Hallgate Primary School Cottingham

School report Hallgate Community Primary School Hallgate, Cottingham HU16 4DD Inspection dates 15–16 June 2016

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress is not strong enough for them to achieve good outcomes and reach the standards they are capable of, particularly at key stage 2.  Sometimes the work teachers set does not challenge all groups of pupils, including children in the early years, well enough for them to achieve their potential, particularly the most able.  Pupils do not apply their basic skills in writing and mathematics accurately in other subjects.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour and effort are not consistently high, and when not managed well, slow pupils’ progress.  A few pupils do not work as hard as they could because sometimes work does not hold their interest. Some give up too easily when they get stuck.  Teaching assistants are not deployed to best effect in a few classes and therefore do not make as much difference as they could to pupils’ learning.  Subject leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching does not focus sharply on learning and

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This is a school that requires improvement

progress.  The teaching of mathematics and teachers’ subject knowledge, though improving, are not delivering good outcomes for all pupils in this subject.  Assessment procedures are not embedded well enough to ensure that they are accurate and reliable, so that the information can be used effectively to plan subsequent learning.

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The school has the following strengths

 The new headteacher has identified the right priorities to improve the school and is acting on these effectively.  Pupils’ attendance is now above the national average. Pupils feel safe and well looked after at school. They know how to keep themselves safe.  Most pupils behave well, and enjoy their learning. The school is a calm, orderly place where pupils are happy and feel valued.  Most parents speak highly of the impact the headteacher has had on school improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in order to increase rates of progress and raise standards for all groups of pupils, particularly at key stage 2, by: ensuring that staff have higher expectations of all pupils, particularly the most able, throughout the school making certain that behaviour is managed consistently doing more to raise the aspirations and attitudes of pupils so that they persevere when they find learning difficult, take greater pride in their work and always try their best using assessment information to plan work that meets pupils’ needs and holds their interest developing teachers’ questioning skills to check pupils’ understanding and to deepen and extend pupils’ knowledge and skills providing appropriate and sharply focused support for disadvantaged pupils at key stage 2 so they close the gap with their peers in the school and other pupils nationally improving the teaching of mathematics so that gaps in learning are closed and all pupils achieve more

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

checking that pupils apply their basic literacy and numeracy skills accurately in work in other subjects ensuring that teachers adhere to the school’s policies on feedback through marking so that pupils know what they need to do to improve their work deploying teaching assistants to maximum effect in every class to secure higher outcomes for pupils.  Strengthen leadership and management by: ensuring that the monitoring and evaluation of teaching quality make reference to the progress seen in pupils’ books and in assessment data in order to ensure that all pupils make the progress they should ensuring that subject leaders play a stronger role in developing their areas of responsibility in monitoring teaching and learning and securing higher outcomes for all pupils checking that additional support given to disadvantaged pupils is evaluated closely so that the gap between the achievement of these pupils and that of others narrows more quickly at key stage 2

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring that staff have the level of training they need, particularly in mathematics, to undertake their roles effectively checking that assessment information is accurate and reliable and is used effectively to modify planning to meet the needs of all pupils, including children in the early years holding teachers and teaching assistants to account more rigorously for the progress the pupils they support make.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The new headteacher has quickly and accurately identified what improvements need to be made to improve outcomes for pupils. She has reviewed the school’s policy on behaviour management and has set challenging targets for pupils’ achievement. However, the actions taken to improve teaching, learning and assessment have not been in place long enough to have had full impact. Pupils’ progress is accelerating but some pupils are still underachieving, particularly in key stage 2.  The headteacher is ambitious for the school and has high expectations of staff and pupils. With a greater focus on raising achievement, she is driving school improvement effectively. Governors and senior leaders are supporting her well.  The monitoring of teaching is improving because senior leaders are now more rigorous and regular in their checks. However, some subject leaders are not as involved as well as they should be. Sometimes,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

observations are not appropriately cross referenced to assessments or work in pupils’ books to ensure that teaching is consistently good, and so not all pupils have an equal opportunity to achieve all they should.  Leaders have made effective use of pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils in the early years and in key stage 1, but the impact of the funding diminishes as pupils progress through key stage 2. Consequently, the gap between their attainment and that of their peers is not closing quickly enough.  Owing to a high turnover of staff at all levels in the last year, leaders, including subject leaders, have been unable to embed good practice consistently. There is scope for new leaders to be more involved in improving the quality of teaching and ensuring that teachers’ assessments are precise and reliable so that they can be used to accurately inform teachers’ planning.  The leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

helping these pupils make expected progress from their starting points. There is scope for further improvement in the progress of these pupils.  Improved systems for managing teachers’ performance are relatively new. The headteacher is including support staff within these procedures to ensure greater consistency in teaching. Teachers are receiving good support and training to improve their effectiveness and hence teaching is being strengthened. Regular meetings to review pupils’ progress highlight where some are not making the progress they should. Extra support is provided to help these pupils catch up quickly.  The curriculum is broad, with sufficient weighting on the teaching of English and mathematics. Pupils enjoy a wide range of work in subjects but are not encouraged to apply their literacy and numeracy skills accurately. The school is still developing its curriculum and recognises that the provision for the teaching

