as those in writing because a lower proportion of pupils achieve above-average levels. In reading, the recent improvements in provision have not had sufficient time to accelerate pupils’ achievement at Key Stage 2; and in mathematics a minority of pupils lack confidence in their calculation skills when working on problem solving independently. ■ Pupils start school in the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge typically expected of children at that age. ■ Pupils make satisfactory progress through the school. The level of challenge is not always

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Inspection judgements

high enough in every class for the more able pupils to achieve more, particularly in mathematics. Accelerated progress in reading is evident in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 where the improved provision to develop pupils’ letters and sounds skills has had a marked impact on raising achievement in reading. This impact has not yet filtered through into Key Stage 2, where at end of Year 6 a lower-than-expected proportion achieve above-average standards. ■ Pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs achieve as well as their classmates because they receive the support they need to do so. Specialist support is identified where pupils have specific needs in order to ensure they achieve successfully. ■ The progress of pupils supported by the pupil premium is generally similar to that of other pupils because the school deploys its resources well to support their needs. ■ Since the previous inspection the school has taken effective steps to raise standards from

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Inspection judgements

below average to average at the end of Year 2. Despite an increased number of pupils joining the school in Key Stage 2 and so facing interruptions in their learning in the last year, the school has maintained broadly average standards at the end of Year 6. ■ Pupils have a secure grasp of a range of strategies to extend their reading skills. Children learn to recognise letters and the sounds they make in the Early Years Foundation Stage and through Years 1 and 2. They learn to blend sounds and build words confidently. While standards in English are average, pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to discuss their ideas in order to achieve more.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching requires improvement ■ The overall quality of teaching over time requires improvement because too few lessons are good or better. ■ Where teaching is good, teachers make lessons interesting and fun by involving pupils in discussions that help them to extend their learning. In these lessons teachers make the purpose of the learning clear and keep their introductions brief so pupils remain attentive and enthusiastic. Through probing questions they check pupils’ understanding so pupils are clear about what they have to do and have the time they need to succeed. ■ However, in too many lessons, while elements of good practice exist, teaching is less well planned to accelerate progress. In some lessons the work is not matched accurately to pupils’ needs as it is too easy for some and too difficult for others. Sometimes introductions are too long and complex. Consequently, they do not always understand what to do and

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Inspection judgements

have insufficient time to complete work successfully. Occasionally, to accelerate pace, teachers miss opportunities to extend pupils’ learning through discussions so that pupils are more confident when working independently. ■ In most lessons teachers deploy teaching assistants well to support targeted pupils so that they achieve successfully. However, teaching assistants are not always used to maximum effect when teachers lead whole-class presentations.

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Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good ■ Pupils’ good behaviour is a strength of the school. Pupils are keen to learn. They show high regard for all staff and these positive relationships encourage pupils to try hard, knowing that they will receive help if they need it. ■ Pupils feel safe and well looked after at school. They have a good understanding of how keep themselves safe. Older pupils act as good role models for younger pupils, for example at lunchtimes and during assemblies. ■ Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including on the internet. They say that incidents of bullying are rare but, when it occurs, staff deal with it effectively. The school takes prompt action to tackle any form of discriminatory behaviour. ■ Pupils are kind and supportive of others and help each other, for example by sharing resources and taking turns when using computers. ■ Pupils enjoy school because they say they like being there. This is reflected in pupils’ good

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Inspection judgements

attendance and in the way most pupils settle quickly to their tasks. ■ Parents raise no concerns about behaviour in the school. They express positive views about the way the school cares for their children and supports their learning. ■ Staff are extremely positive about pupils’ good behaviour and their eagerness to learn and participate in all that the school organises. For example, pupils talk very excitedly about the school’s talent show and the various trips they have been on to extend their learning.

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Inspection judgements

The leadership and management requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

■ Leadership and management require improvement because the school’s performance is not consistently good. The school is somewhat over-generous in its self-evaluation. ■ Staff have had good opportunities to develop their skills and improve their teaching but, because the monitoring of teaching is not sufficiently robust, classroom practice is too variable to ensure consistently good achievement. ■ The leadership of teaching requires improvement because:  the monitoring and evaluation of teachers’ performance lacks rigour, particularly in checking the impact of teaching on pupils’ achievement  pupils’ progress data indicate good progress for many pupils but this is not realised in consistently good achievement at the end of each key stage. ■ Improvement planning identifies the right priorities but does not focus sharply enough on how improvements will raise pupils’ achievement quickly. This is because plans do not

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Inspection judgements

always include rigorous success criteria against which the managers and governors can measure the success of their actions and the subsequent impact on outcomes for pupils. ■ The leaders and managers are ambitious for pupils. They have satisfactory performance management procedures to tackle inadequate teaching when it is identified. They have improved teaching to ensure that pupils attain average standards at the end of Year 2 and developed provision for reading so that pupils’ progress is accelerating. Following the results of tests in 2012 the school has identified mathematics as a key improvement area this year. The targets set are the right ones to help the school move forward. These improvements demonstrate that the school has the leadership required to make further improvements. ■ The school is vigilant in supporting individual pupils who need help with their learning. Those whose circumstances have made them vulnerable are supported well through firmly

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Inspection judgements

established links with other agencies, and the funding provided to support pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is used satisfactorily. ■ While very few parents contributed their views during the inspection, those that did were generally positive about the school and said that they would recommend it to others. ■ Curricular enrichment is good. For example, pupils talk excitedly about tending the school garden so they can enter competitions and plan community events so that they extend their experience of the wider community and understand their role within it. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds have equal access to all that the school provides and, through well- planned opportunities, pupils learn to respect diversity effectively. ■ Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through the curriculum as a whole, but particularly through the responsibilities pupils undertake as they

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Inspection judgements

progress through the school. ■ The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements. ■ Good links with other schools support school improvement effectively. ■ The local authority has an accurate overview of the school and provides appropriate support. ■ The governance of the school:  While the governing body is supportive of the school and the leadership team, it is not involved sufficiently in:  monitoring the school’s performance, particularly the teaching and learning  checking the accuracy of the school’s self evaluation  ensuring that the improvement priorities lead to good outcomes for all pupils.

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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 pupil’s 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 pupil’s 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 117907 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Inspection number 401705

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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 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Valerie Crosby Headteacher Mrs Jayne Day Date of previous school inspection 21-22 October 2009 Telephone number 01469 572584 01469 578302 Fax number

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School details

Email address head@cbriggs.nelcmail.co.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

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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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