Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Scunthorpe CofE Primary School Gurnell Street, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN15 6HP

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress through the school. Achievement has improved since the previous inspection because the progress of most pupils is good from year to year.  From very low starting points, a high proportion of pupils reach the levels expected for their age at the end of Year 6. A growing number are exceeding these levels.  Overall teaching is good; some is outstanding. Effective action by leaders has resulted in significant improvements in teaching since the last inspection.  Pupils with special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language and those known to be eligible for the pupil premium, make good and sometimes outstanding progress because they are supported effectively.  Behaviour is good. Pupils are kind and friendly. Harmonious relationships between the many cultures represented in the school enable pupils to feel safe, valued and happy at school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have driven school improvement by establishing strong teamwork. Expectations of pupils and staff are high and weaknesses are tackled effectively. This has moved the school forward rapidly.  School leaders, including the governing body, have a good understanding of how well pupils are achieving. This information is used effectively to ensure that all staff are firmly focused on raising pupils’ attainment and progress.  Parents are very positive about the school and the support it offers children and their families.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough of the teaching is outstanding to drive progress at an even faster pace so that achievement is outstanding for more pupils.  Teaching in one or two classes is not consistently good and this is slowing the progress of a few pupils.  Occasionally, when pupils work by themselves, teachers’ expectations are not high enough, particularly for the more-able pupils.  Leaders are not checking closely enough that all teachers use the good information the school gathers about pupils’ achievement to plan work that extends all pupils fully.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 20 lessons, four of which were observed jointly with the headteacher and an assistant headteacher. In addition, the inspectors made other visits to classes, looked at pupils’ workbooks and listened to a few pupils read.  Meetings were held with pupils, two members of the governing body, senior and middle managers and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the three responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the views of 16 parents who spoke to inspectors during the inspection and findings of the school’s parent survey carried out in 2012.  The 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, the records of how the school uses its funding, especially how the money from pupil premium is spent, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Rajinder Harrison, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Matthews Additional Inspector David Tingle Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. A significant proportion of these pupils, representing at least 11 languages, are at an early stage of learning to speak English.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government for children in local authority care, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils whose parents are serving in the armed force) is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well above average. The proportion supported at school action plus is also well above average. The school has an above average proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs.  The school has a high proportion of pupils who join the school at times other than the start of

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Information about this school

the Early Years Foundation Stage. Many of these pupils are either new to learning English as an additional language or have experienced a number of changes of school in their primary school education.  The school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress, in 2012.  The school has, this school year, had a high number of teaching staff on maternity leave. Consequently, a number of teachers observed teaching during the inspection are new to the school in temporary posts.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Tackle the teaching that requires improvement and increase the amount of outstanding teaching so that the rate of pupils’ progress speeds up and achievement in English and mathematics rises by:  sharing the best practice that exists in the school  ensuring that all teachers have higher expectations of all pupils, particularly when they work by themselves  ensuring that teachers ask pupils more probing questions to check they understand their work  making sure that all pupils are challenged sufficiently in every lesson, especially the more able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders and managers:  provide teachers and teaching assistants with the support and training they need to make sure that teaching is always at least good  check that all teachers are making good use of the information they have about pupils' progress to plan work that extends pupils fully in every lesson.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Early Years Foundation Stage at levels that are much lower than those expected for their age. A high proportion is new to learning English as an additional language. Children settle quickly because staff provide them with the space and time they need to adjust to school. By enjoying toys and activities in working on their own before learning more formally, they have fun and thrive. Support for those new to learning English is good.  Children make good progress in all aspects and particularly in their early reading because the teaching of letters and the sounds they make is good. While not all achieve the levels expected at the end of the Reception Year, all children are prepared well for Year 1.  Pupils’ progress is good throughout Years 1 to 6. Pupils from all minority ethnic groups make good progress because they have high aspirations. Those new to learning English as an

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The achievement of pupils is good

additional language are often paired with others who speak the same home language to accelerate their progress quickly.  Teachers identify early any pupils at risk of falling behind and intervene effectively through small-group work. Occasionally, the more-able pupils do not achieve as much as they could because they are not challenged sufficiently.  At the end of Year 6, standards in English and mathematics are below average, but the gap in attainment compared with schools nationally is narrowing rapidly. While few pupils attain above average levels, a high proportion achieve the levels expected for their age.  Standards in mathematics are higher than those in English because a significant proportion of pupils new to learning English as an additional language join the school in Key Stage 2, and so have insufficient time to learn English to the level they need to attain higher standards.  Teachers focus on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills effectively. Pupils learn to

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The achievement of pupils is good

listen to others, think about their work and gain confidence in sharing their ideas with others.  The teaching of reading is good. Letters and the sounds they make are taught effectively and reading skills are developed well throughout the school. Pupils enjoy reading and read regularly.  High quality support ensures that pupils who are disabled or with special educational needs achieve well against their starting points. Despite the school’s best efforts, pupils who move schools frequently and join other than at the usual times do not make enough progress to achieve well.  The school uses the pupil-premium budget to fund additional teachers and teaching assistants to support these pupils, for example, through one-to-one teaching. As a result these pupils make good progress and achieve well compared to similar pupils nationally. Their attainment, while below that expected for their age, is rising securely. The gap between the achievement of these