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

of mathematics requires improvement, particularly in improving teachers’ subject knowledge and pupils’ ability to apply their number skills confidently to solve problems. The provision for sport, led by specialist coaches, is strong and pupils benefit in their physical development and well-being through attending the numerous activities on offer. Effective use is made of the sports premium.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported well. Pupils explore other cultures and traditions through the curriculum. They know that they should respect and tolerate the faiths and beliefs of others. Through assemblies and visits, pupils experience the wider world and know that communities in the world beyond their locality are very diverse and sometimes less advantaged. Discussions about global issues such as climate change and pollution and the election of school councillors help pupils consider matters of equality and democracy, British values and their responsibility

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

to support others.  Leaders have been successful in improving attendance to above the national average. Persistent absence has decreased markedly. Systems to monitor attendance and punctuality are robust and effective.  The local authority has provided effective support through the appointment of an executive headteacher in the autumn term following the resignation of the previous headteacher. This interim measure helped leaders to make a start on tackling weaknesses pending the arrival of the new headteacher. The local authority continues to monitor the school’s performance and supports leaders and governors well.  Through the many text messages received by Ofsted, a number of parents raised concerns about high staff turnover since the previous inspection. However, most also indicated that they are extremely confident in the school leaders and particularly positive about the strong impact the new headteacher has

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

had on school improvement and provision for their children’s learning progress and well-being.  The governance of the school The governing body took swift action to seek support from the local authority when the previous headteacher left. Governors are actively engaged in the life of the school and are regular visitors. They meet with senior leaders regularly, and visit lessons, assemblies and other events and so keep a close eye on the impact of any actions being taken to make improvements. They have had appropriate training on reviewing pupils’ progress data and now hold leaders to account more confidently. The new headteacher keeps them fully informed. They challenge her through regular meetings to check on the impact of improvements on raising outcomes for pupils. Governors have supported the headteacher in the actions taken to eradicate weak teaching and are now focused on ensuring that all teaching is good. They know the headteacher has arrested the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

decline in standards in key stage 1, noted in the test results of 2015, but are also aware that underachievement, particularly in mathematics, is still an issue in key stage 2. Governors monitor the school’s spending closely and know that the pupil premium funding has not had the impact it should have in closing the gap between disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2 and their classmates. They can explain the impact of the primary school sports funding on increasing pupils’ involvement in sport. Governors make sure that the school meets all statutory requirements, including for safeguarding.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders take their duty of care very seriously and act promptly to address any changes in the requirements. Training for staff and governors is up to date and teachers are well informed about the dangers of extremism and radicalisation. Leaders and managers take the necessary steps to involve other agencies to ensure children’s safety and well-being. The school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

makes sure that parents are fully informed about matters such as adopting safe practices for pupils to use the internet at home.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Despite recent improvements, teaching is still not consistently good enough to secure good progress for all pupils. There has been too much variation in the quality of teaching over time, and pupils, particularly in mathematics, still have gaps in their learning; this stops them achieving well.  Teachers’ expectations are not consistently high for all pupils, but particularly for the most able and so some do not make the progress they could. Pupils occasionally lose interest and fail to do their best work. While most continue to behave well, sometimes attitudes to learning are not as positive as they should be.  Occasionally, all pupils start with the same work before moving on to harder challenges, resulting in some pupils marking time. This is particularly so for some of the most able pupils.  Work in pupils’ books, particularly in key stage 2, shows that pupils are occasionally repeating work they

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

have already mastered. It is also evident from pupils’ books that some are not secure in their understanding but move on to new learning before they are ready. This results in gaps in learning, for example in mathematics.  Some teachers are adept at using probing questioning to deepen pupils’ learning and check that their understanding is secure. In other cases, pupils sometimes move on to learning tasks when it is clear that they are not quite ready to tackle them confidently. As a result, they ask for help repeatedly and this slows their progress.  Most pupils try hard and achieve well. Sometimes pupils produce work that is inaccurate and untidy because they do not take sufficient pride in their presentation. If pupils are not reminded to apply punctuation, grammar and spelling accurately, or to set their calculations out methodically, for example when adding money sums in Year 3, they make careless errors. When this goes unchecked, errors persist

