Captains Close Primary School

Captain’s Close Primary School Saxelby Road, Asfordby, Melton Mowbray, LE14 3TU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy 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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school is rapidly improving because of the good leadership of the headteacher, her focus on raising pupils’ attainment and the positive culture she has created.  School leaders have good relationships with parents, who talk very positively about how much they appreciate the way the school looks after their children and keeps them safe and happy.  The school ensures pupils’ safety well, and also promotes good behaviour and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is preparing pupils well for the next stage in their education.  Attainment is rising at the end of Key Stage 2. The pupils who left Year 6 in 2014 made outstanding progress in writing and good progress in reading and mathematics from their levels at the end of Year 2. Work in books supports this picture, and pupils throughout the school are making better than expected progress.  Teaching is consistently good. Leaders, including

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

governors, have improved the quality of teaching through the robust use of appraisal systems and training. This has had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.  Subject and senior leaders play a full part in promoting the school’s values and in spreading good practice. All adults at the school are proud of their involvement in its improvement and success.  The governing body has improved the ways it holds the school to account since the last inspection. Governors are knowledgeable about the school’s work and very supportive of the direction it is taking.  The Reception class provides children with a good start to their school lives. The range of activities provided for them, with a focus on their communication skills and imaginative development, is preparing them well for Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to extend their speaking skills and to learn new words to improve the content of their writing.  Pupils’ spelling is not accurate enough.  Teachers do not check regularly enough that the activities they provide are engaging all pupils and are appropriate to support good effective learning.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons, two of which were seen jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books during lessons and scrutinised their work in their exercise books.  Meetings were held with staff, a group of pupils and four members of the governing body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the academy alliance.  Inspectors heard pupils read and talked to them informally at break and lunchtime.  Inspectors took account of the 33 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, one letter from parents, and one letter from members of the local community. They had conversations with parents as they dropped their children off at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the 21 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors examined school documentation including: data on pupils’ current progress and records of governing body meetings; the system used to check teachers’ performance; behaviour; attendance and

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding. Documentation relating to the care of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs was also reviewed.

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Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Captain’s Close Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2013. When its predecessor school, Captain’s Close Primary, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be satisfactory.  Captain’s Close Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school. There is one class in each age group from Reception to Year 3. Children in Reception attend full time. There are two mixed-age classes in Years 4 and 5 and Years 5 and 6, grouped by age.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below the national average. A small number of pupils each have an Education, Health and Care plan.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Three new teachers, two of whom were newly-qualified teachers, and the other an acting assistant headteacher, have been appointed in the past three years. The current early years leader is temporarily covering absence due to illness.  Recently completed refurbishment now accommodates classes in their own separate areas.  The school is part of the Melton Lynx Academy Group.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of pupils’ writing by:  providing more opportunities for them to develop their vocabulary and improve their speaking skills  raising standards in spelling so that their writing is more accurate and easy to read.  Ensure teachers check more regularly on how well pupils are learning in class and that the activities provided support different pupils’ learning well.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership and management are good because leaders are having a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching, raising attainment and instilling good behaviour. They have created a very positive atmosphere in which all pupils, including the most vulnerable, can flourish and succeed. The headteacher provides inspirational, strong and focused leadership and, because of this, the school has made rapid improvement since converting to become an academy. The senior leaders make an effective team and they provide good support and challenge through their work with staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of teaching and learning, and the taking of action where necessary, is good. Subject leaders have a role in checking the success of the teaching in the areas for which they are responsible. Leaders’ skills are developing through appropriate training. The headteacher devolves leadership responsibilities appropriately, and staff respond to this trust very positively.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s view of its effectiveness is accurate and identifies what can be done to improve further. Plans for improvement build on the current strengths. All staff share the headteacher’s ambition for the school’s continued improvement. Staff make good use of data that show how well individual pupils are achieving. Information about pupils’ progress is analysed very well by senior leaders and used in discussions with staff so any underachievement can be rapidly addressed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Training to develop teachers’ professional skills has been used effectively. For example, training to become ‘a story-telling school’, as part of a scheme for developing pupils’ ability to write, has had a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. Within the school, training to improve teachers’ skills, for example, in teaching new aspects of science, has been successful, as has the work to develop the teaching of links between letters and sounds (phonics).

