Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Pickering Road, Snainton, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO13 9AF

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 Pupils’ achievement over time has not been good, because by the end of Key Stage 2 too few pupils have made good progress, particularly in writing.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2, although improving, has been consistently below average.  The standards reached by boys are lower than those of other groups of pupils.  Teaching over time has not been good enough to address the legacy of underachievement and ensure that pupils make consistently good progress.  Expectations of what pupils can achieve, including the quality and quantity of work, are not high enough.  Pupils are not given enough opportunities to write at length in literacy or other subjects.  Improvements in leadership are too recent to have had significant impact on the school’s performance.  Recently appointed middle leaders do not play a full role in improving the quality of teaching and learning.  Targets for managing the performance of staff are

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

not specifically matched to their roles and responsibilities in school to ensure that teaching improves quickly.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make a good start to their education in the early years because provision is good.  The headteacher, with effective support from the recently revised governing body, is taking action to improve teaching and standards.  Pupils feel safe and behave well in lessons and around the school. They are considerate and polite young people who contribute much to the friendly atmosphere of the school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress.  The wide range of subjects taught broadens pupils’ view of the world and strongly contributes to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and understanding of British values.  Good partnerships with parents have been established. Parents are strongly supportive of the school and feel their children learn well and are cared for well.  Staff express great confidence in the leadership of the school, and there is a strong unity of purpose.

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The school has the following strengths

 Attendance is above average. Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in several lessons, four of which were joint observations with the headteacher. All teachers and class groups were observed. In addition, he made a few short visits to observe pupils in small group support sessions.  The inspector also reviewed the work in pupils’ books, and heard pupils from Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 read.  He held discussions with the headteacher, middle leaders, representatives of the governing body, and a local authority representative.  The inspector spoke informally to pupils in lessons and around the school, as well as having two more formal meetings with a group of pupils from Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at a range of documents including: the school’s own information about pupils’ progress; planning; the monitoring of learning and teachers’ performance; organisation of the curriculum; records relating to behaviour and attendance; safeguarding information,

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Information about this inspection

how the pupil premium funding is spent, and the minutes of governing body meetings.  There was insufficient response to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to allow any analysis, but the inspector took account of the comments and views recorded in the school’s Parent Questionnaire – November 2014.  The inspector also took account of the five responses to the inspection questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Peter Bailey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by the pupil premium funding is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding to support those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those in the care of the local authority.  There are three mixed-aged classes in the school. Children in the early years attend full time.  The school has had a very high number of changes to the teaching staff this year.  The number of pupils who join or leave the school partway through the year is much higher than usual.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 The school works cooperatively with other small primary schools in their local cluster group.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning so it is consistently good or better in order to boost pupils’ progress by:  having high expectations of what pupils, especially boys, can achieve, so a greater proportion of them make at least good progress  sharing the good practice within the school to develop teachers’ subject knowledge  increasing the opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own and other pupils’ learning to further improve their skills and understanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise levels of achievement, especially in writing, to ensure more pupils, particularly boys, make at least good progress by:  focusing more directly on improving pupils’ grammar, spelling and punctuation skills in their written work  creating more opportunities for pupils to write at length in all subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by:  further developing the role and accountability of middle leaders for raising standards in their subject areas  ensuring that targets for managing the performance of staff are more specifically matched to their roles and responsibilities and have a positive impact on the school’s improvement. Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 4 of 10

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because teaching and achievement over time have not been consistently good. However, the headteacher, well supported by the governors, has initiated a number of changes, such as a greater rigour in the monitoring of teaching and the marking of pupils’ books, which are starting to bring about improvement in the pace of learning. Even so, there is still more to be done to ensure that the good start in the early years is built on effectively and all pupils make consistently good progress between Years 1 and 6.  The headteacher, ably supported by the recently appointed numeracy and literacy coordinators, has an unrelenting and passionate determination to steer the school in the right direction and has established a shared purpose in ensuring that there is a continued improvement to become a good school. The school leaders have the confidence of the local authority, parents, pupils and staff in their ability to drive the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

school forward . There is an expectation now, from both staff and governors that nothing less than good teaching is acceptable. Staff morale is strong and teamwork is developing well.  Until recently, the headteacher had a teaching commitment which impaired her strategic role of managing the school and monitoring improvement. However, this issue has recently been addressed and as a result the monitoring of pupils’ progress and of teaching is now more rigorous. It is too early to judge the impact of this in securing consistently good practice in the classroom and improved outcomes for pupils.  The middle leadership is relatively new and inexperienced. Leaders’ roles and responsibilities are not fully developed to have a greater impact on school improvement. There is currently not enough delegation of responsibility, involvement in monitoring and improving the quality of teaching and sharing good practice,

