Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy

School report Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy Seamer Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 4HF

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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 Requires improvement 3

p.1

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

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement. Attainment is below the national average at the end of Key Stage 1 and well below the national average in Key Stage 2 for reading.  Pupils’ progress in Years 1 to 6 is not consistently good in reading, writing and mathematics. Too few pupils are making better than expected progress so that a greater proportion of pupils reach higher standards of attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.  Teaching requires improvement. Instability in staffing has hindered the effectiveness of the academy. It has led to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching over time and has adversely impacted on pupils’ achievement.  Teachers do not always have sufficiently high expectations of what pupils can achieve and pupils’ targets are not aspirational.  The roles and responsibilities of the newly formed senior leadership team are not sufficiently well developed to improve the quality of teaching and

p.1

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

raise pupils’ achievement.  Senior and middle leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and learning have not been sufficiently rigorous in order to address pupils’ underachievement. Best teaching practices are not shared among staff.  The quality of teachers’ marking is uneven across different year groups. Pupils are not always told how to improve their work. Teachers’ attention to the presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent.  In Key Stage 2, pupils do not read widely enough and have too little experience of different types of reading material.  Provision in the early years requires improvement. Teaching is not consistently good in all classes to ensure that more children reach a good level of development.  Overall attendance is below the national average.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The recently appointed Principal is highly committed and provides clear direction. She is unrelenting in her drive for improvement.  Sometimes, teaching is outstanding.  There are good relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils behave well and feel safe and secure in the caring environment. They have a positive attitude to learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength and equips pupils well for life in modern Britain.  Pupils’ achievement in writing has improved over the last 12 months.  The academy improvement board has an accurate view of the academy’s strengths and weaknesses, including for teaching and achievement. It provides good support for senior leaders.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in several lessons, three of which were observed jointly with the Principal. In addition, the inspectors made short visits to observe pupils in small-group sessions. All class groups and teachers in the academy were observed.  Inspectors also looked at the work in pupils’ books, observed pupils in the dining hall and the playground and listened to pupils from Key Stages 1 and 2 read.  The inspectors held discussions with the Principal, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, representatives from the academic advisory board and the Academy Trust.  The inspectors spoke informally to pupils in lessons and around the academy, as well as having a formal meeting with groups of pupils from Key Stages 1 and 2.  Inspectors observed the work of the academy and looked at a range of documents, including the academy’s own information about pupils’ progress, planning, the monitoring of learning and teachers’

p.2

Information about this inspection

performance, organisation of the curriculum, records relating to behaviour and attendance, safeguarding information, how the pupil premium funding is spent and the minutes of academy improvement board meetings.  The inspectors took account of the 11 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and comments from parents. The inspectors also took account of the 29 responses to the inspection questionnaire returned by staff.

p.2

Inspection team

Peter Bailey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Inspection team

Prydwen Elfed-Owens Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Thomas Hinderwell Primary School became a sponsored academy on 1 November 2013. It is a member of the David Ross Education Trust. Governance is provided by an academy improvement board.  The overwhelming majority of pupils are White British. The proportion that speak English as an additional language is well below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by the pupil premium, is above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The early years consists of two part-time Nursery classes and two full-time Reception classes.  The academy runs a breakfast club which was included in this inspection.

p.3

Information about this school

 The acting vice-Principal took up post in January 2015, but has been a member of the teaching staff since 2012. The Principal and early years leader took up their posts in April 2015.  Over 50% of the teaching staff joined the academy this academic year.  The academy meets the current government floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics, by the end of Year 6.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement, including in the early years, and especially in reading by:  ensuring that the outstanding teaching that already exists in the academy and the trust is shared with other teachers in the academy to help them to improve their own practice  ensuring that staff have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve and that they set aspirational targets  ensuring that the academy’s marking policy is consistently implemented so that pupils know how to improve their work and that it is always well presented  increasing the range of opportunities, particularly in Key Stage 2, for pupils to read, both at the academy and at home, and provide a wider range of texts to further their enjoyment and love of reading.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and management of the academy by:  developing the roles and responsibilities of the senior leadership team in order to accelerate the academy’s improvement  ensuring that the recently established systems for monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress are rigorously implemented and that the information is used to raise achievement further  continuing to improve pupils’ attendance by developing still more positive links with parents.