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

in subsequent work.  While most staff manage behaviour well, occasionally, when teaching is less than good and fails to hold pupils’ interest, a few pupils become inattentive and chatty. They do not listen well and so do not understand their learning. When this is not managed effectively, a few disturb others and achieve little themselves.  The support for disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2 requires improvement. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in key stage 1, but at key stage 2, the support they receive is not focused sharply enough to close the gaps in their learning.  Sometimes teaching assistants offer help too readily. Consequently, pupils do not develop sufficient independence to tackle subsequent work more confidently.  Inconsistent implementation of the school’s marking and feedback policy means that sometimes pupils do not receive the guidance they need to improve their work. The school is implementing new assessment

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

procedures effectively but practice is not fully embedded.  Long-term planning and teachers’ ability to teach mathematics effectively require improvement so that pupils build their skills step by step, understand their learning and apply their previous learning more confidently when they revisit work at a deeper level.  The teaching of reading is good in early years and key stage 1, but is less effective in key stage 2. Here, less confident readers, who have not previously had a good groundwork in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) and in their comprehension, sometimes struggle to make sense of their reading. Most of these pupils are keen to read but a few are hesitant and find reading ‘boring’. When teachers read to these reluctant readers, pupils enjoy talking about characters and plots and particularly like non- fiction texts where they say they ‘learn new things’. In reading sessions, staff discuss texts with pupils to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

increase their confidence. However, teachers do not always challenge the more accomplished readers sufficiently.  Pupils’ writing skills are improving rapidly and pupils use these skills regularly in other subjects. This helps them practise writing for different purposes. However, a few pupils take insufficient care to apply their skills accurately and their work in other subjects is not as good as that which they produce in literacy.  The most effective teaching occurs when teachers provide high levels of challenge. For example, in a mathematics lesson in Year 2, pupils had to identify how much of each ingredient they needed to make ‘William Wizard’s potions’. Scales calibrated in multiples of 2, 3, 5, 10, 20 and 50 provided good challenge as pupils worked through two-step problems to get the mix right. Pupils had to think and reason and to explain their methodology. Pupils enjoyed the challenge and it held their interest effectively.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  A significant minority of pupils fail to work as hard as they should do in order to achieve well. They do not concentrate or apply themselves to the task in hand, and so their learning slows. A few give up too readily if they do not receive support promptly.  Leaders and teachers are taking steps to try to develop pupils’ resilience and confidence to become ‘Super Learners’. However, some pupils, particularly in key stage 2, who have not always had effective teaching, are very aware of gaps in their learning and find challenges hard. Through rewards and praise, staff are addressing this successfully.  The school is vigilant in its care of pupils and works well with other agencies to make sure that pupils’ welfare needs are supported well and parents are kept fully informed if concerns arise.  The school’s support for pupils who are especially vulnerable is effective. Staff know pupils and their

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Personal development and welfare

circumstances well and act quickly to support their needs, including by involving other agencies if necessary. They do everything they can to encourage pupils to participate in all that the school provides.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school and can go to staff if they are worried or upset. They know teachers will sort issues such as any ‘falling out’. Pupils say that bullying is rare, but if it does occur, teachers act quickly to stop it. They say that when any name-calling happens, it is sorted out straightaway. Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying, such as cyber-bullying, and the dangers posed by social media sites. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe out of school.  Pupils contribute positively to the wider community through fund-raising events, helping at school fairs and supporting charities.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils’ overall conduct is good and most behave well at all times, including in the playground and at lunchtimes. They know what is expected of them with regard to behaviour and most respond accordingly. It is only when teaching fails to engage them that a few pupils lose interest, and do not make as much effort as they should. Most teachers manage such lapses well, but practice is occasionally inconsistent.  Pupils are generally very polite, friendly and respectful. They take responsibilities seriously, such as looking after younger pupils and helping around the school. Pupils have good relations with each other. They work well with others and are quick to support those who are upset or hurt in the playground.  Attendance has improved and persistent absences have decreased as a result. Most pupils attend regularly and arrive punctually. Exclusions have also decreased markedly, because most pupils are now

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Behaviour

behaving well and are clearer about the consequences of any poor behaviour.  Most parents who responded to the online questionnaire or sent texts feel that generally their children are safe, happy and well cared for in school. They are very positive about recent improvements in behaviour and their children’s eagerness to be in school.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 From starting points that are generally typical for children when they join the Reception class, most pupils make expected progress during their time in school. Some do less well and too few make more than expected progress, so overall, outcomes for pupils require improvement. Pupils are not as well prepared for their next stage of education as they should be.  Current assessment information from the school shows that pupils in Year 2 are close to age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. This reflects a marked improvement this year.  The picture is less strong in the current Year 6, mainly as a result of weak teaching in the past. A high turnover of teachers over time has also slowed pupils’ progress in key stage 2. Current Year 6 pupils are working at below age-related expectations in reading and writing and mathematics. This is a similar picture to 2015. Hence, while the decline in standards has been very effectively arrested in key stage 1,