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The leadership and management requires improvement

in order to enable middle leaders to make a greater contribution to school improvement and to raising pupils’ achievement.  Teachers have targets for their performance, which are linked to the Teachers’ Standards and salary progression. Procedures are firmly in place to review them regularly. However, their targets are not matched to developing their roles and responsibilities and not specific nor measurable enough to evaluate the impact on school improvement.  The school has revised the curriculum, to take account of the new requirements, and well-planned topics engage pupils’ interests well. The range of subjects taught engages pupils’ interest because they are often linked by a common theme. In a Years 5 and 6 class, pupils were eagerly applying their learning from a numeracy lesson on ratio in a science lesson to work out the best mixture of soil, sand and compost for growing plants.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is developed well. Pupils take part in assemblies

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The leadership and management requires improvement

(acts of collective worship) which provide opportunities for reflection. School concerts, music tuition, computing and a wide range of after-school clubs add to pupils’ skills. The subjects taught promote the study of other cultures, faiths and customs. The school has links with a school in Zambia which offer staff exchanges and an opportunity for the pupils to communicate with one another. The school’s Christian ethos effectively supports pupils’ understanding of the values of perseverance, tolerance, honesty and responsibility and this helps to foster good relations and to create the calm atmosphere and positive environment in the school. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Discrimination is tackled effectively.  The school is working appropriately towards the full implementation of its preferred approach to assessment following the removal of National Curriculum levels. There are clear systems for tracking

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The leadership and management requires improvement

progress, helping teachers to identify pupils’ needs.  The school is committed to equality of opportunity for all pupils. The pupil premium funding is used well to increase staffing levels and to target relevant support for individuals. This ensures disadvantaged pupils receive additional help and support appropriate to meet their needs and have access to the wide range of extra activities and visits that take place.  The primary sports funding is used extremely well to increase teachers’ skills in providing a wider range of sporting activities and for a specialist physical education teacher to work with pupils in school. During the inspection, a group of pupils were observed displaying a high level of engagement and enjoyment in a gymnastic lesson. Pupils of all abilities achieved well. Pupils’ participation in an extensive range of activities, in the curriculum and after-school clubs, has increased greatly.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has worked successfully to improve links with parents. The level of pupils’ attendance is above national average. Parents who spoke with the inspector were extremely positive about the school. They say staff are approachable and know individual children well. They feel that their children are extremely well cared for and behaviour in the school is good. Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 5 of 10

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 All staff completed the staff questionnaire and were extremely supportive of the school’s leadership.  The school has received effective support from the local authority in the drive to improve standards and build capacity to improve further. The school also works closely with other local schools in their cluster group to share resources, skills and expertise.  Policies and procedures for safeguarding meet statutory requirements and are managed effectively. The knowledge and skills of staff are kept up to date through regular and rigorous training.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is extremely supportive of the school and committed to its success. Since the last full inspection there have been considerable changes in the membership of the governing body. The current governors bring considerable skills and expertise to the role. They are knowledgeable and ensure the school is on a pathway to improvement. They are fully involved in evaluating the school’s

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The leadership and management requires improvement

strengths and weaknesses, monitoring performance data about pupils’ progress and reviewing development planning. Governors have undertaken training and are increasingly effective in holding the school to account. They are determined to tackle the weaker aspects of the school quickly. Governors know have a greater awareness of the management of teachers’ performance, evaluate the quality of teaching and know how teachers are rewarded for their effectiveness. Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s finances, including the use of the primary school sport funding, and are aware of the impact of decisions about the use of pupil premium funding and how gaps in pupils’ achievement are closing. The governing body ensures safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. It is a strength of the school. The school is a very happy, caring place where pupils can flourish.  Teachers and teaching assistants set a good example of how to respect one another, and this contributes to the positive relationships in the school.  Pupils behave well in and around the school. They are polite and courteous with adults, and treat each other with respect. Pupils are keen to learn. Teaching is rarely affected by any distracting behaviour.  There have been no exclusions and the school’s behaviour log shows that incidents of misbehaviour are extremely rare. Pupils’ behaviour is consistently well managed.  The school has a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and an ethos that has a very positive impact on all aspects of the school’s work. Strong Christian values are an important factor in the school and permeates through all aspects of school life. When asked about the school’s code of conduct pupils spoke eagerly

