King Edwin Primary and Nursery School

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report

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King Edwin Primary and Foundation Unit Fourth Avenue, Edwinstowe, Mansfield, NG21 9NS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  Leaders, managers and the governing body do not have an accurate knowledge of the school’s performance because the school does not have a systematic or rigorous way of checking on the quality of teaching and the impact on pupils’ learning.  Teaching is too variable in quality and leads to low standards by the end of Key Stage 1 in reading, and inadequate progress in reading and writing.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise their literacy skills in other subjects.  Teachers do not match work to pupils’ different capabilities.  Teachers’ questions do not encourage pupils to think more widely or deeply about their learning.  Support and resources for pupils with special educational needs are not provided quickly enough. School leaders do not take an active enough role in identifying pupils’ needs and the support required.  Staff who provide additional support are not

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

well enough trained to enable them to help pupils as well as they should. They do not all keep good records of the progress made by the pupils they are supporting.  The governing body has not had enough training to be able to find out for itself how well pupils are doing or to help steer the school.

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The school has the following strengths

 There is some good teaching in the school particularly in Year 6.  Attainment by the end of Year 6 is average. More pupils are now reaching higher levels.  Pupils enjoy school and behave sensibly and respectfully.  Pupils have a good understanding of possible dangers and how to avoid them.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 22 lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. They listened to pupils reading and observed several support groups.  They held meetings with senior leaders, the chair of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. They discussed with groups of pupils their views about their learning and school.  The inspectors took account of the 44 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning and carrying out the inspection.  Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a variety of documents. They looked, in particular, at the achievement of all groups of pupils throughout the school, improvement planning, the quality of monitoring and its impact, and evidence of pupils’ learning from samples of their work over a period of time.

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Inspection team

Lynne Blakelock, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Terry Mortimer Additional Inspector Aileen King Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average sized primary school and the number on roll has risen since the last inspection.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  There is a below average proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for whom the school receives the Pupil Premium (additional government funding).  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs that are supported by School Action is above average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. The proportion supported at School Action Plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum requirements for attainment and progress.  Since September 2012, the headteacher has worked three days a week, with a newly appointed senior deputy headteacher managing the school for the other two days.

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Information about this school

 A breakfast and after-school club, managed and run by Sherwood Child Care, is provided five days a week, including during school holidays. It is inspected separately and the report is available on the Ofsted website.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in order to accelerate pupils’ progress and raise their attainment, particularly in reading and writing, by:  using information about pupils’ attainment carefully to match activities to pupils’ different capabilities and provide challenge, particularly in Key Stage 1 and for pupils capable of reaching higher levels  making sure that teachers’ questions encourage pupils to think hard  ensuring that pupils have opportunities throughout the day in a range of lessons to practise the skills they are developing in literacy  checking that teaching assistants have the necessary resources and training to give pupils the help that they need  ensuring teaching assistants record how well the pupils they support are doing so that further support can be given if needed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact of leaders and managers at all levels and the school’s capacity to sustain improvement by making sure that:  the school has rigorous ways to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and the impact it has on pupils’ attainment and progress  a training programme to improve the quality of teaching and learning is developed and implemented  there is a timetable for monitoring the quality of pupils’ learning throughout the year, the findings of which are taken into account when drawing up plans for improvement  the leader of provision for pupils who have special educational needs is proactive in identifying pupils who need support and takes responsibility for matching resources to pupils’ needs  the governing body receives the training needed to understand how well pupils are achieving without being overly reliant on what the school tells it and to be able to help the school

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

improve  ensuring that the school’s staff, including senior leaders, are organised and deployed in a way that enables them to gain an accurate view of the quality of teaching and learning.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Although attainment is in line with national averages by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics, it is considerably below average at the end of Key Stage 1. This demonstrates pupils’ inadequate progress throughout Key Stage 1 particularly from good standards in reading at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Children start Nursery with knowledge and skills that are lower than typical for their age. They develop a range of skills adequately through Nursery and Reception, but begin Year 1 with lower levels than are expected for their age, except in reading where attainment is higher than expected. Sometimes, lessons are too tightly structured and give children too few opportunities to develop independence and personal and social skills. They master sufficiently the sounds that letters represent (phonics), and learn how to write letters, in preparation for reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Reading levels are below average at the end of Year 1 and well below average by the end of Year 2. Inspection evidence showed that pupils’ mispronunciation of words is not always corrected; furthermore, the books they are given to help them to improve their reading are often too easy. This means that they do not all develop the phonic skills they need to help them read unfamiliar words. However, a minority of pupils can read complicated words accurately.  Not enough pupils reach the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. There is evidence in some books of regular opportunities for pupils to produce longer pieces of writing but punctuation and spelling errors are common.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make inadequate progress. This is because their needs, both in the classroom and in support groups, are not always promptly or accurately identified. As a result, throughout the school the gaps between their attainment and

