Kibblesworth Academy

Kibblesworth Academy West View, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0XP

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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

 Over time, teaching has not been good enough to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can.  In 2014, pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was below national average. Pupils’ current work indicates that standards are improving well in reading and mathematics, but the proportion attaining the expected level in writing remains below average.  Achievement varies across the school. Most pupils make expected progress but not enough pupils are making good or better progress.  Systems to track pupils’ achievement do not give leaders a precise enough view of how well groups of pupils are progressing. Their assessment of the quality of teaching is too optimistic.  Provision in the early years requires improvement. Activities do not provide enough challenge in the key areas of mathematics and writing to enable all children to capitalise fully on their starting points.  Governors do not challenge senior leaders

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

effectively to improve the achievement of pupils. Gaps in disadvantaged pupils’ attainment and that of boys are not closing rapidly enough.  The curriculum does not ensure that pupils’ behaviour is consistently good. Although staff tackle incidents of name calling, some pupils worry that these will recur and this leads to a few pupils feeling unsafe.  Teachers’ assessments of what pupils can do are not consistently accurate. Work is not always set at the correct level to ensure that all pupils, particularly the most able, achieve as well as they can.  Teachers mark pupils’ work frequently, however, their feedback is not consistently effective in helping pupils to improve their work.  Targets set for the proportions of pupils making rapid progress are not sufficiently ambitious. This limits leaders’ ability to hold teachers to account fully for the performance of their pupils.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leaders have taken effective action to improve the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) and basic skills in mathematics. As a result, pupils are making good progress in these areas of learning.  Pupils are polite and respectful to adults and generally conduct themselves well around school.  Additional government funding to support physical education (PE) and sport has been spent effectively. Pupils appreciate opportunities to participate in a wide range of sporting activities  Leaders have improved the quality of teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Pupils are now achieving well across Key Stage 2.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with one day’s notice under section 8 of the Education Act, 2005. It was subsequently deemed a section 5 inspection under the same act.  Inspectors observed the quality of teaching and learning across all classes, including joint observations with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspection team also looked at the current standard of pupils’ work and talked to pupils about their learning, progress and experiences of school.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, the Chair, Vice-chair and other members of the governing body and groups of pupils. An inspector also met with the school’s improvement partner.  The inspection team evaluated a wide range of school documents, including the school development plan, the school’s self-evaluation, information on pupils’ progress, records of the checks made on the quality of teaching, minutes of governing body meetings, information on safeguarding (protecting children and

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Information about this inspection

making sure they are safe) and a range of policies.  The inspection team considered the views expressed in three questionnaire returns from staff.  Inspectors talked to parents and reviewed a letter from a parent. The inspection team also considered the 41 responses made by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Claire Brown, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Kibblesworth Academy is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support is lower than the national average (18%). The pupil premium is government funding provided for those who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is lower than the national average.  Some children attend Nursery part-time and some on a full-time basis. Children attend the Reception class full-time.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  The academy holds the Artsmark Gold award, the International Award for Young People and the Basic Skills Quality Mark.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher is a National Leader of Education and provides support to other schools.  Kibblesworth Academy converted to become an academy school on 10 August 2012. When its predecessor school, Kibblesworth Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it enables all pupils to make at least good progress, particularly boys in writing, by: - assessing what pupils can do accurately and using this information to set work which challenges all pupils, including the most able, disadvantaged pupils and children in the early years, to make rapid progress in their learning - ensuring that teachers’ marking is successful in helping pupils to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  ensuring that systems to track pupils’ achievement enable leaders to accurately judge how well all pupils, including groups of pupils, are performing against national expectations  making sure that the checks on the quality of teaching undertaken by middle and senior leaders evaluate pupils’ progress accurately and take account of how well pupils achieve over time  setting precise and ambitious targets for the proportions of pupils who will make good or outstanding progress and using these to hold teachers to account for the performance of their pupils  reviewing the curriculum to ensure that it promotes tolerance and respect and secures consistently good behaviour so that all pupils feel safe in school  ensuring that improvement planning includes sharply-focused, measurable targets and milestones which can be monitored frequently by all leaders, including governors