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Behaviour

about ‘The Golden Rules’, and also added the importance of ‘Christian values’.  Pupils interviewed all agreed that they enjoyed school. They said most lessons were interesting and that teachers helped them with their learning. Pupils commented that, ‘The teachers make lessons interesting, they help us learn and look after us.’  The school council is extremely active in giving pupils a say in school matters.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils report they feel very safe in school. They have a clear understanding of the different types of bullying, and say there is very little bullying in school. When it does occur, they have confidence in the staff to deal with it quickly. They have a good understanding of risk, supported well by the school’s input on personal and internet safety. The school’s record of incidents indicates that there has been no incidents of bullying recorded this academic year.  The curriculum, assemblies and the school’s ethos ensure pupils understand the importance of treating everyone as equal whatever their beliefs or lifestyle and that discrimination is not tolerated.  Pupils’ attendance is above the national average and this reflects the fact that pupils like school and want to be there. There are no pupils in the school who are persistent non-attenders.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because, over time, it has not enabled pupils to make good progress and achieve well. Previous instabilities in staffing have resulted in inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. As Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 6 of 10

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

recently appointed staff settle into their new roles and classes, there is evidence that teaching is improving and is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. However, it is too early to judge the impact in improved outcomes over time for pupils.  Although teaching has improved, and there is much good practice, progress across Key Stages 1 and 2 is still too variable.  Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what the pupils can achieve, both in terms of the rate at which pupils work and the degree of difficulty of the work they are given. The levels of challenge presented to pupils in some classes have varied too much and this has prevented pupils from progressing at a consistently good rate as they move through the school.  The teaching of writing requires improvement. Expectations of presentation and the quality of handwriting differ and some are too low. Pupils have too little opportunity to practise their skills in writing, grammar

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

and punctuation in literacy and other subjects.  A new policy has been introduced to improve the marking of pupils’ work. This is having a positive effect and there are many examples of good quality marking which provide pupils with advice on how their work can be improved. There is evidence of pupils responding to this. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to examine and evaluate their work themselves and to assess and discuss the work of other pupils.  Pupils like the opportunities teachers provide for them to learn together. Pupils say the discussions they have help them to make quicker progress.  Reading is promoted well across the school. Pupils like reading and are given many opportunities to read in class. Pupils are able to describe how they would work out unfamiliar words using their knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). In lessons, older pupils were able to use a dictionary and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

thesaurus with ease. Standards in reading are rising.  The teaching of mathematics over time has been inconsistent and pupils’ outcomes at Key Stage 2 have been below average. However, the recent appointment of a mathematics co-coordinator has given a sharper focus to the teaching of mathematics, which is helping to improve the quality of teaching in this subject.  Relationships are strong and help pupils’ learning in the classroom. Classrooms are orderly, well organised and attractive. Imaginative displays inspire pupils to learn. Good relationships and the use of praise are strong features in lessons and most pupils are keen to do well. The positive atmosphere in lessons makes a significant contribution to improving pupils’ progress.  Teaching assistants are effective in supporting pupils’ learning, especially that of disabled pupils or who have special educational needs. They question pupils carefully, encouraging them to stay motivated and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

really think about their learning and about the answers they give.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because attainment over time at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 has been consistently below average. Despite children’s good start to learning in the early years, between Years 1 and 6 pupils do not make consistently good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because the quality of teaching over time has not been good or better.  The achievement of boys, in particular, requires improvement. In the 2014 national tests and assessments, outcomes for boys at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 were well below that of girls, particularly in writing.  In 2014 standards at the end of Key Stage 1, although gradually improving on previous years were still below those found nationally in all subjects. Attainment in mathematics was closer to the national average, in reading was below average and outcomes in writing well below average. The proportion

