Eastergate CofE Primary School

School report Eastergate Church of England Primary School Church Lane, Eastergate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 3UT

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 Achievement in reading, writing and mathematics requires improvement as it is not good.  Pupils do not write at length nor are their spelling, punctuation and grammar skills secure.  Reading is not checked carefully enough and pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills.  Teaching does not ensure pupils make good progress, particularly the most able. Work is not always set at the right level. Probing questions are not always used well to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  Pupils are not given clear guidance on what they need to do to improve. Teachers do not ensure that pupils make the necessary corrections.  Pupils in Key Stage 2 do not always present their work well. It is sometimes untidy, unfinished and inaccurate.  Over time, senior leaders, managers and governors have not always acted quickly enough to deal with issues affecting teaching and pupils’ progress.

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

 School improvement plans are not focused enough on pupils’ achievement. Subject leaders do not have enough time to fulfil their roles. Checks on teaching and achievement are not thorough enough.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children get off to a good start in the early years due to effective, well-planned provision.  Progress is accelerating, particularly in writing. There is some good progress in reading at Key Stage 2.  Effective support from subject advisors and the local schools partnership, as well as the school’s own determination, is helping to promote improvement across the school, for example, in the early years.  Pupils behave well, have good attitudes to their learning and feel very safe in school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed pupils’ learning in 17 lessons or part lessons, of which one was jointly observed with a senior staff member.  Meetings were held with one group of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, the headteacher and other senior staff, and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 44 responses to the online Parent View survey. She also spoke to several parents when they brought their children to school. The inspector considered responses to the 22 staff questionnaires.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress; planning and checks on the quality of teaching; assessment; the new curriculum; the school’s self evaluation; records relating to behaviour and attendance; the sports premium action plan; and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Inspection team

Janet Sinclair, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Eastergate is a below average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils who are looked after or are known to be eligible for free school meals) is low.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Children attend the Reception class full time.  There is an above average proportion of pupils who start at or leave the school during term time.  The deputy headteacher resigned in September 2013. An assistant headteacher was appointed in September 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that:  work is always set at the right level for pupils, so that the most able pupils, particularly those in Key Stage 1, are fully challenged  pupils know what they need to do to improve their work and teachers ensure that they correct it  presentation of work by pupils in Key Stage 2 is careful and accurate  questioning deepens pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  Improve pupils’ achievement by ensuring that:  pupils have more opportunities to write at length and there are clear expectations for their learning in spelling, punctuation and grammar for each year group  pupils use and apply their mathematical skills  pupils’ progress in reading is carefully assessed.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that:  school improvement plans clearly focus on the key areas for development and that the expected outcomes are specific and measurable

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 senior leaders develop a greater thoroughness in all their monitoring activities  middle leaders have more time to carry out their roles.  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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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement. Over time senior leadership, including governance, has not been effective enough to ensure good teaching and progress, particularly in writing.  The school improvement plan is not sufficiently focused on the key areas of improvement nor are expected outcomes precise enough to be accurately measured. This limits its effectiveness in securing rapid improvement in key areas such as achievement and teaching.  Checks on teaching and learning are not thorough enough to ensure areas for improvement are fully agreed and thoroughly followed up.This limits their effectiveness.  Middle leaders, some of whom are fairly new to their roles, have worked hard to bring about improvement in key areas. For example, the English leader has provided effective support and guidance for her colleagues to ensure rapid improvement in writing. The special educational needs coordinator has stream-

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The leadership and management require improvement

lined provision and ensures well-targeted support for pupils to enable their specific needs to be met. However, they do not always get enough time to carry out their roles in order to fully support their colleagues or ensure rapid improvement.  The school tracks pupils’ progress carefully and puts support in place to help those not doing well enough. This helps to ensure equality of opportunity and deals with any discrimination. It also fosters good relationships.  Targets for staff linked to their pay are fully in place. Staff are clear about the expectations they have to meet, particularly in relation to the progress of pupils. Those spoken to felt the process was helpful and gave them clear targets to achieve.  The school has very few disadvantaged pupils supported through additional government funding. However, staff ensure pupils get targeted support for their academic and personal development. For

