Kirkbride Primary School

Kirkbride Primary School Kirkbride, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 5JR

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  There have been significant improvements in pupils’ achievement, behaviour and safety and in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. This is a result of the determined leadership by the headteacher supported by leaders throughout the school.  Achievement is good. From starting points on entry to the Nursery class that are typical for children of their age, pupils reach standards by the end of Year 6 that are above average in English and mathematics.  Teaching is typically good and there is some that is outstanding.  This is a very safe school. Pupils say that they feel extremely safe and they know how to keep themselves safe.  The behaviour of pupils in and out of lessons and when out of school is excellent.  Members of the governing body are effective and use their skills and expertise well to provide strategic direction for this improving school.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development is strong and is promoted well through an impressive range of activities.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching sometimes does not challenge pupils well enough, and on these occasions, their progress slows.  Achievement in mathematics is not as good as it is in English because pupils do not consolidate their basic mathematical skills at an early age.  The outdoors learning area in the Early Years Foundation Stage is not as rich and stimulating as indoors.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in seven lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also listened to pupils read in Years 2 and 6.  The inspector took account of 32 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and nine questionnaires completed by the staff.  The inspector held meetings with pupils from Years 2 to 6. He talked informally with pupils at break and lunch times. The inspector also talked to members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. In addition, he held discussions with leaders who have other responsibilities, including the leaders of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation, including internal and external data relating to pupils’ progress, pupils’ workbooks, school improvement

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Information about this inspection

planning and the school’s views of how well it is doing. He also considered reports written by the local authority, documents relating to teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding and child protection information.

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Inspection team

Peter Evea, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The number of pupils in each year group is much lower than average and pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.  In recent years, there have been a significant number of pupils who have joined the school other than at the usual time.  There have been significant changes in staffing in recent years across the school, including at senior leader level.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which are the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching in order to raise standards , especially in mathematics, by:  sharing the best practice in the school so that work in all lessons provides pupils with learning that fully challenges them to try their hardest and so make rapid progress  ensuring that pupils consolidate their basic mathematical skills at an early stage.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the outdoors learning area in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that it is as rich and stimulating as the indoor classroom.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The very small numbers of pupils in each year group means that comparison to national tests is unreliable. The movement of pupils into the school and their variable starting points makes comparisons between different years difficult and this tends to mask the real picture of pupils’ good achievement from their different starting points.  Children start school in the Nursery class with skills and abilities that are typical for children of their age. They make good progress in their knowledge and skills so that by the end of Key Stage 2, they reach above average standards in reading and writing. However, standards in mathematics, while also above average, are not as high as they are in English.  Pupils write well and often at length in a range of subjects, particularly when the subject captures their interest and imagination. They can adapt their writing styles to suit a range of audiences and purposes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils respond well to the programmes to develop their reading skills. Pupils in Year 2 read new and difficult words with increasing confidence and accuracy. Pupils read often and widely in school and at home.  Pupils’ mathematical skills and understanding, while good, are not as strong as those in reading and writing. This is because they do not master and consolidate their basic mathematical knowledge and skills at an early stage and so have insecure foundations upon which to build.  The school’s own data and other inspection evidence shows that pupils throughout the school are making consistently good progress. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 are on track to reach standards that are above average in English and mathematics. This represents good progress from their typical starting points.  The most able pupils make good progress to reach above average standards in English and mathematics because their teachers have very high expectations, support them well and give

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The achievement of pupils is good

them work which really challenges them. A number of pupils in Year 6 have been entered for the higher Level 6 tests.  Pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and supported by the pupil premium reach standards that are similar to, and often higher than, other pupils in the school. The school’s own data on pupils’ progress and attainment in English and mathematics show that there are no gaps between the attainment and progress of these pupils and others. Pupils receive additional support both in class and individually and in small groups out of class.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the same good progress as others. This is because their progress is checked and reviewed regularly in order to make sure that carefully planned support closely matches individual pupil’s particular needs.  Equality of opportunity is central to the work of the school and successfully removes any barrier

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The achievement of pupils is good

to learning and ensures that there are no significant differences in the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and has improved as a result of the determined efforts of the school’s leaders.  The school’s own records and other evidence gathered during the inspection show that good or better teaching is now the norm and this has had a positive effect on pupils’ learning and achievement, enabling them to make good progress.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are provided with interesting activities which cover all the required areas of learning. Good attention is paid to developing children’s speaking and listening skills and this prepares them very well for future learning. Although the indoor classroom is rich and stimulating, the outdoor area is not of the same standard and it does not support their learning as securely.  Pupils make the most rapid progress over time when the range of activities they are given to do are skilfully planned to be hard enough for everyone. In the mixed Years 5 and 6 class, for

