Luttons Community Primary School

Luttons Community Primary School West Lutton, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 8TF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because current standards in Key Stage 1 are low. Work set for pupils in the mixed-age class does not always meet individual needs and progress is slower than it should be.  Standards in writing are lower than in mathematics and reading because pupils have too few opportunities to practise their writing skills in other areas of the curriculum.  Teaching requires improvement overall because younger pupils do not always get sufficient opportunities to play and work independently and often spend too long listening to staff. As a result, they are slower than they should be at developing the crucial skills required to learn independently.  Governors have recently agreed an increase in the numbers of children who attend in the Early Years Foundation Stage by making provision for up to eight nursery-age children. Despite an increase in staffing levels in the setting, current staff are stretched too thinly

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

and although welfare requirements are met, the quality of learning offered to all children within the class requires improvement.  Middle leaders do not yet play a sufficiently active part in improving pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics as their roles are unclear.

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The school has the following strengths

 The majority of pupils achieve well in Key Stage 2 because the headteacher and governors have improved the quality of teaching.  Pupils feel safe and behave well both inside and outside the classroom. Attendance has continued to improve since the previous inspection.  Governors have a good understanding of school achievement data and are effective at supporting and challenging the acting headteacher.  The newly appointed, acting headteacher is bringing about improvements at a fast pace.

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Information about this inspection

 Two inspectors visited the school for one day.  Inspectors observed six lessons and parts of lessons taught by two teachers. A learning walk was undertaken with the headteacher in which both classes were visited. The inspection team also listened to pupils from Years 1 and 2 read and examined the quality of work in the books of pupils from across the school.  The inspection team held meetings and had discussions with pupils, senior leaders, members of the school staff, three members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team took into account the views of seven parents who they met informally at the school gate and during activities during the school day. Four parents made their views known through the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).  The inspection team studied health and safety documentation as well as teachers’ curriculum planning documents. They also studied documents relating to the procedures for checking the

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Information about this inspection

performance of staff, the quality of teaching and the school’s system for checking pupils’ progress.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jennifer Firth Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Luttons Community Primary school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils who attend comes from families of White British heritage. At the time of the inspection no pupils attending came from families from other ethnic groups.  Because of the very small numbers who attend, pupils are taught in two mixed-age classes. Currently there are 16 pupils in Class 1 aged between three and seven years. The 14 pupils in Class 2 range in age from seven to 11 years.  A smaller-than-average number of pupils is eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority and those from armed forces’ families.  The number of pupils with special educational needs supported through school action is just below the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special

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Information about this school

educational needs is close to the national average.  In 2013 the school met the current floor standards set by the government for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has a high level of pupil mobility as evidenced by eight pupils leaving and a further eight arriving over a period of 20 months.  Since the last inspection the school has undergone a significant period of change with the appointment of a new acting headteacher in September 2013 who also teaches the Key Stage 2 class for three days per week. A partnership with a local primary school forged to increase the capacity of the leadership team by providing a strategic head teacher has also ceased.  School governors have made provision for up to eight nursery-age children to attend part time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to consistently good or better by: - ensuring that work set matches pupils' different learning needs and abilities more effectively in Key Stage 1 in order to accelerate progress across the school - increasing the number of planned opportunities children are given to play and work by themselves in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 so as to develop their independent learning skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve standards of attainment and increase rates of progress in writing to match those in reading and mathematics by increasing opportunities for pupils to undertake more extended pieces of writing across the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by: - ensuring that senior leaders urgently review staffing levels in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 class in order to improve outcomes for children - ensuring that the roles of middle leaders are defined more clearly so that they make a more consistent contribution to increasing pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children often start school with skills and knowledge that are below those typically expected for their age. Whilst standards reached at the end of Year 6 last year have improved to broadly average, standards in Key Stage 1 are lower than those expected nationally. This represents achievement that requires improvement overall.  Achievement in writing is lower than that in reading and mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 1 and Year 3. This is because pupils are not offered sufficient opportunities to improve their writing skills through undertaking longer pieces of work across the curriculum.  Reading is promoted across the school and older pupils spoken to say they enjoy reading for pleasure and taking books out of the school library. This factor, combined with a recent focus on mathematics, has seen improved standards in these areas, particularly in Key Stage 2.  Because of the small numbers in the cohorts of pupils in the school, combined with the unusually

