Fairburn Community Primary School

Fairburn Community Primary School Great North Road, Fairburn, Knottingley, West Yorkshire, WF11 9JY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early Years Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children start school with skills below those typical for their age. They make outstanding progress to reach increasingly above average standards, especially in reading and writing, by the end of Year 6.  The early years provision ignites children’s curiosity, and develops a fascination for exploration and discovery, right from the start. Outdoors and indoors, children access interesting resources and very well-planned learning experiences.  Teaching is never less than good and is outstanding over time. Daily lessons motivate all of the pupils and encourage them to think for themselves.  All teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. They have created an inspiring environment in which pupils develop a real appetite for learning and give of their best.  Marking provides pupils with regular feedback about how well they are doing and how to improve further. Pupils say how much they enjoy

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

these daily challenges.  Pupils with special educational needs, and also those who are disadvantaged, achieve as well as their peers. This is because all of the adults are acutely aware of their individual needs and successfully seek to meet them.  The ‘Fairburn Promise’ is at the heart of the school’s success in ensuring pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It promotes high quality relationships at all times, and assures an exceptional array of visits, opportunities and experiences that boost pupils’ confidence and develop their physical well-being.  Regular video and audio links with a local large multicultural school enhance pupils’ awareness of different faiths and cultures. They make strong contributions to pupils’ growing understanding of equal opportunities and diversities, and help to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.  Pupils’ behaviour and safety are outstanding. All

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils are very proud of their school, are exceptionally well-mannered and highly welcoming of visitors.  Parents are unequivocally supportive of the school’s work, particularly of the levels of care shown by all the adults, and of the progress their children make.  The school is skilfully led by an aspirational headteacher. She has built a team of totally dedicated practitioners, all equally committed to providing high-quality teaching and learning experiences.  Key leaders and managers are determined to raise achievement even higher, so that even more pupils reach the highest outcomes in mathematics.  Governors take their roles seriously. They have high expectations of the school’s leaders and hold them rigorously to account.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in six lessons, of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector visited one assembly during the school day.  The inspector listened to pupils read from Years 5 and 6.  Pupils’ work was sampled informally in lessons in a range of subjects. A more formal analysis of Years 3 to 6 pupils’ work in mathematics was carried out by the inspector and the headteacher, to gain evidence of the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress over time.  The inspector also reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s own data on current pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, minutes of governing body meetings, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents pertaining to safeguarding.  Meetings were held with pupils across Years 3 to 6, governors and school staff, including those with management responsibilities. A discussion also took place with a representative from the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector evaluated the 23 responses to the Ofsted on-line questionnaire (Parent View), as well as responses from parents to the school’s own questionnaires. The inspector also took account of the views of nine members of the school’s staff through the inspection questionnaires they returned.

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Inspection team

Andrew Swallow, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school.  All pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, and therefore eligible for support through the pupil premium funding, is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils with disabilities or who have special educational needs is below the national average.  In 2014, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Since the previous inspection, there have been several changes in staffing and governance.  The school is a member of a local ‘RAISE’ alliance of 10 rural primary schools.  The early years provision provided by the school offers full-time Reception places.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the attainment of a small minority of pupils at the highest levels in mathematics by the end of Year 6 by:  ensuring pupils apply more confidently key number skills to a range of everyday problems and contexts  developing further pupils’ reasoning skills and their persistence in showing detailed working out in relevant calculations  ensuring all pupils rise to the regular challenge of questioning to extend and deepen their mathematical thinking.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is expertly led by an inspirational headteacher. She has high expectations of all pupils, and is highly regarded by parents and by all who work alongside her.  The staff are a cohesive team who work very well together. The headteacher is fully supported by senior leaders, teachers and non-teaching personnel. In this small school, senior leaders and subject coordinators achieve an excellent balance between providing support for colleagues, and checking regularly on the quality of their teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning.  Key leaders from the local ‘RAISE’ alliance of primary schools make additional and helpful contributions to check the quality of teaching and learning. Governors complement this work with their own assessments of the school’s performance through the teaching and learning committee and through their regular visits. Performance management of all staff is rigorous. Appraisal procedures ensure that the precise training