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 ensuring that the governing body receives accurate information about the performance of the school and uses this to hold senior leaders to account for the achievement of pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Over time, leaders and managers have not taken sufficiently effective action to ensure that teaching secures good progress from all groups of pupils. As a result, pupils’ achievement requires improvement.  Systems to track pupils’ achievement do not enable leaders to precisely judge how well pupils are doing. This year, leaders believed that progress in writing had improved following the introduction of a new teaching scheme. Statutory assessments at the end of the year have shown that the proportion of pupils attaining age-related expectations in writing has not improved as much as leaders had hoped at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils have made expected, rather than good progress. Because self-evaluation is overly positive, plans for improvement lack the sharp focus needed to raise pupils’ achievement.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers’ assessments are consistently accurate. For example, assessments

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The leadership and management requires improvement

of pupils’ achievement in writing are sometimes too generous. Leaders have recently recognised this and have planned action to address it.  Leaders make regular checks on the quality of teaching. However, records show that they do not always evaluate the progress made by pupils in lessons, or take enough account of how well pupils achieve over time. Although leaders have taken some appropriate action to improve the quality of teaching in writing, they have been too optimistic about the impact of this work on pupils’ achievement.  Senior leaders have systems in place to manage the performance of teachers. Targets set for teachers have been successful in securing expected progress for most pupils. However, targets are not always sufficiently ambitious for the proportion of pupils that will make good or outstanding progress.  Middle leaders have taken effective action to improve important areas of the curriculum. A newly

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The leadership and management requires improvement

introduced phonics (letters and the sounds they make) programme has been carefully monitored and additional training has been provided for staff to help them improve their teaching. In mathematics, a new approach to teaching basic skills has helped pupils to make good progress throughout the school and has increased their enjoyment of the subject.  Leaders, including governors, have sought external advice to help them to improve the school. This has not provided sufficient challenge in relation to improving the performance of different groups of pupils. Consequently, this support has not had enough impact on the most pressing priorities for the school.  Leaders are committed to promoting equality and tackling discrimination. They have used pupil premium funding to ensure that pupils have equal access to activities, such as the gymnastics’ club, by providing the necessary equipment. However, actions have not been focused precisely enough on narrowing the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

attainment gaps which exist for disadvantaged pupils.  Good use is made of additional government funding for PE and sport. Pupils benefit from a range of extra curricular opportunities. Leaders have checked on the impact of this funding and made improvements to the quality of the specialist coaching that pupils receive. As a result, pupils speak positively about the sporting opportunities on offer to them and have a good understanding of the importance of fitness.  Leaders ensure that statutory checks to keep pupils safe are undertaken. All staff have received appropriate training and understand their responsibilities to protect children. However, leaders, including governors, have not ensured that incidents of poor behaviour are always addressed rigorously enough so that all pupils feel safe in school.  Pupils receive a broad curriculum and particularly enjoy the chance to perform in the annual ‘Shine’

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The leadership and management requires improvement

concerts. Pupils develop their understanding of democracy through the history curriculum and the work undertaken by Years 5 and 6 on Ancient Greece. Leaders recognise that the curriculum does not enable all pupils to make good progress in all subjects, particularly in writing. The curriculum for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development does not ensure that pupils behave consistently well or show the mutual respect and tolerance of others which will prepare them well for their future.  The governance of the school:  Governors are committed to improving the school. They have taken effective action to hold senior leaders to account over decisions related to financial management and staffing. However, they have not approached issues relating to pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching with the same rigour. Governors are aware that they need to improve their skills so that they can judge the progress and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