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

high numbers of pupils moving into and away from the school, achievement at the end of Key Stage 2 has varied over the last three years. However, since the previous inspection, progress made by pupils in Key Stage 2 has improved, particularly in Years 5 and 6, thanks to the improvement in the quality of teaching brought about by the senior leadership team.  Whilst children often settle quickly into the Key Stage 1 and Reception class and become familiar with routines set by staff, their progress is not yet good. This is because too many of the activities offered do not engage children’s imagination and interest sufficiently and too often activities are led by staff rather than allowing children to learn by themselves through their own exploration. As a result children, including the group of nursery-age children, are slower than they should be at developing independent learning skills.  In 2012 and 2013 no Year 1 pupils achieved the nationally expected performance in the phonics

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

screening check which tests pupils’ ability to link letters to sounds. Leaders recognise that although the cohorts of children were very small and contained a higher-than-average number of children with special educational needs, this is an area for improvement. School data suggest that this trend has been reversed this year due to a more consistent approach to teaching phonics in both Reception and Year 1.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2012 was broadly in line with the national average. However, data from 2013 national tests show that standards reached by pupils were below average, particularly for the most-able pupils. Lesson observations made during the inspection and a scrutiny of pupils' work confirmed that pupils’ progress overall required improvement.  A very small number of pupils is known to be eligible for free school meals and none were eligible in Year 6 in 2013. However, data from current tracking information show gaps are

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

beginning to narrow and attainment for this group in English and mathematics has improved in line with that of others within the school in Key Stage 2. This is due to the effective use of pupil premium monies which school has used to deliver extra support to boost pupils’ achievement through one-to-one and small-group sessions.  The majority of pupils who join the school at times other than the beginning of the school year settles well and makes progress similar to that of others in the school.  School staff identify and provide for the extra needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Although this group, alongside those that are most-able makes progress in English and mathematics equal to that of others in the school, their progress requires improvement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement overall as was evident in the progress seen in lessons and the quality of work seen in pupils’ books. Whilst some good teaching was observed during the inspection, too often lessons required improvement because work set did not match pupils’ needs sufficiently well and was too easy for some or too hard for others. This slowed pupils’ rates of progress, especially in Key Stage 1.  The majority of teachers use information about how well pupils are doing to plan future lessons. However activities for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are not always planned so carefully. As a result, there are often too few opportunities for individual children to work and learn by themselves to develop their independent learning skills and staff are on occasions not given sufficiently clear direction on how to support children’s learning.  In lessons where teaching is well-prepared, pupils enjoy learning and engage well. An example

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

of this was seen in a phonics session where children were learning how to read whole words, for example, ‘pig’ and ‘hat’. The teacher’s use of a model pig and a hat reinforced children’s learning of the words and their enjoyment in the session.  Marking is carried out regularly and diligently in the books of most pupils. Guidance given is well- targeted for all age groups and, as a result, pupils spoken to were clear about what was needed to improve their work.  Homework is set regularly for older pupils and help to complete it is offered in the Friday homework club. This ensures equality of opportunity, particularly for pupils who lack access to information and communication technology (ICT) at home.  The school has few support staff. However, effective working partnerships are evident in both classrooms. Extra sessions planned for less-able pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are focussed clearly and the impact of these sessions on pupils’ progress is