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The leadership and management are outstanding

needs of all individuals are met. As a consequence, the quality of teaching is continuously improving.  The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development. Leaders and managers produce detailed plans to improve further the school’s work. For example, they have identified the work still to be done to heighten outcomes in mathematics at the highest levels for a small minority of pupils by the end of Year 6.  Training opportunities draw on the expertise of staff within school, from local authority personnel, and from schools in the ‘RAISE’ alliance. The headteacher has the right systems in place to make decisions about teachers’ movement up the salary scale, when required, on the basis of robust information about the impact of their teaching on pupils’ learning over time.  Teachers know their pupils very well indeed. As a result, the school makes sure all pupils have an equal

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The leadership and management are outstanding

opportunity to do well. There are no discernible margins in the performance between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils. On the contrary, in many years, disadvantaged pupils outperform their peers. This is evidence of effective use of the pupil premium funding.  The curriculum is enhanced by regular sporting, musical, singing and drama opportunities and visits to museums, libraries and local places of interest. Pupils talk enthusiastically about computer programming opportunities, forensic science days and quad kids’ competitions. They enjoy discussions with visiting poets and writers. They raise questions such as, ‘how do cars work? how do dragons fly? and how was the first rocket made?’ around which specific lessons are built, leading to fascinating and thought-provoking learning experiences.  The ‘Fairburn Promise’ underpins pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It

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The leadership and management are outstanding

ensures that all of the formally planned, and the many informal, learning opportunities result in pupils’ deep appreciation of important British values such as freedom, equality of opportunity, tolerance, and respect for people from different faiths, heritages and cultural backgrounds. In doing so, the school promotes very well indeed the concept of good relations, tackling decisively any discrimination that may arise.  Partnerships with parents are outstanding. Parents express clear confidence in the work of the school, and the impact it has on their children’s lives.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.  The local authority knows the school well and provides appropriate support to check the accuracy of teachers’ assessments, and moderate the school’s judgements about its overall effectiveness.  The governance of the school:  Governors receive regular information about the achievement of pupils. Through the teaching and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

learning committee, governors keep abreast of the quality of teaching and its impact on the achievement of all pupils. Minutes of governing body meetings show they are confident in challenging the headteacher about key aspects of the school’s work.  Governors have detailed discussions about major spending decisions, in particular the allocation of pupil premium funding. For example, governors have authorised additional resources to enhance pupils’ mathematical skills, as well as more time for one-to-one tuition, and additional teaching assistant time. Governors have also taken decisions to develop teachers’ skills in delivering quality sporting opportunities, through the appointment of a dedicated physical education coach, indicating the good use of the primary school sport funding.  Governors are rigorous in annually reviewing the performance of the headteacher, and receiving information about the performance targets set for teachers, and their potential links with salary

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. ‘The Fairburn Promise’ underpins the overwhelmingly supportive ethos in which relationships flourish. Pupils are highly welcoming of visitors, extremely sociable, and very supportive of each other. In the dining room, and outdoors, they make sure that everyone is included in their conversations and play. Pupils take seriously their responsibilities as buddies, play leaders and school councillors.  Pupils are keen to talk about each other’s achievements, celebrate the ‘stars of the week,’ and check regularly the ‘wish tank,’ to ensure that everyone’s views are taken into account. They are particularly proud of their roles as ‘eco monitors,’ encouraging peers to turn off dripping taps, switch off computers at the end of the day, and diligently taking the school’s energy readings every Friday.  In lessons, pupils enjoy working together and support each other very well. They embody successfully the

