Saxilby Church of England Primary School

Saxilby Church of England Primary School Highfield Road, Saxilby, Lincoln, LN1 2QJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The determination of the executive headteacher to improve all aspects of the school, coupled with strong support from other senior leaders, have ensured pupils’ achievement and teaching have improved significantly since the last inspection.  The school accurately evaluates how well it is doing and what needs to be done next.  The quality of teaching is good and at times outstanding because all staff, including those from the partner school, work effectively together.  Skilled teaching assistants provide good support for any pupils who need additional help.  Pupils’ outstanding behaviour and attitudes to learning contribute to the strong sense of community in the school. Pupils feel very safe and display a high level of respect for the feelings and well-being of others.  The governing body is very supportive and provides good levels of challenge.  Parents and carers are pleased with the school

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and the progress their children are making.  The good progress made since the last inspection and the enthusiasm of staff and pupils give the school a good capacity for sustained improvement in the future.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a small minority of lessons, work is not well enough matched to the abilities of pupils.  In a few lessons, teachers’ questions are directed more towards obtaining an expected answer than checking pupils’ understanding.  Not enough use is made of homework to reinforce classroom learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons, seven of which were joint observations with the executive headteacher and the heads of school. They also observed two school assemblies and made a number of other short visits to classrooms.  The inspectors held discussions with the executive headteacher, the heads of school and other staff, pupils, a local authority representative, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body, and some parents and carers at the start of the school day.  Inspectors heard groups of pupils of different ages reading.  The inspectors took account of 91 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).  Inspectors looked at the school’s policies, teachers' plans, school improvement planning and records on behaviour and safety, together with samples of pupils’ work. They also looked at tracking documentation of individual pupils’ progress, performance management documentation

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Information about this inspection

and minutes from meetings held by the governing body.

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Inspection team

Kenneth Thomas, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Christine Young Additional Inspector Andrew Lagden Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Saxilby Church of England Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional Government funding) is well below average.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds or have English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus, or who are disabled or have a statement of special needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is in a parnership with Mount Street Academy. The executive headteacher is charged with taking the strategic lead in the development of both schools. She is supported by two heads of school who have control of the day-to-day running of each school. Together with the school

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Information about this school

