Theddlethorpe Primary School

Theddlethorpe Primary School Mill Road, Theddlethorpe, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire LN12 1PB

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Leaders have not successfully tackled all the areas for improvement from the previous inspection.  Leaders have not ensured that there is an effective method to record pupils’ progress. As a result, leaders cannot judge where pupils are getting better and where they are not.  Leaders have not done enough to address poor teaching.  Teaching in Key Stage 2 has not been good enough over time. Not all teachers there give pupils work that meets their needs, assess progress accurately or give pupils effective support so that they can improve. As a result, pupils do not attain highly enough.  Pupils do not make enough progress across Key Stage 2. They lack the skills to write at length and to be able to solve mathematical problems, as well as to confidently use and apply their knowledge.  Pupils are not sufficiently ready for the next stage of their education by the time they leave the school.  Support for disadvantaged pupils has not been

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This is an inadequate school

effective and gaps in attainment have not closed.  Too much work by pupils is scruffy and careless.  Leaders have not helped effectively the very few pupils who find it difficult to control their own behaviour. This has often stopped other pupils from learning.  The school website does not contain the necessary information for parents and visitors.

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The school has the following strengths

 The new interim executive headteacher, along with the new assistant headteacher, has correctly identified the urgent priorities of the school and is quickly putting things right. Staff are extremely positive about the first steps that leaders have taken and are ready to do whatever they need to improve.  The quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is good. Pupils make effective progress because interesting lessons meet their needs.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare is good, because staff are caring and deal well with any pupils who are upset or worried.  Staff keep pupils safe in school and pupils say that they feel safe there. Parents agree with this view.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, and thereby ensure that pupils make good or better progress throughout the school, by ensuring that all teachers: – quickly fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding so that they achieve at least in line with other pupils of the same age and are therefore well prepared for secondary school – deliver lessons that are well matched to pupils’ needs, based on an accurate assessment of what pupils know and can do – give pupils sufficient opportunities to write at length, to use and apply their mathematical knowledge and to solve problems – have high expectations for pupils, including the most able – follow the school marking policy and see that pupils take note of the advice they are given – support effectively the minority of pupils who find it difficult to control their own behaviour so that learning is not disrupted – insist that all pupils complete their work neatly and with pride.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: – the interim executive board holds leaders rigorously to account for the standards of teaching and the progress that pupils make – the priorities for improvement identified in the previous inspection, such as improving outcomes in mathematics, and in the action plan from the new interim executive headteacher are quickly addressed – leaders adopt an effective system to track pupils’ progress that teachers can use accurately and confidently – those teachers who feel less confident are well supported so that they become skilled at delivering consistently good teaching – teachers follow the school’s marking policy – the pupil premium funding is used effectively to raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and to narrow the gaps in attainment between them and other pupils in the school and pupils nationally – ensuring that the school website is fully updated so that it is accurate and meets all statutory

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

requirements – the role of subject leaders is developed so that they give good support to colleagues and drive improvement in their subject forward.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the spending 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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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Until recently, leaders of this small village school had not evaluated its strengths accurately. Judgements regarding achievement, teaching, behaviour and leadership were overgenerous and inaccurate. Leaders believed that the school was better than it actually was.  At the last inspection, inspectors judged that the school was not good because teaching was inconsistent and achievement in mathematics was below average. They also judged that teachers did not enable pupils to reach the standards of which they were capable by the end of Year 6. In addition, they noted that the quality of pupils’ handwriting varied across the school, and that the most successful aspects of teaching and assessment were not shared across the school. Leaders have not ensured that they have successfully addressed these matters.  Leaders have not ensured that an effective system for recording pupils’ outcomes is in place following the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

