Edlington Victoria Primary School

Edlington Victoria Primary School Victoria Road, Edlington, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN12 1BN

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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 Inadequate

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This is a good school

 The executive headteacher has been an inspirational force, setting out a clear vision for how successful the school can be. As a result of her excellent leadership, substantial improvements have been made since the time of the last section 5 inspection and standards have improved at every key stage.  The head of school has kept a relentless focus on changing the school for the benefit of pupils, ensuring rapid improvement in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ attitudes to learning.  Members of the interim education board have been instrumental in the recruitment of highly effective senior leaders. They have an accurate understanding of the effectiveness of the school and provide rigorous challenge and support for school leaders.  Middle leaders have been effective in improving the teaching of English and mathematics and consequently the majority of pupils are working at levels expected for their age.

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This is a good school

 As a result of good teaching, almost all pupils are now making expected progress and many make accelerated progress.  The use of assessment to inform teaching is strong. As a result, teachers accurately match activities to their pupils’ needs, contributing to their good progress.  Effective marking and feedback provided by teachers is helping pupils to improve their work.  Teachers’ effective planning and provision in the early years is ensuring children make good progress.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to improve their learning, resulting in them taking responsibility for their successes and learning from failure.  A strong culture of safeguarding, supported by systematic teaching about safety, is helping pupils to feel safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are significant gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others.  Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to fully develop their understanding of other faiths and cultures in modern Britain.

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Full report

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Close the attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others, particularly in reading and mathematics, by: ensuring activities get to the heart of pupils’ knowledge and quickly plug gaps in pupils’ understanding so they can make better than typical progress improving the deployment of additional adults so they intervene more effectively and lead activities that are more sharply focused on learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the broader curriculum so that: – pupils’ knowledge of the wider world is deepened by providing more systematic opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and cultures in modern Britain.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The executive headteacher has been unwavering in her determination to improve outcomes for pupils. She has been highly analytical in her diagnosis of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and tenacious in ensuring a focus on rapidly improving the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers say they are absolutely clear about the vision for the school.  The executive headteacher and head of school hold all staff rigorously to account for the progress of pupils. They have set sharp priorities which have been tackled with determination. Both leaders have the full confidence of staff and the interim education board. One teacher wrote ‘it is lovely to see how far we have come’, and another commented ‘we are all in it together’.  The head of school has steadfastly underpinned the drive to improve standards. Her daily presence and frequent checks are securing good teaching. She has persistently mentored staff who needed more

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

support to implement change, so that all teaching is now effective in helping pupils to make good progress.  Middle leaders are supporting the executive headteacher and head of school effectively and share the vision to deliver the best education for pupils. They lead by example, testing out new approaches in class and supporting other staff as they adapt their practice. One such example is a recently completed research project looking at ways to improve pupils’ attitudes to learning. With input from all pupils, leaders have introduced ‘learning animals’ to help pupils to identify and talk about the key characteristics of collaboration, resilience, investigation and evaluation. This work has been instrumental in rapidly improving pupils’ commitment to their learning.  Targets set for teachers are helping them to develop professionally. Teachers have frequent chances to attend meetings with other local schools and benefit from bespoke training organised by the executive

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

headteacher. Teachers spoke enthusiastically of opportunities to regularly reflect on their practice and are proud of the work they are doing to improve learning and assessment across a range of subjects.  The leader with responsibility for provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities provides effective guidance for teachers to help pupils make good progress. As a result of her work, the gap between these pupils and others in school is narrowing.  Extra money provided to the school to support disadvantaged pupils is used to provide additional support and mentoring to help them to achieve. The impact of this work is that almost all disadvantaged pupils are making, or exceeding, expected progress. However, leaders are aware that gaps between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils remain.  Pupils’ understanding of social, moral and spiritual issues is taught effectively through lessons and as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

issues arise. Leaders encourage pupils’ understanding of equality through assemblies and display. For example, pupils were helped to understand about differences through the ‘Stonewall’ display. Leaders make links to the characteristics of the ‘learning animals’ so that pupils fully understand the school values, expressing kindness and consideration towards each other. However, pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures is not as well developed.  School sports funding has been used to provide specialist coaches who deliver a range of sports within school. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities to attend lunchtime and after-school activities, including multi-skills, football, boxing, athletics and dodgeball.  In addition to sports clubs, pupils are helped to deepen their interests and skills through a wide offer of clubs such as choir, cookery, film and ‘Glee Club’. A homework club enables pupils to complete online

