Elloughton Primary School

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

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Mrs C Fulstow Headteacher Elloughton Primary School Stockbridge Road Elloughton Brough HU15 1HN

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 9 February 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in March 2012.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

Everyone I spoke with agrees that you have made a significant and positive difference to the school since your appointment in March 2015. You have built a motivated leadership team who share the high expectations you and your governors have for all pupils. Critically, you all strive to ensure that pupils, the vast majority of who join the school with skills that are at least typical for their age, can reach the highest standards by the time they leave for secondary school.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

There have been many new successful initiatives since your arrival. The driving force is the school’s ‘moral compass’. This captures everyone’s vision to prepare pupils for the ‘rapidly changing world’. The brisk pace of change has energised staff, who are, as a result, overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of the school.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

You and your team’s evaluation of the effectiveness of the school is, in the main, accurate and insightful. The subsequent development plan has clearly defined measures of success. This means that you and the governors are clear about the progress being made and the areas needing further attention.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

Since the last inspection, progress has been made in developing pupils’ ability to solve mathematical problems systematically. The new leader for mathematics is working with teachers to ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts as well as increasing their fluency in basic calculations. Work in pupils’ books confirms this is happening.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

The effectiveness of teaching is increasing from the position of strength identified at the last inspection. Pupils are keen to learn and proud of their achievements. For example, a Year 1 pupil read with absolute delight her two-page-long story about the three little wolves and the big bad pig.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

In 2016, a slightly higher than average proportion of pupils reached the standards expected for their age in reading and writing, and a significant proportion of pupils reached the standard in mathematics. Overall, this represents progress that is similar to that made in most other schools. However, one aspect of pupils’ attainment, which you had not identified in your own evaluation of the school, did concern me. This was the fact that fewer girls reached the higher standard in mathematics and reading than in most other schools, but more boys reached the higher standards in these two areas than in other schools. You and your team agreed that more precise tracking of how well girls are doing would ensure that they receive the support they need to reach the higher standard.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

Pupils are considerate and polite young people. They talk confidently about the uniqueness of everyone and the need to respect everyone. You recognise, as pupils did in their responses to the online survey, that some classmates do not always manage their own behaviour as well as they could. This has improved over the last year but leaders know that there is more to do and, importantly, have clear plans in place. The highly regarded emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) provides effective support to pupils who need guidance in this area. Attendance is high and you are persistent in your encouragement to the few pupils whose attendance drops below 95% or who are late to school.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

In line with the thoroughness you apply to all aspects of your work, you have ensured that staff are well trained and use their training to keep pupils safe. As a result, staff make appropriate and timely referrals to you and you take the right action, involving other agencies when needed.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

You keep detailed records of all incidents, including those that may be bullying or discriminatory in nature. You review records regularly to check if any concerning patterns are emerging that may indicate a pupil needs additional support for their emotional well-being. The ELSA plays a pivotal role in ensuring the well-being of pupils. Her work is really appreciated by pupils, parents and staff.

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Short inspection of Elloughton Primary School

There was an omission in the record of the checks made on the suitability of staff at the start of the inspection. This was rectified within the day.

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Inspection findings

 In 2016, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who reached the expected standard in writing was just above most other schools. However, none of the pupils reached the higher standard. You and your team worked out the reasons for this unfortunate result. You realised that your approach to punctuation, grammar and spelling, in which more pupils than in other schools reached the higher standard, did not give pupils enough opportunities to develop their skills as writers.  Since January, staff are using a different approach, which gives pupils more opportunities to use their knowledge of punctuation and grammar in their own writing. The initial indications are that pupils’ writing is improving and more are reaching a higher standard than last year. The greatest impact of this new approach is seen in pupils’ topic books. Equally important is pupils’ increased enjoyment in writing.  The support given to the small number of pupils who are disadvantaged and the

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Inspection findings

small but increasing number of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective. Each of these pupils has an individual support plan that identifies their individual barriers to learning and how staff can overcome them. As a result, the progress disadvantaged pupils make is strong, particularly the most able.  I was keen to find out about developments in the early years provision, particularly in light of the drop in the proportion of boys who reached the expected level of development in 2016. It is clear that you and the deputy headteacher, who has responsibility for the early years, have led significant change in this key area of school.  The provision, both indoors and outdoors, was significantly improved over the last summer holiday. The opportunities for boys and girls to follow their interests has increased. Staff are knowledgeable about how to prompt children to move

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Inspection findings

their learning on during adult- and child-led activities. Consequently, all children, including boys, are making strong progress and some are making rapid progress. Over the last three years, an increasing proportion of children have exceeded the expected level of development and this is set to continue this year.  We also looked at the progress current Year 1 pupils are making in phonics, as last year fewer achieved the expected score in the phonics screening check than in most schools. You have a very clear understanding of this group of pupils and most are on track to catch up, even though there is an unusually high proportion of Year 2 pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result of methodical and precise teaching, a very healthy proportion of current pupils are on track to reach the standard expected by the end of Year 1.  Since the last inspection, all members of the governing body are new to the role.

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Inspection findings

Seven have joined in the last two years. Governors have a clear understanding about what needs to be done to achieve their ambition of excellence. They have a good handle on the efficient use of the school’s resources, especially additional funding for pupils who are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Governors’ effective strategic approach has led to the development of a new Nursery provision, which will open in April 2017, and increased collaboration between your school and others. They have not established a systematic approach to keeping on top of the statutory duties to publish information or to keeping the different policies that steer the work of the school up to date.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 at least as many girls reach the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics as girls in most other schools  governors develop a systematic and meticulous approach to keep policies up to date and all required information published online.

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Next steps for the school

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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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you and senior and middle leaders to discuss aspects of the school’s work, particularly your own evaluation of the effectiveness of the school and your plans to improve the school. We visited a range of classes to see the impact of the work you are doing to raise standards in the early years, in phonics and in writing. I reviewed a range of documents, including those relating to the safety and welfare of pupils. I also reviewed the work in a number of pupils’ books, including that of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the inspection

I met with the chair of the governing body and three other governors, and a representative of the local authority.

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Information about the inspection

I considered the views of the 181 pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online pupil survey alongside the views of the pupils I talked with at playtime and in lessons. The views of the 21 staff who responded to Ofsted’s online staff survey were also considered.

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Information about the inspection

I talked with several parents as they arrived with their children in the morning and considered the 60 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, including the 37 written comments.

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