Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School

Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School St John's Road, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO25 6RS

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils achieve well and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their individual starting points.  On starting school, children get off to a good start to their education in the early years because of the wide range of good quality opportunities provided to develop their knowledge and skills.  Disadvantaged pupils are well supported in their learning and achieve well. This is because school leaders and managers spend the additional pupil premium funding wisely and monitor closely the positive impact that it has on these pupils’ learning.  The quality of teaching is good and helps pupils to learn well in lessons.  Pupils behave well around school. They are polite, courteous, well mannered and keen to learn.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they feel really safe in their happy and secure school buildings and grounds.  School leaders, including the well-informed

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

governors, have a good understanding of how good the performance of the school is, and the areas where it can do better. They have worked together very closely and successfully to improve teaching and achievement since the previous inspection and the school continues to improve.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well in the school.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is not quite as strong as in writing and, particularly, reading.  The most able pupils are not always challenged enough to achieve the high standards of which they are capable in mathematics. Inspection report: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 2 of 9

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a wide range of lessons, or part lessons. Two lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with school leaders and seven governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held discussions with parents on the playground, and with groups of pupils. They spoke informally to other pupils in lessons, during break times and lunch breaks.  Inspectors scrutinised the work that pupils produced during lessons and in their books over time. They listened to six pupils from Year 1 and Year 2 reading.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at the latest school data on pupils’ achievement and the progress they are currently making. They scrutinised development plans and information on the performance of teachers as well as safeguarding information, behaviour logs, attendance records and

p.2

Information about this inspection

minutes of recent governing body meetings.  Inspectors took account of 35 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire as well as 24 responses to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Declan McCauley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Inspection team

Paul Rafferty Additional Inspector Inspection report: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 3 of 9

p.2

Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  Fewer than 10% of pupils are supported through school action, which is below the national average. Fewer than 2% of pupils are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, which is also below the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is around 15%, which is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children that are looked after by the local authority.  A new headteacher joined the school in 2011 and a number of new staff have subsequently been appointed.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress and raise attainment in mathematics by the end of Year 2 so that it more closely matches achievement in reading and writing through ensuring that: - all teachers consistently challenge the most able pupils well to make the progress of which they are capable - when marking, teachers clearly identify what pupils should do to improve their work - teachers have consistently high expectations of what all pupils can achieve - all teachers are very well supported to develop the skills required to teach mathematics effectively. Inspection report: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 4 of 9

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 Since her appointment the headteacher has led the school with a determined, tenacious and uncompromising focus on improving the achievement of all pupils. This has been achieved successfully. In the quest for the best achievement for all pupils she has been ably supported by the assistant headteacher and, together, they have improved the quality of teaching which has strengthened achievement well. Governors, too, play a very effective role in the leadership of the school.  Year group leaders and teachers who lead literacy and numeracy work closely with the senior leaders and have a good general understanding of what can be improved further to raise achievement even higher.  Senior leaders have developed a culture of success for all which is built firmly upon the school values of perseverance, respect, trustfulness, community, peace and friendship. These permeate school life like letters through a stick of rock. This is a school community where the high academic standards and the

p.4

The leadership and management are good

best behaviour are core expectations.  The effective use of pupil premium funding to support the achievement of disadvantaged pupils has narrowed attainment gaps well.  Rates of attendance have increased because of the focus of school leaders on ensuring that pupils and their families know the educational importance of attending school regularly.  All pupils are treated equally and given equal opportunities to achieve success, so much so that in some lessons it is not always possible to identify disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs because their needs are met so well by highly skilled teaching assistants. There is no discrimination in this school.  The curriculum is innovative, well structured and supports learning effectively. Pupils are in control of their learning and often the topics studied are very closely related to their interests, such as the topic based on the film ‘Frozen’. The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain because it is closely linked

p.4

The leadership and management are good

to the core school values.  Governors and school staff fully ensure that all required processes are in place to keep pupils safe at all times. Effective arrangements for safeguarding are in place and meet statutory requirements well.  Additional funding provided to develop the provision of sport and physical education (PE) is used well within school. Teachers are being coached by experts in the teaching of specialised PE lessons and the uptake of opportunities for pupils to participate in additional sporting clubs is high because there is a well- structured plan for spending the money wisely.  School leaders provide good access to training for teachers, including those new to the school. However, the support for the teaching of mathematics is not fully effective in enabling all staff to teach the subject as well as they do reading and writing.  The school has been well supported by the local authority since the previous inspection, particularly in the

p.4

The leadership and management are good

area of governance.  The governance of the school: - Governors are very knowledgeable about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They spoke about the need to further improve achievement in mathematics as they are aware that attainment is not as strong in mathematics as in reading and writing. The headteacher provides governors with regular reports containing data on the school’s performance, which they follow up in meetings by asking specific questions about attainment and the progress of different groups of pupils in specific subjects. Data is used to help set challenging targets for the headteacher and others to improve the school further. Members of the governing have a good understanding of the impact that teaching has on achievement and they ensure that stronger teachers are well rewarded for their work through the robust performance management arrangements which are in place. Governors would not be accepting

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Around school pupils are always polite and courteous towards each other and adults.  In lessons, attitudes to learning are generally positive and this helps pupils to learn well in a range of subjects. Pupils agree behaviour is good in school, which is a view supported by parents and staff. Inspection report: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 5 of 9

p.4

Behaviour

 There is a positive ethos in school and pupils take a pride in their school community, looking very neat and tidy in their smart school uniforms. The positive ethos is underpinned by school values such as respect, truthfulness and friendship. Pupils speak about how the values at the heart of school life are reflected in how they treat each other.  Pupils say there is no bullying in their school and explain this is because they understand how important it is to be friends with everyone and live in peace.  At lunchtimes the behaviour of pupils when eating in the school hall is of a high standard, they are able to chat with their friends quietly and politely while enjoying their lunches. This scene would not be out of place in a hotel restaurant.  In a small number of lessons, a few pupils sometimes disrupt the learning of others but these occasions are rare. In the overwhelming majority of lessons teachers manage the behaviour of pupils effectively so

