Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr Craig Kendall Headteacher Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School Rectory Lane Glinton Peterborough PE6 7JW

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 1 March 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2012.

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School continues to provide a good quality education. Parents and carers are full of praise for the school, summed up in the comment by one that ‘This is a great school that I feel very fortunate to be able to send my children to.’ Pupils and staff enjoy their work at the school because:  you provide calm and positive leadership combined with high expectations  relationships between pupils and with staff are mutually respectful  teachers and teaching assistants support pupils skilfully and enthusiastically  the curriculum is interesting to learn about, and fun to teach  your strong focus on pupils’ progress ensures that they achieve very well. At the previous inspection, most groups of pupils were making good progress. However, pupils who had special educational needs or disability were not doing well enough, particularly in writing. The quality of support provided for them did not

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

enable them to make the progress that other groups of pupils were able to achieve. With the support of your new special educational needs coordinator, you have successfully addressed this issue. Additional training for teaching assistants, and activities better matched to the stage of pupils’ development, are enabling pupils who have special educational needs or disability to make good progress. Earlier identification of pupils at risk of falling behind is helping pupils catch up. This includes disadvantaged pupils who achieve at least as well as their peers. The standards pupils reach when assessed at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are above those reached nationally. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics, reading and English grammar, punctuation and spelling is consistently high. However, pupils’ progress in reaching the higher levels in writing slowed in 2015. Pupils’ current writing shows improvement. This is because you are using a range of successful strategies. For

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

example, pupils are writing for a purpose more frequently in English and in their topic work. The introduction of ‘exciting writing mornings’, ‘writing starters’ to lessons and a visiting author are examples of approaches to which pupils have responded well. However, although teachers are helping pupils to improve their handwriting, a large proportion of those in Years 5 and 6, particularly boys, have not moved from writing in pencil to controlling a pen. Nevertheless, some of their work is well presented. For example, pupils use computers effectively, and the models pupils created for homework inspired by their study of North America show that, with support, pupils are able to handle materials carefully.

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

Your efforts to increase pupils’ ability to work unaided by an adult are starting to take effect. For example, in the Year 3 and 4 classes, pupils were able to maintain a good pace of work because teachers started by explaining and illustrating what was expected very clearly. However, there is more to do across the school: the frequency of unimaginative worksheets in pupils’ books indicates that opportunities for pupils to approach their learning creatively are sometimes too limited.

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

In many aspects of school life, pupils show a high level of responsibility. For example, very high levels of participation in extra-curricular sports shows that pupils develop responsible attitudes towards keeping healthy. Effective leadership of physical education, including a strong partnership with the local secondary school, is a contributory factor.

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

Governors share your high aspirations for the school. Their roles, linked to your school improvement priorities, contribute to good capacity for further improvement. Your collaboration with other schools is also building your confidence as a leadership team to make Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School a beacon of excellence. Underpinning this is an accurate evaluation of the school’s strengths and very effective action to tackle weaknesses. For example, having spotted a dip in children’s achievement in the Early Years Foundation Stage, provision has improved rapidly. Impressive early writing in the Reception children’s books shows that children are making a good start. You also recognised in your monitoring that when the current Year 2 pupils were in Reception class they were doing less well in their expressive arts and design than other areas of their learning. Their recent adventurous paintings and

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

collages inspired by the work of artists Jackson Pollock and Piet Mondrian show the effectiveness of the action you have taken since that time.

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Short inspection of Peakirk-Cum-Glinton CofE Primary School

Safeguarding is effective. The school’s safeguarding policies and procedures meet all statutory requirements. You and the governors ensure that staff are up to date about keeping pupils safe in education. This includes training in the ‘Prevent’ initiative. As designated safeguarding lead, you ensure that staff, pupils, parents and carers feel confident that any risks are assessed thoroughly and managed effectively. This includes well-managed pre- and after-school provision. An unexpected opportunity taken in assembly to stress the importance of e-safety shows that you are mindful of safeguarding.

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Inspection findings

 Leaders and governors have addressed the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Pupils who have special educational needs or disability now progress as well as their peers because they receive effective support.  The school’s accurate self-evaluation is used to address any signs of underachievement quickly. Improvements in the early years and in pupils’ writing are examples of leaders’ effectiveness.  Parents and carers are strongly supportive of the school and have every confidence in its leaders. They appreciate the calm and caring ethos that helps pupils feel safe and supported. Very good behaviour is the norm.  Teachers and teaching assistants prepare helpful resources and interesting activities that contribute to pupils’ enjoyment in learning. However, too many worksheets limit the diversity of pupils’ work.  Lessons are taught with enthusiasm and engage pupils. They sustain pupils’

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Inspection findings

interest, even when lesson introductions are sometimes prolonged. Thoughtfully structured learning underpins the good progress pupils make.  The school’s Christian values permeate its work. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. In Year 3, for example, pupils have reflected deeply to create powerful images representing ‘light and dark’ in life.  Pupils make very good progress to achieve above-average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, by refining their skills further, pupils could reach higher standards still. This is reflected in your current priorities.  Pupils are well prepared for secondary school. This is particularly the case in physical education, which is exceptionally well led. Sports coaches and sports ambassadors add to pupils’ experience and understanding about healthy living.  Additional funding is used judiciously to ensure that pupils are given equal

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Inspection findings

opportunities to succeed. This includes disadvantaged pupils who receive additional support with their learning and extra-curricular activities.  The school’s safeguarding procedures help pupils feel safe and supported. Pupils know whom to turn to should they have any concerns. Policies and procedures are followed consistently by staff.  Governors have played an important part in strengthening links between self- evaluation and improvement planning. However, the contributions of staff, pupils and parents and carers to school planning are not explicit.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:  the school’s plans make clearer how all in the school community, including staff, pupils, parents and carers, can contribute to further improvement, so that your ambitions to establish outstanding provision throughout are realised quickly  the best practice in planning and teaching that exists throughout the school is shared by all teachers. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Education for the Diocese of Peterborough, the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Director of Children’s Services for Peterborough. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

Her Majesty’s Inspector scrutinised the single central record and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection. Meetings were held with school leaders, representatives of the governing body, the local authority, staff, parents and carers. The inspection involved meetings with groups of pupils formally and informally, and scrutiny of their work. All classes were observed jointly with you, together with an assembly. Additional documentation was analysed, including reports to governors, the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan, and information about pupils’ attendance, behaviour and welfare. The inspector discussed the school with parents in meetings and in the playground, analysed 28 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, 27 free text messages, two responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and 44 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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