removal of National Curriculum levels of assessment last year. In addition, staff do not feel confident in assessing pupils’ learning. As a result, leaders do not have an accurate overview of where pupils are making the most progress, or which groups are falling behind.  The original school development plan is not fit for purpose. It does not address all the priorities of the school, and timescales are unrealistic. In addition, the action proposed is insufficient and vague, and unlikely to bring about required changes. Leaders had not shared this plan with staff so they were unaware of what needs doing, as well as how and when. Staff interviewed during the inspection said that they found the lack of consultation last year between leaders and themselves both frustrating and confusing. They stated that leaders often adopted new policies without their knowledge. Because of this, they were unclear about what was expected.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The school curriculum has not been sufficiently effective in ensuring that pupils have a secure understanding of subjects, or in giving them the skills that they will need at secondary school. It has also not developed a thirst within pupils to learn more. New leaders to the school have ensured that a more exciting curriculum is now in place. They have designed this to inspire pupils and to meet their needs closely. A number of extra-curricular clubs enriches the curriculum. These include cookery, recorders, country dancing and gardening. Pupils the inspector met said that they enjoyed these greatly.  Leaders have not made sure that they have spent the pupil premium effectively. They have not yet allocated an appropriate sum for this year to ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive the support for which they are eligible. The progress of disadvantaged pupils has not been fast enough and they have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

not learned the skills they have needed to make them well prepared for secondary school.  The system of appraisal for teachers has not been good enough to secure the necessary improvements in teacher performance. Leaders have provided actions that are not detailed or specific. Targets are too vague and leaders cannot measure these effectively.  The school’s website is not compliant with statutory requirements. It does not give details of the curriculum for religious education, any indication of the impact of last year’s spending of the pupil premium or how school leaders are spending this year’s allocation. The school’s accessibility plan is also missing, along with a link to the local authority’s offer of provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. The website also contains inaccurate information about the proportion of pupils who made expected progress in Year 6 last year.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 A year ago, the interim executive board appointed a consultant headteacher to assist the leadership of the school. Over the spring term 2015, she proposed much-needed changes. These included a revised plan for improvement, a system to monitor teaching properly and a tracking system for pupils’ progress. However, the interim executive board did not ensure that leaders fully implemented these improvements. A new board has now appointed her to take over as the interim executive headteacher from January 2016. They have also promoted the leader of the early years to the post of assistant headteacher. As a result, there is a renewed sense of positivity at Theddlethorpe.  These new senior leaders have wasted no time in putting in place immediate improvements that have already had an initial impact. Those teachers who are new to primary teaching have begun a comprehensive programme of support to improve their confidence and skill. Staff have introduced a code

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

of conduct for all pupils so that behaviour becomes good. Support from teaching assistants has been adjusted so that pupils who most need help get it.  Leaders are employing a temporary teacher to ensure that disadvantaged pupils begin to make more progress. The interim executive headteacher is forwarding her ‘urgent action plan’ to the interim executive board to ensure that staff take the next steps immediately. This plan clearly identifies what needs to be done. The subject leaders for English and science are new to their role. However, they are quickly familiarising themselves with the priorities for their subjects and are keen to play their part in moving the school on as quickly as possible.  The inspector met a large majority of the staff during the inspection. They were unanimously positive. They strongly believe that the current leadership has the capacity to help them improve. They were keen

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

to tell him that, despite a history of instability, they were willing to do whatever is necessary to make the school a good one. One staff member summed up the views of her colleagues by explaining, ‘there has been a colossal and unbelievable change’. Another explained that, ‘we really feel much more like a team now. We are listened to and they encourage our ideas.’ Staff had particularly warm words for the new assistant headteacher, who ‘leads by example’ and ‘whose enthusiasm rubs off on you’.  Parents whom the inspector met were also very positive about the new leadership. They told him that the school was improving and that their children enjoy coming to school. As one parent described, ‘It’s been a big change for the better’. Another one explained how the leaders had quickly addressed her concerns.  Staff prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. They teach them the importance of following the new

