Priory Primary School

Priory Primary School Priory Road, Hull HU5 5RU

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Priory school is led by a highly focused headteacher who is uncompromising in her leadership of the school and determined that every pupil will do well.  The deputy headteacher has robustly supported the headteacher to secure rapid improvements in the quality of teaching.  Governors are enthusiastic and steadfast in their support of the school. Governors demonstrate a very high level of challenge to school leaders, with a continuous focus on providing the best possible education for pupils.  Middle leaders are highly effective in their roles, monitoring the impact of teachers’ work and supporting all staff to develop their skills.  The attainment of pupils is above national averages at the end of key stages 1 and 2. High numbers of pupils in every year group are working at expected standards and many are working at levels that exceed national expectations.  Pupils benefit from an inspiring curriculum. Leaders ensure that pupils receive many

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

opportunities to develop their knowledge of subjects beyond English and mathematics.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils enjoy their learning and demonstrate real respect for the values and beliefs of others. The school’s work to ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain is very effective.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is highly successful.  Teaching over time is never less than good, so pupils make good progress throughout the school. Leaders and teachers are meticulous in tracking the progress of all pupils. Despite this, in some classes, the most able and least able pupils are not making the rapid progress of which they are capable because some learning is not appropriately pitched for them.  Children start school with skills below those typical for their age. Careful provision in the early years is ensuring that most children get

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

off to a good start. However, there are large differences between the attainment of boys and girls, and children are not able to demonstrate the skills in writing expected for their age. Assessment is not consistently informing planning for individual children so that they can make the rapid progress needed.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure outstanding teaching in all subjects so that all pupils make substantial and sustained progress by ensuring that: – teachers consistently challenge the most able pupils – provision for the least able pupils is appropriately planned for so that they can achieve well in every lesson.  Make certain that children in the early years, particularly boys and disadvantaged pupils, make rapid progress by: – ensuring that teachers meticulously plan and adapt provision in all areas, so that children can take the next steps in their learning – further developing opportunities for children to develop their writing skills.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher have been resolute and determined in improving Priory Primary School so that all pupils are inspired to learn. They are meticulous in checking each aspect of the school’s work and their impact has been to improve the quality of teaching so that outcomes for pupils have risen steadily.  Senior leaders ensure that targets set for teachers help them to improve aspects of their teaching that will have the biggest impact on pupils’ learning. Records show that monitoring is frequent and teachers are persistently challenged to improve the planning and delivery of lessons so that all pupils can achieve well. Teachers value the coaching and training opportunities they have received, helping them to swiftly improve their teaching. Rigorous monitoring and evaluation of the progress of groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have ensured that differences in attainment

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

are diminishing over time.  Middle leaders are very effective in their work to support improvements in the quality of teaching. They are knowledgeable about the subjects they lead and monitor regularly. Middle leaders have been instrumental in the design and delivery of an exciting curriculum.  Leaders have worked with intensity to ensure that pupils receive rich experiences and meaningful learning in areas other than English and mathematics. Pupils begin many areas of learning with a challenging question, such as ‘Is Hull a good place to live?’ This question led pupils to successfully develop research skills in history, geography and computing. Work in class books shows a strong focus on investigative science. Pupils are helped to deepen their understanding of scientific processes successfully, so that the vast majority are working at expected standards and many are exceeding levels expected for their age. Visits out of school, for example to the theatre, the

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

cinema or the seaside, are helping to make learning relevant and fun.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues is highly successful. Pupils are taught how to express their thoughts appropriately through philosophy lessons. In these lessons, pupils generate and consider questions that challenge stereotypes, such as ‘Who do you think you can trust?’ These lessons are highly effective in valuing pupils’ opinions, building their confidence and contributing to preparing them for life in modern Britain.  Pupils of all ages take part in regular enterprise activities, baking scones to sell at a fundraising coffee morning, for example. The school is participating in ‘The City of Culture’ events and has visited Hull for a workshop with Hull Children’s University to become ambassadors for Hull, developing their role in promoting the city. These activities very successfully help pupils to understand their place in the wider community.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Extra money provided to the school to support disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to provide additional academic or pastoral support, for example through the deployment of higher-level teaching assistants or a school nurse to work directly with pupils. Leaders are diagnostic in their approach, discussing the barriers to learning faced by individual pupils and putting in bespoke support. As a result of this cohesive approach, disadvantaged pupils make good progress, so that differences in attainment with other pupils are closing by the time they reach Year 6.  Primary school sports funding is being used successfully to increase the number of pupils taking part in sport. The school offers a very wide range of sporting activities, including football, yoga and sports leadership. Take-up by pupils is high. At the time of the inspection, Year 5 were out on a school trip to Headingley Cricket Club to