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

reaching the required standard in the national screening check for Year 1 pupils on phonics (letters and the sounds they make) was slightly below average, although this was a particularly small year group and hence statistics can distort. All pupils who took the test again in Year 2 reached the required standard.  In 2014, standards by the end of Year 6 also showed some improvement and were closer to the national average. Attainment in reading was above average, in mathematics and writing it was below average and in English grammar, spelling and punctuation, it was well below average. Too few pupils made more than expected progress, and attained the higher levels. The improved outcomes in reading are a result of additional support for individual pupils to meet their specific needs. During the inspection, pupils expressed a love of reading, eagerly discussing the books they have read and spoke about their favourite

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

authors.  Pupils’ work in books and lessons confirms that progress in writing, English grammar, punctuation and Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 7 of 10

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

spelling is not consistently good because pupils have insufficient opportunities to write at length and practise their grammatical and spelling skills.  Evidence from a range of activities, including reviewing pupils’ work, classroom observations, analysing school data and speaking to pupils, shows that progress and attainment are improving in some year groups. However, this is not consistent across the school, particularly in Key Stage 2.  Predicted outcomes for the current Year 6 pupils indicate that attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is on track to be above average. However, this was a high ability group of pupils on entry to Key Stage 2 and data indicate that although they have made expected progress, a low proportion will make more than expected progress.  The progress of the most able pupils is starting to improve as teaching becomes more effective. Their progress and attainment have been broadly average in the past but current data on progress indicate

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

rising achievement for this group.  Because of small numbers in each year group there are too few disadvantaged pupils to comment meaningfully on their attainment and progress in comparison with others in the school or nationally. The school identifies their needs accurately and quickly puts in place effective support for their particular needs so that the majority achieve at least as well as other pupils.  Pupils with special educational needs are well known to all adults and they receive good support to meet their identified needs. A high proportion of these pupils make good progress and achieve well.

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The early years provision is good

 Almost all the children enter the Reception Year having experienced previous child care settings, the large majority from the Village Play Group.  As numbers in the early years are low, there are variations in the overall skills children have on entry. Typically, however, the majority of children enter with knowledge and skills below those typical for their age. They make good progress and by the end of the Reception Year the proportion of children achieving a good level of development is above average. This is because the children are taught well. Staff have a secure knowledge of the skills that the children need. They are well prepared to start Year 1.  The children enjoy school. Staff have created a bright and lively setting that promotes children’s social development and communication skills well. Children are keen and attentive and willingly contribute to discussion. They settle quickly into school and benefit from having children from Years 1 and 2 in the

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The early years provision is good

setting who show the younger children good behaviour and how to use well-developed language with a good range of vocabulary.  Teaching is consistently good and staff plan interesting and fun activities that help children make good progress in acquiring a wide range of skills, knowledge and understanding. Children make particularly good progress in their literacy, numeracy and personal and social skills because they enjoy what they do and expectations are high. The teaching of phonics is very good, as is the development of children’s writing and number skills.  The adverse weather conditions prevented children from using the outside areas during the inspection. However, the outside space appeared adequate and well resourced for small groups but has its limitations when children want to run far and wide.  Staff check carefully the children’s abilities when they first start and quickly identify any who may have

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The early years provision is good

specific needs so that additional support is planned early. Staff use a variety of methods to record closely what children achieve. An electronic system of recording the children’s ongoing progress has been recently introduced. This can be accessed securely by parents so that they can contribute to the child’s assessment by recording progress from activities in the home setting. This is also used to set targets which are regularly discussed to plan what each child needs to do to move on in their learning.  The positive relationships children form with staff and one another help them gain in confidence and independence as they go about their choice of activities sensibly and safely. Behaviour is good. Children are kind and considerate when sharing resources, with the occasional altercation being handled smoothly so the happy, safe environment is maintained. The early years environment is a busy, productive, safe

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The early years provision is good

and happy place where children make a good start to their education.  Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the leadership and management of early years, particularly the high level of care and support. There are strong links between home and school. Inspection report: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 8 of 10

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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 failing

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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: Snainton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 4–5 February 2015 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 121515 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 442274

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 39 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stuart Mathers Headteacher Ruth Wackett Date of previous school inspection 5 February 2013 Telephone number 01723 859229 Fax number 01723 859229 Email address admin@snainton.n-yorks.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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