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

school rules, which they have helped to write themselves, and understand how they must respect others. Pupils the inspector spoke with think that it is a very good thing that everyone is different. An attractive display in the school entrance teaches pupils about valuing the many cultures and traditions in Britain. Pupils understand that not all children in the world have the freedom and opportunities that they do themselves. Currently, they are raising money to support the education of a boy who lives in The Gambia and whose parents cannot afford to send him to school.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Teachers give pupils many experiences to stop and reflect on the wonder of nature, such as visiting the seaside and pond dipping for tadpoles. They understand the difference between right and wrong, and that there are consequences to what they do. In addition, they willingly participate in a variety of ways, such as becoming members of the school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

council and volunteering for many ‘monitor’ roles in classrooms.  The school has spent the physical education (PE) and sports funding well. A specialist sports coach has ensured that teachers have increased their skills in teaching PE. There has been an increase in pupils’ participation in sporting competitions with other schools and pupils are particularly successful in football matches.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The new interim executive headteacher has ensured that the single central register meets requirements. On her first day, she ensured that staff received additional training to keep children safe, and she has checked that staff supervise all pupils who arrive on the school bus well. Staff know the warning signs of potential abuse and to whom they must report any concerns. The recording system of behaviour and racist incidents, begun by the interim executive headteacher last year in her role as consultant headteacher, shows that leaders fully log all details. Action

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

to involve parents and external agencies are appropriate and brisk. There is good guidance for parents on the website on how they can keep their children safe online. Since her arrival, the interim executive headteacher has also completed a detailed risk assessment to protect pupils against potential extremism. The interim executive board is studying an updated policy for safeguarding at their next meeting.  The governance of the school – Until recently, the interim executive board has not held senior leaders to account sufficiently. They had not checked that leaders have rigorously tackled all the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. As a result, important problems, such as underachievement in mathematics, have continued. The board had also not ensured that teaching and learning is of a sufficiently high standard so that all pupils make good or better progress. In addition, they had not monitored the spending of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

the pupil premium effectively. – A new interim executive board has been in place since November, led by a confident and experienced Chair. He has an accurate view of the school and understands that leadership, teaching and outcomes have been inadequate. He is working closely with the interim executive headteacher and the new assistant headteacher to address matters urgently. The board is aware that action taken so far, such as ensuring a programme of support for less confident teachers, is already having an impact. The board and senior leaders of the school have a united vision and approach and are determined that the school will improve as rapidly as possible.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching has been ineffective in Key Stage 2. A succession of temporary and supply teachers in Year 3 and Year 4 has meant an instability of approach for these pupils.  Teachers do not all possess sufficient confidence in teaching the new National Curriculum effectively.  Some teachers in Key Stage 2 lack sufficient skills to be able to assess pupils’ outcomes accurately. As a result, these teachers cannot be confident whether pupils are making good progress or not.  Some teachers do not plan work effectively to meet the learning needs of pupils. Some pupils receive work that is too challenging for them, while teachers do not give the most-able pupils work that makes them think hard.  Not all teachers in Key Stage 2 consistently use the school’s marking policy. A considerable proportion of work is unmarked and, where teachers give advice to pupils, they do not check that pupils have acted on

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

it. As a result, pupils’ progress is far too slow and teachers do not address the areas that pupils need to improve upon sufficiently.  Teachers do not all address common spelling errors made by pupils. Because of this, pupils continue to make the same mistakes because they do not realise that they are inaccurate.  Teachers do not give pupils sufficient opportunities to develop their skills in extended writing. Books looked at by the inspector during his visit show that pupils are not learning to write with confidence in a range of styles. Teachers do not give pupils sufficient time to use and apply the mathematical knowledge that they have, nor to practise solving problems. As a result, pupils’ skills are underdeveloped.  Pupils say that, while they like science, they do not get enough opportunity to undertake practical work for themselves in Key Stage 2. Work seen during the inspection confirms that few lessons give

