Middleton St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Middleton St Mary’s Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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Moor Flatts Road, Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS10 3SW

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Leaders are not checking what is happening across the school closely enough. Despite some successes they have had limited impact on improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes in Key Stage 1.  Leaders have not ensured that assessment information is accurate in all year groups so there is not a clear picture of what pupils know or can do.  School improvement planning is focused on too many different areas and does not sharply identify how and when the impact of actions will be measured.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not consistently good across the school, particularly in Key Stage 1. Teachers are not always ensuring that the most-able pupils are being given work that is sufficiently challenging in Key Stage 1. Too much learning time is wasted with pupils waiting for others to finish.  Provision in the early years requires improvement because weaknesses in the assessment system

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This is a school that requires improvement

make it difficult for staff to always accurately plan the next steps of learning for children.  Standards in reading are not improving fast enough.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils behave well, they feel safe and there are strong systems in place to support their personal development.  Attendance is above the national average.  The recently appointed deputy headteacher, key middle leaders and governors are already having an impact on their key areas.  Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above the national average in writing and mathematics. This is because pupils make good progress in these subjects in Key Stage 2.  The school is successfully closing gaps for disadvantaged pupils to ensure they make the same rate of progress as other pupils nationally, in writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in Key Stage 1 so that standards in all subjects improve at the end of the key stage by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

eradicating any weaker teaching supporting pupils who are struggling to catch up by matching work more closely to their abilities checking that teaching assistants make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning increasing teachers’ expectations for all pupils, but particularly for the most able ensuring the most-able pupils do not spend time waiting for others to finish tasks checking that assessments carried out in lessons are accurate and match what pupils can do.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop more effective monitoring systems to drive improvement more quickly across the whole school by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring school development plans are focused on the most important areas for improvement, are measureable and have realistic time limits using the skills of the early years leader to moderate judgements about children when they enter the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes in reading for all pupils across the school by ensuring that:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

phonics tracking is based on a continuum from early years through to Key Stage 1, with clear expectations and targets phonics is taught more effectively to ensure a higher proportion of pupils reach the required standard at the end of Year 1 reading books are more closely matched to the ability of pupils, particularly for the most-able pupils the teaching of reading across the school is targeted to plug gaps identified from ongoing assessments. Inspection report: Middleton St Mary’s CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 2–3 February 2016 3 of 9

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have not secured consistently good teaching and learning across the school. Pockets of weaker teaching are preventing pupils from making good progress across Key Stage 1. Although leaders have accurately identified where the weaker teaching is, they have not tackled it quickly enough.  Where teaching and learning are weakest, leaders are not checking the accuracy of the assessment information provided closely enough. As a result, the information collected is giving an overly positive picture of progress for some classes.  The senior leadership team has been strengthened by the appointment of the deputy headteacher, key middle leaders and a newly formed governing body. As a result, recent improvements to tracking and assessment, early years and the teaching of mathematics are beginning to have an impact. However, systems designed to improve reading across the school are not being implemented quickly enough.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The school development plan covers too many issues at the same time and actions are not spread out over the year. Many targets are not backed up by measures of success. Senior leaders have too much to tackle at once and do not have clear timescales from which to measure the impact of their work.  Staff questionnaires state that they feel motivated and think the school has improved since the last inspection. There has been a high turnover in teaching staff and this lack of stability has impaired the potential impact of some aspects of school improvement work.  Senior leaders make accurate judgements about the strength of teaching and learning they see in lessons. During the inspection leaders observed alongside inspectors and gave feedback to teachers which accurately identified strengths and areas for development. Leaders are holding teachers accountable for the quality of their teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress through more rigorous

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

performance management.  Leaders have clear plans for spending their pupil premium. They can demonstrate where interventions and actions are having an impact and gaps for disadvantaged pupils are narrowing across the school in writing and mathematics.  Sports funding is used effectively. There are links to local partnerships and pupils enjoy a varied range of sports activities. Pupils are enthusiastic about physical education sessions.  The curriculum is varied and music has a high profile, giving pupils opportunities to play instruments and take part in national events. Topics are well planned and teachers make good use of visits to broaden the experiences of their pupils.  The governance of the school The new governors, including the Chair of Governors, are giving a rigour and thoroughness to meetings. Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They know the school well and have put systems in place to strengthen the quality of information they receive.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