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils and others is closing effectively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Overall teaching is good; some is outstanding. Teaching has improved since the last inspection because senior leaders have tackled weaknesses rigorously.  Where teaching is outstanding, teachers’ expectations are high and the pace is brisk. For example, in an outstanding lesson in the Reception class, demanding practical tasks kept children interested and excited about the different ways they could make 10. As a result, they made outstanding progress. Most teachers engage pupils well through: discussions that help pupils to extend their ideas; probing questions to check pupils’ understanding; and constructive marking that shows pupils what they have done well and what they can do to improve.  In most lessons, teachers use information about pupils’ ability and progress effectively in their planning. Occasionally, when assessment information is not used well, planning does not challenge all pupils to try their hardest. In these lessons, while the lower-attaining pupils achieve

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The quality of teaching is good

well through effective support, the more able are not always stretched enough.  Where teaching requires improvement, expectations of what pupils can do are not always high enough, particularly when pupils work on their own, the pace is slow and teachers focus more on pupils completing tasks rather than extending learning through discussion and questioning. As a consequence, a few pupils become restless and inattentive and so make limited progress.  Most teachers deploy teaching assistants effectively to support teaching and learning. The one- to-one support is particularly good in helping pupils most at risk of falling behind to catch up quickly.  Teaching is enhanced well through, for example, mathematics challenges on the school website and opportunities for pupils to use computers to research independently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is typically good. Pupils value school, enjoy learning and work hard. They are friendly, polite and considerate and proud of the way the school celebrates the cultures represented. Many said, ‘We are all treated equally. I love school’. They show high regard for all staff and these positive relationships encourage pupils to seek help if they need it.  Pupils feel safe and well looked after at school. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and talk confidently about why they should tell someone if they are worried about anything.  The school takes prompt action to tackle any form of discriminatory behaviour. Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including name calling. They say that incidents of bullying are rare and, when they occur, staff deal with them effectively.  Pupils are kind and supportive towards each other. They befriend new pupils quickly and work

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

and play together sensibly and safely. Opportunities to take on responsibilities by helping at lunchtimes and keeping classrooms tidy provide purposeful ways to extend pupils’ moral and social development.  Pupils’ attendance has improved to average levels, reflecting their enjoyment of school.  Staff are very positive about pupils’ behaviour and their eagerness to participate in activities, including events on Saturdays. Pupils enjoy many clubs and trips, including residential visits that extend their experiences of the wider world.  Parents are very positive about the school. A number said, ‘This is the best school ever - it cares about helping the community. "Family Zumba" and parenting workshops have really helped us learn how we can help our children learn’.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has improved rapidly since the previous inspection because leaders and managers are ambitious for the school and have tackled weaknesses effectively.  The headteacher has high expectations of staff and effective teamwork is driving improvement strongly. Senior leaders are very committed to giving pupils the best education possible. Current pupil progress data show that overall achievement is good and standards are rising rapidly.  The school-improvement plan is based on the senior managers’ robust and accurate view of the school’s performance. The impact of their efforts is reviewed regularly through meetings with staff, the governing body and the local authority.  Leaders have taken effective action to check that pupils have the help they need to achieve well. Where teaching requires improvement, robust procedures are in place to improve teachers’ performance. With the many temporary arrangements in staffing this year, the school knows

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The leadership and management are good

that support and training is needed to ensure teaching is consistently good in every class but it is not sharing the best practice that exists to influence improvement quickly.  Senior leaders check carefully that all staff follow the school’s strategies, for example, for reading, so that all pupils can achieve well. These robust checks have highlighted that not all teachers use information about pupils’ previous learning effectively to challenge pupils fully.  The local authority provides good support, for example, for reviewing the school’s performance and staff training.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well. Individual pupils’ progress is reviewed termly. As a consequence, pupils at risk of falling behind receive the help they need to catch up quickly.  The school involves parents effectively in school activities. Staff respond promptly when parents seek support, for example, to check that children attend regularly and have a healthy breakfast

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The leadership and management are good

if they need it.  The curriculum links subjects together well so that pupils understand how learning in one subject can help them in others. For example, pupils in Year 6 were totally entranced by video images of the rainforest that inspired some very creative writing; Year 1 pupils visiting ‘Tropical World’ said they could not wait to see, ‘monkeys, tigers and butterflies’.  Many extracurricular activities extend pupils’ learning beyond school and promote well their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils talk enthusiastically about numerous clubs and social events. The high-quality displays reflect the fact that pupils have a good understanding of other cultures and ethnic differences through celebrating world religions, art and history.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are highly committed to the school and the community. They ensure that pupils are safe and enjoy learning. Governor training is relevant and up-to-date,

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The leadership and management are good

for example, in ensuring that the school meets all safeguarding requirements. They check that policies are up-to-date and that the finances are managed well. For example, they ensure that the pupil-premium funding is used to support the pupils for whom it is intended and know its impact. Governors have a good overview of the data on the school’s performance, including pupils’ progress. They have taken effective action to improve the quality of teaching and, as a result, pupils’ progress is improving rapidly. The governing body has effective arrangements to ensure that pay awards link to performance management and that procedures to measure performance are thorough.

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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 118016 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 405740

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 265 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Barbara Blake Headteacher Jennifer Fullwood Date of previous school inspection 5 May 2011 Telephone number 01724 842526 Fax number 01742 842526 Email address admin.scunthorpecofe@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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