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

evaluated effectively and has improved pupils’ progress, particularly in reading.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Even in lessons in which teaching was judged to require improvement, pupils’ standards of behaviour rarely dipped.  Pupils show very caring and friendly attitudes towards each other, to staff and visitors. For example Key Stage 2 pupils, without adult supervision, set up a range of innovative activities at lunch time which allowed younger pupils to enjoy a range of activities and games. This responsibility was taken very seriously and, as one pupil said, ‘Made sure no one was left out or lonely’.  ‘Coming to school here is great’, commented a group of pupils, offering clear evidence of the safe and happy place that pupils feel school is. Parents spoken to also echo this view and feel that their children enjoy coming to school and that staff 'go the extra mile' to support them. Rare incidents of misbehaviour, they consider, are dealt with effectively by staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 School records show that incidents of misbehaviour are low and that no pupil has been excluded for the past three years.  Pupils feel valued as members of the school community and their views are communicated well to senior leaders through the school council.  The majority of pupils spoken to was clear about the different forms bullying can take. They feel that such incidents are rare because pupils are made aware through, for example the school’s Internet safety policy, of the effects bullying can have on others. They are clear about where to seek help, should an incident occur.  Attendance has improved from a dip last year to above the national average. This improvement is largely due to the headteacher’s very strong and effective stance on reducing the number of holidays taken in term time.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The newly appointed acting headteacher is bringing about significant change at a good pace and her focus on improvement has ensured that attendance for the vast majority of pupils is now good. However it is too soon for much of what she has planned to have had an impact on improving pupils’ achievement and the quality of teachers' planning. A clear success however, even at this early stage in the process of improvement, has been in uniting staff in a quest to improve the school even further.  Staff are well-deployed in Key Stage 2 and teaching time is effectively managed to meet the diverse needs of pupils in the class. However, whilst staffing levels in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 class meet legal requirements for the numbers of early years children present, the provision does not take into account the very wide breadth of needs and abilities of this group and the inclusion of pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since September, a lower level of staffing in Class 1 and the arrival of six nursery-age children has begun to have an adverse impact on the progress of Key Stage 1 pupils in particular, due in part to the lack of time staff have to teach each of the three groups within the one classroom successfully.  Teaching is monitored across the school and actions are being taken by the headteacher through the management of staff performance to tackle areas of weakness.  School leaders ensure that performance targets for staff link directly to pupils’ achievement and targets within the school’s development plan. Checks on the performance of staff are undertaken and the headteacher has used the information gathered to make decisions on teachers’ pay.  The curriculum is enriched by visits out which offer pupils opportunities to develop a new range of knowledge and skills. A recent whole-school trip to a forest gave pupils the opportunity to

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The leadership and management requires improvement

learn self-sufficiency and team-building skills in the open air and was described by one pupil as ‘brilliant fun’. These experiences increase pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding well.  Middle leaders are now in place for English and mathematics. However their role has yet to be defined accurately and currently they do not make a significant contribution to school improvement by, for example, monitoring the quality of teaching and achievement in their subjects effectively.  The school has developed a clear plan for using their allocation of sports partnership monies. This includes further training opportunities for staff to develop new skills which are beginning to improve the quality of physical education teaching and the health and well-being of pupils.  Throughout the recent process of change the local authority has offered the school's leaders a high level of support which is planned to continue through the support package provided by the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

local authority for new headteachers.  The governance of the school: - School governors bring a range of skills and experience to the governing body which they have updated through attending further training. As a result, they offer the headteacher a robust level of challenge and support. Their good levels of understanding of achievement data and the quality of teaching have contributed to the improvement in attainment in Key Stage 2. In partnership with senior leaders, governors have now developed an effective system for checking the performance of all staff which rewards good teaching and addresses any underperformance. They manage pupil premium funding prudently and this careful management has enabled them to support pupils eligible. Safeguarding procedures and policies within school meet current requirements.

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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 121454 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 425670

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 19 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rachel McDonald Headteacher Julie Lee Date of previous school inspection 22 November 2011 Telephone number 01944 738232 Fax number 01944 738232 Email address headteacher@luttons.n-yorks.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

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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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