p.3

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Over the last year, the academy has experienced a period of instability in staffing which has had an adverse impact on pupils’ achievement. Many staff are new to the academy and more than half of the teachers have been appointed this academic year. Although the academy has taken appropriate action, which has improved the quality of teaching and rate of pupils’ progress, academy leaders have not yet secured the necessary improvements to raise achievement and provide consistently good teaching overall. Consequently, leadership and management require improvement.  The recently appointed Principal provides the academy with dynamic leadership. She is extremely committed and passionate about driving forward the academy’s overall effectiveness and has an unwavering determination to provide every pupil with a solid foundation for the future. Her dedication is infectious and she is ably supported by the recently appointed acting vice-Principal. They have established

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

a shared purpose in ensuring that there is continued improvement.  The Principal’s drive has created a purposeful, shared vision in the academy and staff morale is high. Staff express a high degree of support for the academy’s leadership. Typical comments include: ‘The academy has gone through many leadership changes. However, there is now a greater feel of stability, direction and warmth’; ‘the academy has moved forward so much and has a clear plan for the future’, and, ‘I have noticed a huge change in the culture and atmosphere in the academy. I am proud to be a member of staff.’  The Academy Trust has a good awareness of the academy’s strengths and areas for development. It has worked well with the academy’s leaders and provided effective support through a period of transition in the academy’s leadership and staffing to maintain the ongoing improvement. This support is highly valued by the Principal.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The Principal has quickly gained an accurate understanding of how well the academy is doing and leaders correctly identify its strengths and the right priorities for further development. However, due to significant changes in the teaching staff this year, the roles and responsibilities of the newly formed senior leadership team, and those of middle leaders, are not fully developed. This has been a barrier to the acceleration of the academy’s improvement and that of pupils’ progress.  Effective strategies are now in place to manage teachers’ performance and these are beginning to have an impact. Checks on teachers’ work are addressing previous weak performance. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving. However, academy leaders recognise the need to provide more opportunities to share the outstanding practice existing currently within the academy and across the Trust.  The collection and review of information showing how well pupils are learning are now more rigorous and

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

these data are used more effectively to identify any pupils or groups of pupils that fall behind. However, the impact of these changes has not eliminated the inconsistent rates of pupils’ progress across all classes and groups. As a result, pupils’ progress still requires improvement.  The Principal has refined the system of performance management so it is now more rigorous and linked to Teachers’ Standards. Judgements about teachers’ work are closely linked to pupils’ achievement and academy development. Regular reviews of performance have begun but, because this process is only recently established, it is too early to identify its impact.  The academy prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. The academy promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. Tolerance and respect for the views of others are promoted through many aspects of the academy’s ethos, themes in assemblies, and studies in

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

religious education and citizenship. Pupils’ social skills are promoted well. For example, during the inspection, an assembly took place which related to the academy’s values of respect, tolerance and high aspiration.  Equality of opportunity has a high priority across the academy. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. This ensures that good relations within the academy are promoted very effectively and all pupils can be involved in a wide range of activities. For example, the academy runs a well-attended signing club at lunchtime, for all staff and pupils, to ensure that pupils who have a hearing impairment can participate fully in all the academy’s activities.  The academy has made good progress in the introduction of the new curriculum with well-planned activities that engage and meet the needs of the pupils. Activities are enriched by a variety of after-hours clubs, visits to places of local interest, and activities that develop pupils’ sporting, musical and creative

