Setting

Mrs Angela Ellis Headteacher Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School Burringham Road Gunness Scunthorpe Lincolnshire DN17 3LT

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 22 September 2015, 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 Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Governors are ambitious for the school and keen to know how they might improve the school to become outstanding.

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

You are extremely efficient and effective in your leadership. Despite severe challenges facing the entire school community after a flood, you have rallied your team and have shown determination to provide a good standard of education for pupils. You have an excellent knowledge of the strengths of individual teachers and support staff, and you know your pupils well. You and your teachers use assessment information effectively to target support for pupils, ensuring that they make good progress. Your approach to improving pupils’ reading provides a good example of your determination to raise standards. With your staff, you have put in place reading interventions that have ensured that pupils now make good progress in reading. As a result of well-planned interventions, almost all pupils currently in Key Stage 2 are making expected progress, and many are making more than expected progress. Your well-chosen targets for teaching, which identify areas in which teachers need to

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

improve, have helped to facilitate this improvement. Attainment in reading is less strong in Key Stage 1 and you have included this in your school improvement plan as an area to develop. Ofsted

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Pupils enrol at and leave the school more frequently than average. The school has gained a reputation for being inclusive and is over-subscribed. Parents express satisfaction with the work of the school to induct new children and make them feel welcome.

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

The deputy headteacher is now assisting you in reinforcing high expectations through rigorous monitoring and development of staff. Middle leaders are increasing in their effectiveness and the literacy leader has begun to have an impact on the teaching of reading. In the words of the school improvement partner: ‘This school has taken itself apart and put itself back together again. They have looked at every aspect of what they do to try and ensure that all pupils make the progress they should.’

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

Inspectors identified two areas for improvement at the last inspection: to enable all groups of pupils to make more rapid progress; and to use the outdoor environment more effectively to help pupils consolidate and extend their learning across the curriculum.

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

Results of Key Stage 2 tests in 2015 show that pupils have made more rapid progress than previous cohorts. All pupils attained the levels expected for their age in reading and mathematics, and the majority in writing. Almost half of pupils attained higher levels. School assessment information for current Key Stage 2 pupils shows that almost all pupils are at age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. At Key Stage 1 in 2015, all pupils made expected or more than expected progress, with one third gaining higher levels in reading and writing. However, not all Key Stage 1 pupils achieved levels expected for their age last year. The school has accurately identified the need for further improvement in attainment in Key Stage 1 in the school improvement plan. As a result, assessment information for current pupils shows that pupils in Key Stage 1 are making better progress and are on track to attain age-related expectations. Children enter the early years at

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

levels broadly in line with age-related expectations. Children make good progress in the early years and the overall good level of development is above the national average.

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

Teachers’ planning is helping children to access some areas of the early years curriculum outdoors. Leaders recognise that more can still be done to improve this outdoor play environment so that it encourages learning through a wider range of opportunities. Early years play is enhanced by very effective questioning and prompts by practitioners, impacting well on the comprehension and language development of learners. Outdoor play areas for all pupils have hard surfaces. Teachers try to circumvent this difficulty by travelling to other schools for competitive events like sports day, but regular participation in athletics or sports is difficult. This means that teachers need to make more concerted efforts to plan for experiences that will improve learning, for pupils of all ages and across curriculum areas, using the outdoor environment.

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

Safeguarding at the school is underpinned by detailed risk assessments, procedures, policy and training, leading to a culture of vigilance. All staff have been trained and as a result fully understand their safeguarding duties. Governors have a good grasp of their duty to safeguard children and receive regular reports through the safeguarding committee to help them carry out this duty. You are aware of the duty to keep pupils safe from radicalisation and have attended Prevent training. You and your staff deliver a ‘safety curriculum’ to help pupils fully understand the dangers of deep water, fire and roads, for example, and to support pupils in making safe choices.

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Short inspection of Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of a high quality.

