Pottery Primary School

Pottery Primary School Kilbourne Road, Belper, DE56 1HA

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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 Requires improvement 3

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

 Teaching is not consistently effective because not enough is demanded of some pupils who are not always actively involved in lessons.  Not enough pupils reach the higher levels in their work.  Pupils cannot always work out well enough how to read words that they do not know.  Some pupils do not have the confidence and skills to write imaginatively and in detail or to solve mathematical problems speedily.  Senior staff and governors are not rigorous enough in checking what happens in school to find out what needs improving.  Senior leaders do not always have clearly defined responsibilities to develop teaching.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils enjoy their time at school because staff warmly welcome and include everyone.  Pupils show a clear understanding of how to keep safe.  Senior leaders and governors are passionate in their support of the school and their commitment to further improvement.  The staff work well together as a team and share a vision for the future.  There are examples of good teaching, particularly in Reception, Year 2 and Year 6, which enables pupils in these classes to make good progress.  There is a suitable plan for improvement which is linked to further training for staff.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 25 lessons or parts of lessons taken by teachers and teaching assistants, including some guided reading activities. Groups of pupils also read individually to inspectors.  Inspectors took account of the views of 41 parents and carers through the online questionnaire Parent View and had brief discussions with several parents at the start of the second day.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, groups of pupils, representatives of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, a member of the Early Years Foundation Stage team and the special educational needs coordinators.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on recent and current progress, planning and monitoring information, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding, and minutes of recent meetings of the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 During most of the inspection, the headteacher’s role was covered by an acting headteacher and an assistant headteacher.

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Inspection team

Sue Hall, Lead inspector Additional inspector John Taylor Additional inspector Gillian Broughton Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is larger than the average sized primary school.  A below-average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  An average proportion of pupils are identified at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational need. Their different needs include behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and moderate learning difficulties.  Approximately 97% of pupils are of White British heritage. A very small number are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language.  In 2011, the most recent year for which results are confirmed, the school met the government’s floor standard, which is the minimum expected for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is on-site provision for nursery-aged children and an after-school group. These are

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Information about this school

not managed by the school and are inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching by:  ensuring that all staff use information from assessments to provide work that fully challenges pupils of different abilities  checking that pupils are actively involved in all parts of lessons, especially by providing more opportunities for them to discuss their ideas with other pupils and adults.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by:  making sure that all pupils develop a secure knowledge of letters and the sounds they make so that they can work out unfamiliar words  checking that all pupils throughout the school read to an adult on a regular basis so that they continue to develop the skills appropriate to their age and ability  providing tasks that systematically build pupils’ writing skills through a series of activities that interest and motivate everyone to try hard with their work  ensuring that pupils develop the confidence to solve mathematical problems speedily.