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The leadership and management require improvement

example, pupils receive one-to-one support for emotional needs and specific programmes in writing and number to improve their learning. This is effective.  The school makes good use of the primary physical education and sports premium. There is a good focus on developing physical skills and healthy lifestyles. For example, pupils have games and equipment to use at break times to develop physical skills and some pupils are trained as play leaders. Pupils are involved in sporting competitions and learn to swim. The school’s focus on ensuring this provision can be sustained over the long term through its own efforts is evident through staff training, particularly in aquatics to support pupils when swimming.  Leadership provides a positive climate for learning and a very nurturing, caring environment that supports pupils’ personal development well. It also ensures key staff are in place to bring about the improvements

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The leadership and management require improvement

needed.  The new curriculum is in place and the school is focusing on developing English and mathematics both through specific teaching and in other subjects. The school makes good use of specialist teachers, for example, in music and computer technology to enhance pupils’ learning. The school makes good use of visits and visitors to enhance the curriculum.  Pupils learn about British values such as democracy and the rule of law through the election process involved in becoming pupil ambassadors, their roles as play leaders and writing to their member of parliament about an issue affecting the local community. The school has clear values such as ‘courage’ and ‘respect’ that are emphasised in all of its work. These, and the study of different religions and cultures, ensure pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils have a clear

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The leadership and management require improvement

understanding of right and wrong and work well together on a range of activities, including school performances. Assemblies are used well to provide times of quiet and reflection and reinforce the school’s values. Pupils’ cultural development is promoted well through, for example, a presentation by Kathakali dancers from India.  The school keeps parents well informed through regular newsletters, attendance at class assemblies and meetings to report on their children’s progress.  The local authority has provided very limited support to the school since its previous inspection, even when standards dropped. The school instigated its own support to help with improving standards in writing and also with aspects of mathematics. This has been used effectively to bring about improvement.  The school has robust procedures in place to ensure the safety of pupils and these meet statutory requirements. These are thoroughly implemented so that pupils’ safety is assured.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is fully involved in all aspects of the school’s work through its committees and work with staff and pupils. Although governors are conscientious in all of their work, they have not been effective in ensuring that good standards of teaching and achievement have been maintained. They know about the quality of teaching and have been fully involved in the recruitment of staff, where needed, to help accelerate pupils’ achievement. For example, they actively promoted the recruitment of the early years leader and English subject leader. The headteacher keeps them well informed about pupils’ progress and they check this for themselves. They are fully aware of the issues with writing, the positive impact of the new subject leaders and the support from the local authority. They set the targets for the headteacher’s performance and are fully aware of the process in place for staff. The finance

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The leadership and management require improvement

committee checks that all targets have been met before financial rewards are allocated. They also know that sanctions apply if targets are not met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in lessons, at break times and around the school.  Staff set clear expectations for pupils’ behaviour and pupils mainly respond well to these. Pupils are aware of the rewards and sanctions that apply and know that a red card for behaviour is serious.  Pupils say that behaviour is mainly good with only occasional disagreements and name calling in the playground. They say that staff deal with these quickly so that they do not escalate.  Pupils mainly have good attitudes to their learning. Only occasionally when lessons do not engage them do they become restless and fidgety.  Pupils enjoy taking on additional responsibilities, particularly as pupil ambassadors who have an important role to play, for example, through organising weekly sporting challenges or looking after the chickens.  The school has a zero tolerance policy towards bullying and ensures robust procedures are in place to deal

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Behaviour

with any incidents that occur. Staff ensure pupils have a good understanding of the meaning of bullying and how to deal with it through, for example, anti-bullying week and talks on cyber-bullying. Pupils say that there is very little bullying in school but if it does occur it is dealt with promptly.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their good attendance.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  The school provides a safe environment for pupils so that they feel safe and well cared for both in lessons and around the school. They are confident that adults will support and help them should they need it.  The pupils have regular talks on e-safety and know that some websites are blocked to protect them.  The school ensures pupils are safety aware through, for example, road safety and safe cycling training as well as the use of high visibility jackets when they are out in the community. Additionally, pupils contribute to risk assessments for school trips and this helps them to develop safety awareness.  The school supports its disadvantaged pupils well. The special educational needs coordinator is very pro- active in ensuring they get the support they need. She makes good use of outside agencies where necessary.  Parents are mainly happy that the school ensures their children behave well and keeps them safe. They

