Althorpe and Keadby Primary School

Althorpe and Keadby Primary School Station Road, Keadby, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN17 3BN

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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

Outcomes for pupils 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

 Pupils do not make consistently good progress across Years 1 to 6 in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.  Expectations of what pupils can do are not high enough. Work set does not precisely match the needs of pupils as it is not sufficiently challenging to ensure good progress.  There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to apply mathematics and write at length in a range of subjects.  The management of the work of teaching assistants requires improvement to make sure they contribute well to pupils’ learning.  Senior leaders and subject leaders have not ensured that teaching and pupils’ outcomes are good. Subject leaders are not checking pupils’ work thoroughly to ensure good progress is being made across the school.  The system of performance management for teachers requires greater precision to support improvements to teaching and learning.  Leaders’ plans for improvement are not sharply

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This is a school that requires improvement

focused on improving teaching and learning. The impact of actions taken are not clearly linked to improvements in teaching and pupil outcomes.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make good progress in the early years because of good teaching and good leadership.  Pupils say they are safe in school. Behaviour is good and the most vulnerable pupils are especially well-cared-for.  Parents are very positive about the work of the school. Leaders offer strong support to help parents make a positive contribution to children’s learning.  Governors and leaders are ambitious for the pupils. They are highly committed to strengthening pupils’ personal development and welfare as well as pupil outcomes. As a result, the school is improving but is not yet good.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in Years 1 to 6 so that it is at least consistently good to make sure pupils make good progress, especially in English and mathematics, by:  ensuring expectations of what pupils can achieve are high  setting work that meets the needs of pupils and challenges pupils to do better, particularly middle ability pupils and the most able  checking learning thoroughly through skilful questioning to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding of what is being learned and read  increasing opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills across a wide range of subjects  increasing opportunities for pupils to write at length in a wide range of subjects  managing the work of teaching assistants more effectively in class.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of the work of leaders and managers by ensuring that:  the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress across the school is at least good  subject leaders check pupils’ work thoroughly to make sure teaching and learning is good  plans for improvement are sharply focused on the actions intended to improve teaching and learning  plans for improvement identify precisely the expected improvements to teaching and pupils’ outcomes  performance management targets for teachers are closely linked to the governors’ key priorities set for the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not ensured that pupils are making good progress and that the quality of teaching is good across the school.  Senior leaders and subject leaders have not had high enough expectations when checking pupils’ work to ensure there is sufficient challenge for pupils to make good progress. This has led to their views on the overall quality of teaching being generous.  School plans identify appropriate areas for improvement but there are too many actions that are not clearly focused on directly improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning. Although appropriate actions are in the school’s improvement plan, it is unclear how these are linked to improvements in teaching and outcomes for pupils. This lack of precision does not allow the progress in school to be checked sufficiently well to be strengthened and made good.  Systems to check the performance of teachers meet requirements. Training and professional development is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

arranged to strengthen teaching. However, teachers’ performance management targets are not linked well enough to the key priorities clearly set by governors for the school to improve. As a result, the impact of training is not fully assessed in terms of meeting the targets governors have set for the school. Training and support for newly qualified teachers is supported well by the local authority and by the school.  The headteacher and governors are ambitious for pupils. They are keen to make sure that pupils know that good learning leads to success in the world of work. There are many past pupils, from a very wide range of jobs, who share the work they do with the pupils. They help to strengthen pupils’ aspirations and their professions and trades are written on ‘bricks’ in the school’s entrance. Leaders have successfully obtained funding from industry to develop the outdoor areas of the school so that pupils have an inspiring

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

environment in which they can learn.  Staff morale is high and contributes significantly to pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare. Staff are proud to be members of the school and support the headteacher’s impressive contribution to the local community. Parents enthuse about how their children work well together and benefit from a caring and supportive environment.  The curriculum interests pupils and is designed to meet their needs. They are able to post their questions about topics before learning begins and teachers adapt the topics to meet pupils’ interests. This leads to good cooperation and good behaviours. There is a good focus on literacy and numeracy but these skills have yet to be further developed. The curriculum is developing pupils’ understanding of what is required to be a good citizen and promotes tolerance and respect.  There are a large number of additional activities offered by the school to support the curriculum. For

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

example, pupils enjoy playing in the school band, taking part in speaking competitions, residential activities, singing and rock climbing. Additional activities and the curriculum have a very positive impact on pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare. The school is supporting the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding well.  The pupil premium funding is used very effectively to support children working in small groups, to provide speech and language support and subsidise the cost of educational visits for disadvantaged pupils. The school also organises outings at weekends to help children gain a wider understanding of the world. Since September 2015, the funding has been used to develop a ‘wrap around families team’; a team of staff, including a learning mentor and nurse, who ensure high-quality engagement and links with parents whose home circumstances might be impinging on attendance and learning. There is clear evidence that the work

