Priory Lane Community School

Priory Lane Community School West Common Gardens, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN17 1EJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that has serious weaknesses.  The progress made by pupils in English and mathematics in Key Stage 2 is inadequate.  At the end of Year 6, standards are too low given pupils’ starting points, especially in writing; pupils consequently underachieve.  The attainment gap between pupils supported by the pupil premium and other pupils is too wide.  The quality of teaching is inadequate overall. Too much teaching in Key Stage 2 requires improvement and some remains inadequate.  The teaching of basic skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar is too variable. Pupils’ progress in reading and spelling are held back by weaknesses in the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make).  Some teachers’ knowledge of different subjects is weak. This hampers their ability to assess work accurately, to address key errors, and to show pupils how to overcome difficulties and improve their work.  In some classes in Key Stage 2, pupils are not

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

expected to do their best and occasionally, inattentive behaviour in class slows their learning. As a result, behaviour requires improvement.  Some subject leaders have not been equipped with the necessary skills, such as how to analyse data or to observe teaching, to improve pupils’ learning and the quality of teaching in their subjects.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to undertake extended writing or to develop their writing and mathematical skills in subjects such as history, geography and science.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher and governing body have an accurate view of what needs to be improved. A good start has been made in accelerating pupils’ progress and improving teaching.  Attendance is above average.  Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage due to consistently good teaching.  Pupils enjoy school. They feel safe and act with careful regard for the safety of others.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors saw teaching and learning in all classes, observing 14 mainly full lessons, including a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, a number of shorter visits were made to lessons in the Early Years Foundation Stage and to see particular aspects, such as the teaching of reading, physical education or pupils being taught individually or in small groups. A range of other school activities including playtimes, lunchtimes and an assembly were observed.  Past and current work in Key Stages 1 and 2 classes was scrutinised and some pupils were heard reading.  Meetings were held with school leaders and other staff, members of the governing body and with a representative of the local authority.  Documents, including school development planning and reports showing the school’s view of its own performance, safeguarding documents and policies and records relating to behaviour, safety and attendance were inspected. A range of information on the performance of the school in

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Information about this inspection

comparison with other schools nationally was analysed. The school’s records of pupils’ progress were also reviewed.  The views of 38 parents who completed the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) were analysed. Short discussions were held with 17 parents of a total of 24 children at the beginning of the second day of the inspection. The results of a recent school survey of parents’ views held in January 2014 were also taken into account.  Inspectors received the views of staff through discussions and also through analysing 10 responses to the inspection questionnaire. They received the views of pupils though both informal and pre-arranged discussions.

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Inspection team

Roger Sadler, Lead inspector Additional Inspector James McGrath Additional Inspector Edward Price Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 44 of the Education Act 2005 (as amended), Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Information about this school

 In this larger than average-sized primary school, most pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  An above average proportion of pupils is supported by the pupil premium. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is well above average.  In 2013, the school failed to meet the government’s current floor standards that set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  This new school was opened in September 2012, following the closure of Priory Infant and Junior schools. The headteacher of Priory Lane Infant School was appointed headteacher of this

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Information about this school

new community primary school on a split site.  There is currently a building programme on the Key Stage 2 site, which will eventually house all pupils. Since it opened, there have been considerable disruptions to leadership, management and teaching due to long-term staff absence.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better in all classes by:  urgently eradicating all inadequate teaching  improving some teachers’ subject knowledge, especially in Key Stage 2, in writing and mathematics, so that they can assess pupils’ work accurately to ensure that pupils work at the right level, and have sufficiently high expectations of the level of work that pupils in each year group can attain  ensuring all teachers check the progress that pupils are making in lessons, spot any mistakes and adapt their teaching, questioning and explanations accordingly  improving the teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) so that pupils throughout the school improve their reading and spelling skills  ensuring that expectations of behaviour are equally high in all classes and that lessons are interesting and purposeful so that standards of behaviour do not lapse.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve progress and raise attainment in order that all pupils achieve as well as they can by:  accelerating the progress of pupils supported by the pupil premium in reading, writing and mathematics  requiring pupils in all year groups to do more extended writing and improve their spelling and punctuation, especially in Key Stage 2  expecting pupils to work at the highest level they are capable of in each lesson, especially in writing  ensuring that pupils apply and develop their writing and mathematics skills in other subjects.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management further by:  ensuring that subject leaders develop their leadership skills and take greater responsibility for checking on the quality of teaching and learning and helping their colleagues to teach their subjects better  helping subject leaders to have an accurate view of the school’s data and to use this information to improve teaching and pupils’ achievement in their subject area