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The leadership and management are good

 Internal checks on data, and external checks through the Melton Lynx Academy Group and the Affinity Teaching School’s Alliance, are carried out to confirm the accuracy of teachers’ assessments of pupils’ work. The school is preparing well for the changes after the National Curriculum levels are removed. This is being discussed and shared within the academy group to ensure clarity of assessments across the primary schools, and for when pupils transfer to secondary school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium funding is used to help disadvantaged pupils play a full part in school life, and benefit, where appropriate, from additional help from adults. The impact of this is evident in the good progress being made by these pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good use is made of the extra funding available to promote physical education and sporting opportunities. There is increased participation in a wide range of clubs and sporting activities, such as golf and gymnastics. Staff training, accomplished by working alongside specialist coaches, is promoting improvements in teaching a variety of activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The range of subjects the school teaches is broad and balanced and has been appropriately reviewed to ensure pupils develop stronger skills in writing. It has been updated to meet requirements following recent changes to the National Curriculum.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This ensures equality of opportunity. Pupils are prepared effectively for life in modern Britain by, for example, the opportunity to learn about democracy through the school council. They have also found out about their rights and responsibilities in society through discussions with local police and prison officers. The school fosters good relations with different groups and ensures that discrimination is not tolerated.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils learn about how people live in other parts of the world. Their work in the creative arts has a very high profile throughout the school. The school provides a good range of clubs and extra-curricular activities which enhance pupils’ learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership of the early years is good. This helps children to make good progress. Effective use is made of resources. The outdoor areas are used well to promote learning to the full.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Melton Lynx Academy Group has been very supportive of the school during its conversion to academy status and has also been instrumental in helping it to raise standards.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s child protection and safeguarding systems are very thorough and meet statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is effective. The governing body has improved the way it carries out its statutory duties and now provides good support and challenge for the school’s leaders. Governors are in the process of changing the way they manage their work to make it more efficient. They have carried out an assessment of their skills and this has led to training in areas such as safeguarding and safer recruitment. The governors are very enthusiastic and play a full part in the life of the school when special events such as the ‘Maths and Reasoning’ day take place. They have a good grasp of the school’s data showing how well pupils are doing. Governors check the school’s work through visits, and accompanying the choir to the ‘Young Voices’ event. Members of the governing body check how well school leaders improve the quality of teaching. Decisions about teachers’ pay are appropriately linked to

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The leadership and management are good

their performance and responsibilities. Governors know how the performance of teachers is managed and what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance.  Governors track finances well and lead the school in deciding how to spend additional money, such as that to support disadvantaged pupils. They also check how pupils’ well-being is enhanced through allocation of the primary physical education and sport premium. The governing body ensures that all safeguarding requirements are fully met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The high standard of behaviour has a positive impact on their learning and progress. Pupils behave well in lessons, and in other settings such as the dining room, at playtimes and when swimming in the school’s pool.

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Behaviour

 Pupils talk enthusiastically about lessons and other aspects of school life. They clearly like school a lot. One pupil, expressing the views of many, said, ‘The school feels like your second home.’ Another said, ‘We have a close bond with our teachers.’ However, there are times when a few pupils are less engaged and this is not always picked up by teachers. Because of this, their learning slows. Pupils show respect for the learning environment. They do not drop litter and they take pride in their work.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ response to the school’s expectations of their behaviour and social development is consistently good. Their horizons are widened through the good opportunities they are given to take responsibility. These include as monitors, or through the school council, which requested outdoor play equipment. They take their responsibilities very seriously and are developing very mature and thoughtful attitudes. For example, as one pupil wrote in his Captain’s log, ‘Life is like school because you never know what you are going to learn.’

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Behaviour

 Pupils are very polite and interested in other people. They work well together and show a very caring and accepting nature. Pupils are very supportive of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Leaders, including governors, give high priority to the safeguarding of the pupils in their care both in school and when on school visits.

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Safety

 Pupils say they feel safe in school and the vast majority of parents spoken to, or who completed Parent View, confirm this view. The school provides a good range of activities to help pupils learn to stay safe, and they are taught how to use computers and the internet safely. The pupils say that bullying is rare; but that if it occurred they are confident it would be dealt with effectively. Pupils have a clear understanding of different types of bullying, such as bullying on the internet and racially prejudiced bullying. The views of all pupils are valued and nurtured, so all feel special.