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Behaviour

school’s motto, ‘nurture, achieve, inspire,’ as they concentrate individually, collaborate in small groups, or work closely alongside other adults. As a result, learning is very rarely disrupted by low-level incidents.  Pupils know of the different types of bullying, particularly racist, homophobic and cyber-bullying. Records show that incidents of inappropriate behaviour are rare. The scarce incidents that do occur are dealt with effectively and quickly by staff.  Staff work hard to make parents more aware of the importance of regular attendance, and are increasingly vigilant about family holidays taken during term time. As a result, attendance is rising and at the national average.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils are very much aware of how to keep themselves and others safe at all times, when learning outdoors, during visits and residential experiences, for example. They are confident in the use of the internet, and conscious of potential risks posed by emails from unknown people and by social media and extreme websites.  Governors visit the school frequently to carry out checks of safety, and act upon their findings.  Staff are very well trained in child protection and safeguarding issues. Pupils say confidently that they are exceptionally well looked after and that there is always someone with whom to share a problem.  Outdoors and indoors, pupils take care of one another. They play sensibly and maturely, ensuring that no one is left alone, and are very well supervised.  Parents place a very high value on the school’s work. All parents who responded on Parent View, and to

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Safety

the school’s questionnaires during the current academic year, say their children feel very happy and safe.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Staff readily share ideas about their teaching with other staff in school and in the local rural schools that form part of the ‘RAISE’ Alliance. As a result, teaching is constantly improving and pupils learn and achieve very well.  Teachers are fully committed. All have the highest expectations of what all pupils can achieve, and plan interesting experiences to encourage a love of learning. For example, in a Years 1/2 English lesson, pupils were keen to write a review of their recent visit to the Yorkshire Museum, persevering very well indeed to sequence accurately their ideas, and use adventurous vocabulary to describe the dinosaurs and fossils they remembered. Similarly, Years 3 to 6 pupils’ mathematics books show a range of interesting one- and two-step problems recently tackled, with a high proportion of pupils taking care to set out their calculations methodically and applying subtraction and multiplication skills successfully.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Relationships with pupils are outstanding, as is the ethos in all lessons. The atmosphere is one in which pupils automatically help and encourage each other. The skills of teaching assistants are of a high order. They are very well trained to support individuals and small groups and make a real difference.  Expectations of the way pupils present their work, and of the amount of work to be completed, are high. Almost all pupils rise to meet these expectations. The vast majority respond earnestly to marking that invites them to improve their writing, through varying the language and punctuation they use for effect. This is because marking is precise and demanding about the improvements required.  The teaching of reading and writing, in particular the connections between letters and the sounds they make, are strengths of the school. A very high proportion of pupils say how much they enjoy reading.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

They read regularly, at home and in school, showing very good levels of understanding of fictional and non-fictional texts, and developing competent inference skills. Pupils also take pleasure in writing, benefiting from regular opportunities to share ideas, talk through and plan how they intend to hold the interest of the reader.  The teaching of mathematics is also effective. Pupils practise diligently their times tables, and persevere well to improve mental arithmetic skills. In books, work over time shows a good balance of calculations and problem-solving opportunities.  The teaching of science and design and technology are equally well-established. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to reflect on modern day society, consider contemporary values and lifestyles, and design, test and create as part of interesting projects.  Teachers rightly recognise the scope for more pupils to apply basic number skills more confidently in a

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

range of different contexts and scenarios, and to develop further their reasoning and mathematical language, in order to attain even higher outcomes. Teachers have also identified a small minority of pupils who do not always stretch themselves to revisit errors, or complete suggested additional calculations.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The majority of children join the school with skills and understanding below those typical for their age. In the early years, they make outstanding progress and an overwhelming majority reach a good level of development by the time they join Year 1.  A small minority of pupils still experience some difficulties in decoding words, forming letters and applying mathematical skills, on entry to Key Stage 1. Together with their peers, they make increasingly outstanding progress across Key Stage 1, reaching securely average standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2, with some going beyond.  Increasingly, a large minority of pupils join the school during Key Stage 2, due to the school’s growing reputation and popularity. The school’s information shows that this contributes to uneven rates of progress in reading, writing and mathematics across Years 3 to 6. These are not fully represented in the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