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

opportunities for them to be able to predict, plan investigations correctly, learn to record in different ways and explain the reasons for the results they have gathered.  Teachers new to the school are aware that pupils in Key Stage 2 have considerable gaps in their knowledge, skills and understanding. They are fully committed to addressing these as quickly as possible so that pupils’ attainment rises.  Teaching in the early years and Key Stage 1 is good, because staff give all groups of pupils exciting work that is appropriately challenging for them. The inspector saw a lesson where the teacher took pupils outside in their coats and hats to experience an icy morning on the playground. The pupils had to look for changes around them and discuss how the frost had caused changes to leaves, the grass and playground equipment.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Parents the inspector met expressed the view that their children were ‘very safe’. Pupils told him that, if they are troubled, they approach any member of staff, who will help them. Pupils say that there is little bullying or name-calling in school. Staff take care to watch for pupils who appear to be upset or distressed. They have trusting relationships with pupils that, in turn, allow pupils to talk about anything that worries them. Because of this, pupils learn to develop self-confidence and their emotional well-being becomes stronger as they grow.  Staff teach pupils about a range of risks they may face as they grow up, including from strangers, roads and the internet. Pupils understand these dangers and know how to keep themselves safe. Staff also teach pupils to behave safely around school, for example by not rushing in corridors and holding scissors

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Personal development and welfare

properly when they are using them to cut materials.  Staff take care to teach pupils about the importance of eating well and staying healthy. Pupils know it is important to exercise. They enjoy taking part in active games at break and lunchtimes, as well as in PE and sporting opportunities during and after the school day.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Low expectations from teachers mean that many pupils are not completing their work neatly or well. Much of the work the inspector saw in books in Key Stage 2 during the inspection shows that pupils rush their work, with scribbled corrections and badly formed handwriting. In contrast, pupils in Reception and in Key Stage 1 complete their work with pride.  While pupils are generally polite and move around the school calmly, lessons have not always flowed smoothly and staff have not tackled poor behaviour effectively. Parents have expressed reasonable concerns about the conduct of the very few pupils who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. Pupils also told the inspector that they could not always concentrate on their work because others distracted them. The interim executive headteacher has taken immediate steps to ensure that behaviour improves, and there are very promising signs of a positive impact. New school rules are in place and all

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Behaviour

classrooms are becoming orderly learning environments. It is too soon to judge whether these actions will have a longer-term impact.  While persistent absence has fallen considerably over the past three years, attendance has remained below the national average. Last year, attendance for girls and pupils who have special educational needs or disability was not high enough. During his visit, the inspector was not able to access the school’s electronic records for pupils’ attendance for this school year. However, he examined registers of all three classes and absences now appear to be reducing over time. There was no evidence that any one group had particularly high absence.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Pupils make good progress in the early years. The proportion of pupils who achieve a good level of development by the time they leave Reception has increased considerably over recent years. Last year, it was close to the national average.  Most pupils achieve a secure understanding in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent). Good teaching means that pupils develop a growing ability to ‘sound words out’ as they read. Pupils the inspectors met in Year 1 said that they liked to read and most practised at home regularly.  Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1 and, by Year 2, outcomes are approaching the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. However, staff do not build on these achievements in Key Stage 2. Here, pupils’ progress slows due to poor teaching over time. As a result, pupils have left school for the past five years with attainment below the national average. In 2014, the pupils’ attainment

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

was significantly below average in reading, writing, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. Last year, attainment rose slightly overall, but attainment in mathematics fell. As a result, pupils left the school more than a year behind other pupils nationally in this subject. This year’s cohort of Year 6 pupils are also not working at the levels expected for their age. As a result, pupils are not well prepared for secondary school.  Pupils’ books confirm that rates of progress across Key Stage 2 have not increased this year. Not enough pupils are making the progress expected of them, and even fewer are making more than this. Pupils do not make sufficient gains in their ability to write at length and both use and apply number with confidence and skill. Progress in mathematics remains the weakest, where pupils are not learning how to solve problems effectively.  Disadvantaged pupils underachieve. They do not receive the support that they need to catch up with

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

others, and staff do not give the most-able disadvantaged pupils enough additional intervention to assist them to achieve the highest measures of attainment.  The most-able pupils do not make good progress. Too few of them achieve depth of learning in mathematics or can write in different styles confidently and convincingly.  Progress in science is inadequate, because pupils in Key Stage 2 do not have nearly enough opportunity to think for themselves or undertake practical investigations that will excite them. As a result, they do not become confident or inspired to find out more. The quantity of science work in books from Key Stage 2 pupils that the inspector saw during his visit was low. Most of it was limited to trying to improve pupils’ knowledge rather than teachers also allowing them to understand scientific ideas from things that they had done themselves.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make the progress expected of them. This is

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

because staff support these pupils by asking them appropriate questions and adjusting the tasks that these pupils are given.

