Frisby Church of England Primary School

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

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Mr Stuart Northedge Headteacher Frisby Church of England Primary School Hall Orchard Lane Frisby-on-the-Wreake Melton Mowbray Leicestershire LE14 2NH

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 7 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 your predecessor school was judged to be good in June 2012.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You provide strong leadership and, as a result, the quality of teaching has improved. Pupils’ outcomes at the end of Year 6 have risen since the previous inspection and, consequently, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

You and your team have worked hard to improve outcomes in English and mathematics. In 2015, outcomes at the end of key stage 2 for mathematics, reading and English grammar, punctuation and spelling were significantly above the national average. Outcomes in writing have also improved and are broadly average at the end of key stage 2. Outcomes at the end of key stage 1 have improved since the previous inspection and are significantly above the national average for writing. Scrutiny of the pupils’ work shows, however, that the pupils do not achieve as well in some other areas of the curriculum, particularly in science in both key stages 1 and 2.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are very positive. In Year 5, pupils have studied William Shakespeare and, during my visit, were sharing enthusiastically their ideas to write their own sonnets. The school has a good record for sporting success and has reached the county finals for football, basketball, tag rugby and cross-country in the current academic year. At the previous inspection, the inspector asked leaders to raise standards in writing by providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length. Teachers do now provide more opportunities for pupils to write at length throughout the school. Pupils use paragraphs well to structure their writing. In Years 3, 4 and 5, however, the pupils do not frequently use a broad enough range of vocabulary to improve the quality of their writing, or think carefully enough about the quality of the sentence structure. I have asked you to improve this aspect of pupils’ writing.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

The inspector who carried out the previous inspection also asked leaders to improve pupils’ spelling and handwriting and for pupils to check their work carefully. The English leader has reorganised how the school teaches spelling and how teachers check on the progress that the pupils are making. As a result, most pupils can spell words which they are expected to know for their age.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

Although pupils are taught to join their handwriting, most pupils do not consistently join their writing and their work is not always presented to a high standard. The pupils do check through their work, however, and use their ‘polishing purple pens’ to edit. Consequently, their writing does improve after their first draft.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

Finally, the inspector asked you to improve the consistency of teaching by ensuring that the level of challenge provided matches the different abilities of pupils, especially the most able pupils. The quality of teaching has improved and is at least good and sometimes better. The most able pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are challenged appropriately and, as a result, they are making good progress through the school.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

I have asked you to improve the standards reached by pupils in science. Pupils are not being given enough opportunities to plan investigations, to record their results and to write conclusions to develop their scientific skills well.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

You lead safeguarding well in school. You keep detailed records, which are locked away securely. The school policy follows the latest government guidance. Staff training is up to date and all staff have completed paediatric first aid training. The checks on staff suitability to work with children are up to date. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose.

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Short inspection of Frisby Church of England Primary School

Pupils’ attendance in the current academic year is above average. The number of pupils who are persistently absent has dropped from last year. The school tracks closely the attendance of all pupils and works well with parents when a pupil’s attendance drops. Consequently, those pupils who previously had high absence rates are now attending school more frequently.

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Inspection findings

 You lead the school very well. You are supported well by your deputy and the leaders for English and mathematics. As leaders, you lead training, observe in lessons, check on the pupils’ work across the school, and speak to pupils about their learning. The whole staff work well as a team. As a result, standards have improved, particularly in English and mathematics.  The English leader has led and monitored the subject well. She has led training to improve pupils’ writing. Pupils are starting to include more grammatical features into their writing to improve the sentence structure than they did. This is at an early stage of development, however, particularly for pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5. Nonetheless, the most able pupils and pupils in key stage 1 and in Year 6 are making good progress with sentence structure and vocabulary choices to write lively and imaginative pieces.  The mathematics leader has led training to enable the teachers to improve