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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 teaching activities are rigorously monitored and clear feedback is given to all staff to identify what needs to be improved  checking that the areas of responsibility of senior staff are clearly defined and specifically identify how to drive improvements in teaching  ensuring that governors develop rigorous procedures to check areas for which they hold responsibility, including the impact of initiatives such as the use of the pupil premium and risk assessments of the classrooms and corridors.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils enter the Reception classes with skills that vary from year to year. School data indicate that overall skills, knowledge and understanding are in line with the expectations for their age. The recent intake of children, however, has a lively interest in what goes on around them and currently makes good overall progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In recent years, standards by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics have been in line with national averages. Samples of recent work and lesson observations show that progress for all groups of pupils requires improvement. Achievement is sometimes good but is not consistently so across the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Boys and girls make similar progress, but too few reach levels above the average in their work. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive additional support funded by the pupil premium, the local authority and the school. The quality of support is, however, mixed, and so is the progress pupils make. The very small number of pupils speaking English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Some higher ability pupils across the school do not make all the progress they could because work is not consistently demanding for them.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Many pupils read competently, but relatively few do so fluently and with notable enthusiasm. Several lack the confidence to use different approaches to working out unfamiliar words, and their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make is variable. Discussions indicate some older pupils rarely read to a trained adult, and this limits their further progress in developing a range of reading strategies.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils acquire the skills of writing in different styles but do not consistently develop an extensive vocabulary and the ability to write imaginatively, at length and in depth.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils have a sound understanding of number operations but often lack the confidence to use what they already know to solve mathematical problems confidently and speedily.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The overall quality of teaching over time requires improvement because not enough of the teaching is good or better.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In Reception, Year 2 and Year 6, where teaching is most effective, there is a good balance between adults giving information and pupils working on a task. For example, in the Reception class, activities related to learning the letter and sound ‘h’ were short and snappy and with an element of fun that engaged the children. In Year 6, mathematical tasks were explained clearly but succinctly, and contained a good level of challenge.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 All staff have warm and supportive working relationships with pupils. They use praise well to build pupils’ self-esteem, so that many become confident learners. Older pupils know the levels at which they are working and the targets they have for improving, for example, the quality of their writing.  Teachers have sound subject knowledge but do not make effective enough use of their checks on pupils’ progress to ensure that work is demanding for those of different abilities. During information and communication technology lessons, for example, staff sometimes demonstrate skills that some pupils have already mastered.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Occasionally, adults talk for too long, which limits the pace of learning and opportunities for pupils to discuss their ideas with others. This affects the concentration of some pupils and leads to them becoming passive learners who simply ‘drift off’ after a while.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The effectiveness of support for pupils with additional needs is variable. This is sometimes because the deployment of support staff is not well enough planned, or because the level of challenge that they provide is not high enough to move learning forward.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 A strength of the school is how all pupils are welcomed, accepted and included. Most get on well together, with many of those spoken to during the inspection saying they like school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. Most behave well, for example when moving around the school and at break-times, even in the very crowded school yard. Staff are very aware of safety issues on a limited school site. They discuss with the pupils their expectation of good behaviour, which many are keen to live up to.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are able to explain clearly what constitutes bullying. They recognise concerns regarding internet safety and the issues connected with social networking. They identify society’s concern about racism and know that this is not tolerated in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are variable and, therefore, overall behaviour requires some improvement. Many pupils concentrate well in lessons and try hard with their work, but others are very passive and uninvolved. Several offer little to discussions and sometimes appear to ‘switch off’. In some guided reading activities, for example, several pupils not working with the teacher say comprehension tasks are boring and simply chat about things that are not related to their work. During other activities that do not hold their interest, some pupils misbehave.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The sample of pupils’ recent work shows that while several try hard with their presentation, this is not consistently the case. Attendance is average and the school is working hard with families to stress the importance of not taking holidays in term-time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 A few parents expressed a view of behaviour in school through the online questionnaire. Most believe that behaviour is good. Those parents spoken to during the inspection consider their children are kept safe and are well looked after.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and assistant headteachers, staff and governors, share a passion for the school. There are very clearly expressed aims and a vision for further improvement that is shared by everyone. This ensures there is the capacity for further improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents and carers are pleased with the quality of care and education provided for their children. The school actively promotes equality of opportunity, fosters good relations and tackles discrimination.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority provides effective support to the school in its focus on raising standards and has an accurate awareness of the quality of what is provided for the pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 At times, the school’s senior leaders struggle to stand back and be critically and rigorously evaluative. They have not always drawn a line under past events and developed a clear enough focus on the future.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 School self-evaluation documentation stresses the many good aspects of school life, improvements in teaching and where progress is good. School data and the sample of pupils’ work, though, suggest this occasionally appears generous. While the school recognises that it requires improvement, discussions indicate senior staff are occasionally unclear about who and what will drive further improvements in teaching.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 There are checks that look at how well teachers are doing their job. These are linked to in- service training opportunities, although support staff are not included in these checks.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Procedures to safeguard the pupils meet requirements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum meets the needs of most pupils adequately, although there is not always enough focus on ensuring that older pupils continue to improve their reading skills. Funding to support pupils who need extra help is used satisfactorily to provide this.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively through assemblies, lessons and a focus on personal, social and health education. There are many opportunities for pupils to work together and a clear valuing of everyone’s efforts.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  requires improvement because governors, while hugely supportive of the school, have not always been able to critically evaluate the range of information available and hold the school to account for the limited overall progress made since previous inspections  conducts a series of checks, including day-to-day health and safety procedures, but has not always identified or addressed concerns regarding storage of equipment in classrooms and corridors.

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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 112787 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 401307

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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 342 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Hawkins Headteacher Gillian Hutton Date of previous school inspection 4 February 2010 Telephone number 01773 823383 Fax number 01773 823987 Email address headteacher@pottery.derbyshire.sch.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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