Setting

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

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Mrs E Green Headteacher Woodmansey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Hull Road Woodmansey Beverley East Yorkshire HU17 0TH

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Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 6 October 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in February 2016. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

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Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

The school should take further action to:

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Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

 Provide more guidance to able readers and ensure that they have access to challenging books to further their knowledge of children’s literature.  Strengthen the current action plan so that it includes more precise measures for governors to check it is having the expected impact on pupils’ progress.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with you, other leaders, and representatives of the governing body and of the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. The school development plans were evaluated. You accompanied me on visits to lessons in which we looked at pupils’ books and observed pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning. I met with a group of pupils to discuss their learning and their views of the changes you have introduced.

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Context

Since the previous inspection staffing changes have continued in this small school. The Years 5 and 6 class teacher left at the end of the summer term and the post was filled internally. A new teacher joined the school in September 2016 and took over the Years 1 and 2 class. Planned long-term leave for a foundation stage teacher is due to begin very soon and a temporary teacher is filling the post.

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Main findings

You have continued to drive forward subject leadership and developments in reading and mathematics despite the change of leadership in both subjects. The curriculum is now more challenging and pupils are responding to higher expectations for each year group within the mixed-age classes. Curriculum developments that you have introduced now provide more time to teach reading, and for pupils to explore books and demonstrate their understanding of what they have read. Higher expectations of key stage 2 pupils are beginning to be demonstrated in more sharply focused teaching and questioning. Pupils are starting to respond and give reasons for their answers in their writing and when questioned about what they have read. The most able readers are keen to read, although they require guidance to be able to select challenging books and develop their knowledge of a broad range of classic children’s literature.

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Main findings

Training and support have strengthened the leadership and teaching of mathematics throughout the school. Teachers are more confident and able to teach and assess to the standards required as a result of clearer guidance from the new mathematics leader this term. Resources to support practical challenges, knowledge of key terminology and problem solving are established in the mathematics challenge areas in each class. Daily ‘morning maths’ sessions are helping to sharpen pupils’ speed and recall of mathematical facts and terms. A range of strategies to stimulate pupils' interest and knowledge of mathematics are contributing positively to pupils’ confidence and progress. Key stage 2 pupils enjoy activities such as ‘the problem of the week’ and regular Friday test sessions. Checks on pupils’ books show that they are making real gains in learning, especially the most able pupils in key stage 2 classes. The school’s action plans include all the areas requiring improvement and leaders’

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Main findings

ambition to improve is evident and is shared by governors, teachers and pupils. Governors have monitored plans carefully, although the latest plan requires some work to make sure they clearly identify the expected impact of the plans on pupils’ learning and achievement. Governors are well informed through the briefings they receive and by seeing for themselves the developments taking place in classrooms. While pleased with the improvements being secured in teaching and learning, governors are keen for them to translate into improved results in order to better prepare pupils for secondary school. Governors are keeping a close watch on pupils’ progress. They await with anticipation the first set of results due shortly following the introduction of the school’s new assessment systems.

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External support

The school is making effective use of the external support provided to them by the local authority, Molescroft Primary School, an outstanding local school, and the local leader of mathematics at Hutton Cranswick School. As a result, leaders have strengthened the teaching of mathematics and reading and developed accuracy and confidence in assessment. A well-planned programme of further work is tailored to the school’s own improvement plans and includes measures whereby leaders and governors can check its impact.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of York, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for East Riding of Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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