Rossington Tornedale Infant School

Rossington Tornedale Infant School Gattison Lane, Rossington, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN11 0NQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The pupils make good progress as a result of effective teaching. The teaching, rightly, places a lot of emphasis on developing the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. As a result the pupils’ attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics has been consistently above average since the previous inspection and sometimes it has been high.  The pupils’ self-confidence grows rapidly during their time at the school. This is because the teachers establish very good relationships with them and help them to develop good social skills as well as their literacy and numeracy. As a result the pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The pupils behave well in and around the school. When moving to and from assemblies, their behaviour is impeccable. In the playground, they can be very lively, but they have a good understanding of how to stay safe. The staff need to intervene only rarely to

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

correct behaviour and then with only quiet and gentle reminders to the pupils.  The school is a happy community in which the pupils thrive because of the committed work of the headteacher and the staff. Procedures for monitoring the pupils’ progress are well- conceived and data is used intelligently to identify where improvements can be made. There is a genuine commitment to making the school outstanding, which is apparent in the staff’s constant efforts to improve.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although good overall, there is not yet sufficient teaching that is outstanding and some requires improvement. The extent to which managers responsible for different parts of the school’s work monitor and evaluate the quality of the teaching varies. As a result the teachers do not always receive enough guidance about how to improve particular aspects of their teaching.  Recent improvements in the effectiveness of the governing body have not had sufficient time to impact fully on the work of the school. For example, the governing body has not evaluated the achievement of all groups of pupils, such as those eligible for free school meals, rigorously enough.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 11 lessons taught by six teachers, small group-sessions taken by other members of staff, assemblies, listened to pupils reading, and looked at a sample of the pupils’ work.  The inspectors held meetings with leaders and managers, with representatives of the governing body, and spoke with a representative of the local authority. They spoke with many pupils in lessons and around the school.  The inspectors checked the online questionnaire (Parent View), but there were only nine responses from parents, which means that no information about the responses was available to the inspectors. The inspectors discussed with the school the evidence it had available about the views of parents. They analysed questionnaires completed by 17 members of staff.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school development plan, policies, records of monitoring in relation to the quality of teaching, the pupils’ achievement,

p.2

Information about this inspection

attendance and safeguarding, and surveys of the pupils’ views.

p.2

Inspection team

Clive Moss, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Karen Foster Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average primary school.  Almost all of the pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at the school action stage is above average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs, which has risen since the previous inspection.  One pupil is placed currently at the local authority’s Cusworth Centre for part of the week, for an assessment of the pupil’s particular learning needs.  The school has achieved the Healthy Schools and Leading Parent Partnership awards.  There is privately managed early years provision on the site, which is subject to a separate inspection.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, in particular by:  ensuring that the best practice evident at the school is used consistently throughout  improving the ways in which the pupils are questioned in lessons, so that they are challenged to think more deeply and to improve their answers  ensuring that all activities in lessons have a clear learning purpose, including activities that the pupils are required to do independently  ensuring that marking is of a consistently good standard and helps the pupils to understand what they have done well and how they can improve their work.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the impact of leadership and management by:  ensuring that all members of staff with leadership responsibilities carry out their roles to an equal standard, particularly in monitoring the quality of the school’s work in their areas of responsibility  embedding the recent improvements in the work of the governing body, so that the governing body evaluates rigorously the impact of what the school does, particularly in relation to how the use of additional funding (known as the pupil premium) received by the school affects the achievement of different groups of pupils, such as those eligible for free school meals.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 The children enter the Nursery with low levels of skills and understanding and, sometimes, very low levels, particularly in speech and language. They make good progress and, by the time they join Year 1, their skills are closer to average and continue improving until, by the end of Year 2, they are typically above average. Generally, they do better in reading and mathematics than in writing.  All groups of pupils make good progress, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. There are several examples of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational needs, reaching levels as high as other pupils at the school, and sometimes higher. Generally, this group of pupils reaches higher levels than similar pupils nationally.  The average points score for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than for

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

those who are not eligible, although the gap is not wide. In two out of the three years since the previous inspection, however, these pupils did better than all pupils nationally and always better than the same group nationally.  The pupils enjoy reading and read books that provide them with a good level of challenge. They read at home as well as at school. Older pupils are able to use their knowledge of the sounds that letters make to break down unfamiliar words, but a few pupils experienced some difficulty blending sounds together accurately. Also, they did not understand the role of punctuation when reading aloud to the inspectors.  The pupils are willing learners and they take part in lessons and assemblies readily. A combination of their willingness to learn, above-average levels in reading, writing, and mathematics, and self-confidence makes them well-placed to make the most of their education

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 The teachers create a positive climate for learning in all lessons. They have high expectations of the pupils and the pupils are keen to respond and please. The pupils engage in the lessons well and show interest in the topics and subject matter.  Lessons focus strongly on developing the pupils’ speaking and listening skills, beginning with the youngest children. For example, in an outstanding session in the Nursery, the adults were observed demonstrating letters and word sounds to the children accurately and supporting them very well in developing talk and discussion, but staying focussed on an identifiable topic. As a result the pupils’ confidence, both in using those skills and generally, increases as they move through the school. The pupils growing confidence is helped also by the opportunities the lessons provide for them to think about and discuss how well they have done with their work.  Lessons are planned to meet the different needs of the pupils. The activities are varied and

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

include a good range of practical activities that capture the interest of the pupils and motivate them to learn. For example, a group of pupils was keen to explain to an inspector their good knowledge and understanding about the factors affecting the rates at which ice melts, based upon experiments they had done.  The inspectors observed several examples of the pupils using information and communication technology in lessons. In the best example seen, the Reception Year children used voice recorders to feedback to the teacher and the class about their thoughts on what it would be like to be the Gingerbread Man.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are included well in lessons. The teaching assistants provide them with good support, so that they are able to keep pace with their classmates and take part in whole-class activities. There is good support for these pupils also in small groups, so that they are able to work on activities focussed on their particular

