Luddington & Garthorpe Primary

School report Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School High Street, Luddington, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire DN17 4QP

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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 school provides a welcoming environment where the climate for learning is extremely positive.  Pupils make good progress from their starting points and achieve well, particularly in their understanding of mathematics, their reading comprehension and the content of their writing.  Teaching is good because it engages pupils practically in meaningful tasks that enhance their understanding. Relationships are good and pupils’ independent learning is promoted extremely well.  Pupils demonstrate exceptionally mature behaviour for their different ages and get on extremely well together. They have remarkably positive attitudes to learning and are exceptionally responsible citizens.  Leadership and management are good because the headteacher, staff and governors are determined to make the school as good as possible. As a result of their efforts, teaching has improved and continues to do so. They

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

know what to improve and have written plans to bring it about.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Despite many teaching strengths, a few weaknesses impact on pupils’ progress. Teachers do not always ensure that tasks set for individual pupils carefully match their abilities. Adults sometimes miss opportunities to extend pupils’ learning through further questioning. Teachers do not always check that all pupils follow the advice given when their work is marked. Adults do not always ensure that pupils present their mathematics and written work as well as they might.  Opportunities are missed to provide the governing body with information about pupils’ progress at different points through the school year, in order to strengthen its already good capacity to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector held meetings with staff, pupils and governors, and spoke by telephone to a representative of the local authority and to the school’s partner, who supports improvement.  The inspector looked at a range of evidence including: the school’s self-evaluation; the school’s information about pupils’ current standards; monitoring reports; records of the monitoring of teaching; the school’s improvement plan; the work pupils were doing in their books; and the school’s documentation relating to safeguarding.  Teaching and learning were observed in six lessons or part-lessons, across all age groups. Five teachers were seen teaching.  The inspector met parents informally at the start of the school day to gather their views of the school and took account of the nine responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View).  An analysis of the seven questionnaires completed by school staff contributed to inspection

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Inspection team

David Matthews, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average primary school.  All pupils are of White British heritage.  A below-average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs supported through school action is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus is below average.  No pupil has a statement of special educational needs.  The school met the government’s current floor standard. This sets the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than the start of the school year is slightly above average. This is largely due to family movements in and out of the area.

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Information about this school

 The breakfast club managed by the governing body was part of the inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by:  ensuring that adults use every opportunity to extend pupils’ learning and communication skills through probing, open-ended questions  rigorously checking that all pupils act on the points for improvement that teachers write in their books  making sure that work set for individual pupils always accurately matches their differing abilities  ensuring that all pupils are guided to present their written work and their mathematics as carefully as possible.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that information about pupils’ standards and progress is shared with governors periodically throughout the school year so as to increase the frequency and rigour of their evaluations about the impact of teaching on learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with skills that are generally below those typically expected for their age, particularly in communication. They settle into school quickly and make good progress, especially in developing their independence, in their ability to use numbers and in using the latest electronic technology.  Good progress continues through Key Stage 1, where pupils quickly and securely develop their reading skills by carefully applying letter sounds to new words. The most recent test at the end of Year 1 showed that pupils link letters and sounds well in order to develop their reading. Pupils in Year 2 love reading; they apply word-building skills well and most develop good levels of comprehension. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 develop good understanding of mathematical ideas and of how to make their writing more interesting by including the use of adjectives.  Key Stage 2, pupils continue to learn quickly and develop good understanding in their English

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The achievement of pupils is good

and mathematics work. They learn to appreciate the importance of weighing and measuring accurately and how to write effectively in different genres. They gain a rich understanding of other cultures past and present and learn in depth about North American Indians and their myths.  Over the last three years there has been a steady improvement in pupils’ attainment in national tests at the end of Year 6 to above-average standards in reading, writing and mathematics in 2012. Current standards in Year 6 are broadly typical of those found nationally. However, given pupils’ starting points, their widely differing abilities, and mobility in and out of the school, this represents good progress for this particularly small cohort. Year 6 pupils have a genuine love of books and read confidently and widely.  Pupils with special educational needs and pupils supported by the pupil premium similarly make good progress. No pupils are disabled. The attainment and progress of pupils known to be

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The achievement of pupils is good

eligible for free school meals is similar to that of other groups of pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good because the strengths far outweigh the relative weaknesses. Relationships are good and there is an extremely positive climate for learning, which promotes high levels of engagement from pupils.  Pupils’ independent learning is promoted extremely effectively, and in practical, engaging ways, so that their understanding often develops rapidly. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage learn about animals ‘getting better’ at the vets, by dressing and acting as a vet. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 become adept users of laptop computers as they research microbes on the internet.  Teachers show good knowledge of the subjects they teach and a good understanding of how pupils learn. In Years 1 and 2, each task that pupils are given lasts for only a few minutes so that most maintain concentration well and learning is effective.  Teachers provide pupils with frequent opportunities to extend their learning by talking with

