Lockwood Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mr Grant Hopkins Headteacher Lockwood Primary School Boosbeck Saltburn-by-the-Sea North Yorkshire TS12 3BL

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Short inspection of Lockwood Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 9 June 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in April 2012.

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Short inspection of Lockwood Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You and your school leaders know your pupils and their needs well. You rightly take pride in the quality of your relationships, and your understanding and celebration of the uniqueness of the individual. You build on an ethos of care and respect, and a commitment to the rights of the child, to provide a calm and supportive atmosphere in which effective learning takes place.

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Short inspection of Lockwood Primary School

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They find lessons interesting and know where to get help when they need it. Pupils behave well and pay due regard for each other in classrooms and at playtimes. Pupils move around the school in an orderly manner and, as a result, they settle quickly in lessons. They concentrate on their tasks and say lessons are rarely interrupted by other pupils’ behaviour. When their attention does wander, they respond immediately to instructions from the teacher. However, in the early years, occasionally, too much time is lost moving between activities.

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Short inspection of Lockwood Primary School

Documentation reviewed during the inspection confirms that the vast majority of parents find the school a supportive place to send their children. Parents have confidence in the school’s leaders, feel informed about the progress their child is making and believe the behaviour of pupils is good. They would happily recommend the school to other parents. Where concerns have developed since the last inspection, you have acted promptly to address them. For example, emerging issues about attendance of some disadvantaged pupils in 2015 has led to intervention and support programmes. As a result, the attendance of those pupils now matches that of other pupils in the school and is above that seen nationally.

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Short inspection of Lockwood Primary School

You and your senior leaders have worked hard to ensure that areas identified for further improvement at the last inspection have been addressed. Information systems have been put in place. The systems ensure that the tracking and analysis of the progress of different ability groups is precise. They also inform teachers’ planning and influence future priorities. As a result, work now closely matches the needs of different ability groups including the most able. However, this information is not always used by governors in a timely enough fashion to help them fully understand possible emerging issues.

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Short inspection of Lockwood Primary School

A rigorous programme of safeguarding training and updates ensures that everyone is well versed in current and emerging issues both locally and nationally. Safeguarding is seen as the responsibility of all. Governors take a keen interest and are knowledgeable about safeguarding in all aspects of school life. Pupils express a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Senior leaders ensure that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed. Regular external supervision is in place for senior leaders to ensure that systems remain sharp and fit for purpose.

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Inspection findings

 You and your staff have worked hard to establish an effective and accurate tracking system to monitor the progress that all pupils and groups of pupils make. Consequently, teachers are able to plan to meet the needs of pupils effectively and action is taken rapidly to address emerging concerns. Pupils are making good and improving progress, with many going on to exceed expectations.  In the early years, the staff rightly focus on supporting children’s communication skills. Early reading and writing is supported through the accurate and systematic teaching of phonics (linking letters to the sounds they make). As a consequence, children make increasingly rapid progress and leave the early years with levels of ability, skills and understanding similar to those seen nationally. Additionally, results in the Year 1 phonics tests have improved each year and the trend looks set to continue.  By the time pupils complete key stage 1, the vast majority match the age-

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Inspection findings

related expectations and increasing proportions are exceeding them. A dip in outcomes in 2015, especially in writing, was closely monitored by school leaders. Taking into account the changes of pupils in the class, the progress for this class was strong. This has continued into Year 3 where increasing proportions are now meeting expectations.  Disadvantaged pupils now achieve as well as their counterparts in the early years and Year 1 phonics. Where gaps did persist at the end of key stage 1, they have narrowed quickly. All disadvantaged pupils now meet or exceed expectations by the end of key stage 1.  The rate of progress made by pupils in key stage 2 has accelerated. Those who needed to catch up have begun to do so. More pupils now exceed expectations, especially in writing and mathematics. This is because teachers monitor the progress of the most able pupils in detail, to ensure that they are still on track. Planned learning meets the needs of the most able pupils.

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Inspection findings

Teachers provide ample challenge for pupils to test their understanding and create opportunities for them to apply their learning in a range of situations.  The progress made by disadvantaged pupils and those vulnerable to underachievement is a strength of the school. It equals and sometimes exceeds that seen by other pupils.  Pupils leave your school at the end of key stage 2 with the skills and understanding in reading, writing and mathematics to help them succeed in secondary education. This is because good and better teaching is improving outcomes for pupils. In lessons, learning opportunities match the needs of pupils. Pupils enjoy their work, especially in mathematics and writing, and many find it stretching but achievable.  You and your leaders use a range of monitoring systems to support and challenge staff and hold them responsible for the progress pupils make. Staff share their assessments to help make sure they are accurate. Where

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Inspection findings

concerns become apparent, you and your staff work collectively to address them. As a result, teaching is effective across all phases of the school.  Pupils are clear about what they need to do to improve their work. They take pride in their achievements and celebrate each other’s successes. They have an interest in what others have to say and listen thoughtfully. As a result, pupils are proud of their school and appreciate the care and support adults give them.  Governors are highly committed to and enthusiastic about the school. They have a good knowledge of the day-to-day working of the school. Governors have a regular presence in the school and undertake a series of focused visits linked to school improvement priorities. They have a basic understanding of the strengths and weakness in the progress pupils make. However, this view is not always up to date and the time between reviews means that they are

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Inspection findings

not always well informed about emerging concerns. In addition, they have a sketchy understanding of the good work being undertaken by school leaders to support disadvantaged pupils and the difference it is making. As a result, their ability to hold school leaders fully to account is restricted.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 governors establish a clearer, more detailed and timely understanding about the progress of all groups of pupils, including the disadvantaged  in the early years, children’s potential learning time is not lost between activities. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Redcar and Cleveland. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you, your senior leaders and a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. I visited several classrooms with you to observe teaching and looked at pupils’ work. I spoke with pupils in lessons and a selected group of pupils about the school. I also spoke with a representative of the local authority. I reviewed information from Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I evaluated recent information about progress pupils make across the school and how the accuracy of assessments is secured .

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