Clifton Green Primary School

Clifton Green Primary School Kingsway North, Clifton, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6JA Inspection dates 14–15 May 2014

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 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.  Children settle into the Early Years Foundation Stage quickly as the school makes good links with parents. Children make good progress and become confident learners.  Pupils continue to make good progress across Key Stage 1. By the time they move on they have reached standards that are currently just below average but rapidly improving.  Progress across Key Stage 2 is good as teaching is consistently good. Standards are rising and are now above average.  Teaching is good as teachers have pertinent subject knowledge and plan activities well. Pupils are asked searching questions that extend their leaning and increase their progress.  Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning and progress. Pupils with a range of special educational needs are well catered for and make good progress.  Pupils are well behaved both in and out of class. They enjoy their learning and work

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

together in groups and as partners when discussing their work successfully. They are well mannered and are proud of their school.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and measure risk. They say they feel safe and secure in school and enjoy learning about keeping safe in lessons.  The headteacher’s inspirational leadership has secured improvement and moved the school forward rapidly. He is exceptionally well supported by the deputy and assistant headteacher and a committed staff. Teaching is improving and standards are rising.  The governing body provides good support and challenge. They are thorough and skilful and have been instrumental in helping the school to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough. Marking does not always help pupils to improve their work. Pupils are not always able to check on and accelerate their own learning and progress.  Standards in reading and writing in Key Stage 1 are not as strong as in mathematics because pupils’ phonic skills (understanding about sounds that letters make) are not good enough yet. Pupils’ handwriting skills are not always good. Pupils have insufficient opportunities to write for a purpose and have their success in writing celebrated.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors watched 32 lessons or parts of lessons, of which two were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors observed groups of pupils, as well as individual pupils, working with teaching assistants. They listened to Year 2 pupils read, and heard pupils in other year groups read in lessons.  Inspectors talked to a range of pupils, including the school council, about their work and play in school. They also studied a wide range of pupils’ work across the school.  Meetings were held with five governors as well as teaching staff, including middle leaders and the headteacher.  Inspectors observed the overall work of the school and studied a number of documents including the school’s data about pupils’ current progress. They also examined documents relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors took account of 35 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). They also

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Information about this inspection

considered staff questionnaires and talked to some parents.  Inspectors looked at school displays, its website and a range of other evidence relating to the wider work of the school.

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Inspection team

Dave Shearsmith, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemary Batty Additional Inspector Lynne Davies Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools.  A well-above average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium which is additional funding for those pupils eligible for free school meals and children in the care of the local authority.  A below average proportion of pupils are supported at school action. An above average proportion of pupils are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  Most pupils are from White British heritage. About 20% of pupils are from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds.  The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is close to the national average.  The school has achieved Healthy School status and the Basic Skills Quality Mark.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The Early Years Foundation Stage is taught in two Reception classes and two Nursery classes.  The school has before- and after-school clubs managed by the governing body.  There have been a number of staffing changes since the last inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so it is outstanding by:  using existing outstanding teaching to improve the quality of teaching and raise expectations of all teachers  ensuring that the school’s guidelines for marking are followed more consistently so pupils are given clearer points for improvement and time to improve their work  making sure that pupils know how to be successful in lessons so they can check on their own learning and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve standards in reading and writing at Key Stage 1 by:  improving the teaching of sounds that letters make (phonics) from the start of FS through to the end of KS1  giving pupils more opportunities to write for a purpose in other subjects  improving pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills and celebrating the best of their work in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school tracks pupils’ progress closely and this has been instrumental in improving pupils’ achievement so that it is now good. Progress meetings with teachers, to ensure pupils are on track to achieve as well as they can, is ensuring that this momentum is sustained and that no pupil is underperforming.  Children enter the school with skills that are below and sometimes well below what is typical for their age, particularly in literacy. They make good progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage and settle quickly into learning as the school puts a strong emphasis on their personal development and developing their literacy skills.  They continue to make good progress across Key Stage 1 and reach standards that are currently just below average overall. Standards in mathematics are average as this is taught consistently well. Standards in reading and writing are relatively weaker because phonics (sounds that letters