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Safety

expressed some concerns about bullying but no evidence was found to support this. Pupils are well informed about bullying and the school deals with any incidents that occur.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement. It has not been good enough over time to enable pupils to make good progress.  Teachers do not always ensure work is at the right level for pupils. It is not challenging enough for the most able, particularly in Key Stage 1.  Although teachers question pupils about their work, they do not do so in a way that deepens their knowledge and understanding and this slows their progress.  Teachers in Key Stage 2 do not always ensure that pupils present their work well. Consequently, it is sometimes unfinished or untidy.  Feedback to pupils on their work is regular and positive. However, it does not tell them clearly enough what they need to do to improve or ensure they respond in a way that takes their learning on quickly. This limits its effectiveness as a tool for improvement.  Teaching of writing has improved significantly due to recent effective input. However, there are still not

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

clear enough expectations for spelling, punctuation and grammar for each year group and not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length.  Teachers provide regular reading sessions for pupils but do not check their progress in the development of key skills thoroughly enough.  Teaching of the most able pupils requires improvement. They are not challenged sufficiently in lessons, particularly in Key Stage 1. Effective teaching in mathematics in Year 6 has enabled the most able pupils to achieve very well.  Teachers ensure pupils develop their calculation and measuring skills well through a good focus on them in mathematics lessons. However, they do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to use and apply their skills nor do they ensure pupils set out their work accurately. Very recently, teachers have started to provide more opportunities for investigations and feedback to pupils has been more precise.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Regular, well-structured teaching of phonics enables pupils to achieve well in the Year 1 phonics screening check.  Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. They are well supported by the special educational needs coordinator who ensures that they are well informed and programmes for pupils are carefully tailored to their needs.  Reading, mathematics and project homework supports pupils’ learning in school appropriately.

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requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement as it has not been good enough over time.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 has improved but remains below the national average, particularly in writing. A higher proportion of pupils reached the expected level of attainment in spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 has been broadly average for several years. However, few pupils attain at the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Their progress requires improvement.  Attainment is sometimes affected adversely by the relatively small number of pupils in each year group and the number of pupils who join the school throughout the year, some of whom are low attaining pupils. They do not always catch up in the short time available so, similarly to other pupils, sometimes do not achieve well enough.  Progress across the school is accelerating with some good progress, particularly in reading at Key Stage 2.

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requires improvement

Progress in writing which has been the weakest area, still remains an issue for current Year 6 pupils.  The school has few disadvantaged pupils. They are supported appropriately to ensure that their personal and academic needs are met. This ensures that they make similar progress to other pupils in the school.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, although requiring improvement, is accelerating due to clear identification of their specific needs and support both in class and on an individual basis. This is helping to meet their needs more accurately.  The achievement of the most able pupils requires improvement because they are not sufficiently challenged or extended in lessons, particularly in Key Stage 1. Consequently, they do not reach their potential. However, their achievement in mathematics is good in Year 6.  Pupils mainly achieve well in reading at Key Stage 2. This is due to regular reading sessions and reading

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requires improvement

within literacy lessons. It requires improvement at Key Stage 1. Overall, there is not enough attention to teaching or recording of key reading skills.  Achievement in mathematics and writing requires improvement, but is also accelerating due to improvements in provision.  Pupils’ achievement in other subjects is enhanced by specialist teaching, topics, visits and visitors.

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is good

 Children start in the early years with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. They make good progress across the areas of learning so that most achieve a good level of development by the end of Reception. They are well prepared for their start in Year 1.  Regular teaching of phonics through a structured approach and activities that include games and treasure hunts enable children to use these skills effectively in their reading and writing activities.  Good teaching enables children to achieve well. Well-planned activities that follow children’s interests and regular assessments that are recorded carefully in children’s learning journals support effective learning. However, staff do not always question the children in a way that deepens their knowledge and understanding.  The teaching assistant provides effective support for the children. She is well briefed by the class teacher

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is good

which enhances her effectiveness.  Relationships are good and this ensures children have good attitudes to their learning. They enjoy their role play, and, in a lesson seen, were highly involved in the organisation of their picnics. They respond well to the school rules and use equipment safely and sensibly.  Children behave well and are friendly and helpful towards each other and cooperate willingly in activities.  The school provides a safe environment for the children and has robust safety procedures in place.  Effective leadership has ensured good improvement in the early years provision since the previous inspection.

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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 125981 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 456220

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 132 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Nichol Headteacher Jude Holland Date of previous school inspection 27−28 September 2011 Telephone number 01243 542297 Fax number 01243 544427 Email address head@eastergate.w-sussex.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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