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

reading, mathematics and other tasks to further develop their skills.  The governance of the school The interim education board, made up of education specialists and a business representative, has been instrumental in supporting leaders to bring about improvements. Critically, they have secured the long- term future of the school through a highly effective partnership with Hilltop Primary School, also in Edlington. The interim education board works effectively alongside the leadership team to critically evaluate the impact of actions. They have been supported in this role through regular and astute reports provided by the local authority. The board has a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and ensures that pay and promotion are matched to teachers’ performance. Board members regularly check on the impact of additional funds used to support disadvantaged pupils. There are monthly meetings with the senior leadership team to discuss information relating to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupils’ achievement, resulting in the board being very well informed about the performance of the school.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure a safe environment for pupils and a strong culture of safeguarding prevails. Pupils contributed to a whole-school ‘underpants’ display, learning how to keep themselves safe from abuse. All staff and interim education board members have received appropriate training in safeguarding, including in the protection of pupils against radicalisation. The work of the parent support manager has been vital in ensuring detailed records are kept. She shrewdly uses her local knowledge and has developed a close working relationship with other local agencies, including the police and social care to ensure timely intervention and support for families.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 As a result of highly focused support and clarity in the expectations of teachers by school leaders, the quality of teaching is now good. Consequently, all groups of pupils are making at least good progress and many are making accelerated progress.  Leaders have worked very effectively with teachers to establish reliable assessment systems closely linked to the curriculum. Teachers are using new procedures to accurately determine what pupils know and understand. This information is well used to plan for subsequent learning.  Much improved subject knowledge demonstrated by staff is ensuring the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) is effective and is underpinning the ability of all pupils, but particularly those who are less able, to read and write unfamiliar words.  Leaders have enhanced pupils’ reading by introducing new reading material to appeal to different pupils and to promote more reading at home. Reading lessons in school have been improved so that pupils know

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

they are expected to read, talk and write about texts in detail. Pupils read challenging texts both in school and at home. Many pupils use the online reading scheme to earn ‘coins’ which in turn reward them with access to educational games.  Improvements in the teaching of writing have accelerated pupils’ progress. Teachers are effective in helping pupils to understand how to demonstrate their skills in grammar and punctuation. Pupils are using the resources provided by their teachers to ‘uplevel’ and improve their own writing.  Teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils, both written and spoken, are helping to accelerate progress in mathematics and writing for many pupils.  Teaching in mathematics is well matched to the range of pupil abilities. Greater emphasis has been given to providing pupils with opportunities to deepen their understanding and apply their knowledge to solving problems. ‘Cold tasks’, designed to find out what pupils know prior to learning, are used to focus teaching

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

precisely on the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This is helping all pupils, but particularly the most able, to make good progress.  Teachers have taken much care to ensure lessons are meaningful to pupils. For example, Year 3 pupils have learned about links to the local steel industry through a topic on metals, and teachers used the European football championships as a vehicle for problem solving in mathematics. Pupils’ good progress is secured through a focus on language development and the reinforcement of reading, writing, mathematics and science skills when learning in other areas of the curriculum, as was the case when pupils visited Edlington Main park, aligned to the text Danny the Champion of the World.  Acting on feedback from parents, leaders and teachers made changes to homework. As a result, around 75% of pupils now regularly complete homework. Thematic home learning, often based around the wider

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

curriculum, is helping pupils to consolidate artistic and creative skills, as well as reinforcing mathematical and scientific learning. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils studying the ancient Egyptians had been asked to construct a pyramid. Pupils showed ingenuity, returning pyramids made of a variety of materials such as sugar cubes, pan scourers and building blocks.  Teachers and additional adults both take responsibility for teaching lower-attaining pupils. Where practice is most effective, additional adults support pupils’ learning using good subject knowledge and questioning well to encourage pupils to think for themselves. There is, however, some variability in the impact of additional adults on pupils’ learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils demonstrate consistently good attitudes to learning. This is as a direct result of the work done by leaders and teachers to ensure every child understands what good learning looks like. Without exception, pupils from Reception to Year 6 are able to use the ‘resilient rhino’, ‘collaborating cobra’, ‘evaluating elephant’ and ‘investigating iguana’ characters to describe what aspect of learning they are using. This language is well embedded so that some parents are using it to praise their children through reading records and homework tasks.  Pupils’ work, on display throughout school, is of a high quality, illustrative of their improved belief in their own ability. Pupils exhibit pride in their work through neatly presented books and careful handwriting.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is good. Pupils know how to keep