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

talents.  The academy, along with others in the Trust, is preparing to introduce new assessment procedures in September. These will replace the existing National Curriculum levels.  The leaders ensure that the pupil premium funding is used well to support disadvantaged pupils. The impact of this support is monitored regularly by the academy leadership and the academy improvement board. Current data, for 2015, show that for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, there is little difference in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and their classmates. Monitoring data show that all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are making similar rates of expected progress.  The academy is working hard to develop mutually supportive relationships with parents and to improve the level of pupils’ attendance. The impact of these initiatives is evidenced by an increasing number of parents who now attend the Friday ‘celebration’ assemblies and the high attendance of parents at the new

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

starters’ meeting held in the academy during the inspection.  The care and welfare of pupils is central to the academy’s work. The academy opens early and offers breakfast for a large number of pupils, ensuring they are well prepared for learning. Policies and procedures for safeguarding are good. They are rigorously implemented, effective and meet all current statutory requirements. The academy is extremely vigilant in ensuring the pupils are safe and acts promptly if any concerns are raised.  The academy makes very good use of the primary sport funding to provide specialist sports teaching, enhancing the teachers’ awareness and skills in teaching physical education. The funding is used to extend the range of sporting activities available for pupils such as golfing tuition, and gymnastic sessions in a local gym. All pupils have swimming sessions and the academy’s aim is that all pupils in Key Stage 2 will

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

be able to swim 25 metres.  The academy improvement board replaced the governing body this academic year in order to give a greater level of support and challenge to the academy, during a period of staffing instability.

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governance is effective. The academy improvement board works well with the recently appointed leaders to monitor the quality of education. The members are well informed through monthly board meetings and visit the academy to see at first hand how well the academy is performing.  Good knowledge of the academy, and professional expertise, place members of the board in a strong position to challenge senior leaders on the academy’s performance. They have a clear understanding of the data and information on how pupils are doing academically and use this information to ask probing questions about the effectiveness of teaching. They are aware of how the academy compares to other primary schools.  The board members monitor the academy’s performance against the development plan in order to manage the performance of the Principal. They also play an important role in making sure that teachers’

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

pay increases are linked to their performance and that underperformance is tackled appropriately.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Relationships in the academy are excellent. All staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the building and set good examples of how pupils should behave. Pupils are eager to learn and show positive attitudes in the classroom, ensuring that little learning time is wasted. At break and lunchtimes, pupils play cooperatively with others. They are polite and well mannered and show respect to one another and to adults.  The academy has introduced a revised code of conduct and its positive impact is evidenced in the academy’s behaviour log. This shows that the numbers of incidents are reducing. Pupils’ behaviour is consistently well managed, particularly for the few who display challenging behaviour. Pupils, staff and parents speak highly of the typically high standards of behaviour and strong relationships in the academy.  The positive behaviour in the academy is underpinned by its vision statement and motto ‘be safe, be

p.5

Behaviour

respectful, be responsible’ which is valued and practised by pupils.  Pupils appreciate the opportunities to take responsibility and make a strong contribution to the life of the academy. They are eager to represent the views of pupils on the academy council and take on the role of ‘buddies’, helping younger pupils and organising activities at lunch and break time.  The breakfast club is well attended. This is a very sociable occasion where pupils of all ages meet together. It gives a good start to the day for those who attend.

p.5

Safety

 The academy’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe in the academy. They are made aware of safe and unsafe situations in lessons and through talks by knowledgeable professionals who visit the academy, such as from the police and fire service.  The academy takes great care that incidents concerning the health and safety of pupils are dealt with effectively and quickly. Staff are trained in first aid and respond promptly and effectively to any pupils who sustain a minor injury while at the academy.  Safeguarding procedures to ensure pupils’ safety, health and well-being are rigorously implemented. Regular training on issues relating to safeguarding ensures that this aspect of the academy’s provision is given high priority. The academy ensures that all staff who are recruited undergo the appropriate safeguarding checks.  Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying. They say that bullying in the academy is

