Eastfield Primary Academy

Eastfield Primary Academy Margaret Street, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire DN40 1LD

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is an outstanding school

 The executive principal’s absolute belief in the potential of all pupils and staff to achieve the very best has ensured pupils’ outstanding progress.  All leaders and staff have embraced this belief. They work tirelessly, as a seamless team, to understand what every pupil needs to do to make rapid progress from their lower than typical starting points.  Hand in hand with this belief is a systematic, accurate and persistent approach to identifying gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Well-planned activities ensure pupils catch up and keep up with what is expected for their age.  Teachers capture pupils’ interests through exciting activities and intriguing questioning. As a result pupils are enthusiastic and thoughtful about their work. They are justifiably proud of the work they do and their outstanding achievements.  Pupils’ attitude to learning, the level of respect for all people and their ability to manage their own

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This is an outstanding school

behaviour and work independently is exceptional. They develop skills they need to be highly effective citizens of Britain.  Children in the Nursery and Reception class make outstanding progress due to outstanding teaching and provision.  Pupil ambassadors in the EAST team make a significant contribution to the leadership of the school. Their views, alongside the opinions of all pupils, really matter to staff and governors.  Pupils make outstanding progress and many reach the standard expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. The significant proportion of pupils who join the school in years 5 and 6 make rapid progress.  Pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and disability make good and outstanding progress during the time they attend the school.  Pupils who attend ‘My Space’, a local authority provision run by the school, make exceptional progress due to the support given by staff and

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This is an outstanding school

other pupils.  Governors know and understand the school and the community it serves. They ensure pupils get the maximum benefit from being part of the Enquire Learning Trust. Governors and the trust recognise they need to keep information up to date on the school’s website.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They fully appreciate the sensitive and wide-ranging support their children receive.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The trust and governors should quickly implement their plans to ensure they have a systematic and timely method of keeping up to date with all statutory requirements to publish information.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Pupils, staff, parents and governors have an overwhelming respect for the executive principal because she leads them to believe in themselves, even when, as some said, ‘you cannot see your own potential’. As a result of her leadership, staff and pupils flourish. Through collaboration, staff and pupils develop an accurate understanding of what needs to be done to continue to improve their work and a strong sense of pride when they achieve success.  Senior and middle leaders use a wide range of information about pupils’ knowledge and understanding, the progress they make and their emotional well-being, to assess the effectiveness of teaching. They are accurate in their analysis and respond very quickly to dips in pupils’ progress. This flexibility ensures pupils catch up and then keep up with the standards expected for their ages.  Leaders systematically check all aspects of the school’s work. They feed back to individual staff, to class

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

teams and to governors, accurately about the difference they are making to pupils’ progress and ask a series of challenging questions about what they could do differently to make further improvements. This approach has produced a team of reflective staff who are confident to try out new ideas in order to get even better results.  Senior leaders responsible for the early years provision, safeguarding, provision for pupils with special educational needs or disability and the use of the pupil premium grant are exceptionally skilled in understanding what is working well to support these groups of pupils and what can be improved further. They are precise in their analysis of information about pupils’ progress and tenacious in finding different ways of using the resources they have to ensure these pupils make rapid progress from their different starting points.  All staff recognise the benefits of the training they receive and know how closely the training is linked to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

the different needs of their pupils. Staff and pupils appreciate the opportunities provided to see the work of other academies in the Enquire Learning Trust because they know this helps them to keep on improving their practice.  Staff plan whole-school termly projects that cover all subjects. The approach, of setting a question and captivating activity at the start of each topic, enthuses pupils so they want to learn. Over time this approach leads to confident pupils who can successfully manage their own learning and behaviour. As well as subject knowledge, pupils develop skills and qualities they need to be effective British citizens.  Effective use of the physical education (PE) and sports premium for primary schools allows pupils to benefit from success in competitive sports and fitness events.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of all aspects of the school’s work. They really appreciate the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