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

of the team is supporting gains in pupils’ learning and attendance. Parents are exceptionally positive about the ways in which leaders have a powerful commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils and families.  The primary school physical education and sports grant is used highly effectively. Pupils told inspectors ‘We are a fitness school – always active.’ The school is clear that the grant is supporting improvements in attendance as pupils are keen to be involved in sport. Inspectors saw many pupils enthusiastically participating in sport during the day and after school. The funding has increased participation in sport, strengthened competitive sport and widened the range of sports on offer. The school is successful at sport. Pupils are especially proud of their ‘inclusive boccia’ team who are county champions, their successes in cross country and swimming.  The local authority has provided good training to support the development of the new governing body which

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

has had significant change in membership governance since the previous inspection. They have linked governors to other governing bodies to share skills and experiences to benefit the school. The local authority has provided regular support and challenge to the school since the previous inspection. Although the school is improving, the support has not led to an improvement in the overall effectiveness of the school.  The governance of the school  Governors visit the school regularly to check on its progress. They have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement across the school. Governors have a good range of skills from industry, business and education and audit these skills regularly to ascertain what might be required from new governors. They set challenging targets for the headteacher and generously offer their time and support to the school.  Governors are clear about how pupils’ outcomes compare with those nationally and link well with leaders

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

to hold them to account for the work that is being done. They link teacher performance to pay and support the headteacher when performance is not as required. Governors check the finances of the school. They know how the pupil premium and sports grant are used and the overall impact of the extra funding. Governors have explained their role to all of the staff and are engaged with the school in developing its strategic direction.  Along with the headteacher, governors are passionate about making a significant contribution to the community and raising aspirations for children.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Governors check the arrangements and know they are secure. Staff are appropriately trained and vigilant. The school’s ‘wrap around families team’ make a significant contribution to ensuring children are safe and secure. The school works with a range of external agencies to support vulnerable children well.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 There have been significant changes to teaching staff since the previous inspection. Although there are signs of improvement in pupils’ progress, the quality of teaching it is not consistently good across Years 1 to 6.  Expectations are not consistently high across Years 1 to 6. Pupils are not challenged well enough to strengthen their skills further when tasks have been completed. As a result, pupils make the progress expected of them but too few do better than that. Pupils’ work is checked in lessons but they are not challenged sufficiently well to strengthen their work.  Work set isn’t sufficiently well pitched to challenge for all groups of pupils, especially the most able and middle ability pupils. For example, in mathematics work can be repetitive and pupils’ skills do not develop at a sufficient pace to be applied to more challenging tasks. Occasionally, the least able pupils find the work

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

too hard and this slows their progress.  Questioning is used well to seek out the knowledge of individual pupils with sufficient time given for extended answers. However, there are times when it is not used well enough to check and deepen the understanding of others or determine when groups of pupils, particularly the most able, are ready to start their tasks. This results in pupils having to wait overlong before they start tasks and their learning slows. Occasionally, this leads to some pupils losing focus on what is to be learned.  When guided well, teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. However, this is inconsistent and there are occasions when the quality of their work is not checked well and pupils’ progress is not good. Teaching assistants know what pupils are expected to learn in each lesson although their time is, on occasions, not managed well to maximise their skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 An analysis of pupils’ work showed that there are good opportunities to develop skills in reading and writing across a range of subjects. However, opportunities to write at length in subjects other than English vary across the school. Pupils’ mathematical skills are, on occasions, used in a range of subjects but opportunities are too few to fully develop pupils’ application of mathematics.  Homework makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils enjoy the good range of tasks set for them, complete it well and use their time at home to research topics to improve their work. The teaching of information technology skills is good and children use them well in presenting their work in a variety of ways.  Good relationships are a feature in all classes. Good opportunities are given for pupils to discuss their work and this is supporting their confidence, their speaking skills and assisting in the development of writing.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils have a wide range of good opportunities to participate in activities that will keep them fit and healthy. Inspectors saw all of the school’s pupils enjoying their 10 minutes ‘skipping time’; a time when all pupils take part in skipping before the beginning of breaktime.  Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy school and they are safe. They said that ‘we have the kindest teachers’. Pupils are clear about how to adopt safe practices when working with technology and using the internet.  Bullying is infrequent and pupils are confident that the school does not tolerate it and takes effective action should it occur. Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying.  There are good opportunities for pupils to accept posts of responsibility. Pupils say they enjoy being playground leaders, managing the games equipment at lunchtime, and being specialists in reading, writing

