Stickney Church of England Primary School

Stickney Church of England Primary School Main Road, Stickney, Boston, PE22 8AX

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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.  From very low starting points, pupils achieve well. The progress of most pupils in reading, writing and mathematics has been good in the last two years.  Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 is above national averages.  Teaching is usually good and some teaching is outstanding.  There are good systems for checking the progress pupils make.  Pupils love their school. They feel safe and their parents and carers feel that their children are safe.  The school deals with very rare incidents of bullying effectively.  Leadership is strong. Leaders have demonstrated the ability to improve teaching over time.  Staff are supported by well-targeted training.  Governance is good. Governors contribute well to school policies and they challenge leaders on the school’s performance.  The education of children in the Reception class is outstanding.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all year groups make equally rapid progress.  Not enough teaching is outstanding. Occasionally, the pace of lessons slows and when this happens pupils lose interest.  The comments made when marking pupils’ workbooks are not always clear to pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 10 lessons in the seven classes at the school. Three of the observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors spoke to pupils, looked at their workbooks and listened to them read.  A wide range of documents was read and scrutinised, including plans for the school development, training programmes for teachers, safeguarding procedures, records for monitoring teachers’ performance, and many policies.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, parents and staff. Pupils were interviewed informally in small groups but also during lesson times. Eleven parents and carers expressed their views on the Ofsted online Parent View survey and others spoke to inspectors when they brought their children to school. Eighteen members of staff expressed their views in Ofsted’s staff questionnaires.  Meetings were held with leaders at all levels, with the Chair of the Governing Body, and with a

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Inspection team

Mina Drever, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Keith Adams Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average primary school, with high mobility and mostly White British pupils. There are two pupils who speak English as an additional language, and very few other ethnic groups are represented.  Nearly a quarter of the pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils eligible for free school meals, children in local authority care and from forces families).  There is an average proportion of pupils with special educational needs who are supported at school action, but a higher than average proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  This is one of four schools in a collaborative partnership. The others are New Leake Primary School, Partney Church of England Primary School and St Margaret’s Church of England School

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Information about this school

of Withern.  There is no alternative provision.  The headteacher is the executive headteacher of this school and of New Leake Primary School, working in this school three days per week until the end of August 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensuring that outstanding practice is shared by all staff by:  developing the quality of marking so that pupils can understand precisely what they have to do to improve the quality of their work  providing more time in some lessons for pupils to complete their work and to work on their own  asking more probing questions to assess pupils’ understanding and provide more demanding tasks if required  ensuring that outstanding practice in teaching is shared by all staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders should continue the drive towards the highest levels of achievement by:  ensuring that the progress data of all pupil groups are carefully checked  monitoring more precisely the progress made towards targets identified in improvement planning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement across the school is good. The proportion of pupils making or exceeding expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics has increased over the last two years. However, the systems that leaders have put in place to accelerate progress has not yet had an equal impact on all year groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The attainment of pupils in English and mathematics is in line with national average at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above national average at the end of Key Stage 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children come into the Reception class with very low starting points. They quickly make good progress, which continues through the school. School information shows that most, but not all year groups have been making accelerated progress in the last two years.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The Year 1 pupils performed above national expectations in the phonics test. A large majority of them know very well the sounds made by the letters of the alphabet.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The focus on the development of reading skills is promoting a love of reading among all year groups. Pupils choose books to read that interest and fascinate them. Those who have difficulty with reading some words, use their knowledge of the sounds that letters make to read new words.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop their writing skills well. For example, in a literacy lesson pupils contributed with confidence and accuracy, offering words that would enhance the imagery of the text by extending written sentences and using more sophisticated vocabulary.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Teachers make good use of new technologies to make learning more interesting. Films are used effectively to make understanding more immediate. Pupils use blogs and ‘quadblog’s to communicate with pupils in other parts of the world.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special education needs receive very well-targeted support, which enables them to make good progress. Extra help is planned for each pupil’s individual needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils eligible for additional funding are well supported in lessons. They made better than expected progress by the end of both key stages in 2012. Progress was especially rapid in mathematics. Current evidence suggests that the attainment gap between this group and other pupils is closing as a consequence.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Sometimes progress is slow when pupils do not feel challenged, are not interested in their work and do not know what to do to make faster progress. This arises in those lessons where teachers talk for too long when giving instructions that are too rigid, and do not provide opportunities for pupils to work on their own and to tackle new work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is usually good in all subjects, especially in English and mathematics. Pupils make good progress because lessons are well planned and well structured.