p.6

Safety

extremely rare and, if it does happen, adults sort it out straight away. Pupils say that they are confident that they could approach any adult in the academy, if they have any worries or concerns. The academy also has ‘worry boxes’ through which pupils may raise any concerns.  In their questionnaires, all staff agree that pupils are happy, well behaved and safe at the academy.  The academy’s leadership and the pupils’ welfare and safeguarding officer have worked proactively to forge stronger links with parents. They have been successful in reducing the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent. However, pupils’ attendance overall remains below the national average.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although the quality of teaching has improved over the last year, it requires further improvement. This is because it is not consistently good or better in increasing the rate of pupils’ progress and in raising their attainment. There is still a legacy from previously weak teaching that has adversely affected pupils’ progress.  Some of the variation in teaching has stemmed from changes in teaching staff. As staff settle into their new roles and classes, the quality of teaching is improving. However, the impact of this is not being seen in raising pupils’ achievement at the end of Key Stage 2 to above national expectations in all subjects.  Pupils make slower progress where teachers expect too little of pupils, particularly in terms of higher aspirations for lower ability pupils.  Generally, teachers plan lessons well and provide interesting activities which promote good learning. Increasingly, good and outstanding teaching provides a foundation on which the academy can build,

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

particularly in developing pupils’ writing skills. However, this is not consistent across all year groups.  In Key Stage 2, pupils make slower progress in reading. A consistent approach to providing stimulating opportunities for increasing pupils’ enjoyment of, and progress in, reading is not in place and so attainment in reading is not rising quickly.  Teaching of the basic skills in mathematics is good. Pupils have regular opportunities to apply and reinforce their understanding of these skills in problem-solving activities. For instance, pupils in a Year 3 class were appropriately challenged to apply their number and calculation skills through solving problems related to money.  The quality of teaching of writing and the application of basic grammar, spelling and punctuation skills is stronger in Key Stage 2, and pupils have good opportunities to write imaginatively and at length. As a result, pupils’ standards in writing, at the end of the key stage, are above the national average.

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although the quality of marking and feedback to pupils in Years 1 to 6 is improving, with the introduction of a revised marking policy, informative marking is not seen in all classes. As a result, some pupils do not make the necessary changes and improvements to help them make good progress. There is also a lack of consistency in the presentation of pupils’ work.  Children in the early years settle quickly and are happy because they have plenty of opportunities to work and play together in the well-resourced indoor and outdoor areas. This helps the development of their social skills.  Teaching assistants play a highly valuable role in boosting pupils’ learning. They skilfully ask questions to check on pupils’ understanding and learning. They provide extremely effective support to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. They know their pupils exceptionally well and provide

p.6

The quality of teaching requires improvement

appropriate support to ensure that these pupils can access all learning opportunities and not fall behind. As a result, these pupils do as well as other groups of pupils.  Pupils’ interactions in the classroom are positive. Pupils work well in groups and this helps to extend their learning in the classroom. The high-quality, imaginative and attractive displays around the academy and in classrooms provide positive support for learning. However, some of the outdoor areas are not as well maintained and opportunities to extend learning outdoors are not taken.  Good relationships and the use of praise are strong features in lessons and most pupils are keen to do well. Pupils commented that they feel that things have improved since becoming an academy and that teachers now make their lessons interesting and use a wide range of resources to help them learn.

p.6

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because progress is too variable across all subjects and key stages. Variable expectations of pupils’ performance lead to inconsistent patterns of progress and attainment. Not enough pupils are making better than expected progress so that a greater proportion reach the higher National Curriculum levels of attainment.  In Years 1 to 6, pupils’ progress from their different starting points is variable and is not consistently good. This is because the quality of teaching has not been consistently good or better over time.  Standards attained by pupils in the current Year 6 are above those found nationally in writing, in line for mathematics and English grammar and spelling, and below those found nationally in reading when compared to last year’s national averages. The high number of staff changes over the past year has contributed to pupils’ progress being slower than it should have been by the end of Year 6. However,

