Eyres Monsell Primary School

Eyres Monsell Primary School Simmins Crescent, Leicester LE2 9AH

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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 Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is school that requires improvement

 Leaders, managers and governors have failed to update the child protection policy in line with the latest statutory guidance.  In the absence of the headteacher, senior leaders have not monitored the work of the leader responsible for safeguarding closely enough to ensure that safeguarding policies were updated as directed.  Governors have not maintained the necessary oversight of the school’s child protection policy. The effectiveness of the school’s governance arrangements is undermined by governors’ over- reliance on support provided by the headteacher. In the absence of the headteacher, the governors have not been fully effective.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ outcomes have improved substantially in recent years. By the end of Year 6, pupils make good progress. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are improving quickly.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is now good. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and the pupils are keen to meet them.  Year 1 pupils consistently achieve above average standards in the national phonics screening check.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make good progress. Staff in the early years use their good knowledge of the individual children to plan activities which meet the children’s needs well.  Pupils are well behaved. They willingly take on responsibilities and act as strong role models for others in the school.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress.  Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well.

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The school has the following strengths

 Additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. Gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school and nationally are closing quickly in most year groups.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the quality of leadership and management by: ensuring that the governors responsible for recruitment and safeguarding undertake up-to-date safeguarding training and those responsible for overseeing safeguarding practices are sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable to carry out their roles effectively monitoring and supporting the designated safeguarding leader more effectively improving the knowledge and skills of governors, so that they are better able to hold senior leaders to account.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Due to the long-term absence of the headteacher, there have been several temporary changes to the leadership structure this year. Interim support during the autumn term provided by a local headteacher, followed by the current interim headteacher appointed in January 2016, has provided essential support for senior leaders. However, senior leaders have not ensured that the child protection policy available to staff and parents was compliant with the latest statutory guidance, despite the up-to-date and relevant training that was delivered to all staff in September. Senior leaders did not monitor or support the work of the designated safeguarding leader adequately enough to ensure that relevant policies were updated as directed. Consequently, the auditing of the child protection policy was not carried out effectively by governors.  Despite these weaknesses, the day-to-day safeguarding practices to keep pupils safe and well cared for in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

the school are effective. The training delivered to staff in September has ensured that they understand the new statutory requirements. Staff show a deep understanding of safeguarding matters, recognise their responsibilities and remain vigilant at all times. The ‘TLC’ board in the staffroom encourages staff to share concerns and observations about pupils. This is testament to the school’s open and sharing culture. Safeguarding records show that leaders act quickly to address concerns raised by staff and pupils. They ensure that professional agencies are engaged in a timely way when referrals are made and follow up with close monitoring of pupils. Pupils overwhelmingly say they feel safe; parents and staff also agree that the school is a safe place. Bullying is rare. There is a wide range of key staff available to help pupils feel safe and comfortable to talk about their concerns and worries. The school’s ethos gives high regard

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

to values such as respect and tolerance. The curriculum supports safeguarding practices well. For example, pupils and parents have attended workshops about the risks of radicalisation and extremism and online safety.  School leaders at all levels understand the school well and have a clear understanding of the school’s current priorities for further improvement. This is testament to the excellent leadership of the headteacher, who had developed leaders’ skills by delegating responsibilities well over previous years. As a result, in spite of temporary changes, senior leaders have retained a good focus on raising the quality of teaching, which is now typically good in the majority of classes. Support for staff is good and their professional skills are developed well through secure performance management systems.  The school has established links with other schools locally and this has enabled staff to benefit from joint

