Gedney Church End Primary School

Gedney Church End Primary School Church End, Gedney, Spalding PE12 0BU

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher has a very good understanding of how well the school is doing. His determined leadership has resulted in many aspects of the school having improved since the last inspection.  The governors have a good range of skills and experience. They are ambitious for the school to improve and have provided a good level of support for school leaders.  Links with the federated school have provided additional capacity for leadership of subjects. Staff have benefited from a good range of training and support.  School leaders have developed good systems for checking the progress that pupils make.  Older pupils make consistently good progress across a range of subjects.  Children make a good start in the Reception Year. They develop good social skills and are prepared well for Year 1.  Leaders have put in place innovative strategies to support disadvantaged pupils. Many are catching up with their peers.

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This is a good school

 Much of the planning of lessons ensures that the most able pupils are able to build on their skills and knowledge. Teaching is good and has improved since the last inspection.  The school provides pupils with a happy, secure and stimulating place to learn.  Pupils behave well in lessons, when moving around the school and at break and lunchtime. They say they feel safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some writing does not have accurate enough grammar, spelling or punctuation. This is especially the case for a few pupils in key stage 1.  Some pupils who have not achieved the expected level in phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) are not catching up quickly enough.  The work of teaching assistants is not consistently planned effectively.  The provision for teaching a modern foreign language is currently underdeveloped.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve further the progress made by pupils in writing, especially in key stage 1, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring the work of teaching assistants is planned more thoroughly so they have a clearer focus for the support they provide in lessons continuing to insist and check that pupils regularly produce work that has accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar developing greater consistency in the teaching of phonics, so that pupils who are not confident in sounding out words by the end of Year 1 make consistently better progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management further by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring that the teaching of a modern foreign language is given a higher priority within the curriculum and staff have the skills and resources to teach this aspect more effectively.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has provided determined and focused leadership since the previous inspection. Almost all of the areas identified for improvement are now secure.  Relationships within the school are positive and productive. Pupils are benefiting from the shared roles that staff carry out across the federation of schools. This gives greater capacity to Gedney Church End School.  Teachers with responsibility for subjects have made good progress in understanding their roles and now check progress regularly. They have a clearer understanding of the school’s expectations and work well across the federation.  School leaders have an accurate understanding of the improvements that have been made. They are clear that more still needs to be done, especially in improving writing further.  Staff have benefited from additional support and training. They work together well as a team to support each other. The small size of the school enables them to communicate regularly and effectively.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Although the school is small, pupils have the opportunity to take part in additional trips, clubs and other activities. The federation has helped by giving staff greater support and capacity.  Sporting activities have been developed well and leaders, including governors, check to make sure that additional funding is used effectively.  Relationships within school are positive and productive. Pupils get on well with each other and staff ensure that there is no discrimination.  Classrooms are welcoming and have attractively presented displays. School leaders are working hard to involve parents and communicate with them. The very large majority of parents recognise and welcome this.  The local authority has supported leaders well by providing accurate evaluations of how well the school is doing.  The school has developed innovative ways to support disadvantaged pupils. They include ‘Forest School’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

provision and additional support for their emotional and social development. Although it is too soon to know how successful this has been, these pupils are improving and catching up with their peers, because the school has made it a high priority.  The school teaches a good range of subjects and topics. There has been a strong focus on getting key skills of literacy and numeracy right. Standards are improving across different subject areas. More now needs to be done to develop the teaching of a modern foreign language.  The governance of the school The governors have a good range of skills and experience. They have high aspirations for the school and are starting to provide a good level of challenge and support for school leaders. Governors receive regular information about how well the school is doing. They use this to check that the targets set for staff are sufficiently robust. Governors receive information about how well groups of pupils are doing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

They check that additional funding received for disadvantaged pupils, and for additional sports activities, is spent appropriately.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Checks are made to ensure that staff have appropriate qualifications and skills. Clear arrangements are in place to make sure the site is safe. Additional training has been provided for staff and governors on how to be aware of possible neglect or abuse. School leaders have ensured that staff and pupils have the opportunity to be aware of the importance of British values.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The school’s expectations for behaviour are clear and applied consistently across the different classes.  Teachers use detailed information about what each pupil should be achieving to check learning. Additional support is offered through ‘Gaps’ sessions, which enable pupils to practise particular skills and concepts they find more difficult.  Teachers have a good understanding of the subjects they teach. The teaching of a modern foreign language needs additional time, support and resources.  Information about how well pupils are doing is checked carefully. Pupils receive regular and helpful written and verbal feedback from teachers. They respond to this well and check each other’s work. Parents receive detailed information about attendance and how well pupils are doing across a wide range of subjects.  Reading is taught systematically through guided reading sessions. There is a good focus on developing

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

reading skills and checking that pupils understand texts. A few pupils who have not met the expected standard in the use of phonics in Year 1 have not caught up sufficiently, because the teaching is not always systematic enough.  Teachers have developed good skills in teaching mathematics. They have benefited from additional training and support. This has contributed to current pupils making more rapid progress.  Teaching activities are regularly planned effectively and thoroughly. This ensures that the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes are identified and addressed. The work of teaching assistants needs to be planned more effectively so that they are clearer about how they can best support some individual pupils. This is especially the case in key stage 1.  Teachers encourage pupils to try hard and focus on their work. Almost all respond well. A few, especially in key stage 1, do not always make sure their work is presented as well as it could be. Teachers do not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