Governors are holding leaders at every level accountable. When middle leaders present their plans and analysis at meetings they are questioned and any inconsistencies are picked up and challenged. The minutes of meetings of the governing body show that governors are asking probing questions and picking up on issues they identify themselves from the information they receive. They have questioned the overly positive assessment information, linking outcomes to what they are being told about teaching quality.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Detailed records are kept and concerns are logged. Any action is clearly noted and staff act quickly to ensure the safety of pupils. All staff receive regular training and there is a wide selection of information available to parents on the website.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 There is too much variation in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school. In Key Stage 1, where teaching is weaker, pupils are not being challenged enough and lessons sometimes lack pace. Pupils are not always being given enough opportunities to extend their learning. As a result, the most-able pupils spend too much time waiting for other pupils to complete their tasks. This was also noted in some Key Stage 2 classes. This is because not all teachers have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve.  The support given to pupils who are struggling to catch up is not always successful in classes where teaching is weaker. Teachers are not checking carefully enough on what teaching assistants are doing and how effectively they are supporting pupils’ learning during the lesson.  Teaching is stronger in most of Key Stage 2. Pupils are engaged with their learning, involved and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

motivated to achieve. They usually have work that challenges their thinking. Pupils know their targets and have clear expectations about what they will be able to achieve at the end of the lesson. They show a pride in their work, which is well presented and shows good progress over time.  The school’s marking policy is being used consistently across the school and is helping pupils to improve their learning. It links into the assessment system, which allows teachers to assess as they teach and then plan for their next sessions. Where this works well, assessment is accurate and progress is evident. Pupils talk about how they have improved. However, in one class it was noted that pupils were assessed as understanding a mathematical concept when they had all needed support to complete the task. Therefore assessment of ongoing learning is not always accurate.  Where progress is most rapid teachers ensure pupils work quickly, checking they understand their work

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

as they go along. Tasks are well matched to individual need and as a result pupils are engaged and eager to learn. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils were given challenging tasks to complete on area and perimeter. The most-able pupils were given the opportunity to apply their knowledge to solve problems which they enjoyed and which deepened their understanding. Other pupils in the same lesson were supported to ensure their understanding was secure. The teacher was using ongoing assessment well and knew which pupils were ready for more challenging work and which pupils needed consolidation.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Social, moral, spiritual and cultural development are a strength of the school. Pupils are given a wealth of experiences to enhance their understanding of themselves and the world around them. They are taught about other faiths and cultures and show respect and thoughtfulness towards others. Teaching about British values is strong and clear links are made with the rest of the curriculum.  There is a strong focus on the welfare and emotional development of pupils. The school has systems in place so that pupils can alert adults to any concerns they have. These are then addressed quickly by the learning mentors.  Leaders ensure the curriculum is enhanced by visits, visitors and residential visits. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are positive about their ‘Jigsaw’ lessons, in which they get the chance to talk about their

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Personal development and welfare

feelings. They list a wide range of lessons which are their favourites, and they all speak particularly positively about mathematics. This reflects the improvements to the quality of teaching.  The school provides a breakfast club and a wide variety of after-school clubs which pupils enjoy attending. Leaders are keen to ensure that pupils’ welfare is paramount, and offer a free lunch for Nursery children. The vast majority of parents agree that pupils are well cared for at the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Positive and successful systems are implemented by all staff including the pastoral team. Pupils behave well in lessons and show positive attitudes to learning. The clear behaviour code is evident in all classrooms and is consistently implemented. Leaders track incidences of poor behaviour and analysis shows a marked decline in the number of incidents since strategies were further strengthened. Individual pupils are particularly well supported by teaching assistants who are skilled in ensuring challenging behaviour is well managed and does not affect the learning of other pupils.  Pupils described the school as ‘a wonderful place’; they say they have friends and feel safe. If there are incidents of poor behaviour they know who to go to and know that it will be sorted out quickly. They enjoy their playtimes and lunchtimes when they say they have fun with their friends. Pupils are sensible