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

training, share the best practice between schools and moderate their judgements on pupils’ work.  Staff morale is high and staff who completed the Ofsted questionnaire or spoke to inspectors were unanimously positive and happy to be a part of Eyres Monsell. Their comments also show their good support for school leaders, especially the headteacher, and their strong commitment to raising aspirations and achievement in the school.  The school is a warm and friendly community where all pupils get along, are accepted and fully included. Pupils entering during the year are quick to comment on how welcome they are made to feel by staff and pupils. This helps them to make friends and feel a part of the whole school. Pupils are treated equally and feel valued and respected. They regularly show their respect for each other and discrimination is rare.  Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils have a rich variety of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

creative, cultural, musical and sporting experiences, available through trips, visits and outdoor activities. Pupils’ participation in residential trips enhances their personal and social skills and helps them to develop resilience through outdoor pursuits. Through charity work, pupils enhance their well-developed personal skills and become more aware of the lives of others in different parts of the country and around the world.  Leaders ensure that the staff follow the school’s marking policy and thereby provide a good balance of written and verbal feedback to pupils to help them improve their work.  The curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils to learn, develop and use skills across different subjects. Topics encourage pupils to apply their different skills; and writing, especially, is promoted across all areas of the curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to discuss their learning and this has contributed to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

their improved understanding and use of key vocabulary. High levels of interest and engagement have contributed to good progress in all subjects.  Additional funding provided through the pupil premium is used effectively to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and to boost their confidence and self-esteem. The most vulnerable pupils are supported through nurturing activities and these pupils have full access to all trips and visits. Good use is made of the learning mentor’s talents and support from a positive male role model has contributed to an increase in boys’ self-esteem and achievements. Gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others are closing across most year groups because many disadvantaged pupils make more progress than their classmates.  The additional funding for primary sport and physical education (PE) is used effectively to promote pupils’ awareness of healthy lifestyles and has increased the numbers of pupils who actively participate in a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

range of sports. Good use is made of local amenities and Year 4 pupils recently spent time learning to play golf at a nearby golf course.  Parents are supportive of the school and appreciate particularly the improvements to pupils’ behaviour that have been achieved in recent years. The few concerns parents raise are dealt with swiftly by leaders.  The local authority provides good support to the school and has encouraged partnerships with other school leaders. This has added capacity to leadership and helped to minimise disruptions for pupils in the absence of the substantive headteacher. However, the safeguarding services, provided by the local authority, failed to notice that the school had not adopted a compliant child protection policy. They were therefore remiss in their duty to ensure that the schools’ safeguarding practices align with statutory guidance.  The governance of the school Governors have failed to meet current statutory requirements when adopting the school’s child

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

protection policy. Governors have relied too much on the guidance from the headteacher and consequently, in her absence, were not able to carry out monitoring duties as rigorously as they should have done. The governors responsible for recruitment and child protection have not, as yet, undertaken refresher safeguarding training. This also explains why they failed to identify weaknesses in the school’s child protection policy. As a result of the inspection, governors have taken swift action to address this; training is planned for this month. The governing body has been through a series of recent changes. Several governors have left, while others have been co-opted into posts. The local authority has provided support to add strength and capacity during this period. However, governors have a limited strategic overview of the school’s work and lack detailed information regarding current, essential requirements of governance. While they are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

improving the way in which they challenge and support school leaders, they recognise that they need further training and opportunities to learn from the effective practice of other governing bodies. Governors have made astute temporary appointments, such as the current interim headteacher, during the long-term absence of the substantive headteacher. They have ensured that staff changes have not impacted on the day-to-day running of the school and on pupils’ achievements. Governors have a realistic understanding of new assessment systems and are beginning to ask more specific and challenging questions about pupils’ progress, especially about that of the most vulnerable pupils. One governor, who oversees the progress of children looked after by the local authority, was able to explain how recent training has enabled her to probe leaders more effectively about how well they support these pupils’ emotional needs. This has led to school leaders developing small-group

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

sessions to support these pupils. Link governors attached to classes now make more frequent visits to the school. They see how well pupils are achieving and look in their books to check that teachers’ feedback follows the school’s policy. Teachers appreciate the support and the challenge they provide. Governors keep a close check on the performance of staff and how performance management is used to develop and support staff further, so that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievements improve. Additional funds to boost the uptake of sport and promote healthy lifestyles are monitored and governors have recognised how the wider range of activities and clubs, such as dance, gymnastics and netball, has raised pupils’ enjoyment and participation in sports. Governors ask challenging questions about how effectively pupil premium funding is used to boost the achievement of disadvantaged pupils through the deployment of additional support staff. Governors