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Personal development and welfare

and mathematics. Peer specialists are older pupils who help younger children improve their skills. Younger pupils said peer specialists helped them improve their work and their handwriting skills.  Pupils vote for their house captains and are preparing to take part in their own election to determine whether they think Britain should remain in the European Union. These, along with other activities, provide a good introduction to democracy.  Punctuality has improved strongly this year. The headteacher and other staff are encouraging parents to ensure their children are on time for school. The school has introduced a ‘walking bus’ and this has had a good impact on improving punctuality. There are structures in place, including text messaging and home visits to emphasise punctuality. However, the school knows that there is still work to do with a small minority of parents to make sure their children are on time for the start of the school day.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils have very good opportunities to develop their confidence. They engage in presentations and dance in assemblies and many are preparing to take part in the school’s forthcoming pantomime. Recently, pupils took part in a local speech and drama festival and were highly commended for their performance.  Inspectors found pupils to be confident in engaging in discussions with adults and giving their opinions about the school.  School leaders have highly effective systems in place to support pupils’ welfare and safety, particularly the safety of the most vulnerable pupils.  Parents are very confident that children are safe and well-cared-for in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The school is a calm and welcoming place in which children manage their conduct well both inside and outside the classroom. Pupils know what is expected of them and behave well. They enjoy the ‘smilies’ they collect for good behaviour and work. These count towards prizes.  Pupils work well together in class. In particular, opportunities to talk about their work are helping them to organise their ideas and are supporting improvements in writing. Occasionally, some pupils lose concentration and do not focus well on their learning when the pace of learning slows for them. However, they respond well to adults to be brought back to their tasks.  Staff are vigilant in checking pupils’ attendance and, as a result, it is average. The number of pupils regularly absent is very small. Pupils say that the headteacher is clear that they must attend well.  Pupils listen to others’ opinions well and show respect for each other. They are polite, courteous and

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Behaviour

welcoming to visitors. Around the school, pupils get on well together and say they are happy at school.  There are strong links with parents to support good behaviour. There is a consistent approach to behaviour in school using traffic lights, ‘red, amber, green’, and some parents use this at home to reinforce good behaviour. Parents are well aware of their child’s behaviour through the ‘home/school liaison book’ which records good behaviour and any issues that might arise. Pupils told inspectors that behaviour is good and getting better; school records confirm pupils’ views.  The school environment is well-cared-for and is litter free. Displays of pupils’ work and other educational displays interest pupils and are well-looked-after. Pupils play well together at break and lunchtimes using the extensive fields and facilities very well. All pupils have a nominated adult they can go to if they have a

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Behaviour

problem.  All the parents responding to the online questionnaire, Parent View, felt that the school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Variations in the quality of teaching, over time, have led to outcomes in English, mathematics and a range of subjects requiring improvement.  Across Years 1 to 6, pupils are making the progress expected of them but too few are doing better than that in English and mathematics. As a result, outcomes are not good.  For the past three years, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 has been well below average but is now improving. Good leadership and teaching in the early years has quickly improved the skills of children entering Key Stage 1 and, as a consequence, pupils are set to attain standards that are much closer to average than in the past.  Across Key Stage 2, progress and attainment have been variable over time. After good improvements in outcomes for those leaving Year 6 in 2014, not enough pupils made better than expected progress in 2015. This resulted in attainment being low in 2015 from low starting points. However, school information

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

indicates that the current Year 6 pupils will achieve standards in English and mathematics that are closer to average.  Inspectors analysed an extensive amount of current pupils’ work. They found that work across a range of subjects, including science, showed inconsistent progress. However, pupils are developing good skills in information technology which is supporting good presentation of work and supporting pupils’ independent research.  The analysis of work also showed that skills in writing and mathematics are improving. However, those pupils who are of above average ability, including the most-able pupils, are not challenged consistently well to reach the highest levels of attainment.  Disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils across the school. There are examples, particularly in writing, where disadvantaged children make better progress than others because of very effective support for their learning. At the end of Key Stage 2 in 2015, the overall progress of disadvantaged

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

pupils was better than that of other pupils in school and attainment gaps narrowed in English and mathematics. However, their starting points were much lower than others nationally, and because progress was not good, attainment gaps remained wide. Currently, attainment in English and mathematics for disadvantaged pupils is closer to average than in 2015. As a result, attainment gaps are set to narrow in 2016.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make similar progress to others because of the good support they receive. Leaders identify the needs of these pupils well and provide good support for them to make effective progress despite some very complex needs. An inspector observed a small group of pupils, ‘the class of eight’, making good progress in English and enjoying their learning.  The school is promoting reading well as there is a wide range of books in the school’s library that are

