The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School

School report The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School Pennell Street, Lincoln, LN5 7TA

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

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

 The pupils’ achievement declined markedly in 2014. The quality of the teaching was not good enough to sustain previous levels of achievement, particularly for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  The teaching does not provide consistently high levels of challenge to all groups, and particularly the most-able pupils, so they do not make as much progress as they could.  The pupils’ progress in lessons is slowed sometimes by silliness and chattering. The pupils’ attention sometimes wanders when they are not finding the work sufficiently stimulating.  Essential policies and procedures for managing and monitoring the school, including the checking of staff performance, have been underdeveloped or have become out of date. This contributed to the decline in the pupils’ achievement in 2014, because the school did not identify what was happening and take action to rectify it.  Members of staff with leadership and management

p.1

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

responsibilities have not been involved sufficiently in monitoring, evaluating, and subsequently improving the progress of the pupils and the quality of teaching.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The interim executive board and the interim headteacher have acted quickly and made essential improvements at the school.  The staff have responded positively to the challenge of making improvements. Those with leadership and management responsibilities demonstrate that they understand what is now expected of them and are taking action accordingly.  The staff care for the pupils well. As a result, the pupils feel safe at the school and their parents and carers say that they are safe.  The school has ensured that pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding from the government) have consistently made better progress than their peers at the school. Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 2 of 11

p.1

Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with no notice to the school.  The inspectors observed 19 lessons, including two jointly with the interim headteacher. They carried out other visits to classrooms to check on the pupils’ work and behaviour. They listened to pupils reading.  The inspectors held meetings with leaders and managers, and with representatives of the interim executive board. They spoke with representatives from the local authority and the diocese with which the school is associated. They analysed questionnaires completed by 28 members of staff. They spoke with many pupils, in groups, in lessons and around the school.  The inspectors checked the 24 responses on Parent View and spoke with parents and carers at the beginning and end of school.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s development plans, policies, records relating to the support provided by the school to individual pupils, records relating to the pupils’

p.2

Information about this inspection

behaviour, the school’s information on the pupils’ achievement and attendance, safeguarding, and records of the meetings of the interim executive board.

p.2

Inspection team

Clive Moss, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.2

Inspection team

Susan Tabberer Additional Inspector Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 3 of 11

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is of average size.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including the proportion who have a statement of special educational needs or the new education, health and care plan, is above average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding from the government) is average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average. The main group is from any other White background.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  An interim executive board was appointed in the summer term 2014 to be responsible for the governance of the school. An interim headteacher took charge at the beginning of September 2014.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by:  making better use of information about the pupils’ progress to ensure that the work and activities provided in lessons always have a clear purpose, known to the pupils, so that they understand not only what they have to do, but also why they are doing it  providing different opportunities, experiences and suitable topics to challenge the most-able pupils  ensuring that teaching assistants are always clear about what they have to do in each phase of a lesson and are able to focus fully on increasing the progress of the pupils  observing more carefully how well the pupils are doing, so that they are not asked to repeat things unnecessarily, when it is apparent that they have understood, or can do something  providing more tasks for pupils that capture their interest and generate enthusiasm for learning in all subjects of the curriculum  ensuring that the children in the early years provision have enough good opportunities to develop their

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  implementing rapidly a systematic approach to checking the quality of the school’s work, which involves all teachers with leadership and management responsibilities  ensuring that all of these leaders have clear information, relevant to their areas of responsibility, about the current progress of the pupils, and are able to understand and interpret it  ensuring that all leaders devise and carry out appropriate improvements in their areas of responsibility, based on their monitoring activities and their evaluation of the current progress of the pupils  enabling all leaders to identify what leads to the most effective learning, both within the school and elsewhere, and to disseminate it to the other teachers  paying closer attention to the progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and evaluating more thoroughly the impact of the support they receive

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 ensuring that analyses of the pupils’ achievement include all major groups at the school  improving communications with parents and carers, so that they understand changes at the school and are able to contribute fully to the education of their children. Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 4 of 11