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The quality of teaching is good

example, pupils were all completely absorbed in testing a hypothesis about the addition of consecutive numbers. However, in some lessons the work set for pupils is not hard enough.  There are very good relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils cooperate very well together in pairs and small groups when given opportunities to learn together. The well-established routines mean that lessons proceed without any interruptions.  Pupils are very keen to write and often do so at length in a range of subjects, for different audiences and purposes.  Pupils have planned opportunities to read during the school day and are encouraged to read widely at home. Older pupils listen to younger pupils reading and pupils help to run the well- used school library.  In mathematics, pupils develop and apply the skills they need to make progress. However, they do not securely consolidate their basic mathematical skills at an early age and so the foundations

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The quality of teaching is good

upon which to build more complex skills are not as firm as they should be.  The marking of pupils’ work and the feedback given to them about how to improve their work are of a good quality and pupils routinely respond to suggestions for improvement.  Pupils, including the most able, respond to the high expectations and typically try their hardest to meet the challenges set for them. In a mixed-age Years 3 and 4 class, pupils enthusiastically explored the conversion of litres to millilitres, using different containers of coloured water.  Teaching assistants are very skilled and are deployed effectively and carefully guide pupils’ learning. They have a very clear picture of the needs of individual pupils, especially disabled pupils and those with special educational needs because they know the pupils, and their needs, very well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils behave exceptionally well in and out of lessons. Pupils come to school very eager to learn and some say they would come to school on Saturdays if they could. They are very confident, well-rounded and capable young people who leave school very well prepared for the next step in their education.  The school has a well understood and very effective system for encouraging pupils to behave well. Pupils say that they know how to behave both in and out of lessons and that they expect others to behave equally well. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that pupils’ behaviour when on visits and trips is impeccable.  Pupils say that there is no bullying and that if any occurred it would be dealt with swiftly. They have a very good understanding of the different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying.  Pupils are extremely active and very much appreciate the wide range of activities and clubs

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

available to them, especially the sporting and musical activities. They are rightly proud of their sporting successes in the local area and further afield.  Pupils contribute fully to all aspects of school life. They willingly take on roles of responsibility, such as play leaders and librarians. They take these responsibilities very seriously and are extremely conscientious in carrying out their duties.  Attendance is above average and the school works successfully to encourage pupils to attend school regularly and on time.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Procedures for keeping pupils safe are managed extremely well. Pupils say that they feel very safe and parents agree that their children feel very secure in school. Pupils have an extremely good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations including when using the internet.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is very well led by an effective headteacher, ably supported by a determined and effective senior leadership team and by an equally effective governing body.  Leaders at middle level are relatively new to their roles and are becoming increasingly effective as they gain experience.  There have been improvements in both pupils’ achievement, behaviour and safety, and the quality of teaching, as a result of the concerted actions of all the staff. However, leaders are yet to ensure that pupils’ achievement in mathematics is as good as it is in English.  Leaders have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and areas for development and produce effective plans with actions to address these and so are well placed to improve further.  School leaders carry out regular checks on the quality of teaching which provide an accurate view of its quality. Where improvements are needed, teachers are able to improve their skills

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The leadership and management are good

through effective professional development. However, although there are some opportunities for staff to observe strong aspects of the teaching of their colleagues, this practice is not used as much as it could be to the benefit of pupils.  The links between the management of the performance of teachers and their professional development are effective and arrangements for the pay and promotion of staff are closely linked to pupils’ progress.  There are very thorough systems in place to check on pupils’ progress throughout the school. Where there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills, the school quickly takes action to boost pupils’ learning by providing them with extra support in and out of lessons.  The school knows and cares for its pupils as individuals and successfully makes sure that all pupils are able to learn.  The curriculum is very successful in capturing pupils’ imagination and in promoting pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

involvement in their learning. It ensures that their reading, writing and mathematical skills are well developed across other subjects. The school has made significant preparations for the new curriculum.  The new primary school sport funding is very effective in motivating pupils to be more active and to take part more frequently in a range of activities such as hockey and gymnastics. In addition, the funding is being well used to improve the teaching of physical education through further staff training.  Safeguarding and child protection procedures are extremely effective and meet all current statutory requirements.  The local authority has provided much valued support to help the school improve the achievement of pupils.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is very effective and governors are determined to help the school to improve further. Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school and keep themselves well

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The leadership and management are good

informed about all aspects of school life, in particular about the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching. They monitor the school’s performance and ask challenging questions to promote further development. Governors bring a wide range of skills to their work, which they use to good effect, in carrying out their roles. Where there are gaps in their knowledge and skills they make sure that they receive appropriate training. Governors are familiar with the Teachers’ Standards and use them to help manage teachers’ performance and to be able to award pay increases for good and better teaching. They oversee the spending of the pupil premium funding and are well aware of the positive impact this is having on eligible pupils’ achievement. They are also involved in planning the spending of the primary school sport funding and are involved in considering how its impact on the pupils’ physical well-being will

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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 112114 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 442363

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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 66 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lorraine Blacklock Headteacher Valerie Bairstow Date of previous school inspection 23 November 2012 Telephone number 01697 351483 Fax number 01697 351483 Email address valerie.bairstow@kirkbride.cumbria.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 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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