attainment of pupils accurately and have begun the process to recruit additional governors with the necessary expertise.  Governors understand the systems to manage and reward teachers’ performance. They have taken action to eradicate the weakest teaching. However, they have not ensured that targets for pupils’ achievement are ambitious enough so that all pupils make the progress of which they are capable.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils present their work neatly and take pride in completing tasks. However, pupils report that their learning is interrupted by the chatting of others and this stops them from getting on with their work as well as they can.  Pupils are respectful to adults and friendly to each other. They speak confidently and articulately to visitors. Pupils move round the school in a calm and orderly manner and take care of their school environment.  Pupils say that they like school and enjoy mixing with their friends at social times across the day. They report that, occasionally, some pupils can be too boisterous in the playground. Older pupils feel that some staff do not implement the school’s policy of rewards and sanctions consistently and fairly when they address this. However, pupils acknowledge that behaviour is usually good. The very low proportion of pupils excluded temporarily from school confirms this.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement.  Pupils feel safe in school and almost all parents who responded to Ofsted’s Parent View survey consider that their children are safe at Kibblesworth. Pupils are taught effectively about the risks of using the internet, social media and mobile phones.  Incidents of inappropriate name calling, including the use of homophobic language are tackled by the school, but pupils worry that incidents will recur. The school’s records of behaviour incidents confirm that this is sometimes the case. A few parents expressed the view that bullying is not addressed effectively by the school. Leaders recognise that they could do more to prevent these behaviours. They have created a ‘Values Passport’ to promote tolerance and respect for all, but this work is in the early stages of development.  Over time, pupils’ attendance has been broadly in line with the national average. Attendance rates have

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Safety

dipped slightly this year and leaders have not explored the reasons behind this. Leaders communicate quickly with families to establish pupils’ safety if they do not arrive at school. Appropriate actions are taken to ensure pupils are not absent for long periods. As a result, persistent absence rates are below average.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Over time, teaching has not been good enough across the school to enable all groups of pupils to make good progress, particularly in writing.  Teachers and teaching assistants have excellent relationships with pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and comply quickly with requests from adults.  Teachers’ assessments of what pupils can do are not always accurate. As a result, teachers do not take enough account of what pupils already know to plan tasks which consistently build on their skills and knowledge. Some pupils repeat work which has already been mastered and therefore do not make rapid progress to reach their full potential.  Pupils regularly learn new writing skills but have limited opportunities to master these by practising them in extended writing. At times, the creativity of their writing is limited by an over-structured approach which requires them to write just one or two sentences. Not enough pupils, particularly boys, are making

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

rapid progress in writing.  The teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling in Key Stage 2 has improved well over the past year. Pupils enjoy a new programme which provides regular opportunities to learn and practise skills. Pupils’ attainment in Year 5 and 6 has increased.  Teachers provide frequent, detailed, written feedback to pupils which usually identifies areas where their work can be improved. At times, the guidance from the teacher is not clear enough for pupils to understand how to improve their work. Occasionally, teachers do not communicate their expectation that pupils will act on the advice given through marking. Consequently, written feedback is not consistently helping pupils to make better progress in their learning.  The teaching of phonics in the early years and Key Stage 1 is good. Pupils have the skills they need to tackle new words and correct their own mistakes. They enjoy reading and can talk enthusiastically about

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

what they have read. However, in Key Stage 2, tasks to develop comprehension of more difficult texts, particularly for the most able pupils, are not always challenging enough.  In mathematics, teachers ensure that pupils have a good understanding of the basic skills they need to underpin their learning. This helps them to make good progress. Occasionally, in an attempt to ensure that all pupils have mastered a mathematical concept, the most able pupils spend too long on work which is too easy for them and sometimes do not make the rapid progress of which they are capable.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most pupils make the progress expected of them. However, pupils’ achievement overall has declined over time from a high starting point. This is because teaching has not been effective in securing good progress for all groups of pupils. Progress in reading and writing is inconsistent across the school and boys achieve less well than girls in writing. In 2014, the standards reached by pupils by the end of Year 6 fell from above national average to slightly below average. Standards in grammar, punctuation and spelling were well below national average in the same year.  Pupils’ work shows that attainment has increased in 2015 to above average at the end of Key Stage 2 in mathematics and in grammar, punctuation and spelling. The proportion of pupils attaining national expectations in reading is broadly average, but remains just below average in writing. Pupils have made good progress in mathematics across Key Stage 2 and are now achieving well in grammar, punctuation