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The achievement of pupils is good

make) is not taught consistently well. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to write for a purpose or have efficient handwriting skills to reach a higher standard in their writing.  Pupils make good progress across Key Stage 2 to reach standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This is due to teaching, particularly in Years 5 and 6, that enables pupils to make faster progress.  The school has recently developed a more systematic approach to teach phonics. This is having a positive impact on improving pupils’ skills after weak results in the 2013 Year 1 reading check. Pupils appear to be on track to achieve better results this year, which are close to the national average, although there are still some inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium typically make good progress across the school. The school ensures they make the same level of progress as other pupils through rigorous tracking. As a

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The achievement of pupils is good

result, they reach standards that are above similar pupils nationally overall, but two terms behind their peers. The school’s data indicate that this gap is closing and results are likely to be better this year.  The most able pupils make good progress in their work. By the time these pupils leave the school in Year 6 they have achieved standards that are close to what is typical for their age.  Pupils learning English as an additional language, including those from minority ethnic groups, make good progress overall. They reach standards that are above average compared with similar pupils nationally and compared with their peers.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs generally make good progress across the school, although they do not always reach standards as high as similar pupils nationally as some have quite complex needs. The school uses its teaching assistants well to ensure the good

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is generally good with some that is outstanding as teachers provide activities that interest pupils. Consequently, pupils are keen to learn and respond well to the tasks that are given them. Pupils work hard, often eagerly tackling problems that challenge them to do their best.  Pupils respond well to skilful questioning and work cooperatively when talking about their learning. During a Year 2 literacy activity, pupils enthusiastically discussed the feelings of different characters from the book ‘The Owl Who was Afraid of the Dark’. They shared their ideas with each other and then accurately reported back to their teacher. Pupils made good and some outstanding progress in their speaking and listening skills. They also gained an understanding of how to write about characters.  Pupils typically enjoy solving problems in mathematics using their calculation skills and knowledge of times tables. In a mathematics lesson in Year 4, for example, pupils were

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The quality of teaching is good

encouraged to use a range of mathematical skills to solve multiplication problems. The activities ensured pupils were challenged to extend their thinking. They had a good understanding of their multiplication tables and were able to apply this effectively to multiplying larger numbers. Pupils made outstanding progress as they were asked to apply their skills to different calculations and received appropriate support from the teacher and teaching assistant.  When pupils were able to apply their literacy skills to a real-life problem in Year 5 their learning was deepened. Following a residential visit to an outdoor centre pupils were asked to make a leaflet to advertise the centre. Each group in the class was given a very clear idea of how to be successful in the task so they could check on how well they had done. They made good progress as a result in making their leaflet. Pupils were interested because they were writing for a

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The quality of teaching is good

purpose. Not all activities across the school provide such clear guidance to help pupils’ learning and during such activities, progress often slows.  Pupils typically respond well to marking where clear points for improvement are given, followed by time to allow pupils to improve. Pupils’ work is marked diligently across the school. Where the school’s guidelines for marking are used effectively, pupils make better progress and reach a higher standard in their work. Pupils do not reach a higher standard in their work where marking guidance is not precise enough and pupils are not given time to respond.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are well mannered and move around the school with care and consideration. They are provided with rich and varied activities that engage them in learning and promote their understanding and progress. Pupils enjoy sharing ideas and discussing with each other and this contributes to developing their cooperation skills for various tasks. The school also focuses on pupils’ personal development through the ‘Dream Factory’. This is a system designed to raise pupils’ aspirations and encourage pupils to express their ambitions.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance has risen significantly from well-below average to average. The school has put in place effective systems to improve pupils’ attendance, particularly those whose attendance was persistently low. This has had a powerful effect on attendance overall and is now beginning to improve pupils’ achievement as they attend more