high-quality and sensitive support their families receive when they face difficulties that affect their children’s well-being. A very small number of parents disagree about the approach to homework and how leaders respond to their concerns. Inspectors did not find any evidence to support these views.  The Enquire Learning Trust provides highly effective and much appreciated support for the school. The enquiry approach, a key principle of the trust, is embedded within all aspects of the school’s work and over time has proved to be an effective improvement tool.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The governance of the school Governors know the school well and understand the wider needs of the community it serves. As a result they make sure all funding is used to give pupils the best chance of making rapid progress during their time in the school. Governors know the school well because they visit regularly and use the same enquiry approach as leaders to check out what is working well. This ensures they can confidently accept the principal’s recommendations when they need to decide about rewarding teachers and other staff for the work they do. Governors and the trust have not fully developed and implemented a system for keeping up to date with the statutory requirements to publish information on the school website. They recognise this and have developed a plan to make sure they are more efficient in this aspect of their work.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Pupils say they feel safe and their parents agree.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Inspectors saw a wealth of evidence supporting this view. High-quality training has resulted in all staff understanding their responsibility to keep pupils safe. They keep precise records of concerns and share these with other services when they need to. Staff do not shy away from difficult conversations with parents and use a sensitive and supportive approach, which most of the time leads to improvements in pupils’ experiences at home as well as at the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Highly effective teaching leads to all pupils making rapid progress. As a result, from their lower than typical starting points pupils are on track to reach the standards expected for their ages. Some are on track to exceed those standards.  Accurate and detailed assessments of pupils’ knowledge and understanding, combined with teachers’ extensive subject knowledge, secures this rapid progress. Teachers respond, lesson by lesson, to how pupils pick up new ideas and skills. They quickly address any misconceptions so pupils’ learning moves on quickly.  Teachers’ flexible approach to planning lessons ensures pupils keep up with what is expected. It also allows the most-able pupils to flourish, deepen their understanding and apply their knowledge in different ways in all subjects.  Teachers make sure pupils learn how to work independently and ensure that they use lots of different ways to check their work. Inspectors were deeply impressed by the success of the approaches used, from

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

seeing challenges set for the youngest children to asking older pupils to ‘be the teacher’, so they can learn how to spot mistakes in their own work.  Teachers identified that poor spelling skills were holding pupils back in the standards reached in writing. They have extended the way they teach spelling so more pupils find a way that is right for them. As a result, pupils’ ability to spell is improving. Mathematics is taught systematically, with regular opportunities to practise speed and accuracy in basic mathematical skills. This helps the pupils to confidently approach real-life problems when they have to reason mathematically and apply what they know.  Teaching assistants make a substantial contribution to the progress pupils make. This is because they are well trained and fully involved in planning lessons and activities, as well as assessing pupils’ progress. Some are trained specifically about individual pupils’ needs, especially those relating to special

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

educational needs. They share their knowledge with all other staff so their training has the widest impact.  Pupils develop a love of reading and the older pupils read widely and were keen to share their enthusiasm with inspectors. Pupils with special educational needs or disability were less enthusiastic but demonstrated that they are learning a good range of methods for tackling unfamiliar words.  Accurate assessment informs high-quality planning so gaps in pupils’ knowledge are addressed. This approach is exceptionally beneficial to pupils with special educational needs and those with disability. The approach is equally effective for pupils across all classes, including the pupils who have places in the ‘My Space’ provision (for pupils who are at risk of exclusion or who have been excluded from other schools).  Homework is used effectively to support pupils’ progress. Pupils choose a weekly task from a selection