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Personal development and welfare

themselves safe as a result of well-planned lessons, high-profile displays and assemblies. Year 6 pupils have learned how to deal with a variety of challenging situations, including dangers presented by drug misuse. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe when using the internet and e-safety displays serve as a continuous reminder to pupils to keep personal information private.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is as a result of clear behaviour policies, consistently applied by all staff. In almost all lessons observed, no time was wasted in correcting the behaviour of pupils and the vast majority of pupils display good attitudes to learning.  Pupils say they really enjoy playtimes and report very few incidences of bullying. A very small number of parents suggested the school does not respond well to concerns raised about bullying. Inspectors examined this area of the school’s work and found a caring ethos where bullying is dealt with.  Pupils’ attendance has improved and is now broadly in line with the national average. The majority of pupils arrive at school on time and ready to learn. The parent support manager has worked effectively with parents to remove barriers to attendance.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 In 2016, as a result of historical underperformance, some pupils in Year 6 have not attained as well as they should in reading and mathematics. Pupils attained levels in line with the national average in writing. Disadvantaged pupils attained less well than other pupils, particularly in mathematics.  Although gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others are closing, in some classes and some subjects the gaps are wide. Gaps between the progress of boys and girls are almost eradicated in most year groups, although girls in Year 5 are outperforming boys. Consequently, outcomes for pupils require improvement.  However, there is a strongly improving trend in the progress of pupils across the school. Very high proportions of current pupils make at least expected and increasingly more than expected progress across most year groups in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities make very good progress from their starting points in

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

all year groups.  Children enter Nursery with knowledge and skills well below those typically seen for their age. They are helped to settle quickly and make good progress, particularly in the acquisition of social, communication and language skills. This good progress is continued in Reception so that broadly average proportions of children are achieving a good level of development, making them well prepared to start work in Year 1.  In 2016, 70% of pupils in Year 2 attained levels expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. This represents good progress from the early years. A higher proportion of boys than girls attained expected levels, although the vast majority of pupils made expected progress.  There was a marked improvement in the proportion of pupils achieving the Year 1 phonics check so that pupils’ attainment in phonics is now broadly in line with national averages.

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Early years provision is good

 Most children arrive at Edlington Victoria at stages of development below those expected for their age. Teachers and additional adults work effectively with small groups or individual children to ensure children learn and develop well. Teaching assistants work effectively with individuals or small groups of children to help them practise particular skills, for example securing early number skills or learning the sounds that letters make.  As a result of sensitive teaching concentrated on developing children’s attention, confidence and vocabulary, children make good progress. For example, one child was observed trying to get washing-up liquid into a bottle, using a spoon. Thoughtful questioning by an additional adult and the provision of additional resources to stretch and challenge enabled him to work through the ‘problem’.  Leaders carefully watch the progress of all children and challenge teachers to ensure activities planned

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Early years provision is good

meet children’s needs. Regular meetings are held to ensure assessment information accurately reflects what children can do. Through frequent observation, teachers have a good knowledge of the needs of individual children. Observations are being well used to plan the next stage of learning for children.  Leaders have ensured much investment in resources and staff development over the last year. As a consequence, quality provision, both indoors and outside, is helping children to develop the knowledge and skills they need. The learning environment is thoughtfully set up so that children can use resources in a creative way.  Children are well motivated and display good levels of concentration. For example, a group of boys were observed creating an aeroplane from crates and wooden blocks, negotiating who should ‘drive’ and where they should sit on the plane. Considerate placing of resources and timely input from additional adults was

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Early years provision is good

very effective in helping the children to develop their skills in speaking, collaboration and manipulating objects.  Teachers plan carefully for the needs of disadvantaged children and as a result disadvantaged children now make progress at the same rate as others. The most able children have exceeded early learning goals, working at levels above those expected for their age.  Staff are careful to minimise risks for children through a daily assessment of equipment. Appropriate risk assessments and care policies are in place.  Teachers’ work to involve parents in their child’s education is much appreciated by parents of children in the early years. Parents have contributed to children’s learning profiles and also sent in photographs to school as part of the ‘Get Caught Learning’ strategy, promoting the fact that learning takes place everywhere. During the inspection, parents accompanying their children on a school trip spoke highly of

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Early years provision is good

the quality of teaching their children received, reinforcing the inspectors’ view that children are settled and happy in school.

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School details

Unique reference number 106758 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 10013017

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 281 Appropriate authority Interim education board Chair David Fox Executive headteacher Beryce Nixon Telephone number 01709 862 175 Website www.victoria.doncaster.sch.uk Email address business@victoria.doncaster.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 February 2015

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Information about this school

 This is a slightly larger than average primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional funding provided for children who are looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is above the national average.  In 2015, the school met the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Children in the Nursery attend part-time. Children in the Reception class attend full-time.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The executive headteacher, head of school, several staff and the interim education board have been

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Information about this school

appointed to the school since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Together with the executive headteacher and head of school, inspectors looked at pupil progress data, information about the performance of teachers, documents relating to behaviour and safety and documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 17 parts of lessons, many alongside senior leaders.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, and observed pupils’ learning in small groups. They spoke with pupils in lessons, at lunchtime and at playtimes and met with groups of pupils from all classes.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, head of school, middle leaders, class teachers, members of the interim education board and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. They considered the opinion of 10 parents through Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents).  Inspectors took account of the views of staff through school questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Lesley Butcher, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Julia Foulger 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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