published data.  For the vast majority of pupils who remain in school across the key stage, rates of progress across Years 3 to 6 are outstanding. As a result, they attain increasingly above-average outcomes, especially in reading and writing, by the time they leave for secondary school.  In mathematics, while the majority of pupils attain above average outcomes by the end of Year 6, senior leaders have rightly identified the need to increase the proportion attaining the very highest levels. To do this, they know that even more pupils need to apply confidently key number skills in a range of everyday problems and contexts, develop further reasoning skills, and persist in showing detailed working out in key calculations.  Pupils’ learning in the vast majority of lessons is outstanding. They work exceptionally well together in groups, and as individuals, and make good use of opportunities to refine their ideas with each other.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Progress across the school is particularly strong in reading. Pupils are taught to read effectively in their earlier years, read often in school and at home, and with growing confidence and understanding.  Most pupils are competent writers, largely due to the passionate teaching, and the many visits to places of interest that awaken their imagination. As early as Year 1, pupils experiment with specialist language to describe the size and features of prehistoric dinosaurs and the fossils discovered during a recent visit to the Yorkshire Museum.  A very large majority of pupils respond enthusiastically to the many thought-provoking opportunities in mathematics, and in other subjects, particularly science and design and technology. They apply with assurance their good understanding of number, record carefully outcomes of investigations, draw accurately simple charts and graphs, and confidently measure as part of their design work.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The small numbers of disadvantaged pupils make similarly outstanding progress to non-disadvantaged pupils in school. Performance margins in all years are very close. In 2014, disadvantaged students’ attainment by the end of Year 6 was one year beyond non-disadvantaged pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. It was one year beyond their non-disadvantaged peers in school in reading and writing, and two years beyond in mathematics.  The most able pupils achieve outstandingly well. The school’s information and pupils’ work show increasing numbers making more than expected progress, and attaining well above average outcomes.  Pupils with special educational needs also make similar progress to their peers. This is because they benefit from excellent support. This shows the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity for all.  Pupils’ enjoy excellent experiences in physical education and sport. They participate in a wide range of

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

activities, competitive and informal, funded from the primary school sports initiative.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Children make outstanding progress and most are well prepared for entry to Year 1. A high proportion achieves a good level of development, particularly in their personal, social and emotional qualities, and in reading, writing and mathematical skills.  Excellent induction procedures on entry to the Reception Year ensure children settle quickly. These procedures include parental visits to school which help to provide detailed pictures of each child’s needs.  All early years’ staff plan opportunities and experiences that draw carefully on children’s interests. As a consequence, all children are immersed in the daily activities. They are excited to make a dinosaur world, produce pictures that represent the story of the ‘very prickly hedgehog,’ and use the school’s iPads self- assuredly to check the photographs of their recent visits and activities.  All children happily play and learn indoors and outdoors together. They share clay and modelling

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The early years provision is outstanding

equipment sensibly, role play patiently with one another, showing overall excellent behaviour and attitudes to learning.  The quality of teaching is outstanding. Adults constantly ask questions, regularly make informal observations, and use iPads to record innovatively each child’s emerging strengths and areas for further development. In such a way, all adults are involved in reshaping and planning additional activities and resources, responding to children’s changing interests, and engaging continuously all learners.  Daily communication with parents is highly effective. Information about the progress that each child is making, each day, is accessible on-line to individual parents. Parents regularly email their observations, thoughts and pictures of children’s home learning to early years practitioners. As a result, children’s all- round achievements are carefully captured.  The early years' provision is most capably led and managed by a highly knowledgeable and creative

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The early years provision is outstanding

member of staff. Teamwork is excellent and ensures that all children are well cared for and safe at all times.

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 121390 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 449650

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 49 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Eamonn Mohans Headteacher Emma Cornhill Date of previous school inspection 15 October 2009 Telephone number 01977 672158 Fax number 01977 672158 Email address admin@fairburn.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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