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Pupils’ achievement is inadequate because they do not make enough progress in reading, writing, and mathematics in Key Stage 2. Standards, especially in writing, are too low by the time pupils leave Year 6.  Lesson observations, pupils’ work, listening to pupils read and the school’s records show that rates of progress are now beginning to improve, but there are still significant gaps in pupils’ skills and knowledge in Key Stage 2 because of previous underachievement.  Children start the Early Years Foundation Stage with knowledge and skills that are below those typical for their age. As a result of good leadership and consistently good teaching and provision, children make good progress in this key stage and reach the expected level of development for their age. Children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.  In Key Stage 1, achievement although improving, is not yet good. Although pupils reach

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

standards in reading, writing and mathematics which are broadly average by the end of Year 2, they do not make good progress because teaching is too inconsistent in quality, particularly in reading. A below-average proportion of pupils in Year 1 in 2013 reached the expected standard in the national tests to assess their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make (phonics). Weaknesses in the teaching of phonics mean that pupils do not develop the skills they need to achieve well in reading and spelling as they progress through the school.  In Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievement is inadequate. In 2013, overall standards at the end of Year 6 were significantly below average. Standards in writing were particularly weak. Pupils currently in Key Stage 2 have not benefitted from a step-by-step approach to developing their literacy skills in the past; teaching has been too variable. Many pupils still make too many basic errors in

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

their spelling, punctuation and grammar. Improvements in teaching are now helping pupils throughout Key Stage 2 to make better progress, including in writing. For example, pupils have been taught to take more pride in their books and to present them well. The presentation of their work is much improved. However, achievement in writing is still hampered because pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length in English and other subjects.  Although pupils’ progress is better in mathematics than in reading and writing, it is still too slow in Key Stage 2. Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching mean that some pupils’ number and calculation skills are underdeveloped. Too many older pupils find it difficult to understand, recall and apply their learning when solving problems or undertaking investigations. Pupils are rarely asked to use their mathematical learning in other subjects.  The most able pupils generally make expected progress. However, too few of the most able

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

pupils make good progress because some teachers’ expectations are not high enough to help them to achieve well. Too few pupils attain the higher levels in end of key stage assessments at the age of seven and eleven.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs have also underachieved as a result of weak teaching and support that has not met their needs effectively enough. Recent improvements in the quality of support and the management of provision for these pupils means that they are now starting to make better progress.  In 2013, Year 6 pupils eligible for free schools meals, supported by the pupil premium left school with standards about one year behind other pupils in the school and two terms behind similar pupils nationally, in reading, writing and mathematics. Although the progress of those pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is speeding up, it is not fast enough and their

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

standards still lag behind similar pupils nationally and other pupils in the school.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teaching over time is inadequate. There is too little good teaching, especially in Key Stage 2, to accelerate pupils’ progress and address the gaps in their knowledge and skills. However, as a result of the actions of senior leaders, teaching is improving, particularly in the use of assessment and in how to manage pupils’ behaviour. However, there is still too much inconsistency in quality across classes. Some inadequate teaching remains in Key Stage 2.  Teachers’ expectations are too low in some Key Stage 2 classes. Not all teachers plan work that challenge pupils’ different abilities appropriately. In some lessons, the work is too easy for the most able. This reflects a lack of teachers’ knowledge of the subject, notably in writing and mathematics. As a result, teachers’ explanations are insufficiently clear to extend pupils’ learning well enough.  Teachers do not always check pupils’ progress carefully enough during lessons. As a result, they