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

needs. For example, good support for a group of Year 1 pupils in a cooking activity helped them to gain a good understanding of how to sequence things.  The less-successful features of teaching included:  insufficient challenge for the pupils in activities that they were required to undertake independently, for example, when using computers  focussing more in some activities on what the pupils will do, rather than what they will learn  approaches to questioning the pupils that are too random and simply accept the pupils’ responses, rather than extend their learning  varied approaches to marking that sometimes gave too little information to the pupils about what has been done well and how to improve  occasionally inaccurate demonstrations of sounds in phonics (the sounds letters make) lessons, which affects the pupils ability to blend sounds together accurately when reading aloud  insufficient use of the outdoor area occasionally in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 There is a strongly positive ethos at the school, captured in the very good relationships established by the staff, which contributes significantly to the pupils’ learning and self- confidence. The pupils appreciate the school’s rewards system and like receiving stickers for good work; these contribute well to their self-esteem and confidence.  The pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. There are very few examples of any disruption to lessons. The pupils say that some pupils misbehave sometimes, but they do not describe any acts of bullying and are confident in the ways the staff manage behaviour. The staff are very consistent in their approaches, being firm when required, but always calm; this approach contributes considerably to both the pupils’ confidence in the school’s management of behaviour and the good relationships that are evident.  There have been no exclusions, short-term or permanent, and the school works well with local

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

authority services to meet particular needs when they emerge. For example, one pupil is currently attending a local authority assessment centre, returning to the school one afternoon each week in order to maintain a good link, whilst the pupil’s needs are identified so that appropriate permanent arrangements can be made.  The school has had considerable success in improving attendance since the previous inspection. Attendance is now a little above average. It is the result of concerted efforts.  The pupils feel safe in school. A recent health and safety audit carried out by the local authority rated the school as outstanding. The pupils’ behaviour in the playground is lively, but they are supervised well and typically show a good awareness of each other. The school ensures the pupils are taught about health and safety and they understand clearly about the importance of staying safe.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a restless energy and determination for constant improvement, which results in the school, constantly, looking for and trying out ways to improve. She has a detailed knowledge of and comprehensive understanding about the school’s work. She has ensured that the school is outward looking, keen to identify better ways of working, but tempers the drive for change by ensuring developments are introduced after careful consideration and based on sound evidence.  She has developed a well-conceived process that links together monitoring of the pupils’ progress and of the teachers’ work, and the identification of priorities for improvement for both the whole-school and for individual teachers. It results in improvement plans and the developments to which they lead being grounded in careful analysis of data about the pupils’ achievement and information about the quality of the school’s work. The work is supported well

p.5

The leadership and management are good

by senior leaders and others with management responsibilities. However, not all members of staff with management responsibilities carry out their roles in monitoring the work of the school as thoroughly as others, which means that the teachers do not receive all the information and guidance that they need to improve their teaching.  The school is very inclusive. Individual pupils are known very well to the staff. The staff ensure that the different groups of pupils at the school integrate well together in lessons and around the school.  The school has a clearly identified strategy and rationale for using the additional government funding known as the pupil premium. It has been based upon careful consideration of evidence about approaches to improving pupils’ attainment that have worked previously at the school. The approach has not, however, been evaluated for its effectiveness in relation specifically to

p.6

The leadership and management are good

the achievement of the group of pupils it is primarily intended to help.  The curriculum focuses sensibly on developing the pupils’ reading, writing, and mathematics, but it is also broad-based and offers a range of activities that contributes well to the pupils’ social, moral, spiritual, and cultural development. The pupils enjoy the daily assemblies that provide them with good opportunities to think about important themes, including through the words of the songs that they, manifestly, enjoy singing. Extracurricular activities contribute also. For example, an inspector held an interesting conversation with two boys about a visit they had made to a church, which encouraged an appreciation of stained-glass windows; one boy talked about simply liking the beautiful colours, whilst the other was interested in the stories the images told.  The school has good arrangements for reviewing the work of the staff and making decisions

p.6

The leadership and management are good

about pay progression and promotion. The arrangements include use of the national standards for teaching, and pay enhancements are awarded only when there is evidence of effective teaching. Professional development is planned around key priorities identified in the school- improvement plan and for individuals through the annual performance appraisal.  The local authority keeps the work of the school under review and has identified it as one requiring the minimum level of support. The school has, nevertheless, wisely opted in to a detailed, annual discussion about its performance with a local authority officer, which has made an important contribution to the school’s self-evaluation. The local authority has encouraged the school to provide support and examples of good practice to other schools.  The governance of the school:  Recent changes have resulted in the governing body becoming much more closely involved in

p.6

The leadership and management are good

the strategic leadership of the school. There has not yet been sufficient time, however, for the changes to have the full impact their potential offers. There is a good level of contact between governors and school and governors visit frequently on a range of matters. The school keeps the governing body well informed about all aspects of its work. It has ensured that the governing body has maintained an oversight of the pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching, and staff pay and progression, but it is only recently that the governing body has begun to use the detailed information provided to form its own views about such matters, for example, in relation to how effectively the school is using the pupil premium. Arrangements for safeguarding meet current requirements.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 106698 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 412697

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 178 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr K Schooling Headteacher Mrs T Wild Date of previous school inspection 5 July 2010 Telephone number 01302 868387 Fax number 01302 863161 Email address admin@tornedale.doncaster.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9