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

enjoyed by pupils. Pupils, acting as school librarians, work with adults to choose new books for the library and for reading across the school. Parents read with children in the school’s ‘book chatter’ sessions. There are good opportunities for pupils to read out loud in a range of lessons. However, progress in reading is not consistently good because of variations in teaching. The quality of questioning is not sufficiently strong to deepen pupils’ understanding of what they are reading. In the past two years, a higher than average proportion of children have reached the expected standard in the screening check for reading at the end of Year 1. Pupils develop good skills in linking letters and sounds to read in early years and in Key Stage 1.

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Early years provision is good

 There is a calm, purposeful environment in the early years. The interesting work covers all of the areas of learning. Children develop good attitudes to learning as they listen well and concentrate well on what they are asked to do. They are confident in discussing their work with adults. Children’s behaviour and their personal development are good.  Children are safe and happy because of the secure procedures that exist in the early years. Adults know the children well and give them good care and attention. Children develop the skills to work together and are respectful to each other and adults.  Children in the new provision for two-year-olds have settled well and are enjoying a range of indoor and outdoor activities. Their needs have been assessed well and they are making good progress. Staff have had good training and there are good links with parents. The school meets the welfare requirements for children

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Early years provision is good

of this age.  The majority of children enter Nursery with skills that are below those found typically. Through use of regular and precise assessment of children’s learning, teachers and the early years leader accurately identify children’s needs. They skilfully develop activities that help children make good progress.  Since the previous inspection, pupils’ progress has improved strongly in the early years. By the end of Reception, good teaching makes sure that there are more children attaining a good level of development than found nationally. Disadvantaged children do as well as other children in the early years.  Over time, there have been exceptionally few children who have special educational needs or disability, so meaningful comparisons cannot be made between their progress and that of others.  Children have a good choice in what they are interested in learning. Inspectors saw that in Reception, some

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Early years provision is good

children were learning how to hold newly hatched chicks and describing that ‘they felt soft’ and ‘they flap their wings’. Others were making toast and learning about safety saying ‘you have to be careful if it is too hot’. Others were making their own ‘Play-Doh’ from flour and water and many other good learning activities were available.  Outdoor activities using Bramblebank Wood, a small woodland area adjacent to the school and developed by the school, provide stimulating opportunities for children to develop their curiosity and independence. Children were fascinated by the environment and asked many questions about the flowers and leaves.  Leadership is good and has strengthened the links between Reception and Year 1. Teachers work together regularly to make sure that transition to Year 1 is built on a strong understanding of children’s skills. This has had a strong impact on the development of reading skills in Year 1 which are above average. Children’s

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Early years provision is good

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, with a range of visits and visitors supporting social and personal skills.  Parents are highly engaged in children’s learning and make a good contribution to their development. They are beginning to record their child’s development at home through the school’s online learning journal. This powerful link between the school and parents is providing additional information to plan children’s next steps in learning.  Children are being well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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School details

Unique reference number 117726 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 10002085

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School details

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 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 229 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kathryn Russell Headteacher Sarah Tate Telephone number 01724 782344 Website www.althorpe.northlincs.dbprimary.com Email address admin.althorpekeadby@northlincs.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 29 October 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  Almost all pupils are White British. All pupils speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is average.  The proportion of pupils with a special educational needs statement or an education, health and care plan is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Children start the early years with part-time education in the new two-year-old provision opened in September 2015. Part-time education continues in Nursery for children who are three years old. In

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Information about this school

Reception, children receive full-time education.  The school holds a Schools Games Award at gold standard.  Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes to staffing and leadership.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of teaching and learning in parts of lessons. One observation was undertaken jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors spoke with a group of pupils about their learning in lessons and their safety in the school. Also, throughout the two days of the inspection, inspectors spoke with pupils about learning and safety.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading throughout the inspection. They reviewed pupils’ work in lessons and analysed samples of work in pupils’ books with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher.  An inspector held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body and three governors. Inspectors also held meetings with senior leaders and other staff. The lead inspector held a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors looked at the school’s review of its own performance, its development and improvement plan, school policies and the minutes of the governing body meetings. They considered a range of

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Information about this inspection

documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with parents during the inspection and some made appointments to speak with the inspectors.  There were 40 responses to the online questionnaire for pupils. Inspectors analysed the 18 responses to the online questionnaire for parents (Parent View).

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Inspection team

James McGrath, Lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Beverley Clubley 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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