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

fail to spot errors or adapt their teaching, questioning and explanations to enable pupils to achieve well. This lack of guidance slows learning.  The teaching of spelling, grammar and punctuation skills is inconsistent. Some pupils in Key Stage 2 have not been taught how to check for errors in their writing and so standards remain too low. In a few classes, the teaching of mathematics is weak and pupils are either given work that is too easy for them or are not helped to identify and address errors in their calculations, and so make too little progress. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their writing and mathematical skills in other subjects or to write at length.  Inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics in Key Stage 1 result in lower standards in reading than in writing and mathematics. Also progress in reading in Key Stage 2 is slowed because less confident readers lack the phonics skills necessary to help them read and spell well.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Although behaviour is mostly well managed, in a few lessons where work lacks interest, purpose or challenge, some pupils fail to concentrate fully on learning. When this happens, a few pupils become restless and their behaviour disrupts learning.  The quality of marking has improved following helpful staff training, and is now much more consistent throughout the school. Even so, teachers do not always require pupils to improve their work in the light of the comments they make and so marking does not yet have a good impact on pupils’ learning.  Recently, more is being done to support the learning of pupils supported by the pupil premium and those most at risk of falling behind. Improvements in the quality of support, including from teaching assistants, is helping to ensure that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are now starting to make better progress. However, these groups are still given too little

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

extra help to enable them to make the progress they should in reading, writing and mathematics.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers and other adults bring their good subject knowledge to bear to plan and implement exciting activities that capture children’s interest and move their learning forward at a good rate.  Some teaching is good in both Key Stages 1 and 2 and enables pupils in those particular lessons to learn well. In these lessons, teachers expect a lot, plan interesting and challenging work and hold pupils’ attention well through asking probing questions and promoting lively discussions. Pupils are continually asked to check their work for errors and are shown how to make improvements. Pupils show a better understanding of what they have to do to succeed. For example, in a Year 2 literacy lesson, pupils produced some excellent writing on knights and were continually shown how to use much better adjectives in their writing and how to avoid boring

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

descriptions.  Parents’ views of the quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1 are almost invariably positive. In Key Stage 2, some parents reasonably express concerns about the quality of teaching and the progress their children make.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement. In a few lessons where teachers expect too little or in lessons that lack interest and clear purpose, standards of behaviour lapse. This is not always checked quickly or effectively enough by staff and as a result, the behaviour of a few pupils disrupts the learning of others.  However, most pupils behave well in lessons. Behaviour around the school, for example in the playground, in assembly or in the dining hall is good. Discussions with pupils indicate that the behaviour seen during the inspection is typical of the behaviour normally apparent at the school.  Most pupils enjoy school and show positive attitudes to learning. They are mostly proud of their school. They say that behaviour and teaching have improved this year and they welcome these improvements. Pupils are generally keen to learn and most try their best even when lessons lack interest and purpose. They dress smartly and help keep the classroom tidy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Almost all parents of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1 agree that their children enjoy school, behave well and are happy with the care and support the school provides. Most, but not all Key Stage 2 parents also believe this, but their views are not as strongly positive.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they feel safe at school and are aware of what constitutes unsafe situations. They behave safely and show respect for the safety of others. They know how to use the internet safely and who to go to at school if they are worried or upset.  Most of the pupils spoken with have an adequate grasp of the various forms of bullying that might happen. They say that bullying is rare and if it occurs, staff deal with matters promptly. They say that name-calling does occur sometimes, but staff also deal with these incidents effectively.  Pupils look after younger ones, for example, at lunchtimes and so develop a good sense of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