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

and spelling. However, not enough have made the good progress in reading and writing of which they are capable.  In the phonics check at the end of Year 1, good teaching is supporting increasing numbers of pupils to reach the national expectations for six-year-olds. Pupils go on to achieve well at the end of Year 2 in reading and reach standards which are above national average.  Attainment at the end of Year 2 has been consistently above national average and the proportion of pupils attaining above national expectations in reading and mathematics has increased this year. However, in 2015, in writing, the proportion of pupils reaching national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1 has dipped to broadly average and the proportion of pupils attaining higher levels is slightly below national average.  The progress of the most able pupils is uneven across the school. Pupils’ work shows that they make good

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

progress in mathematics to reach standards which are above national average by the end of Year 6. The proportion of pupils exceeding the expected level in reading is also above average. However, in writing, given their starting points, not enough pupils are attaining the highest levels across the school.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is closely monitored. Additional support from within the school and from external agencies helps pupils to achieve well. For example, an effective nurture programme has enabled pupils with social and emotional needs to make good progress.  The achievement of disadvantaged pupils requires improvement. Leaders are not tracking the progress and attainment of this group of pupils precisely enough. In 2014, attainment gaps narrowed between disadvantaged pupils and their peers at the end of Year 2 in reading and mathematics, but the gap

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

remained in writing. At the end of Key Stage 2, disadvantaged pupils did not perform as well as their peers in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Children join the Nursery with skills which are typical for their age in many areas of learning. The skills of some children are less well developed in communication and language. Children make typical progress across the Nursery and Reception classes and some make good progress, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development, to catch up with their peers. By the time they leave the Reception class, a slightly above average proportion have reached the expected level and are prepared for the challenges of the curriculum in Year 1. However, not enough children are making rapid progress in writing and too few of the most able are making good progress to exceed the expected level for their age.  Relationships between adults and children are excellent and make a strong contribution to children’s progress. As one parent said, children feel, ‘happy, well-supported and safe.’ Children collaborate well and

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The early years provision requires improvement

enjoy sharing their learning with each other.  Teachers plan activities which interest children and develop their enthusiasm for learning. In a session with a beach theme, children ‘walked the plank’ to practise their balance and experimented with different throwing techniques to get ‘treasure’ into a chest. Children listened carefully to feedback from their teacher and showed resilience to improve their skills.  The teaching of phonics is effective and enables children to make good progress with their reading. This ensures that they are ready to tackle the demands of the reading curriculum in Year 1.  Children’s learning journals show that tasks planned to develop their skills in writing and mathematics do not always challenge them to reach their full potential. In mathematics, children sometimes repeat work they have already mastered and they have too few opportunities to record their own learning. In writing,

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The early years provision requires improvement

children, particularly the most able, are constrained by the tasks set and do not have enough opportunities to write several sentences on topics which interest them. As a result of this, some children do not make the progress of which they are clearly capable.  The learning environment, both inside and outdoors is attractive, well organised and supports children to develop their independence. Resources are readily accessible so that children can choose their own activities and try new things. This leads to a purposeful atmosphere across the early years and children’s self-confidence is developed well.  Adults support children well to feel safe and to make safe choices. In a PE lesson, the teacher modelled techniques to land safely as children jumped onto mats. Children understand the importance of good hygiene through handwashing before they eat.  Leaders recognise that they have not taken effective action to ensure that teachers’ assessments of

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The early years provision requires improvement

children’s abilities are consistently accurate. This has resulted in an incorrect view of the attainment of some children on entry to Nursery and at the end of the Reception year.

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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 138211 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 464895

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 184 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colin Mason Headteacher Kevin Dodd Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 0191 4102975 Fax number 01914102975 Email address admin@kibblesworthacademy.org.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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