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

have assigned a member of the senior leadership team as a ‘pupil premium’ champion to further improve the strategy for disadvantaged pupils. Governors are very visible in the school and at school events. For example, they oversee the school’s breakfast club and have noted how popular the Wednesday morning session run by ‘Commando Joe’ is, particularly for the school’s more vulnerable pupils. As a result of the inspection, governors have rightly requested an external review of governance in relation to safeguarding and other practices, which is due to be carried out shortly.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching is now typically good in the majority of classes in the school. This leads to good rates of progress in reading, writing and mathematics and spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Teachers’ expectations are high and they readily express their belief in pupils’ capabilities. Teachers’ and teaching assistants’ regular use of praise has raised pupils’ enjoyment and attitudes towards their own learning and potential.  Teachers ensure that the quality of lessons and pupils’ learning are good. Teachers’ effective use of clear learning objectives means that pupils understand what they are trying to achieve. Pupils make good use of the clear success criteria provided to check their work during lessons and to measure their own improvements.  Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils with additional needs, both inside and outside the classroom. They know the pupils they support well and most receive good direction from class teachers.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Flexible help, such as an hour a day of focused time with the learning mentor, ensures that every pupil makes at least good progress and achieves well.  Teachers know who the most-able pupils are in every class and increasingly use the school’s ‘spicy challenge’ initiative to provide tasks which stretch and push them further. In a Year 6 mathematics class, the most-able group devised their own complex number problems with inverse operations to test their peers. Pupils keenly try to outsmart each other and showcase their mathematical knowledge. Given the time and freedom to think for themselves, pupils apply what they know and, as a result, deepen their understanding.  Teachers encourage pupils to use their early reading strategies and, in a Year 2 English lesson, pupils confidently applied their knowledge of phonics (sounds and the letters they represent) to attempt to correctly spell ‘the statue will soon set’. A quick check by the teacher and teaching assistant encouraged

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils to think again about how else the sound could be spelled. This resulted in pupils accurately correcting the spelling of ‘statue’ and being pleased that they got the spelling right.  Pupils enjoy reading and enthuse about the ‘free range’ activity, which allows them to choose their favourite style of writing and go to the classroom where an adult is reading a book in that style. This has broadened pupils’ knowledge of different writing styles and raised their awareness of the variety of books available to them. Pupils have good opportunities to read in lessons and reading is now a regular part of their weekly activities. As a result, pupils make good progress and standards in reading are rising.  Pupils comment positively on how homework helps them to extend their learning. The after-school homework club provides a valued opportunity for older pupils to prepare for forthcoming tests and helps

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

them to build up good routines in preparation for their move to secondary school.  Pupils are learning how to improve their work because daily ‘read and respond’ time, known as ‘RAR’, provides the opportunity to act on advice and guidance given by their teachers. This helps pupils in all classes to improve and to become reflective as learners.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  This is a caring school and adults take the time to get to know pupils and their families well. Pupils’ emotional health and regard for their care is central to the school’s pastoral curriculum. Pupils know that there are several staff that they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns. The learning mentor greets families at the start of every day and the parent link worker is a key point of contact for vulnerable families.  Pupils joining the school part way through the year settle in well and, along with others, comment that they ‘feel very safe’ at Eyres Monsell.  The school provides good care and support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability and for those who are disadvantaged, and makes good use of an established network of specialists to enhance their learning. This helps pupils to overcome obstacles early on and contributes to their good