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

the impact of recent improvements is less evident in key stage 2.  The gaps in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in 2015, compared with their classmates, closed at the end of key stage 1 but widened as pupils progressed through key stage 2. While more of these pupils have made better progress this year, the gap is not closing quickly enough. Disadvantaged pupils are still up to a year behind their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics and working at significantly lower levels than pupils nationally.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make variable progress depending on their starting points and the nature of their additional needs. Some do make good progress through effective individual support, but most make expected progress.  In 2015, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1 was lower than the national average. The teaching of phonics has been developed significantly this

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

year and current pupils are above last year’s national average.  Standards in reading have improved at both key stages this year, but more so at key stage 1. There has been a greater focus on teaching reading and extending pupils’ skills through discussions about books to increase their comprehension and fluency. The less confident readers in key stage 2 who did not have a secure grounding in their early reading skills in the past are not achieving as well as they should.  The improvements in reading are having a positive impact on raising achievement in writing at key stage 1. Pupils write at length regularly throughout the school, but in key stage 2, they are not encouraged to apply their skills accurately and routinely and so progress is not as good as it should be.  In mathematics, improving mathematics teaching is helping to raise achievement in this subject, particularly in key stage 1. Expectations are higher now for pupils to think and give reasons for their

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

answers. With gaps in their learning from the past, and teachers’ expectations not being high enough over time, a few pupils in key stage 2 have not made the progress they should have this year.  At both key stages and in early years, the most able children are not always challenged sufficiently. At times, they are set tasks that do not allow them to deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 While an average number of children attain good levels of development, from broadly typical starting points, too few children exceed these levels. The most able children are not challenged sufficiently. The use of additional funding to support disadvantaged children is good to help these children achieve well. Overall, children are adequately prepared for Year 1.  Induction arrangements are good. Parents are very positive about how well teachers help their children settle in school and enjoy learning.  The early years leader has not had a rigorous enough overview of teaching and assessment to intervene sufficiently to embed good practice and accelerate learning. An increasing number of children each year attain good levels of development, but a lack of challenge is holding some children back.  Assessment information does not always quantify clearly how much progress children have made or identify the steps that should be taken to progress learning further. Occasionally, assessments are over-

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Early years provision requires improvement

generous. In addition, staff do not consistently use the information to plan subsequent work more precisely for individual needs.  Adult interventions are not always timely in supporting better learning. Questioning is not as probing as it might be to increase learning.  Children enjoy choosing times and generally organise themselves well, for example, in role play and when playing outside. Their independence is promoted effectively as children equip themselves for climbing and digging or for physical education. Excitement and enjoyment are evident as children learn to share and take turns. They disengage sometimes when the activities lack challenge.  Staff have created a warm and welcoming environment. The early years classroom is generally a hub of activity because children like learning about topics such as the seaside, for example, and creating music on their own. The children are safe, well supervised and treated with care and kindness. Safeguarding

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Early years provision requires improvement

requirements are secure and all staff have the relevant training to support young children.  Leaders are aware of what needs to be improved, particularly in sharpening assessments and raising the quality of teaching.

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School details

Unique reference number 135078 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10012012

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 262 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Crosby Headteacher Jane Foster Telephone number 01482 846136 Website www.hallgateprimaryschool.co.uk Email address hps@eastriding.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 27–28 March 2014

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from a minority ethnic background is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is below average. (The pupil premium is additional government funding provided to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.)  In 2015, the school met the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  High numbers of staff, including some subject leaders and the leader for mathematics, have joined the school since the previous inspection.  The headteacher joined the school in February this year.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed learning throughout the school; a number of observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. In addition, the inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and inspectors listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with pupils formally as well as talking to pupils generally.  Meetings also took place with the chair of the governing body and three other governors, the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, and subject leaders. The inspectors also met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s evaluation of its own performance, information on current pupils’ progress, and planning and monitoring documentation.  Inspectors scrutinised the spending of funding for disadvantaged pupils and primary school sports funding. Records relating to behaviour and attendance, as well as documents relating to safeguarding,

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Information about this inspection

were also taken into consideration.  Inspectors considered the 66 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and the 65 parents who expressed their views via text messages to Ofsted.  The inspectors also took account of the 25 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaires and talked to staff during the inspection about their views of the school.  Inspectors took into account the views of the 42 pupils who submitted their views via the online pupil survey, and also considered the views expressed by a number of pupils during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Rajinder Harrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Ella Besharti Ofsted Inspector Helen Hussey 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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