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Inspection findings

 Leaders have made determined efforts to support most-able pupils to achieve their potential and as a result the progress of most-able pupils was in line with their peers nationally in 2015. In mathematics, with support from Axholme Academy, a higher than average proportion of most-able pupils achieved Level 5, with some achieving Level 6, in the Key Stage 2 tests in 2015. At Key Stage 1, the proportion of pupils achieving Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics was around or exceeded national averages. Observations in lessons and from work in books show that pupils are attaining high levels. They are articulating their ideas well and being supported to include complex vocabulary, grammar and punctuation in their writing. Leaders regularly monitor and evaluate the work of the school, and the school improvement plan accurately reflects the ambition of leaders to ensure that most-able pupils make at least good or outstanding progress. This has met with some success

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Inspection findings

for most-able pupils who are disadvantaged. These pupils have individual profiles to carefully track their progress and the impact of interventions. However, the majority of their most-able peers are currently only making expected progress. Leaders acknowledge that there is further to go to ensure that all pupils make better than expected progress.  Leaders and governors have been careful to track the progress of disadvantaged pupils for whom pupil premium funding is received. Pupil premium funding is linked to the progress and attainment of each individual pupil, and spending is planned at the start of the year. Governors are fully aware of how the money is spent and the impact of the spending, as shown in governing body minutes. Your analysis shows that this group of pupils are making better progress than their peers. Personal education plans for looked after children show effective local authority support, work carried out with

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Inspection findings

external agencies, and outline a clear strategy to support each child.  Leaders’ tracking of the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs shows the positive impact of interventions and rapid progress of individuals. Support plans for pupils who have special educational needs are reviewed with carers and school staff together. Teaching assistants’ sensitive support in the classroom is helping disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs to successfully access the curriculum at the right level for their age, with tasks matched to the ability and the physical needs of the child.  You are proactive in contacting parents to support pupils with low attendance as soon as difficulties begin to arise, and keep a log of all contact with parents. As a result of the school’s effective actions, attendance has risen to above national averages for all groups in school.

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Inspection findings

 Effective teaching was observed in all classes during the day. Emerging strengths of teaching are the appropriate match of tasks to the ability of pupils, the efficient use of time in lessons to maximise learning, and marking that helps pupils to improve. Teachers know pupils well and as a consequence their expectations of productivity in lessons and of behaviour are high. Teaching assistants’ strong subject knowledge is helping pupils to make good progress through reading interventions. Teachers deliver a broad curriculum, with an emphasis on problem-solving and practical experiences. Among pupils’ favourite experiences have been residential visits to an outward bound camp and a visit to Lincoln Cathedral. In a physical education lesson for children in the early years, links were made between negotiating the obstacle course and the text ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ to encourage both language mastery and

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Inspection findings

physical development. In Key Stage 2, each literacy lesson begins with a challenging question to encourage pupils to develop their own ideas and practise writing them down. An example seen was: ‘Is there more happiness or more sadness in the world?’ The school is part of the North Lincolnshire Schools Sport Network, employing sports coaches to assist with the organisation of competitive sports events within and between schools in the area. This is through the PE and sport premium for primary schools and means that all pupils can take part in events like the area table tennis tournament held last year.  The school has effectively promoted British values and these are clearly displayed around the school. In response, pupils expressed high levels of tolerance and respect, demonstrating the strong teaching of social, moral and spiritual values. However, their experience and knowledge of different types of

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Inspection findings

family, different cultures or faiths is limited. Pupils show little knowledge or understanding of how people live beyond their own community.  Pupils’ behaviour around school is of a high standard as a result of a clear behaviour code, consistently applied and understood by all. Pupils line up quietly, play well during social times and are orderly at lunchtime. They pay attention during assemblies and lessons. They are tolerant and respectful towards adults and to each other. Pupils who spoke with the inspector report that bullying is rare and the view of parents interviewed is that any misbehaviour is quickly dealt with by school leaders.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and governors should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 pupils, particularly the most able, consistently make good or outstanding progress  pupils have the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of people and cultures beyond their own  teachers continue to develop planned opportunities for pupils of all ages to use outdoor spaces to enhance learning.

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Information about the inspection

During this one-day inspection, I was able to discuss the work of the school with you, the deputy headteacher, literacy leader and other staff. I talked with pupils and parents about what it feels like to be a member of the school community and looked at parent questionnaires. I observed and spoke with pupils during breaktime and lunchtime. Discussions with a representative of the local authority and the school improvement partner helped to provide additional information. School documentation, assessment information, policies and curriculum information posted on the school website were taken into account. Alongside you, I was able to visit all classrooms to observe teaching and learning, and to consider the progress made by pupils in their books.

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