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Behaviour

and cooperative, and show positive attitudes towards each other.  Parents who were spoken to could not praise the work of the learning mentors highly enough. One parent spoke about her child struggling with his behaviour and, after some intensive work, noted marked improvements at home as a result.  Attendance rates at the school are above national levels and the school has strong systems in place to ensure this continues. Persistent absence is being tracked and learning mentors work hard to ensure they keep regular contact with the families and support them in bringing their children to school.  In some lessons, mainly in Key Stage 1, some pupils are not fully engaged in their learning. This is because work is not matched to their ability and they are bored. However, in the majority of lessons pupils are engaged in their work and are confident and challenged. They work well in pairs, by themselves and in small groups.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Outcomes in Key Stage 1 have not improved quickly enough since the last inspection, especially in reading. This is particularly true for the most-able pupils and those pupils who are disadvantaged. This is because teaching is less effective in Key Stage 1 and leaders are not ensuring rapid improvements. Internal tracking of current progress in Year 1 shows that pupils are making better progress than pupils in Year 2.  The attainment of pupils in phonics at the end of Year 1 remains too low. This is because phonics tracking and target setting throughout early years and Key Stage 1 are not fully developed and leaders are not setting targets or checking rates of progress regularly enough.  Reading outcomes across school are not strong. Although the number of pupils making expected progress is around the national average, not enough pupils made more than expected progress by the end of Key Stage 2. This is because reading books are not always challenging enough, especially for the most-able

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

pupils. Additionally, not enough is done to address gaps in pupils’ skills identified by ongoing assessments.  At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils who are disadvantaged make similar rates of progress to other pupils in writing and mathematics. Internal analysis shows that gaps are closing as pupils move through the school. However, there is more to be done to make sure that disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress in reading.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 shows a more positive picture, particularly in writing and mathematics. Writing results were particularly strong in 2015, with more pupils making better than expected progress than those nationally. In mathematics, both attainment and progress has improved over the last three years.  Analysis of books and work shows that good progress is evident in Key Stage 2. Progress for the most- able pupils in Key Stage 2 is evident and this links to the challenge seen during the lessons.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Systems in place to assess children on entry to the school have not been reviewed to ensure the validity of judgements. Baseline assessments are carried out by key workers but are not being checked by senior leaders to ensure they are accurate. Therefore staff do not have an accurate picture of the children’s knowledge, understanding and skills at the start of the year.  Learning journals contain observations carried out by staff, but these are not linked closely enough to learning outcomes. Therefore the information they provide does not help to identify next steps for learning or show the progress children have made. Leaders are not checking the quality of these records closely enough.  Children are happy and parents recognise the level of care provided. Positive relationships with parents are ensuring strong links between home and school. Children are provided with a drink throughout the morning, but do not have access to any snacks. This means that some children may be hungry and not

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Early years provision requires improvement

ready to learn.  The new early years leader is having a positive impact on outcomes for children. She uses information well and ensures her team focus on areas she has identified as needing improvement. For example, she is developing the outdoor area to support the attainment of writing for boys. She leads by example and sets high standards for her team. The close tracking and monitoring of different groups has resulted in improved outcomes for disadvantaged children at the end of the early years. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of Reception shows steady improvement over time. Therefore children are becoming better prepared for joining Year 1.  The quality of teaching and learning enables pupils to develop their thinking. Teachers use questioning effectively to challenge children. They reinforce key vocabulary well and are skilful in helping children to

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Early years provision requires improvement

develop the skills of negotiation. They model how to play and share and as a result children show high levels of engagement. The interactions observed showed that key concepts and language skills were being well developed.  The indoor learning environment supports children to be independent. The displays around the room support and encourage children’s learning. Adults are skilled in using questioning to further extend their thinking.  The curriculum links children’s interests to wider topics. For example, in one session children were learning about China and talking about the Chinese flag. In another area they were using chopsticks to develop their fine motor skills. Children’s attitudes to learning were positive and this is because the curriculum is well planned out and is ensuring children develop key skills.

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School details

Unique reference number 108002 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 10002106 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school All-through Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 467 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Margaret Hamlet Headteacher Sarah Graham Telephone number 0113 271 7206 Website www.middletonstmarys.co.uk Email address sarah.graham@stf.middletonstmarys.co.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 December 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is much higher than average. The pupil premium is additional funding provided for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meet the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is a member of the South Leeds Learning Trust.  Since the last inspection most of the teaching staff are new to the school.  There is a new Chair of Governors and most of the governing body are new since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed most teachers across the school. The majority of lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher.  Inspectors spoke to parents before and after school. They held a meeting with two governors, including the chair, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 18 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and 26 staff questionnaires.  The inspectors observed behaviour in the playground and in classes. They held meetings with pupils from across Key Stage 1 and 2. They listened to pupils read and spoke to them about their work.  Inspectors spoke to senior and middle leaders and analysed pupil tracking information, school development planning and governing body minutes.  Safeguarding procedures were checked and documentation scrutinised, including attendance information, recruitment records, behaviour logs and a case study.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team were shadowed by an Ofsted Inspector on day one.

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Inspection team

Janet Lunn, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Dr Mujahid Ali Ofsted Inspector Sarah Hussey Ofsted 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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