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

encourage participation and aspiration in sport.  The vast majority of parents expressed satisfaction with Priory Primary School. Parents appreciate the chance to join in cooking activities with their children and to attend assemblies where pupils share their work. All parents responding to Ofsted’s online questionnaire said that they would recommend the school to other parents.

p.4

Governance of the school

 Governors provide rigorous challenge and very effective support for school leaders.  The governing body is determined to improve the school’s very good performance and to maintain the rich and varied experiences that pupils gain through school. They ensure that teachers’ effectiveness is clearly linked to pay and career progression.  Governors benefit from senior leaders’ detailed reports so they have a deep understanding of how the school functions. Governing body minutes show incisive questioning with a particular focus on pupils’ learning and attainment. Governors have a full understanding of how additional monies such as pupil premium and school sports funding are used.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders ensure that rigorous systems and procedures are in place to keep pupils safe. A comprehensive set of risk assessments ensure that staff are aware of potential dangers in all aspects of school life.  The culture of keeping pupils safe from harm permeates all aspects of the school’s work. Staff receive regular training on safeguarding issues and have recently been trained to prevent harm to pupils at risk of radicalisation.  The leader for special educational needs works closely with families and external agencies to ensure that appropriate support and help is accessed where required. She is in daily contact with teachers, advising on ways to ensure pupils’ needs are well met.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching over time is never less than good, so pupils make good progress throughout the school. Teachers display good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and progress in lessons.  The teaching of mathematics is very effective. Teachers have recently changed their approach, focusing on presenting work which encourages investigation, calculation and problem-solving skills. Through this, pupils are given daily opportunities to develop their fluency in number. The most able pupils are presented with further challenges which deepen their understanding. The least able pupils are supported through the use of well-chosen resources. As a consequence, pupils’ attainment in mathematics is high and pupils are making good progress.  Teachers’ well-developed subject knowledge is underpinning the accurate teaching of phonics. Consistently well-taught lessons ensure that a higher than average proportion

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

of pupils achieve the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check.  The teaching of reading is effective in helping a large majority of pupils to read accurately and to develop higher-order reading skills. Pupils are encouraged to read at least three times a week at home and they reported reading a range of challenging texts. By the time they reach Year 6, a large proportion of pupils are fluent, and the most able readers are reaching high, but not the highest, levels. However, in some classes, lower-ability pupils are not making the rapid progress they need to catch up because work given to them in some reading sessions is not appropriately pitched.  Writing is encouraged through a range of themes. Teachers ensure that pupils are well equipped with the grammatical knowledge they need to achieve levels expected for their age. Even so, some of the least able pupils are unable to succeed in writing

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

lessons because the tasks they are given are not well matched to their ability. In the main, pupils present their writing neatly, using joined handwriting.  Teachers are determined to provide interesting lessons that ignite pupils’ interests. They plan for learning through a wide range of methods, including practical, hands-on activities. This is particularly evident in scientific enquiry where experimentation is at the heart of science lessons. In a physical education lesson seen, pupils were motivated by moving like witches and wizards or frogs and describing the difference.  Teachers work closely within the school’s marking policy to highlight to pupils effectively where they have achieved well and to indicate how pupils might improve their work. Pupils regularly follow their teachers’ advice, learning from their mistakes. Consequently, the work in pupils’ books shows good progress over time.  Both teachers and teaching assistants take responsibility for teaching lower-attaining