responsibility to care for each other. Playground buddies and play leaders are proud of their work and said they enjoyed their training.  The school successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ enjoyment of school is enriched well by frequent visits, sporting and social events and other activities.  Attendance has improved and has been a little above average for the last four terms. Most pupils attend regularly. Procedures to assure good attendance are effective.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the school opened, senior leaders have improved the quality of teaching so that more of it is now good and less inadequate. However, they have not fully ensured pupils make consistently good progress across the year groups and some inadequate teaching remains in Key Stage 2. Disruptions to leadership and management and to teaching, due to long-term staff absence, have hampered efforts to bring about improvement at a good rate.  Some middle leaders, including those responsible for leading specific subjects, are eager to make a stronger contribution to driving improvement forward. They are starting to develop their roles in order to do so. As yet, however, they do not have a good enough picture of the quality of teaching nor use data to find out how well pupils progress in their particular areas.  The pace of change, however, is now accelerating quickly. The headteacher, senior leaders and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

the governing body share a strong commitment to bringing about the necessary improvements. They have a very clear understanding of exactly which aspects most urgently need addressing. Many well-considered initiatives to attend to underperformance in teaching, pupils’ underachievement and to raise expectations are well underway. However, it is still too soon for these improvements to reflect significantly on pupils’ achievement and a legacy of underachievement still remains.  The leadership of teaching, including arrangements to manage the performance of staff, have strengthened. Pupils’ attainment and progress are regularly analysed by senior leaders with each individual class teacher. This is helping to hold staff to account for their teaching quality and pupils’ achievement. Senior leaders are firmly tackling weaker teaching through well-planned training and robust monitoring of teachers’ performance in the classroom. Although teaching has

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The leadership and management requires improvement

improved, more needs to be done to ensure that teaching is consistently good throughout the school, especially in Key Stage 2. Leaders have improved the arrangements to check on pupils’ progress. Senior leaders’ rigorous analysis of this information has helped them to correctly pinpoint where improvement is needed most and to ensure that a better range and quality of support for particular groups of pupils, such as those supported by the pupil premium, is put in place. These actions show that leaders are fully committed to promoting equal opportunities and to ensuring all pupils succeed. However, variations in pupils’ achievement across the school remain, particularly in Key Stage 2, and this means that their efforts are not yet effective.  Improvements to the curriculum, especially for lower attaining pupils and those supported by the pupil premium, are already evident in better rates of progress made by these pupils. However,

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The leadership and management requires improvement

progress in writing and mathematics is slower because too few opportunities are planned to develop pupils’ particular writing and mathematics skills in subjects other than English and mathematics.  The new funding for developing physical education and sports is used to develop staff expertise and skills, to bring in external coaches and to extend pupils’ participation in sport and exercise. New sports teams have been established and pupils are keen to be involved.  Pupils are looked after well and procedures for safeguarding, including child protection procedures and safeguarding training, meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  Since the governing body was formed, governors have worked with great commitment to try to ensure that the school does well and to make up for lost ground over the last two years. The governing body has a very clear view of the performance of the school, drawing on strong

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The leadership and management requires improvement

skills in analysing data and performance reports to see which aspects are most urgently in need of improvement. For example, governors recognise that the gap between the attainment of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium and other pupils is too great.  Governors understand their role and have established effective methods to monitor and support the quality of teaching. They are clear about the management of teachers’ performance, including that of the headteacher, and they ensure pay is reviewed accordingly, making it known to staff that pay awards will only be granted where it is evident that pupils have made good progress. Governors recognise that it is vital that teaching needs to be good throughout the school in order to address a legacy of underachievement in Key Stage 2 with real urgency.  The governing body provides strong challenge to senior leaders to ensure that key areas of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

change are properly supported and checked.

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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 117756 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 430637

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 390 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julie Fletcher Headteacher Susan White Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01724 842160 Fax number 01724 842160 Email address adminks1.plcs@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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