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

inspection evidence shows an increasing proportion of pupils are now exceeding the expected rate of progress and attainment is rising.  In the Year 1 national phonics screening check, the attainment of current Year 1 pupils was broadly in line with last year’s national expectations. However, their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make is not sufficiently well applied in developing their reading skills.  Standards for the current Year 2 pupils are below national expectations for reading and writing but in line with the national averages in mathematics. Academy data show that progress in Year 1 is good; a high proportion of pupils are now attaining above age-related expectations in all subjects.  Disadvantaged pupils are achieving as well as other pupils in the academy. In Year 6, the attainment of these pupils is, on average, less than a term behind that of their classmates and other pupils nationally in

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

mathematics and writing and a term behind in reading. The academy’s data indicate, with some slight variation across year groups that, from their different starting points, the rates of progress they are currently making are similar to, and in some cases better than, their classmates throughout the academy and other pupils nationally. The academy has recently introduced more support in order to further speed up progress for these pupils, so that attainment gaps close more quickly.  The academy’s work with the most able pupils has improved and all lessons have a ‘Thomas Hinderwell challenge’ to extend their learning. As a result, a greater proportion are now attaining the higher National Curriculum levels.  The academy has revised how it supports disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. This has improved the rate of progress these pupils are making. Current monitoring shows they are

p.7

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

making progress equal to similar pupils nationally. Their progress is tracked carefully to ensure that they receive well-targeted and effective support within the classroom and in small group settings.

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

 The early years provision requires improvement because teaching across the class groups is not consistently good and not enough children make strong progress. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development, although increasing, is below the national average.  Children start in early years with skills and knowledge that are usually below those typical for their age, particularly in communication and language, reading, writing, number and personal and social skills. Some join with basic skills that are significantly below typical for their age. By the time they leave early years, children’s overall development is still below that typical for their age and some are not well prepared to learn effectively in Year 1. Currently, 52% of children have reached a good level of development which is below the national average in 2014.  The quality of teaching in early years requires improvement as it is not consistently good across all

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

classes. There is variability in the teaching of phonics and, as a result, some children do not develop the basic understanding of letters and the sounds they make which impairs the development of children’s reading, writing and listening skills. Also, children do not always have the chance to develop their basic skills in play orientated, or less structured activities.  Children settle in quickly due to the high levels of care and support that they receive. Routines and expectations are quickly established. As a result, children feel extremely safe and secure, and very quickly develop a high degree of confidence and independence.  Staff ensure that children are kept safe. They teach children to use resources in a safe manner and supervise them well. Procedures to ensure children’s welfare are good and meet requirements.  Behaviour is good because children follow well the established early years routines. Children learn to play

p.8

The early years provision requires improvement

happily together. They learn to share, as well as to take responsibilities such as getting themselves ready to learn or dressing themselves to go out to play.  The early years phase is now led and managed well. The recently appointed early years leader has quickly established a clear understanding of the strengths of the provision and has highlighted areas for further development. These include ensuring that the quality of teaching continues to improve so that it reaches a consistently high standard and pupils’ learning is matched to their ability. Staff constantly reflect on the quality of provision and the impact on learning at team meetings, adapting their teaching and use of resources to meet the needs of the children.  Assessment methods are secure and used well to plan children’s learning. Children’s progress is recorded regularly and provides a continuous record of what children have achieved and their next steps. Parents

p.8

The early years provision requires improvement

make a valuable contribution to assessments and this strengthens links between home and the academy. The early years leader is looking to build on this good relationship with parents, engendering a greater level of parental involvement in their child’s learning. A large number of parents attended the new starters’ meeting for 2015.

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing

p.9

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.

p.9

School details

Unique reference number 140018 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 450187

p.10

School details

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

p.10

School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 213 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jane Holmes Headteacher Sue Bland Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01723 373110 Fax number 01723 501220 Email address office@thpa.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 .

p.10

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.11

School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11

School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

p.11

School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.11

School details

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

p.11