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils report that they feel very safe in school because of the measures put in place to keep the site secure. They are able to play within the school grounds safely and enjoy the freedom of the hazard-free site afforded to them because of the secure fencing erected since the new headteacher joined the school.  Very detailed checks are made on applicants prior to their appointment to work at the school. Meticulously maintained and up-to-date records are kept of all required checks so that no one who should not be is working at the school.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and spoke very sensibly about their awareness of the potential risks to them when using the internet. E-safety awareness among pupils is particularly strong.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching over time has resulted in pupils achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics over time. Effective teaching has resulted in the attainment gaps between girls and boys which were identified at the previous inspection closing dramatically. Pupils’ books show that they make good progress and in lessons they were observed achieving well.  Many teachers and other adults ask pupils searching questions in lessons which extend their learning well by expecting them to think carefully before they respond. One teaching assistant was overheard asking a pupil to estimate the size of the classroom when compared to a fish measuring 14 metres in a book he was reading during a guided reading session. This type of questioning successfully challenged and extended his mathematical thinking.  Teachers use information and communication technology (ICT) well to support and extend learning in lessons. In one class pupils’ knowledge of the sounds which letters make (phonics) was developed well

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

through the use of the ‘Tricky Word Trucks’ on the interactive whiteboard.  Teaching assistants are deployed well in school to work on specific learning tasks with groups of pupils or to work with pupils who need additional support. The impact that teaching assistants have on learning is very positive and contributes successfully to good learning throughout school.  Teachers mark pupils’ literacy books well, indicating to pupils what they should do next in order to improve their work further. This good quality marking is less evident in pupils’ mathematics books.  Teachers match learning tasks to pupils’ needs, using their precise knowledge of how well pupils are progressing with their learning. Most teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and challenge them well although this is not consistently the case, particularly in mathematics.  The teaching of reading is particularly effective in school and enabled all pupils to attain well at the end of

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

Year 2 in 2014, particularly the most able. This is because the teaching in this subject provides them with good levels of challenge, which is not always the case in mathematics. Writing is also taught well and, as a result, pupils enjoy writing and attain well in the subject.

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from the time they join early years until they leave at the end of Year 2, given their individual starting points. At the end of Year 2, attainment in 2014 increased since the previous year and was above the national average in reading, Inspection report: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 6 of 9

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

writing and mathematics. Pupils’ attainment is not as high in mathematics as it is in reading and writing.  The most able pupils attained standards in 2014 which were much higher than the national average in reading. They also attained standards which were above the national average in writing and mathematics.  School leaders have rightly concentrated on successfully improving reading in school and attainment in this subject is now high. Pupils enjoy reading. They speak of having a love for books which has been fostered well by the school since the previous inspection. Pupils read confidently and enjoy having the opportunity to take books home to read, especially when they do not have many books at home to choose from.  Attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils in school and both their non-disadvantaged classmates and all pupils nationally have narrowed very considerably during the past three years. This is because of

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

the careful and well-focused spending of the pupil premium. The in-school gap in reading has closed by two years and in mathematics by about three years. In writing, the gap has closed by nearly three-and-a half years and is now negligible.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well supported in their learning and achieve well from their individual starting points. This means that their rates of progress have improved well since the previous inspection.

p.6

The early years provision is good

 Most children join the early years with skills and knowledge which are broadly typical for their age. From their individual starting points a large majority of children make strong progress in early years and, as a result, are well prepared to enter Year 1.  Children join the early years from a number of pre-school groups and school staff work well to ensure that children’s transition into school is seamless. Children quickly settle into school routines because of the well-structured support provided by staff, enabling them to become confident, independent learners so they can progress well in their learning.  The quality of teaching in early years is good, with elements which are outstanding. This enabled around four-fifths of the children in 2014 to leave early years with a good level of development. This proportion is higher than the national average and has increased since the previous year.

p.6

The early years provision is good

 Staff work effectively with groups of children such as those who are disadvantaged. In 2014 the proportion of disadvantaged children reaching a good level of development was higher than for the non- disadvantaged group.  All staff have high expectations and challenge children well so that they make fast progress in their learning.  Exciting opportunities are provided for children to develop their skills effectively through explorative learning in the indoor and outdoor environments. Children were observed excitedly, but behaving well, using a range of equipment and materials to construct their own rockets and testing how well they flew in the workshop area. Children are well motivated and interested to learn because of how well the exciting learning opportunities are planned by staff.  Staff care well for children in early years. The way in which they work with children is guided by the core values of school and, as a result of the mutual respect which is evident, children behave well and are kept

p.6

The early years provision is good

very safe.  Staff use ICT well and innovatively to assess how well children are learning on a daily basis and they use this information well to plan for future learning opportunities.  Early years is successfully led and staff feel part of a team that is making a measurable difference for all children from the time they join school until the move into Year 1. Early years staff work very closely with their colleagues in Year 1 to ensure a smooth start for children as move into Key Stage 1. Inspection report: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 7 of 9

p.6

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.7

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: Driffield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School , 14–15 October 2014 8 of 9

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 117974 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 448801

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 247 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rob Couch Headteacher Sue Thackray Date of previous school inspection 19 January 2010 Telephone number 01377 253094 Fax number Not applicable Email address driffield.infants@eastriding.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 .

p.8

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.9

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.9

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.9

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.9

School details

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

p.9