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Personal development and welfare

progress as they move through the school.  Pupils are well informed about British values, which are woven into the school’s own core values and frequently covered in assemblies and through topic work. British Values week provides a strong focus on each value, with pupils each presenting a value and reading out the meaning for others to reflect upon. The Queen’s 90th birthday is celebrated as the pinnacle of what it means to be British and pupils relish the opportunity to come to school in outfits representing their great pride in being a part of modern Britain.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed well through the curriculum. As a result, pupils play harmoniously with one another, accept differences and look out for one another. As they get older their confidence grows; they speak confidently to adults because they trust them to be kind and to listen.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils show themselves to be keen learners with positive attitudes to school. They are frequently highly engaged in lessons and contribute well to class discussions and activities.  Pupils behave well in class and around the school. They understand the school rules and are responsive to teachers’ quick reminders at the slightest sign of off-task behaviour. School records show that behaviour has improved since the previous inspection and both staff and parents agree that this has contributed to the calm, friendly atmosphere in the school.  Staff and pupils get along well and these positive relationships encourage pupils to take up positions of responsibility, by being eco-warriors, team captains or school councillors. Pupils look after each other and quickly befriend anybody on the ‘buddy bench’ in the playground. Older pupils mix with children in the early years and frequently help out at playtimes. They act as responsible role models and this helps the

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Behaviour

Reception children with their transition into Year 1.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance has risen to just above average. Very few pupils are persistently absent and the parent link worker makes daily checks and regular home visits to make sure that every pupil is accounted for.  Pupils are very well informed about bullying and understand the different forms it can take. They know how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. The very few incidents of bullying are quickly dealt with and the school’s anti-bullying work and board give the clear message ‘say no to bullying’, which is embodied by pupils’ attitudes towards one another. Work in lessons, assemblies and workshops has recently resulted in the school receiving an anti-bullying award.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils now make good progress across the school. In 2015, Year 6 pupils reached broadly average standards in reading, writing, mathematics, grammar, punctuation and spelling tests. This was the school’s best-ever result for Year 6 pupils.  The improved Year 6 results reflect pupils’ good progress from their starting points, with many more pupils than previously making expected progress in all subjects, and with particular successes in reading and in mathematics. The proportion making more than expected progress in reading and writing exceeded the national average. The proportion in mathematics was very slightly above the national average.  In 2015, a high proportion of the very small number of the most-able Year 6 pupils made excellent progress, exceeding national levels in all subjects to reach the higher levels of attainment in reading and mathematics and in the spelling, punctuation and grammar tests. In class, these pupils are increasingly

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Outcomes for pupils are good

provided with more challenging work and activities to stretch their thinking, which they approach confidently and try hard to get right. Additional resources, booster work and clubs are being developed to enhance the achievements of the most-able pupils.  Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress. Those who need additional language support are quickly identified and specialist support is put in place to help pupils develop their reading and writing skills. These pupils make good progress in line with others in the school.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make similarly good progress to their classmates. This is as a result of receiving effective, tailored support, which is regularly checked and adapted, so that pupils’ needs are continuously met.  Pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium funding make good progress in most year

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Outcomes for pupils are good

groups. Those in Year 6 in 2015 made excellent progress and outperformed their peers in school at the higher levels when reading, writing and mathematics results are combined. They also outperformed others nationally, making more progress in every subject. Additional funding is used effectively to provide extra, daily, targeted support for reading, writing and mathematics according to individuals’ needs. The school also provides counselling to address pupils’ emotional health and well-being, placing them in a stronger position to tackle their studies successfully and fully participate in all aspects of school life.  Phonics is very well taught in the early years, and Year 1 pupils have consistently achieved above average results for the last two years in the national phonics check.  Pupils now make good progress throughout each stage in the school. Leaders have successfully raised aspirations and pupils’ positive behaviour and attitudes to learning play an important part in their

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Outcomes for pupils are good

improved achievements. Pupils are more actively involved in helping to improve and in developing the skills to set their own targets. This prepares pupils well for secondary school.