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

regularly.  The school manages pupils’ behaviour well particularly where pupils have very specific needs. It works in partnership with outside agencies to improve pupils’ behaviour and to ensure such pupils receive a smooth return to school.  The school has a well-attended breakfast and after-school club. The breakfast club gives pupils a good start to the day with a range of activities. The after-school club is also well attended with the school providing a wide range of interesting activities for all pupils.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and manage risk in a range of situations including fire and water safety. They also know how to keep safe when on the internet as the school has provided good support and advice to pupils through lessons.  Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying and say that it is very rare in the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school. They said that if pupils do fall out or experience bullying, they are confident that teachers or other staff will help them resolve it.  Pupils said they felt secure in the school. Parents and staff confirmed this as the headteacher and governors have good systems and procedures in place to ensure that everyone feels safe and secure.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s strong and determined leadership has been instrumental in driving up standards and improving the quality of teaching. He is very well supported by a skilful deputy and assistant headteacher who provide support for developing the quality of teaching, tracking pupils’ progress and analysing the school’s data. The school has made a number of staffing changes during the last year and these have successfully improved pupils’ achievement.  Systems to check how well staff are performing have been refined. They are now very effective in improving the quality of teaching. Regular meetings with staff about pupils’ progress have also been effective in ensuring progress is good and continuing to improve. Teachers are held to account for pupils’ achievement and are appropriately rewarded for their performance in the classroom.  Middle leaders also support the drive for improvement successfully and staff are appropriately

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The leadership and management are good

rewarded for their leadership roles. The leaders for literacy and mathematics both provide good support for staff. They have ensured that key areas for improvement are effective. Middle leaders also ensure that pupils who are falling behind get appropriate support so that they make good progress. The school already shares existing good practice to improve the quality of teaching but is aware of the need to extend this further to raise teachers’ expectations.  The school has thorough plans in place to guide its improvement further based on an accurate understanding of its current effectiveness. Already identified as an area for development are standards in reading and writing at Key Stage 1 with plans already underway to bring about improvement. The school has been particularly effective at improving attendance and standards at Key Stage 2, thus demonstrating a good capacity to improve further.  The subjects taught provide good quality activities that engage pupils and promote their

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The leadership and management are good

progress. The school has developed its outdoor learning using the school grounds. This is enriching pupils’ understanding of the environment. Pupils learn to plant and grow things and are given regular opportunities to explore the outdoors close to the school as part of the school’s Forest School development.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed well. Pupils enjoy singing in assembly and are given stimulating musical and drama activities as part of their daily lessons. Drumming and specialist drama teaching, linked into their classroom work, also enriches pupils’ learning.  Parents are positive about the school as it engages with them well. Parents have a ‘Parents’ Forum’ and ‘Parent Voice’ email address, which enable them to communicate with the school. The regular ‘Café Assemblies’ are popular and give parents a chance to see the school’s and pupils’ work.  The school has a developing range of partnerships that enrich its work. Support from local sports

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The leadership and management are good

clubs and community schemes and the local cluster of schools all enhance pupils’ learning.  The local authority gives very good support to the school. Literacy consultants and support for leadership, management and governance are some examples that have helped the school to improve.  The school gives due regard to everyone’s safety and security in and around the school and safeguarding meets requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors provide strong challenge and support to the work of the school. They have a wide range of skills that they use effectively to help the school improve. They also attend a range of training to help the school’s further improvement. They have a good understanding of the school’s data which they use to challenge senior leaders to promote better pupil progress. They manage the school budget well. They have used the primary school sports’ funding wisely to improve sports’ teaching and to give pupils more opportunities to participate in

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The leadership and management are good

sporting activities. Governors use the pupil-premium funding to good effect and are aware it is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress by noting the improved results. They have good systems in place to check on the quality of teaching and regularly visit the school. Governors reward teachers appropriately for their work in and out of the classroom and use the arrangements to check their performance well to increase pupils’ 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 121283 Local authority York Inspection number 442268

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 429 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lynn Comer Headteacher David Brown Date of previous school inspection 5 February 2013 Telephone number 01904 627270 Fax number 01904 655841 Email address cliftongreenprimary@york.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 and 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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