do enough to insist that expectations are more consistent.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils say they feel happy at school. They like attending a small school where they feel they are known well.  Pupils take pride in their uniform and bring the right equipment to school.  Pupils learn about how to stay safe when using computers. The arrangements for coming into school and leaving are managed carefully and ensure they are safe.  Pupils have good opportunities to learn about aspects of social, moral and cultural development through topics they study. For example they cover a range of subjects through themes such as ‘Burps, Bottoms and Bile’, or ‘The Scented Garden’.  Visits from local clergy and regular assemblies provide pupils with a good chance to cover spiritual issues. They are given the opportunity to reflect on different themes and ideas about the world beyond the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The attendance of pupils has improved significantly over time. It is now average and those with lower attendance have either had specific illness, or are working well with the school to improve their attendance.  Pupils behave well in lessons and at break and lunchtimes. There is a good range of equipment for them to use and games and activities are organised well. Different age groups get on well with each other.  Pupils have opportunities to take on positions of responsibility. Older pupils are encouraged to support younger ones. There is a strong sense of community. The school is successful in its aim of promoting a happy, secure and stimulating environment.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school and are unlikely to experience any bullying. A very small number of parents who completed Parent View disagreed with this view. The parents and pupils spoken to during

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Behaviour

the inspection were happy that bullying, or derogatory language, was not something they encountered.  Most pupils take care over their work and presentation. Some, however, especially in key stage 1, do not always try as hard as they could. As a result their grammar, punctuation and spelling are not always as good as they might be.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Children start at the school with skills and experience that are below average. In 2014 and 2015 most made good progress during their time at the school.  Pupils achieved broadly average outcomes in the 2015 national key stage 2 tests. Current school data and evidence seen during the inspection show that they are continuing to make similar progress. The cohort of pupils is small and one pupil can represent up to one fifth of these published outcomes.  Pupils are making good progress in history, geography and science where they have the chance to explore ideas and make links between themes and topics. They also enjoy good opportunities to develop their artistic and sporting skills.  The most able pupils are making good progress, or improving from their starting points. They benefit from effective planning which enables them to tackle work that stretches them, or deepens their learning.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability are making good progress. They benefit from working in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

mixed-age classes and often receive additional support and help.  Disadvantaged pupils are increasingly catching up with their peers. Careful checks are made on their progress. Pupils have the chance to receive additional support for their emotional and social development. They also enjoy the opportunities they have to take part in ‘Forest School’ activities, where they are able to develop greater confidence.  Results in the national phonics checks for Year 1 pupils have been below average for the last two years. This is based on a small cohort of pupils, where one pupil makes a big difference to the overall percentage reported. Evidence seen during the inspection shows that this year’s outcomes in these checks are likely to be above average. A few pupils who did not previously achieve the expected level in phonics have not yet caught up sufficiently, because some of the provision is not taught consistently well.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils in key stage 1 did not achieve as well in the 2015 national tests, especially in mathematics. Their attainment was still broadly average. Current work seen during the inspection shows that pupils are doing better.  Pupils achieved outcomes in writing that are close to average in both key stage 1 and 2 national tests. Some writing, especially in key stage 1, is still not good enough, because a few pupils do not take sufficient care over punctuation, spelling and grammar. Their written work shows they are capable of working to a higher standard, but they do not always complete work in different subjects with sufficient care.

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Early years provision is good

 Leadership of the early years is effective. Staff ensure that accurate information is used to identify children’s needs when they start the Reception Year. Good links with early years providers ensure that information about children in these settings is used to build on their skills and confidence.  The children quickly settle into the regular routines provided. The school provides them with a good range of resources and a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities. They enjoy coming to school.  Arrangements to keep children safe are planned thoroughly. Teaching is planned well and the children benefit from specific time on their own, or in groups. They have the opportunity to work with Year 1 pupils when they are ready for more formal learning activities.  Parents and carers are able to access helpful information about the activities children have been involved in, as well as assessments about how well they are progressing. Parents have the chance to contribute by

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Early years provision is good

adding their own comments.  Children get on well with each other and with adults. They are able to play together and take turns. They listen well when adults are explaining ideas.  Children make good progress in the Reception Year. Many start with skills and experience that are below average. The proportion achieving a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year is average.  Parents spoken to during the inspection said they are happy with the provision in the Reception Year. They appreciate the communication they receive and agree that children make a good start in their learning.

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School details

Unique reference number 120409 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10011743 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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 49 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Diane Howard Executive headteacher Luke Whitney Telephone number 01406 362 383 Website www.gedneychurchendprimary.org Email address enquiries@churchend.lincs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 June 2014

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Information about this school

 Gedney Church End Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. It is part of a federation with Lutton St Nicholas Primary School. The schools have the same headteacher and governing body. Some staffing roles and leadership roles are also shared between the two schools.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. A very small number of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above average. This provides additional funding for children looked after and those known to be eligible for free school meals. These pupils are referred to in this report as being disadvantaged.  The proportion who have special educational needs and disability is broadly average. The percentage who have a statement of special educational needs, or an education, health and care plan, is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school is organised into three classes: one for Reception-aged children and Year 1 pupils, another for pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 and one for Years 5 and 6 pupils.  The school website meets requirements for publication of relevant information.

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Information about this inspection

 Discussions were held with the headteacher, class teachers, those with responsibility for subjects and three members of the governing body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector visited 10 lessons, or part lessons; five of these visits were with the headteacher. The written work of pupils in all year groups was checked in order to evaluate teaching over time.  The inspector spoke to pupils during lessons and held meetings with groups to find out their views on behaviour, safety and bullying. The inspector also spoke to pupils about their reading habits.  The inspector looked at a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s evaluation of its effectiveness, improvement plans, records of the management of teachers’ performance, assessment information, minutes of meetings, and information about safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector reviewed the local authority’s reports about the school since the previous inspection.  The nine responses parents made to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and any comments made were considered to check their views of the school’s work. The inspector also talked to some parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

David Bray, lead inspector 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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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