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

linked to the termly themes. Families work together on the tasks, the results of which are celebrated in weekly assemblies. The pupils and their parents are rightly proud of the high standards of writing and art work produced at home.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. All staff work tirelessly to ensure pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and develop their respect and understanding of people who are different to themselves. Their efforts have been successful.  Pupils say that there is no bullying and any name-calling is dealt with very quickly by staff. Pupils care for one another and support each other when needed, including supporting the pupils who use ‘My Space’.  Leaders are not complacent and staff are being trained in different ways to further support pupils’ emotional and mental health.  A systematic and thorough approach to managing the premises and the numerous trips and visits contribute to pupils’ safety and well-being, while ensuring they get a really broad range of opportunities to learn in different ways.  The wide range of topics studied, alongside sports and art activities, mean pupils’ spiritual, moral, social

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Personal development and welfare

and cultural development is exceptional. The wonderful ‘coffee shop’ provides a special place where pupils can relax, work, buy healthy snacks and keep up to date with world events.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Over time the impact of leaders’ work to ensure pupils develop skills to manage their own behaviour has been extremely successful. Consistently high expectations and calm reassurance to support pupils to make the right choices means that the school is an orderly place, where pupils flourish.  One of the most striking features of the pupils’ behaviour is their enthusiasm and mature approach to their own learning and the support they willingly give to each other. When they are asked to talk with each other about their ideas, they do just that. Not a second is lost.  Pupils’ attendance is just below the national average. However, staff are relentless in chasing up absence and use a wide range of approaches to ensure pupils attend regularly and arrive on time. As a result attendance this year is improving from last year and, as with last year, no pupils are persistently absent.

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Behaviour

 The local authority’s confidence in leaders’ support for pupils who experience difficulties in managing their behaviour resulted in the authority paying for the school to make provision for pupils from other schools who have been, or who are at risk of being, excluded. This provision, known as ‘My Space’, is successful in helping pupils learn to manage their behaviour by developing their self-esteem and confidence. These pupils are learning how to tackle difficult work without losing their temper. As a result some pupils are getting ready to go back to a mainstream school.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 As a result of outstanding teaching pupils make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics in all year groups. Inspectors confirmed the leaders’ own judgements about pupils’ progress through visits to lessons and reviewing the work in pupils’ books. Pupils, including those who start from lower than typical starting points, are on track to meet the standards expected for their age. In every year group there are some pupils on track to exceed expected standards.  The progress being made in reading, writing and mathematics ensures pupils also make strong progress in a range of other subjects. This is because they have the skills to record their ideas clearly, for example when designing experiments in science.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability and disadvantaged pupils all benefit from the outstanding teaching. The focus on accurate assessment in every lesson means these pupils, as with all

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

others, are continually challenged to make rapid progress and therefore catch up with other pupils.  The most-able pupils have a wide range of opportunities to deepen their understanding and use their skills and knowledge in different ways. This is particularly the case in mathematics. As a result this group of pupils are on track to exceed the standards expected for their ages.  In 2015, the number of Year 1 pupils who reached the expected standard in the use of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) was lower than achieved by other schools. Leaders have responded quickly and worked out why this was the case. The actions they have taken, including additional training for staff, have proved effective. Current Year 1 pupils are making very strong progress in their understanding and use of phonics.  Equally, the results for Year 6 in 2015 were much lower than in previous years. Leaders and governors

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

were not surprised by this because of their accurate assessment systems. Over a third of this group of pupils joined the school during Years 5 and 6, and although they made rapid progress from the point they joined the school, they were not in the school long enough to catch up to the expected standard.  As a result of skilful and personalised support pupils placed in ‘My Space’ make exceptional progress in learning how to manage their own behaviour and how to keep trying hard at work they find difficult or do not like. They are well prepared for being placed back into mainstream school and/or their move to secondary school.  Pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education because they reach the standards expected and because they develop into confident, independent learners. Pupils in Year 6 are reluctant to leave the school they love but are well prepared and supported as their move to secondary school approaches.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 The majority of children start Nursery at a level of development below that expected for their age. As a result of outstanding provision they make rapid progress in all areas of their development so the vast majority are on track to reach a good level of development when they finish Reception class and are well prepared for Year 1.  Outstanding leadership of the early years provision means staff training and planning for activities is closely linked to accurate assessments. Wherever gaps in specific skills for particular groups of children are observed, swift and creative action is taken to provide activities that ensure the children develop the skills they need to. This includes the effective use of additional funding to narrow development gaps between disadvantaged children and other children.  The organisation of the different areas of play and work is very ably managed. All staff know the children’s individual next steps and make sure they ask the right questions and set the right challenges so

