Swinefleet Primary School

Swinefleet Primary School Low Street, Swinefleet, Goole, DN14 8BX

p.1

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  This school has improved since the last inspection. It remains an important part of the local community and is valued by parents.  Pupils’ achievement is good especially in reading and writing and more pupils are reaching the higher levels in these subjects than previously.  Overall teaching is good. The best is well planned, engages pupils and provides regular opportunities for pupils to work together and find things out for themselves.  Pupils feel safe and secure in the school and most attend regularly. Pupils from different year groups get on well together and those with special jobs undertake these responsibly.  The headteacher maintains a relentless focus on raising standards so that all pupils can fulfil their potential.  Leaders and governors are clear about the further improvements they want to see and they have been effective in driving change. They correctly identify these areas through

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

keeping a close watch on individual pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.  Parents are confident that pupils are kept safe and are well looked after.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The progress pupils make throughout the school is uneven. One reason for this is that, on occasions, opportunities to move learning forward more rapidly are missed.  The progress pupils make in acquiring and using mathematical skills lags behind their reading and writing abilities.  There is not enough outstanding teaching.  Pupils do not have enough time during lessons so that they can respond to teachers’ comments in their books.  All leaders do not ensure that they are able to measure at regular intervals the impact of the actions indicated in the school’s improvement plans.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed parts of eight lessons across the three classes in the school and an assembly. Two of the lessons were jointly observed with the headteacher. The inspector also looked at work in pupils’ books.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, subject leaders and six members of the governing body. Telephone conversations were conducted with the Chair of the Governing Body and the Area Improvement Adviser from the local authority.  The inspector listened to pupils from all year groups read. Pupils were spoken to around the school during social times.  When making the judgements the inspector took into account the 10 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s own survey of the views of parents. The nine responses from staff who returned the Ofsted inspection questionnaire were also considered.  A range of documents were read, including those relating to pupils’ progress, the school’s self-

p.2

Information about this inspection

evaluation of how well it judges its own effectiveness, governors, monitoring of teaching and safeguarding. Other documents and school policies were also considered, some of which are available on the school’s website.  During this inspection, the inspector asked additional questions designed to ascertain the school’s view of the impact and effectiveness of local authority services to support school improvement. This information will contribute to work being carried out by Ofsted to assess the use, quality and impact of those services.

p.2

Inspection team

Marianne Young, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average sized primary school. There are three classes. One for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, a class for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 and another class for pupils in Year 3 to Year 6.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to eligible for free school meals, who are in local authority care or whose parents are in the armed forces) is lower than that seen nationally. The vast majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or who have additional support because they are at ‘school action plus’ is below that seen nationally.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, who have support with their work because they have been identified as needing ‘school action’ is also below that seen nationally.

p.3

Information about this school

 A number of pupils join the school part-way through their education and this is contributing to a rise in pupil numbers since the last inspection.  Pupils’ attainment and achievement meets the national floor targets (the minimum expected by the government).

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that all is consistently good and more is outstanding by:  providing time in lessons for pupils to learn from their mistakes and understand how to improve  making sure that lessons are planned carefully so that all ability levels are challenged and that progress is more rapid  ensuring there is always a good balance between the time pupils spend listening to teachers and the time they have to get on with their work.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sustain the gains made in reading and writing and ensure that gains are made equally in mathematics for all groups of pupils.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Equip all leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to measure and justify the impact of new resources, training and support on pupils’ progress at regular intervals in order to reach the long-term goals.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 From a wide range of starting points, pupils make good progress. The number of pupils in each year group is small and includes pupils who have joined the school part way through their education. There are, however, no discernible trends in achievement over time with all groups of pupils doing equally well.  Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities that are below that typically expected, particularly their speech development and self-confidence. Weaknesses in numeracy and literacy, which were apparent last year, have been improved rapidly because activities are well-planned to stimulate children’s interest and to develop their language skills and ability to use number regularly. Consequently, they enter Year 1 with levels of achievement that are at least in line with, and for some above average levels.  Leaders have given extra attention to improving pupils’ reading and writing and they make good

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

progress in these subjects as they journey through the school. Pupils make progress in mathematics but not as rapidly as their progress in English. Consequently, at the end of Year 6, school data suggests that this year more pupils will gain the higher level in English compared to the number of pupils who reach the higher level in mathematics.  Pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs make equally good progress in line with their peers.  The rate of progress pupils make does slow in Key Stage 1 because the good progress they make in the Reception class is not built upon. Pupils are keen learners and often come up with good ideas, however their learning is restricted because they are not given the freedom to develop their own thoughts and sometimes pupils are not sufficiently well challenged.  Evidence from pupils’ books confirms the good progress pupils generally make in class. Pupils

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

read regularly and often fluently. They use their knowledge of phonics (the letters that sounds make) to help them work out new words correctly. Pupils talk enthusiastically about different books they have read and why they like particular authors.  School leaders have used additional funding wisely to give extra teaching help to those pupils supported by pupil premium. This money has also been used to ensure that pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals achieve equally well when compared to other pupils and access all enrichment and residential activities.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Inspection evidence confirms leaders’ view and that of many parents, that teaching is good. Lessons are interesting, engage pupils, move at an appropriate pace and enable pupils to discover things for themselves. At its best, lessons promote good progress because work is planned at the right level and pupils are well-supported particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 2.  Teachers’ mark pupils’ books regularly and identify clearly the things that pupils have done well. However, pupils are not able, or expected to regularly, correct their mistakes. For example, on several occasions, a pupil was told to add ‘wow’ words to their writing; however, it was not apparent in the next piece of work that this had been done.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers are well-aware of children’s interests and capabilities and pay close attention to their development. Questions are often re-phrased to elicit

