Gilberdyke Primary School

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

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Mrs Claire Mudd Executive Principal Gilberdyke Primary School Scalby Lane Gilberdyke Brough HU15 2SS

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Gilberdyke Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 1 February 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Gilberdyke Primary School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.

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Evidence

I scrutinised the single central record and many other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements. You and I had discussions throughout the day and I met other leaders, two members of the governing board, a representative from the local authority and two representatives from the Hull Collaborative Academy Trust. A number of parents shared their views with me at the beginning of the school day. I observed pupils in classrooms and in other parts of the school building and listened to what a number of pupils had to say about what it is like to be a pupil at the school.

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Evidence

Having considered the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Context

Gilberdyke Primary is slightly larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is less than half the national average. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.

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Context

The school was placed in special measures following the inspection that took place in June 2016. Safeguarding was judged to be ineffective. Following this, governors appointed an interim executive principal, and the leadership has undergone some temporary restructuring. The previous headteacher is no longer at the school.

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Context

As an academy order is currently in place, the school is preparing to convert to an academy in the summer, when it will join the Hull Collaborative Academy Trust (HCAT). The trust is already working closely with the school. The trust recently appointed a new chair of governors, who is a national leader of governance.

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Inspection findings

All members of the school community value the strong leadership and direction you are providing. Leaders, teachers and other staff are now clear about their specific roles and responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. You are properly holding them to account. Staff, governors and parents speak of a new level of trust, openness and improved communication. As a result, there is a strong culture of vigilance, so pupils feel safe and are safe.

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Inspection findings

The designated safeguarding leader, who is also the deputy headteacher, has undergone substantial training since she assumed this responsibility, as has the deputy safeguarding leader. In turn, these leaders have ensured that all staff are properly trained. As a result, adults understand the signs to look for that show that a pupil is being harmed or at risk of harm from different sorts of abuse, including radicalisation and extremism. They know to whom and how they should report concerns. A plan is in place for additional training to deepen further adults’ understanding of risks such as child sexual exploitation.

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Inspection findings

With the support of the local authority and HCAT, you have developed tight safeguarding systems. Revised policies and written procedures meet statutory requirements and are compliant with guidance. Leaders carry out the proper recruitment checks to ensure that adults can be considered safe to work with children. The central record of these checks is accurate and complete. Leaders and other staff follow all procedures with increasing exactness.

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Inspection findings

One of the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection was to implement more robust record-keeping systems. Recording of concerns about pupils is now thorough and detailed. The designated safeguarding leader, carefully and in a timely manner, records all communications and follows up to make sure that everyone does what has been agreed to protect children. Leaders involve parents where appropriate and keep them informed. This aspect of the school’s safeguarding arrangements is now a strength.

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Inspection findings

Inspectors identified bullying as a serious concern at the last inspection. You have rightly prioritised this. A raft of measures, including an anti-bullying week, regular discussions in class and in assemblies, the introduction of ways to help pupils deal with conflict, the detailed recording of all bullying and discriminatory behaviour and the involvement of parents, has resulted in a great improvement. All the pupils I questioned were unequivocal that bullying incidents have reduced dramatically and that they feel safe. Pupils trust the staff and appreciate the opportunity to share their feelings each day through circle times. Consequently, pupils say that they feel more important and that adults listen to them. The vast majority of pupils in a recent survey said that they felt that adults deal with bullying effectively.

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Inspection findings

Around a quarter of parents surveyed last term still had concerns that staff may not be dealing well with poor behaviour. Although this is better than the survey results at the time of the last inspection, leaders are by no means complacent about these perceptions. Parents value the way you have improved communication with them. They appreciate the presence of staff in the school playground at the beginning and end of each day. Parents I questioned during the inspection said that they had confidence that leaders listen to them and address concerns quickly.

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Inspection findings

Behaviour more generally has improved. Together we observed pupils well engaged in their learning. Pupils also behave well at breaktimes and lunchtime and say that their teachers stop any boisterous and other inappropriate behaviour straight away. They value the new playground equipment, saying that there are fewer problems because they have more to do. During the inspection, pupils were polite and well mannered. They said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and held doors open without being asked. All these improvements contribute to pupils feeling safe.

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Inspection findings

You have put in place plans to improve pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils say they understand that they should show respect to all people, regardless of their differences. They are learning to look out for positive qualities in each other and enjoy recommending their peers for the much-coveted Member of the Gilberdyke Empire award. However, too many pupils in this largely monocultural community demonstrate a weak basic knowledge and understanding of world faiths, other cultures and different ways of living that are representative of life in modern Britain. You recognise that improvements in these aspects of pupils’ developments will further enhance how safe they feel, regardless of their differences.

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Inspection findings

Governance is much improved. Governors have responded to recommendations made following an external review of governance. The governing body takes its safeguarding responsibilities seriously. The named safeguarding governor has actively increased her knowledge and understanding of the statutory safeguarding requirements, so is well placed to check leaders are doing things right. The chair of governors has checked the central record of recruitment and vetting information.

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External support

Following the last inspection, the local authority took immediate action, in partnership with new leaders, to begin to address weaknesses in safeguarding. Representatives of HCAT have provided substantial support and challenge and made a significant contribution to making sure that children are safe. The trust safeguarding lead is exceptionally well informed. She has carried out systematic checks and offered advice upon which leaders have acted swiftly. She does not miss a trick and is helping leaders to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Ensure that opportunities to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain are threaded throughout the curriculum, so that pupils have a better understanding of religious, cultural and other differences and are better placed to show genuine tolerance and respect for others.

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Priorities for further improvement

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

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