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Early years provision is outstanding

children progress. Adult-led activities are spot on, because they combine short, sharp bursts of activity and time for children to think of answers to thought-provoking questions.  Children’s behaviour and social skills develop rapidly because of the excellent support provided and the consistently high expectations staff have. Close work with parents supporting this key area of development is highly effective. Parents appreciate how they are encouraged to be involved in their children’s assessment and development.  All welfare requirements are met and children are encouraged to learn how to take risks and explore in a safe but not restricting environment.

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School details

Unique reference number 139981 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Council Inspection number 10000908 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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 251 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter O’Connor Principal Rebecca Clayton (Executive principal) Telephone number 01469 572 455 Website www.eastfieldprimary.net Email address office@eastfieldprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 April 2012

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Information about this school

 Eastfield Primary Academy converted to an academy under the Enquire Learning Trust in August 2013 following the previous inspection. The executive principal supports three other schools in the trust that currently require improvement. Under the trust arrangements the local governing body has responsibility for most areas of strategic and statutory duties required of academies.  The school is an average-sized primary academy, with a significantly higher than average proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils who are eligible for free schools meals and those looked after by the local authority).  The vast majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds, with a small but increasing proportion of pupils from other ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability, with and without statements or education, health and care plans, is below average.

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Information about this school

 More pupils than typical join the school at times other than the start of the school year or at the start of key stages.  The group of pupils known as the EAST team are pupil ambassadors. They represent the views of pupils and the school in a range of different activities.  Children attend the Nursery part-time and Reception class full-time.  The school provides a breakfast club for pupils, which is subsidised for disadvantaged pupils, and a range of after-school clubs.  In October 2015 the local authority asked the school to set up a provision for up to six pupils from other schools who are at risk of exclusion or who have been excluded. The provision, known as ‘My Space’, is an integral part of the school, used by the main body of pupils as well as those placed there as a result of their behaviour in other schools.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment

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Information about this inspection

 Initially the inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2015 as a short inspection of a good school. It was converted to an inspection under section 5 of the same act.  Inspectors visited every classroom for varying amounts of time. They talked with pupils, reviewed pupils’ books and observed the work of teachers and teaching assistants.  Two lesson observations and shorter visits to classrooms were undertaken jointly by the executive principal and lead inspector.  Meetings were held with the executive principal, senior and middle leaders and other staff responsible for key aspects of the school’s work. A discussion was held with a group of teaching assistants.  The chair of the governing body and four other governors met with the lead inspector. Further meetings were held with the chief executive officer of the Enquire Learning Trust and local authority lead officer for behaviour and attendance. The latter meeting was held in order to discuss the ‘My Space’ provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Twenty-one parents responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents. These responses were considered alongside 14 free text responses to the same survey. One email from a parent was also considered. Inspectors talked with number of parents as they brought their children to school.  Twenty-seven responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff were also considered alongside the views expressed by staff during the inspection.  Discussions and conversations were held with pupils, informally at playtime and lunchtime and more formally with two groups of pupils, including members of the EAST team. As well as listening to pupils read in lessons, inspectors listened to two different groups of pupils reading their chosen books.  A wide range of documents were reviewed, including records relating to safeguarding, the work of the governing body and the records of how leaders check and monitor the work of the school.

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Inspection team

Susan Hayter, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Michael Smit Ofsted Inspector Beverley Riddle Ofsted Inspector Tracy Millard 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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