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Safety

 Attendance has been above the national average since the school converted to become an academy. It has been sustained as a result of the school’s efforts with parents who appreciate the importance of their children’s full attendance. Pupils are punctual, both to school and to lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work, the school’s assessment data and evaluations of teaching, together with inspectors’ direct observations of pupils’ learning, all indicate that the quality of teaching is good. The teachers and teaching assistants usually form a strong and mutually supportive team, and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The good teaching has resulted in pupils’ current good progress and rising standards.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use assessment information to group pupils of different ages accurately by ability and to provide work that is usually appropriately targeted for their different capabilities. Teachers have responded well to recent changes to the National Curriculum and their approach ensures the pupils are able to see the links between subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school is tidy, and materials and resources are easily accessible. The accommodation for the Reception children, especially outdoors, is exciting, and children benefit from a bright and colourful classroom. Displays of pupils’ work support their learning and celebrate their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The marking of pupils’ work is a very positive aspect of the teaching. Teachers accurately describe what it is that pupils do well and indicate what is needed for them to improve their work. Pupils have good opportunities to comment on their own learning and to help decide their own next steps. Most understand what their targets are for improving their work and what they need to do to achieve them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils throughout the school talk positively about how they enjoy lessons, especially literacy and mathematics. Consistently good and often outstanding teaching over time is the reason why so many pupils make good progress in reading and mathematics. Regular sessions where pupils study books in depth, and apply their mathematical skills to real life situations, are helpful in supporting good progress. This leads to pupils having a strong work ethic whatever their learning ability. They describe the progress they have made and talk with pride about their work. Books are tidy and much of the work is well presented.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In some lessons, teachers do not make the most of opportunities to develop and extend pupils’ speaking skills or their vocabulary. Furthermore, on some occasions teachers do not correct spelling errors and get pupils to regularly learn from their mistakes. This hinders improvements to the content of pupils’ writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 One of the strengths of the teaching is the way teachers try to raise pupils’ aspirations and to develop their thinking about learning. Other adults provide good support for pupils, especially for the disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and work closely with teachers so they understand what is expected. This helps all pupils to take a full and active part in lessons and school life.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In a small number of lessons, teachers do not regularly check to ensure that pupils are fully engaged in their work. Although their attitudes and behaviour are good, a few pupils do not take as full a part in lessons as others. This slows the progress they make.

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is good

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 was broadly average in 2014. Pupils’ progress in writing was well above average; their progress in reading and mathematics was above average. The proportions making better than expected progress were well above the national average in writing, and above the national averages in reading and mathematics.  Standards at the end of Year 2 in 2014 were well above average in reading. They were above average in mathematics. Standards were average in writing. This represents good progress in all three subjects from pupils’ different starting points. Although progress is good, the school knows more needs to be done to raise standards further, especially in writing.

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is good

 When they start school in the Reception class, many of the children have knowledge, skills and understanding which are broadly typical for their age, but are weaker in communication, reading, writing, personal, social and emotional development and in being imaginative. Children make good progress in all areas of learning, and an above-average proportion reaches the expected level of development.

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is good

 Good teaching of basic reading skills means that pupils make good progress from their starting points. They develop into good readers with an interest in a range of books.

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is good

 Progress in reading and mathematics is good throughout the school. Pupils achieve well in other subjects such as art and design, history and geography. The effective use of the primary physical education and sport premium has improved teachers’ expertise and is raising standards in physical education.

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is good

 Throughout the school, the most able pupils make good progress. In Year 6 in 2014, more pupils attained the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics than average.

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is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the extra help they receive. In most years, they make progress that is in line with their classmates and better than that found nationally. The school meets their needs well.

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is good

 The school is aware that writing at Key Stage 1 is weaker than in reading and mathematics and is working hard, and with some success, to raise standards. One reason for this is that pupils have too narrow a vocabulary to make their writing more interesting. Pupils’ spelling skills are not good enough and this often spoils their written work. Attainment in spelling, punctuation and grammar is improving and is broadly average.

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is good

 The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates is over four terms behind in reading, writing and mathematics. The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally is over four terms behind in reading, over three terms behind in writing and nearly three terms behind in mathematics. However, the gap is narrowing and the progress made by these pupils is often more rapid than that of their classmates or the expected progress nationally. The current good provision and rapid progress are helping to increase the pace at which remaining gaps are narrowing.

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is good

 Children make good progress from their different starting points. They settle in well and quickly become used to the school’s routines. Children start the day happily and productively, and enjoy sharing their learning with adults. During the inspection, for example, they talked very enthusiastically about their paintings and how they are learning to write numbers. Children work and play cooperatively. They enjoy school and the range of activities provided for them, especially outdoors and in their role play area.

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is good

 The accommodation is used well by staff and enables children to learn well in all areas of learning. The outdoor area is used effectively to extend children’s learning through a range of adult-led activities and those that the children choose for themselves. The range of wooden playhouses is used very effectively for different learning areas such as for reading.

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is good

 Teaching is good. Assessment is detailed and used very effectively to plan the next steps which children need to take to move their learning on. All adults are involved in observing and recording children’s progress. Parents are regularly informed about children’s progress, and they are invited to record their comments in the children’s records of learning. Parents are also kept aware of what their children are learning so they can support them at home.

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is good

 All children, including disabled pupils and those have special educational needs, make good progress. This is due to good leadership and management of the early years provision. Staff are very aware of each child’s prior knowledge and skills. Children’s good progress helps prepare them well for the next stage of their education. They are clearly happy at school and are kept safe. Their behaviour is good.

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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 139845 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 449926

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 152 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Heather Roythorne-Finch Headteacher Julia Hancock Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01664 812630 Fax number 01664 813035 Email address ict.admin@captains-close.leics.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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