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

more thoughtful answers and to challenge children’s understanding. Learning journals celebrate children’s work and parents are informed regularly about how well their child is doing.  Pupils say that they like practical lessons like science and when they have time to work things out for themselves. These features were evident in a lesson for Key Stage 2 pupils when they were investigating the best conditions in which to grow plants. Pupils supported each other well and were totally focused on their work. Consequently, progress was rapid.  Occasionally, teaching fails to take account of pupils’ individual needs and abilities and pupils do not make the progress they should. Tasks are confused and pupils spend too long listening to the teacher which means there is less time for pupils to get on with their work. At these times, too, teaching assistants are under-employed and not able to give the effective support seen in

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are welcoming and friendly to visitors. They are happy to talk about their work, their likes and dislikes and what positions of responsibility they hold. Pupils get on together and pupils of all ages mix well when playing games and are happy to help one another. The buddy reading work that takes place at lunch times is very popular and enables older pupils to help younger ones with their reading and so develop an interest in books.  This family atmosphere is engendered positively by adults and the approach is welcomed by parents with more of them choosing to send their children to Swinefleet Primary. Pupil numbers and attendance are both rising. Regular opportunities are provided for parents to visit the school and take part in different activities and events. Some link well to pupils’ class work which helps them develop their entrepreneurial skills well.  A very small number of staff have concerns about how pupils’ behaviour is managed. During the

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

inspection, any slight inappropriate behaviour was managed well. Pupils support this view and understand fully the consequences of ‘stepping out of line’.  Assemblies to reward and celebrate positive behaviour, attitudes and effort are held regularly. Pupils enjoy these events and talked freely about life at school with the inspector. They are especially proud of receiving special awards.  Pupils are adamant that bullying is rare. They understand how to keep themselves safe, including how to use computers properly. If an incident occurs, pupils are confident that swift action will be taken.  In many lessons, pupils are highly motivated, can work sensibly on their own and regulate their own behaviour. Occasionally, when lessons do not grab pupils’ attention and tasks are either too easy or too complex, pupils’ interest wanes, they day dream and progress slows.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection, the headteacher has been resolute in her determination to move the school forward. Checking the quality of teaching and learning through a range of activities such as lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ books takes place regularly and consequently, standards and progress continue to rise.  As well as understanding the school’s strengths, leaders and governors are aware of the challenges facing a small school. These are clearly identified in the school improvement plan. However, the current criteria used by all leaders, including those responsible for subjects, by which pupils’ progress and improvements can be measured in order to reach the overall goal, are not measurably sharp or reviewed regularly.  When teaching is not good enough, support is provided and feedback identifies where difficulties are evident. Such actions and clear performance targets for teachers are helping to improve the

p.5

The leadership and management are good

quality of teaching throughout the school.  Staff and pupils have been involved in reviewing and restructuring the good curriculum so that it better meets pupils’, particularly boys, interests. The ‘Book Ahead’ topic was specifically chosen to improve pupils’ reading. Pupils speak enthusiastically about Roald Dahl books and how they got inspiration for their ‘Revolting Recipes’ day from his books. As a result, this made them think about reading more and developing their enterprise awareness. These skills had been identified as needing improvement and in both respects, pupils’ ability to read and make money, were successful. Enrichment and interesting activities out of, and after school, complement and extend pupils spiritual, moral and social development. However, pupils understanding and awareness of life in multi-cultural Britain needs improvement.  Leaders ensure that equal opportunities for all pupils are promoted properly because individual

p.5

The leadership and management are good

pupils’ progress and pastoral development is monitored regularly. Some improvements are still needed to match the best provision and to ensure that pupils make progress steadily.  The local authority decided in January 2013 to reduce the support provided for the school following a desk analysis of the previous year’s results. Consequently the impact of the authority’s support and challenge is minimal and issues that they had identified during previous visits have not been followed up. The Area Improvement Adviser does not have first-hand knowledge of how well the school is doing currently. The governors have found the central training helpful as they have a better understanding of their responsibilities and how to understand information about pupils’ progress.  The governance of the school:  Leaders are challenged by an increasingly knowledgeable group of governors who visit the school and classrooms regularly. They are fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the

p.6

The leadership and management are good

school and are always involved in decisions about how the pupil premium funding is spent. They understand that pupils do not make as much progress in mathematics, for example, and have agreed to fund new mathematical resources and training. Governors recognise that they need more focused and measurable reports from senior and subject leaders so that they can check progress regularly. They have agreed appropriate and clear targets for the performance management of the headteacher and ensure that the Teachers’ Standards are fully implemented and used when judging the quality of teaching and if pay rises are justified. Safeguarding has a high priority and at the time of the inspection, all current requirements were met.

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 117942 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 401710

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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 80 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Louise Shires Headteacher Jill Marshall Date of previous school inspection 2 February 2010 Telephone number 01405 704386 Fax number 01405 704386 Email address swinefleet.primary@eastriding.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 .

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