p.3

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The members of staff with leadership and management responsibilities have not been involved in evaluating the data collected by the school about the pupils’ progress, or in using it to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching. For example, the school did not identify quickly enough that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs were making less progress last academic year than they had previously, and noticeably less than other pupils at the school. As a result, insufficient action was taken to improve pupils’ progress.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Key leaders and managers have not been involved sufficiently in monitoring the quality of the school’s work. That means that they have also been unable to identify and spread effective practice among their colleagues.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school collects a lot of useful data about the achievement of the pupils, but it has not been used effectively in the last year. For example, the school’s analyses of the progress of different groups of pupils include several of the major groups, but do not routinely include the main minority ethnic group.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Too many essential processes and policies are underdeveloped, or in need of updating, including the procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school and the performance management of the staff. The interim headteacher has taken action quickly to rectify these matters and new systems are now in operation. There have been some early, though not yet major, improvements in the quality of teaching, as a result.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The interim headteacher has stabilised the school after a very difficult and turbulent time. She has been very clear when communicating to the staff unequivocal judgements about the quality of the school’s work. She has established improving the quality of teaching as the top priority for the school.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 At the same time, she has, rightly, taken steps to revive the ethos and sense of purpose at the school. She has secured the support of the staff for essential improvements that have been made to important functions of the school.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The interim headteacher has clarified with the other leaders and managers what they are expected to do. The other leaders and managers understand the expectations well, are responding to them and beginning the necessary work.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has revised its approach to using the primary school sports funding. There is now a detailed, well-conceived and coherent plan to extend the opportunities for the pupils. The pupils show enthusiasm for a wide range of sports. They understand the importance of sports and exercise for healthy living and also the sheer pleasure they can bring; as one pupil said to an inspector, ‘I like to win!’

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents and carers have generally positive opinions about the school. They value particularly the efforts of the staff to keep their children safe.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents and carers are generally satisfied with the quality of information that they receive, including about how well their children are doing. They do not always feel, however, that they are kept well-informed about developments at the school. This is sometimes in connection with support needed by their children and sometimes about more general changes, which makes some of them anxious.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school maintains good links with external agencies to support the well-being of pupils who may be experiencing difficulties.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has received effective support from the local authority and the Diocese of Lincoln. In particular, the local authority and the diocese have worked together closely in the appointment of the interim executive board and the interim headteacher, both of which have been central to the Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 5 of 11

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The interim executive board has a clear understanding of the quality of teaching at the school, based in part on collecting evidence directly. It has acted swiftly and decisively to bring about necessary improvements at the school.  It scrutinises data about the achievement of the pupils carefully, so that it understands how well different groups are doing, and that plans have been put in place to tackle recent underachievement.  Working closely with the interim headteacher, it has ensured that a suitable process for managing the performance of the staff is now in operation.  The interim executive board maintains an oversight of the school’s safeguarding log. The school’s systems for safeguarding meet current national requirements.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.

p.5

Behaviour

 Sometimes, the pupils’ learning is hampered in lessons by silliness, chattering and, occasionally, disobedience. When the teaching does not grab their attention, the pupils can let their concentration wander, and make slower progress with their work.

p.5

Behaviour

 The concern raised most commonly by the pupils is about occasional fighting in the playground. However, they say that such incidents are dealt with effectively by the staff.

p.5

Behaviour

 The pupils do hear racist and other inappropriate language being used occasionally, most commonly in name-calling between pupils who are falling out. They are clear that this is not acceptable and that the staff deal with it using the school’s behaviour policy.

p.5

Behaviour

 Both the pupils and their parents and carers do not report major concerns about the pupils’ behaviour. They do not report major concerns about bullying. The pupils say it has happened occasionally, but describe how it has been dealt with successfully.

p.5

Behaviour

 From the Nursery onwards, the pupils develop a clear sense of values based on a good understanding of the school’s ‘Golden Rules’, which emphasise politeness, helpfulness, honesty, and listening to others. They explained to the inspectors why such things are important.

p.5

Behaviour

 The school grounds provide a pleasant environment and are respected and treated carefully by the pupils. There were no signs of litter, or of damage to equipment or the premises

p.5

Behaviour

 There have been no exclusions of pupils, temporary or otherwise, for some years.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.

p.5

Safety

 Both the pupils and their parents and carers say that the pupils are safe at the school and cared for well.

p.5

Safety

 There are clear rules displayed around the school, including for the use of playground equipment such as the climbing frame, and breaks and lunchtimes are supervised well.

p.5

Safety

 All members of staff undertook training in safeguarding at the beginning of this academic year, including supervisory staff, keeping their awareness up to date. When asked, members of staff were alert to a range of factors that might indicate when pupils need further support.

p.5

Safety

 The pupils have a good understanding of ways to stay safe. They know about the importance of staying Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 6 of 11

p.5

Safety

safe when using the internet and readily report anything that concerns them to a member of staff. The pupils are confident that they could report any issue, or worry about anything to any member of staff, knowing that they would be helped.

p.6

Safety

 The school provides good opportunities for the pupils to learn how to stay safe. For example, Year 2 pupils were taken out to learn about staying safe on the streets of Lincoln, including the busy high street next to which the school is located.