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Early years provision is good

 The effectiveness of the early years is good. Children enter Reception with skills that are below those typically found in children of a similar age. They are taught well by an experienced leader of the early years, who is determined that pupils will get off to a good start.  Staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage assess the abilities of pupils accurately. When children arrive, staff meet with their parents to discuss the things that their child knows and can do already. They then use this to plan good learning. Staff and parents use a shared, online system effectively, with parents uploading photographs and other evidence from home. Staff then share and celebrate these with the whole class. As a result, children become excited about their learning and want to discover even more.  Lessons are exciting and children enjoy them. Children are well behaved and they listen carefully to what staff teach them.

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Early years provision is good

 Children are enthusiastic and love to explore new things. For example, they found out how to plant vegetables in school and harvested them when they were ready, before making pizzas with different toppings. Recently, children investigated to see how they could make effective walls in the paddling pool to keep the water in.  Staff support those children who begin school with lower levels of skills and pupils who have special educational needs or disability well, so that they begin to catch up. Staff also ensure that they give good support to any disadvantaged children, so that they can gain the skills they need to improve. They ensure the most-able children are given challenging work that is appropriate for their ability.  As a result of good teaching, most children are well prepared for Year 1. Those who are not continue to receive good support.  Provision in the early years is not outstanding because staff do not always adapt lessons closely enough

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Early years provision is good

to children’s different needs, nor notice quickly enough when some children have not understood what staff are teaching them. As a result, pupils do not make consistently high rates of progress.

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School details

Unique reference number 120495 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10001825 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 67 Appropriate authority Interim executive board Chair Dr Stephen Hopkins Headteacher Helen Okrafo-Smart (Interim Executive Headteacher) Telephone number 01507 338215 Website theddlethorpeprimaryschool.co.uk Email address enquiries@theddlethorpeprimaryschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 October 2013

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average primary school. There are three mixed-age classes of pupils. One class combines children in the Early Years Foundation Stage with pupils in Key Stage 1. There is a separate class for pupils in Years 3 and 4, and another for pupils in Years 5 and 6.  The school federated with Saltfleetby Church of England Primary School in 2012. They share the same interim executive headteacher and interim executive board. However, the school has a new assistant headteacher.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is lower than average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below average. Almost all pupils are of a White British background.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is slightly below average.

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Information about this school

 In 2015, the school met the current government floor standards, which set the minimum requirements for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school has continued to experience considerable difficulties in recruitment and staffing. A new teacher started in lower Key Stage 2 in November 2015 and agency teachers are currently covering a vacancy in upper Key Stage 2.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed each class in the school on at least two occasions. In total, he observed six lessons or parts of lessons. The inspector also checked pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and as they moved about the school during the day.  The inspector held meetings with senior and middle leaders in the school, including the special educational needs coordinator, the leader of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the subject leader for English. The inspector also held a telephone call with the Chair of the school’s governing interim executive board and met two representatives of CfBT, the company coordinating school improvement for the local authority.  The inspector discussed pupils’ work with them in lessons, heard pupils read and met with them in a group to discuss particular aspects of their experiences at the school.  The inspector looked at a range of school documentation, including the school’s improvement plan, the

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Information about this inspection

school’s information for tracking pupils’ attainment and progress, and minutes of meetings of the interim executive board governing body. He also looked at work in pupils’ books, an anonymised record of the performance management of staff, attendance registers and school documentation relating to safeguarding.  The inspector was not able to analyse the responses to Parent View (the Ofsted online questionnaire) because insufficient parents used this at the time of the inspection. Instead, the inspector met with parents at the start of the school day and other times.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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