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Inspection findings

the pupils’ abilities to solve problems and to reason mathematically. Evidence from the pupils’ work shows that they solve mathematical challenges regularly to deepen their understanding. In Years 1 and 2, for example, pupils are asked to prove or disprove mathematical statements and to explain their thinking. Pupils are making at least good progress in mathematics.  Reading is promoted well in the school. In Year 1, the proportion of pupils who passed the phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) check last year was higher than the national average. Current school information shows that pupils in Year 1 are also achieving well in phonics.  The library was refurbished last year and this has further inspired the pupils to read. As a result, standards in reading across the school are high.  Pupils do not always take care to join their handwriting and present their work to a high standard.  Last year, outcomes at the end of the Reception year fell just below the

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Inspection findings

national average. The early years leader has since strengthened the partnership with the pre-school to ensure that more children are ready for school when they start in the Reception class.  Children in the Reception class make good progress, particularly with their writing. For example, one child wrote, ‘The villagers were not happy because the dragon got the maiden every day.’ Current school information shows that more children are expected to reach a good level of development by the end of the Reception year than did last year.  Pupils’ scientific skills are not being developed as well as they should be. Pupils rarely have opportunities to carry out science investigations. Moreover, when pupils do have opportunities to complete investigations, they do not always record their results accurately, or take time to consider their conclusions fully.  Visits to enhance the curriculum are used well to promote the pupils’

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Inspection findings

learning. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 visited the Derby Museum and examined primary and secondary sources as part of their research about the Stone Age. Other opportunities for pupils to answer historical questions using different sources of evidence through the school are limited.  Pupils have a very good understanding of British values. The Houses of Parliament Education group visited the school to inform the pupils about how democracy works. Consequently, pupils know about the democratic process. They recently enjoyed voting for the school’s new house captains.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. Pupils are encouraged to talk about their emotions and learn how to manage them. Older pupils are encouraged to take on roles of responsibility, such as being part of the sports crew, or road safety officers. They carry out these roles well to support the younger

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Inspection findings

pupils.  Pupils are respectful of other faiths and of people who may have different lifestyles to their own. Pupils have visited a gurdwara and synagogue and have good knowledge about different faiths, as well as about their own. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The school’s environment is harmonious. There are warm relationships between all adults and pupils in the school. Pupils are very polite, well- mannered and courteous.  Pupils speak confidently and are proud to attend the school. They work well with others and play cooperatively at break time. They told me that behaviour is good and that bullying is rare. They know they can tell an adult in school if they have a problem, and are confident that adults will support them.  The school has good links with other professionals to help it to meet the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inspection findings

Consequently, this group of pupils makes good progress.  Pupils’ knowledge of other countries is being developed through learning French. Older pupils have started to write short phrases. In geography, pupils have learned about the location of countries and in Year 6 pupils have studied the climate in Europe. The pupils’ understanding of other aspects of human geography is less developed.  Governors are very committed to the school and carry out their roles well. The governing body has a good range of expertise and governors challenge and support school leaders effectively. As a result, the governors play a significant role in school improvement.  Parents are very supportive of the school. All parents who responded to Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire) said that their children are happy and that they would recommend the school to another parent. For example, one parent wrote, ‘The leadership team has created a positive

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Inspection findings

climate for learning and growing young minds in a safe environment.’

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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

 pupils are given more opportunities to investigate in science, including planning their own investigations, recording their results accurately, and considering their conclusions fully  pupils’ writing improves by developing sentence structure, vocabulary choices and handwriting.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the Director of Education for the Diocese of Leicester, the regional Schools Commissioner and the Director of Children’s Services for Leicestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection I met with you, the deputy headteacher and the leaders for the early years, English, and mathematics. I spoke with parents and observed pupils at breaktime. I visited every classroom with you and we looked at pupils’ work. I met with three governors, including the vice-chair of the governing body. I met with a group of pupils from key stages 1 and 2. You and I reviewed records about safeguarding and attendance. I studied your school development plan and your self- evaluation document. I looked at your evidence relating to the performance management of staff and your evaluations of teaching and learning. I considered the 26 responses to Parent View and the 22 responses to the Ofsted free text service.

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