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Where practice is most effective, adults support pupils’ learning well through timely questions and appropriate resources that encourage pupils to develop independence.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils who spoke to the inspectors said that they really like school and particularly like going on trips. High proportions of pupils take part in a wide range of clubs and activities, including film, musical theatre and drama, board games and ukulele clubs.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through regular lessons and assemblies. Pupils could speak knowledgeably about internet safety; e-safety is consistently promoted throughout the school.  Pupils have many opportunities to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. Taking part in extra-curricular activities reinforces this learning, as pupils take part in ‘grow it, cook it’ activities, gardening and the forest school. A recent theatre company visit was effective in promoting an anti-smoking message to pupils, as proven by the posters pupils generated afterwards.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils respond very well to the school’s reward system and enjoy striving for a gold ticket for hard work or thoughtful behaviour. Teachers have consistently high expectations and pupils do not disappoint. Consequently, instances of low-level disruption are very rare.  Pupils conduct themselves extremely well around school and during social times, showing excellent self-discipline.  Leaders’ work to promote strategies to wipe out bullying is highly effective and includes exposing pupils to theatre productions and regular assemblies on the theme. Pupils say that bullying is very rare but when it does happen it is quickly dealt with by staff.  Due to the effective work done by leaders, the vast majority of pupils attend school regularly and on time, so that attendance at Priory Primary School is above national averages for all groups of pupils.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils Good

 Children enter the school at stages of development below those expected for their age. As a result of good teaching, the proportion of children leaving Reception with a good level of development is broadly in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check in 2016 was in line with the national average, although disadvantaged pupils did not achieve as well as others.  There has been a steady increase over a three-year period in the number of pupils who are attaining expected levels at key stages 1 and 2. In 2015 and 2016, pupils in both key stages performed at levels significantly above national averages. As a consequence, pupils are very well prepared for the demands of high school.  Pupils’ progress between key stages 1 and 2 is good and is broadly in line with progress made by pupils nationally. However, some most able pupils, including most able

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

disadvantaged pupils, did not make the rapid progress expected to achieve the highest levels. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities made good progress overall, but around half are not reaching the levels that are expected for their age.  Work in books shows that current pupils make good progress across all year groups and in all subjects. Pupils are productive and the work they are producing is of a good quality. There are some differences between the achievements of boys and girls, with girls generally outperforming boys in reading and writing. As a result of well-targeted small-group teaching and pastoral support, the large differences that exist between disadvantaged pupils and others when pupils start school are closing, so that differences are diminished by the end of key stage 2.

p.6

Early years provision Good

 The leader of early years ensures high-quality provision that is enticing children into learning. She has identified areas for development accurately, working with purpose to continually improve the setting. Provision indoors is enabling children to develop their knowledge and understanding across all areas of learning and outdoor provision is helping children to develop their social and physical skills successfully.  The teaching of phonics is effective in helping children to pick out sounds they can hear in the environment. Children are helped to identify letters and sounds successfully using actions and repetition to reinforce their learning.  Staff are careful to make sure that children are safe in the setting, and hold appropriate first aid certificates. Children are confident, articulate and happy in school. They play well together, showing that they feel safe in the setting.  Detailed observations show that children are developing well both socially and

p.6

Early years provision Good

emotionally and that their learning in reading and number is accelerating. From below- average starting points, children achieve a level of development above typical for their age. Overall, children are less able to demonstrate age-appropriate writing skills.  Additional funding provided to school for disadvantaged children is used to provide additional adult support, helping pupils to adjust to school life and getting them ready to learn. Even so, although some improvements can be seen, disadvantaged children are not consistently achieving a good level of development at the same rate as other children, and their attainment in reading and writing is well below that of others.  Parents feel informed about their child’s progress and say that their comments help teachers to build a picture of their child’s learning. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend school to learn alongside their children and to take part in weekly

p.7

Early years provision Good

reading sessions. Parents recently joined their children to build scarecrows as part of activities related to harvest festival.

p.7

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.

p.8

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.8

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.8

Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school complies with DfE guidance on what academies should publish.  Priory Primary School is larger than an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.  Over 95% of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics.  Children in the Reception class attend full time. There is no nursery at the school.  The school has attained the basic skills quality mark and the primary science mark (silver).

p.8

Information about this inspection

 Together with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, 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 30 part lessons, some 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 headteacher, senior and middle leaders, class teachers and five members of the governing body. A conversation was also held with the school improvement partner.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. They considered the opinion of 20 parents through Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents).  Inspectors took account of 18 online responses returned by members of staff and 28

p.10

Inspection team

Lesley Butcher, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.10

Inspection team

Jen Cave 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 .

p.10

Inspection team

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.11

Inspection team

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11