business director, they form the executive leadership team.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by building on the best practice and ensuring that all teachers:  use assessment information to match individual pupils’ work carefully to their abilities so that it is suitably challenging for pupils of all ability levels  check pupils’ understanding and learning as lessons proceed through the use of probing questioning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend parents’ and carers’ involvement in their children’s education by making more consistent use of homework to consolidate and extend classroom learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter Reception with knowledge, understanding and skills that are often above those expected for their age. Children make good progress during their Reception Year and this good progress continues in both Key Stages 1 and 2, because of good teaching and pupils’ positive attitudes to learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At the end of Year 6, attainment is well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This was clear from pupils’ work, from records of their progress, and from the school’s rigorous systems to track the progress of individual pupils in English and mathematics. There are a few occasions, however, when progress slows because work is not consistently matched to pupils’ abilities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Close tracking of pupils’ progress ensures that gaps in learning are identified and addressed quickly. This reflects the school’s good promotion of equality of opportunity and freedom from discrimination by striving to ensure that pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve equally well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A carefully structured programme for the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) helps to ensure that pupils acquire essential basic reading skills. As a result, reading standards at the end of Year 2 are above average. By Year 6, virtually all pupils display enjoyment in reading for pleasure and are very competent in the use of their reading skills for research and to gather information.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Particularly good use is made of teaching assistants to support any pupils who would benefit from focused small group work. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because they are helped to achieve targets that are well matched to their individual needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium make good progress. This funding is used well to improve provision through, for example, additional staff and a family support worker.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Decisive action to tackle ineffective teaching by the executive headteacher and heads of school has ensured that teaching and learning have improved since the last inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Because teaching is predominantly good and occasionally outstanding, pupils of all abilities and backgrounds make good progress and achieve well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good classroom management and high expectations ensure that all lessons proceed in a calm and purposeful learning atmosphere. Pupils are frequently asked to share and explain their thinking to others. This effectively develops their speaking and listening skills and promotes their respect for the views of others.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In Reception, adults take every opportunity to encourage children to talk about their learning. In one lesson, for example, excellent use was made of both the indoor and outdoor areas to improve a range of skills. Complete with hard hats and tools, one group were earnestly collaborating in the building of a wall, while others were engaged in a wide range of activities that promoted the development of physical and social skills. Adults took every opportunity to extend children’s language and numeracy skills through questioning them about the things they were doing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In lessons where pupils make the most progress, teachers use assessment information to match individual pupils’ work carefully to their abilities. In these lessons, pupils enjoy their learning and work hard. In a small number of lessons, planning does not take enough account of pupils’ differing abilities and the work is too demanding for the least-able pupils, or not hard enough for the most able.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Considerable attention has been given to the training of teaching assistants to obtain the maximum benefit for pupils’ learning. They are deployed exceptionally well to ensure that the work given to pupils with special educational needs, those eligible for the pupil premium and others who need extra help is carefully sequenced so that they make good progress towards their learning targets.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In most lessons, teachers use questioning very effectively to assess, challenge and extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. On occasions, questions are too closely directed towards drawing out an expected response without checking that there is a general understanding of why the answer is correct.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The use of homework is inconsistent. At its best it is used well to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning, and to give them the opportunity to express their creative abilities. But the setting of homework is intermittent and often not challenging enough.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teachers’ marking is good and pupils say that teachers’ comments are useful in helping them to improve their work. As a result, pupils are clear about what they are learning and know when they are successful in meeting the learning objectives.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 This is a harmonious school where pupils are friendly and care for each other really well. Pupils' very positive attitudes to learning and excellent behaviour contribute significantly to the calm and purposeful atmosphere that permeates the school. Pupils from all backgrounds get on exceptionally well with each other.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Excellent relationships between adults and pupils ensure that pupils cheerfully comply with the requests of their teachers. They understand the need for school rules and follow them willingly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are confident and polite in conversation with staff or visitors. They have very positive views of the school and talk enthusiastically about the many aspects of school life that they enjoy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ enjoyment of school is demonstrated in their above average attendance and punctuality at the start of the school day.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and are confident that any issues they raise will be dealt with promptly by the school. They have a firm understanding of different types of bullying, including physical bullying and persistent name calling, and the pupils inspectors spoke with were unaware of any incidents. As one pupil said, ‘This does not happen here.’  Pupils have a good range of opportunities to contribute to school and local communities; they willingly take on responsibility and through the school and learning councils play a constructive role in the life of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new senior leadership structure is working well. The executive headteacher, with the strong support of other senior leaders, has successfully united the staff and governors in a vision and ambition for continued improvement. This has been the driving force in raising achievement and demonstrates the school’s capacity for continued improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Procedures to manage teachers’ performance, linked to ongoing training, have improved teaching from satisfactory to good. Regular checks on teaching are carried out and agreed targets for improvement are set. Teachers and other staff say that they are well supported through training to achieve their targets. Staff have also benefited from observing teaching in the partner school and in several other schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 With good support from the local authority, a culture of self-evaluation and team work among staff to complement the roles of senior leaders is being developed. Morale is high and, by identifying what they do well and acknowledging areas where they could improve, all staff contribute positively to school improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Underpinning the improvements seen in the school is the systematic analysis of assessment information, by the school’s leaders, to evaluate teacher effectiveness and pupil performance. Through regular pupil progress meetings teachers are held to account for pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 More creative and engaging teaching programmes are being developed that are enriched by a variety of after-school clubs, out-of-school visits and residential experiences. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is nurtured well through, for example, music, the arts and the study of different religions. Social and moral development is promoted through regular opportunities for pupils to talk to each other about their learning and through the acceptance of clearly defined boundaries of what is right or wrong.

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The leadership and management are good

 Very positive links with parents and carers bring considerable benefit to the school. For example, parents and carers have raised sizeable amounts of money to provide additional computers and to enhance the accommodation. A significant minority of parents and carers, in their response to the online questionnaire, indicated that these links would be further strengthened by the more consistent use of homework to involve them in their children’s education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  is effective, because the governing body fulfils its duties well and, with appropriate guidance, is rigorous in setting and reviewing the executive headteacher’s management objectives  is working in close collaboration with the partner school to consolidate the link and firmly establish the new leadership and management structure  is well informed by detailed reports from the headteacher, heads of school and staff, visits to lessons and focused discussion on school performance information  manages funding conscientiously to ensure that all income, including the pupil premium, is spent for the purposes intended  ensures that safeguarding arrangements are secure and meet requirements.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 120583 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 401951

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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 Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 286 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Penny Davies Headteacher Catherine Paine Date of previous school inspection 24 June 2010 Telephone number 01522 702669 Fax number N/A Email address enquiries@saxilby.lincs.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, please

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School details

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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