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The quality of teaching is good

partners, to others in a group and to the class. This worked particularly well in a Year 5/6 lesson when pupils talked in groups about the features of myths. Pupils raised some interesting spiritual questions including ‘When did it all start?’  Skilled questioning is a feature of most lessons, where adults challenge pupils to extend their thinking and help them to think more deeply. This also enhances pupils’ speaking skills. When probing or open-ended questions are not posed, language and learning are not fully extended and progress is not rapid.  Pupils say they find teachers’ marking helpful because it tells them what to do next to make their work better. An analysis of pupils’ books reveals guidance such as ‘remember to use capital letters and full stops’. Teachers do not always follow up such comments to ensure that all pupils respond so as to improve their learning.  Teachers plan carefully to ensure that work is challenging and take full account of pupils’

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The quality of teaching is good

differing abilities when setting tasks. Young pupils who learn swiftly, for example, are effectively incorporated into groups of older pupils to promote greater challenge. Often such strategies work well. Occasionally, when tasks are set that do not fully match pupils’ abilities, progress slows.  Teachers stress the importance of pupils thinking about the content of their work. However, this is sometimes at the expense of ensuring they take pride in its presentation.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are extremely keen to learn because the highly positive learning environment enables pupils of all ages to use their initiative and take the lead in research, investigations and discussions. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage freely explored the till in the ‘vet’s waiting room’ while a Year 5 pupil confidently took the lead in discussions about the features of myths.  Pupils behave exceptionally well. In lessons, they show high levels of maturity for their age. When given additional freedom, including playing in the snow, pupils are extremely sensible, considerate towards other children and respectful towards the adults who manage them exceptionally well. Parents, staff and pupils are unreservedly positive about behaviour and the school has a good reputation locally.  The welcoming atmosphere helps pupils feel safe and happy. New pupils are quickly made welcome and feel a part of the school. Pupils know that the ‘friendship stop’ is a place where

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

they can go if they feel lonely or sad and others will come and talk to them. However, one pupil informed the inspector, ‘You won’t find anyone there because we are all happy’.  Pupils are well aware of different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying, and know how to keep themselves safe. As pupils say, and as the school’s records show, bullying in school is rare and, when it does occur, is always dealt with swiftly and effectively.  Pupils greatly enjoy the breakfast club where they make the most of the opportunities to chat and be sociable. Behaviour here continues to be highly responsible.  Attendance has risen sharply over the last three years from below to above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has fostered strong and effective teamwork in her period of just over three years at the school, so that staff and governors are united with her in a drive to fulfil the school motto ‘to be the best that we can be’. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and particularly appreciate its family atmosphere. The grandparent of a child in the Early Years Foundation Stage told the inspector, ‘He is in the best place he can be’. The school ensures that all groups of pupils have an equal opportunity to access what it offers and that there is no discrimination.  Teaching is good, and improving, because the current performance management of staff is good. Well-focused training of subject leaders has effectively addressed an area for improvement identified at the last inspection. The result is a greater involvement in leading their designated subjects, as well as in overall leadership responsibilities, and in drawing up plans for

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The leadership and management are good

improvement.  There is good capacity for further improvement because the school’s rigorous self-evaluation shows that, while teaching is now strong, there remain elements that prevent its impact on pupils’ progress from being of consistently high quality. These aspects are receiving careful attention.  Pupils’ choice of the topics they wish to study contributes well to an engaging, meaningful curriculum that strongly supports their behaviour and good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. All pupils were enthralled by an assembly about personal character strengths. The curriculum provides memorable experiences, including visits to places of educational interest, which contribute well to pupils’ understanding of the world beyond the locality.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.  Through the local authority, the school’s partner, who supports improvement, has made a positive contribution to the rigour of the school’s self-evaluation.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors keep a close eye on the school’s finances to ensure best value for money. They ask questions about the impact of pupil premium funding on pupils’ learning as part of their evaluations. The school provides governors with annual information about pupils’ standards and progress which they use to gauge the effectiveness of teaching. However, assessment information gathered by teachers periodically during the year is not yet passed to governors, to further inform the accuracy of their evaluations, at timely intervals. Governors are fully aware of the links between teachers’ pay and their performance. They have contributed effectively to the school’s planning for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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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 117740 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 401689

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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 62 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lesley Williams Headteacher Elizabeth Farrar Date of previous school inspection 19 October 2009 Telephone number 01724 798228 Fax number 01724 798228 Email address admin.luddingtongarthorpe@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, 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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