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Early years provision is good

 Children enter the early years with a range of skills, which are typically well below those expected for their age. Progress is now good in the Nursery and Reception classes and higher proportions than previously are on track to achieve a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. Early years staff provide more focused activities for boys, use new information and communication technologies and match reading with boys’ interests. This has contributed to the substantial rise in the proportion of boys reaching a good level of development compared to previous years.  Adults assess children early on and regular checks allow them to quickly adapt and adjust support so that children make consistent and swift progress. The quality of teaching is good and the close-knit early years team is well led by the assistant headteacher. Adults plan together to ensure that good use is made of the inside and outside areas, and flexible arrangements mean that children can be moved between

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Early years provision is good

groups to maximise their learning. This cohesive approach lies at the heart of the good progress which the children in the early years now make.  Children enjoy learning and adults encourage them to help themselves as much as possible. The early years curriculum is very ‘hands on’ and children soon become actively involved in their own learning. This helps them to gain confidence and to develop and practise new skills, preparing them well for the transition to Year 1 learning.  Behaviour is good and children often show their patience and kindness towards each other. Reception children practised their good manners in a circle session, waiting patiently on the carpet for a turn to receive and roll a ball, saying ‘please and thank you’ as the activity progressed. The teacher encouraged children to find different words and expressions to show their good manners and this prompted one child to craft a full sentence, ‘thank you for giving me the ball’, which inspired others to follow.

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Early years provision is good

 Parents are encouraged to stay and read with their children, and the ‘school link book’ is an established method for parents and staff to share children’s achievements. Homework is set to practise basic skills and newly introduced writing books express the higher expectations for children’s achievements. Adults use the same marking symbols as higher up in the school and this eases the move between classes when children move up.  All adults provide a safe and caring environment for the children. They ensure that they fully understand each child’s needs, monitor their progress and listen to them keenly. Records kept by staff show excellent attention to detail and vigilance. The sharing of information about each child during team meetings ensures that children make the best possible progress and their needs are addressed swiftly.

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School details

Unique reference number 120069 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 10009099

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 267 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Boyd Pick Headteacher Kerry Hill Telephone number 0116 2773855 Website www.eyresmonsell.leicester.sch.uk Email address admin@eyresmonsell.leicester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15 January 2014

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Information about this school

 This is an above-average sized primary school. The number of pupils has risen since the school’s previous inspection.  Most pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is average and pupils come from a variety of different cultural backgrounds. The proportion of those who speak English as an additional language is slightly above average.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and eligible to be supported through the pupil premium is double the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are in the care of the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is well above average.  The early years consists of Nursery and Reception classes. Nursery children attend on a part-time basis.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The substantive headteacher has been absent since the end of the summer term 2015 and the school was led by a local headteacher between September and December 2015. In January 2016 the current, interim, headteacher was appointed and the assistant headteacher became the acting deputy headteacher and special educational needs coordinator. The headteacher returned to work at the end of April. The chair of the governing body has been in post since September 2015.  The school runs a daily breakfast club, which is overseen by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 21 lessons, five of these jointly with senior leaders. They observed support in class for pupils who need additional help with their learning and a review of additional support in lessons was carried out with the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and attended two school assemblies.  The inspection team looked closely at pupils’ work in every class and spoke with pupils about their work.  Inspectors spoke informally with parents at the start of each day and took note of their views through the three responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and through the school’s own parent survey.  Inspectors spoke with pupils around the school and met with school councillors and a group of vulnerable pupils.  Staff returned 26 questionnaires during the inspection and these were analysed to gain their views of the school.  Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body, and held a telephone conversation with a senior

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Information about this inspection

school adviser. During the inspection, inspectors also held discussions with school leaders responsible for English, mathematics, the early years, assessment, and for coordinating special educational needs.  Inspectors checked school documentation on attendance and behaviour and looked closely at records of assessment of pupils’ progress and those relating to monitoring of safeguarding. They looked at records of governing body meetings and how the school manages staff performance.  Following the inspection on 20–21 April 2016, a senior Her Majesty’s Inspector identified that additional evidence was needed to confirm the inspection judgements. Zarina Connolly, Her Majesty’s Inspector, visited the school on 5 May 2016 to gather additional evidence to support the inspection.

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Inspection team

Aune Turkson-Jones, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Sarah Chadwick Ofsted Inspector Joanne Ward 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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