p.6

Safety

 The school’s strategies to improve attendance have resulted in a good increase since 2013. Although the national average for 2013/14 is not known yet, the attendance achieved by the school is above the previous year’s national average.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Events at the school over the past year detracted significantly from the quality of teaching and resulted in a significant dip in the achievement of the pupils in 2014.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teachers do not observe closely enough during lessons how well, or how quickly, the pupils have made progress with the work they have been given. As a result, the pupils, particularly the most-able, are often asked to carry on with tasks that involve them in repeating unnecessarily things that they have already learned or can do.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teachers do not make enough use of the information that the school possesses about how well the pupils are doing to devise lessons and activities that extend the pupils’ learning rapidly, or deepen it. The pupils understand clearly and fully what they are supposed to do at each stage of a lesson, but not always what the purpose of an activity is. As a result, they are not always clear about what precisely they are supposed to learn.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The most-able pupils are not provided with enough different activities and experiences that challenge them well and enthuse them. The teachers pay attention to providing work with different levels of difficulty, but by way of example, as one pupil wrote at the back of a mathematics exercise book, ‘Can you please give me a bigger challenge.’

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching assistants are not always given a sufficiently clear and purposeful role in all phases of lessons. That means that they are not always able to use their skills to full effect.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality and variety of work seen in subjects other than literacy and mathematics were noticeably lower than in literacy and mathematics, and the tasks set did not capture the pupils’ interest well. There was little evidence of literacy and numeracy skills being applied in the other subjects.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The pupils are willing learners and engage readily with activities the teachers have planned and topics that capture their interest. The teaching includes topics on different religious beliefs, festivals, cultures, and civilisations, on which the pupils reflect sensibly and show interest.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The staff use a range of resources thoughtfully, to provide variety in lessons and to stimulate the pupils. They structure the lessons and sequence the activities carefully. There are well-established routines in classrooms, which mean that time is not lost during changes of activity.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The pupils’ workbooks are well-maintained and show that most of them take care with and pride in their work. The pupils understand and are conscious of the need to present work carefully and accurately, particularly, for example, for mathematical calculations.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teachers are marking the pupils’ work routinely, in line with a newly revised policy. The comments they make are relevant and the pupils respond to most of them, making corrections and amendments that help them to make progress with the learning. Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 7 of 11

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The recently introduced ‘learning surgeries’ are having a positive effect on the pupils’ understanding and are leading to better progress.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The pupils’ achievement in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 declined significantly in 2014. That was the result of a period of significant difficulty and turmoil at the school, which affected the quality of teaching. The work seen in lessons and pupils’ books showed that they are currently making steady, but not rapid progress at this early stage of the new academic year.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The most- able pupils in particular, make less progress than they could because, for example, they are expected to repeat learning about things that they already know or can do.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Prior to 2014 and through the period since the last inspection until then, the pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 was typically above average and improved each year.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In Key Stage 2, the pupils’ test results were typically below average, but improving faster than nationally, so the difference from the national average was decreasing. Typically, the pupils made at least the progress expected of them, and in 2013 the proportions exceeding expected progress were above the national averages in reading and writing.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The proportion of children in the early years provision reaching the levels expected for their age is typically above average. The school promotes early reading well. The Year 1 pupils performed above the national average in the 2013 phonics screening check and the proportion of pupils meeting the standard increased in 2014.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs made more progress than the pupils at the school did on average in 2013. The amount of progress they made declined significantly in 2014, and was notably below that of other pupils at the school.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Typically, pupils from any other White background make the progress expected.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the 2013 national tests, the pupils eligible for the pupil premium were approximately one and a half terms behind other pupils in the school in mathematics, reading and writing. Overall, their attainment was similarly behind that of all pupils nationally. Generally, they make better progress than other pupils at the school. That remained so in 2014.

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The pupils enjoy reading and read books that provide them with a reasonable level of challenge. They read at home as well as at school. Weaker readers, also, learn to enjoy reading, gain in confidence and become more accurate as they progress through the school.

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

 The staff in the early years provision have not been given sufficient training focused specifically on this age group. As a result, the curriculum does not provide enough opportunities for the children to make good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills.

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

 The children make better progress in communication and language, physical development, and personal social and emotional development than they do in literacy, mathematics, and other areas of development. That is because there is a greater focus in lessons on these areas of learning.

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

 The children are motivated and listen well. Their behaviour and attitudes to learning develop well, so they are well prepared for the next phase of their education.

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

 The work of the staff to track, record and report to parents and carers on the achievement of the children has improved recently. As a result, information about how well the children are doing is reviewed Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 8 of 11

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

frequently and the staff adapt what they do with the children, based on the information. Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 9 of 11

p.8

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 failing

p.9

Grade Judgement Description

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. Inspection report: The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, 1–2 October 2014 10 of 11

p.9

School details

Unique reference number 120563 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 449170

p.10

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.10

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 234 Appropriate authority Interim executive board Chair Roger Hewins Headteacher Helen Okrafo-Smart (Interim Headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 4 July 2011 Telephone number 01522 880071 Fax number 01522 880072 Email address enquiries@st-peter-gowts.lincs.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 .

p.10

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.11

School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11

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

p.11

School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.11

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11