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The quality of teaching is good

 A small proportion of teaching is outstanding. In these lessons pupils make outstanding progress because teachers use many different ways to make learning interesting and challenging. They have very high expectations and ask precise questions which make pupils think clearly and deeply.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In classes where teaching is consistently good teachers build on what pupils already know and they start the lessons with clear and precise introductions so that pupils understand well what they are expected to do.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use questioning to check pupils’ progress, but do not always vary the questioning or probe more deeply to develop pupils’ understanding. More-able pupils are not always given more difficult tasks to extend their understanding and skills in addition to the extra activities already planned by the teachers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has put in place a very structured approach to teaching reading and writing. Literacy is taught in all subjects. Numeracy and other mathematical skills are taught both as subjects in their own right, and through other subjects as opportunities arise to include them in topic work. For example, pupils look at shapes and patterns when studying mosques.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers follow the school’s marking policy when they check pupils’ written work. The marking is regular but is not consistent in its quality. Pupils do not always understand what the teachers’ comments mean. Pupils are not always asked to respond to comments and corrections to show that they have understood how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Highly trained teaching assistants work well with the teachers. They provide teachers with accurate daily records of how the pupils they are supporting are doing. They jointly decide with the teachers on the type and degree of support for each pupil on a daily basis.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special education needs are very well supported with individual learning plans which are constantly monitored and adapted so that pupils continue to make at least good progress. Pupils in receipt of additional funding are also monitored regularly and individual support is adapted accordingly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage the teaching is outstanding. The teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) is particularly good, with rapid pace, work that is pitched accurately to the children’s understanding, fun activities and great enthusiasm.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour in lessons is good because pupils get on well with their tasks and find learning enjoyable. In rare occasions of very low-level disruption, only the briefest reminders to pupils are needed in order for them to return to what they are doing. In the main, parents and carers support the school in saying that behaviour is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is generally good in and around the school. There are clear and effective systems for pupils who misbehave. Pupils know the system of rewards and sanctions well, and they feel secure that they are consistently applied by teachers and other staff. The number of exclusions has fallen over the last two years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are typically considerate, respectful and polite to staff and to one another. They understand all forms of bullying, including cyber bullying. They know the school’s e-safety policy. Reports of bullying are rare. If incidents arise, they are dealt with swiftly by staff. Pupils feel safe and parents and carers believe that their children are safe in school.  The school’s ‘Investors in Pupils’ programme is having a positive effect on pupils’ sense of responsibility towards making the whole school a safe and secure place to be. Pupils talk proudly of their roles as prefects, for example.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is in line with national averages. To improve attendance the school has introduced a number of measures. These include certificates for 100% attendance and contact with parents and carers on the first day of absence. Parents and carers are also responding positively to the school’s policy on unauthorised absences for holidays during term time. Pupils usually arrive punctually to school and to lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection leaders have put in place systems of high quality to improve teaching and learning. Some of these systems are too new to show impact on progress and achievement. For example, teachers are beginning to analyse in detail aspects of one another’s teaching that lead effectively to pupils’ progress, so that these successful approaches can be used and adapted by all teachers. Sharing of good practice is not sufficiently widespread.

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The leadership and management are good

 The creative curriculum is outstanding. It enables teachers to plan across topic areas, involving pupils in the choice of areas for learning which interest them, whilst at the same time making sure that literacy and numeracy are fully incorporated in the lesson plans. This is having a very positive effect on pupils’ communications skills, which are highly developed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Another outstanding aspect of the school is the social, moral, cultural and spiritual development of the pupils. Pupils are able to distinguish right from wrong. They respect the beliefs of others. They have a wide range of opportunities to learn about other cultures. Activities enable pupils to experience the arts and intellectual debate. In one religious education lesson, Year 4 pupils experienced both empathy and sympathy through a biblical story about trust. They have been exploring this topic through Islam, Judaism and Christianity. When asked what she had learned in this lesson, a girl said that she had enjoyed learning how: ‘God could be a force for good’.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have also put in place systems for improving the monitoring of progress. However, the progress data are not interpreted equally well for all year groups. This contributes to the uneven progress of different year groups.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders set targets for teachers against pupils’ progress and attainment. These are checked to identify training and professional development for teachers, which are then individually tailored for a specific skill.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders have a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses in their areas of responsibility. Action plans for each subject area fit neatly in the school development plan, which is outstanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has very strong partnerships with parents and carers and other outside agencies which have been having a positive effect on attainment and progress of all pupils, including those with special education needs.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders spend the pupil premium funding to make sure that eligible pupils make at least as good a progress as others. The additional programmes bought in include more teaching assistants to give one-to-one support in literacy and numeracy and a part-time learning mentor for these pupils. It has also funded the Beacon Club and the Pyramid Club programmes specifically to help pupils in receipt of this funding in Years 3 and 6, with low self-esteem, to help them with their personal development to assist them with transition to secondary school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders’ self-evaluation is accurate and evaluative. However, it is not well linked to the priorities in the school’s development plan to show how the school will improve the achievement for all pupils in all year groups.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority works closely and effectively with the school. It facilitated the setting up of the collaborative partnership. It also facilitated the secondment of the headteacher as the executive headteacher of this and New Leake Primary School. The four schools in the partnership are beginning to collaborate at all levels, from the governing bodies to class teachers sharing good practice in the four schools’ classrooms.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good. Governors hold the school to account effectively. They are aware of how the school is performing. They have good knowledge about the pupils’ performance and about the budget. They contribute to decisions on what kind of support pupil premium funding should be spent. They also know the impact this is having on these pupils’ progress. They know how senior leaders monitor the performance of teachers. They approve of pay increases and promotion only if pupils’ progress and achievement targets have been met. Their monitoring of the headteacher’s performance is very rigorously linked to the priorities in the school development plan and to pupils’ progress and achievement.

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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 120629 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 401956

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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 176 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sheila Doyle-Thomas Headteacher Rowena Hanks Date of previous school inspection 21 September 2009 Telephone number 01205 480254 Fax number 01205 481170 Email address enquiries@stickney-pri.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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