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

that of other pupils are not closing.  In Key Stage 2, gaps in previous learning mean that there is much ground for pupils to make up. The writing skills of some Year 5 pupils are well below those expected. Attainment at the end of Year 6 fell for three consecutive years, including 2011. It improved markedly in 2012, when the school’s highest ever proportion reached expected levels. More pupils are reaching higher levels, but the proportion is still lower than found nationally in writing.  The school did not use its additional funding last year to support the achievement of vulnerable pupils. This year, named pupils are receiving one-to-one support from support assistants to raise their attainment in literacy. However, the support staff are not well enough trained to ensure that the impact of their work on pupils’ progress is at least adequate.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 The quality of teaching is inadequate overall. As a result, achievement is inadequate by the end of Key Stage 1. Teaching typically requires improvement at Key Stage 2 because it is not strong enough to enable pupils to catch up on lost ground lower down the school.  Tasks are sometimes too easy, particularly for those pupils capable of reaching higher levels. Pupils finish their work quickly in some lessons and extra tasks are too similar to those already completed so they do not extend pupils’ learning.  Teachers do not use questions well enough to help develop pupils’ thinking skills and this limits what pupils learn. There are exceptions, such as in Year 6 where probing questioning accelerated the pupils’ progress in mathematics. Together with very effective use of computer- based learning, it led to pupils quickly classifying two-dimensional shapes with perpendicular or parallel sides.  The daily teaching of phonics for younger pupils gives them a good grounding in the sounds

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

made by groups of letters. Some children lack expression as they read. Others are stimulated by the pictures and strive to use these clues to recognise and sound out words. Skills learnt are not practised throughout the day as a matter of course.  There are opportunities for pupils to practise their reading and writing in other lessons. However, all too often these do not relate to the specific literacy skills that pupils are learning in their English lessons. Marking in subjects other than in English does not focus enough on pupils’ literacy skills.  Pupils told inspectors that they find marking helpful and in many classes they are starting to judge for themselves how well they have learned. In Year 6, this helps pupils to think about their work and how they can improve. Staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage do not keep enough records about the gains children make in their learning or the difficulties they are experiencing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good in lessons and at play and pupils enjoy school. This view of behaviour is shared by parents and carers. Despite activities being too easy in some lessons, pupils remain well behaved because they say learning is fun. Their eagerness to learn is all the more reason why they should be doing much better at school.  Relationships between staff and pupils, and some occasional stimulating introductions to lessons are good features of the school’s work. Both support pupils’ good behaviour. An assembly made a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development; pupils sang with gusto and worked as a group to make music.  Pupils respond to the expectations set out in the behaviour policy, which is consistently applied by staff throughout the school.  The few pupils who have difficulties in managing their own behaviour are dealt with sensitively and discreetly by staff, leading to improvements in their conduct. Pupils’ happiness in school and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

consideration towards others contribute significantly to the positive learning environment.  Pupils feel safe and secure in school. They say that there is very little bullying, that it is not tolerated and the staff teach them how to respond to any unkindness. Pupils trust the staff to help them with any difficulties. The curriculum covers a range of potential dangers and pupils can explain how to keep safe. They know, for example, about cyber-bullying, road safety and the dangers of talking to strangers.  Attendance is average and the school works methodically to promote good punctuality.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The school’s evaluation of its performance is inaccurate because monitoring has been too superficial. It has lacked the necessary detail and depth. As a result, the school is not demonstrating sufficient capacity for improvement.  The school does not have an accurate overview of strengths and weaknesses in teaching upon which to base or adjust improvement planning. Although the headteacher observes teaching on a regular basis, there is no formal schedule in place for monitoring learning. There has not been enough scrutiny of the quality of writing in pupils’ books, for example.  The school acknowledges that until now there has been a greater focus on the features of teaching, rather than on how well pupils are learning. Monitoring has not identified, for example, that despite apparently good teaching of letters and sounds, pupils’ reading skills in Year 1 have remained below average because pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise these

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The leadership and management are inadequate

skills throughout the day.  The assessment coordinator is conscientiously collecting data about achievement and knows that attainment in Key Stage 1 is inadequate. However, not all leaders and managers know why this is the case.  Senior leaders are introducing new strategies to help improve the quality of teaching but these are not yet having enough impact. The extent of the monitoring undertaken by leaders and the quality of subsequent training is not good enough. These aspects of the school’s work have not been fully resolved since the last inspection. The management of teachers’ performance focuses on their professional needs. However, subsequent training has not had sufficient impact on raising the achievement of pupils.  There has not been enough monitoring to check that changes in staffing and shared leadership responsibilities are promoting good levels of progress for pupils. Consequently, staff are not

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The leadership and management are inadequate

always used in a way that makes best use of their strengths.  The headteacher has ensured a greater focus on providing for the needs of vulnerable pupils. However, the needs of pupils with disabilities and special education needs are still not identified quickly or well enough. As a result, these pupils do not always get the help they require and their progress is not recorded well enough. Weak coordination of special educational needs means that class teachers are not provided with sufficient guidance.  Displays of work illustrate the rich variety of experiences provided for pupils, which include many opportunities where subjects are linked together to make learning meaningful and enjoyable. However, the curriculum is inadequate because activities do not consistently offer an appropriate level of challenge for pupils.  The governance of the school:  is inadequate. Although very supportive and knowledgeable, the governors do not collect

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The leadership and management are inadequate

enough first-hand information about the school. They lack confidence in their understanding of achievement to be able to challenge the school fully and to influence its direction. The governing body has not ensured that the additional funding received through the Pupil Premium has been spent on boosting the achievement of those pupils for whom it is intended. However, they make sure that safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements.  The local authority had previously identified the school as not in need of much support. It had, however, recognised that the school was on the brink of needing further guidance. It was not fully aware of the decline in standards at Key Stage 1, or of the changes in the leadership of the school, such as the headteacher working a three day week.

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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 122639 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 403493

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 352 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dick Empson Headteacher Peter Dalby Date of previous school inspection 7 April 2008 Telephone number 01623 822111 Fax number 01623 825707 Email address office@kingedwin.notts.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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