Pinxton Kirkstead Junior School

Pinxton Kirkstead Junior School Kirkstead Road, Pinxton, Derbyshire NG16 6NA

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires Improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the last inspection, leaders and governors have not secured the necessary improvements rapidly enough to overcome weaknesses in teaching and to raise standards.  Leaders’ action plans identify the issues the school needs to address, but the rapid pace of improvement needed is not reflected in specific timescales for each step of improvement.  Leaders and teachers do not use the available assessment information sharply enough. As a result, teachers do not plan work that moves pupils’ learning on quickly.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils should achieve are not high enough, particularly for the most able pupils. The guidance given to pupils on how to improve their work varies in quality.  Leaders do not set clear targets for teachers to improve their performance  Middle leaders have not secured improvements in their areas of responsibility as their knowledge and skills are insecure.  The teaching of the basic skills in reading,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

writing and mathematics is inconsistent across the school and this hampers pupils’ progress. As a result, some pupils lack the skills they need for the next stage of their education.  The most able pupils do not make enough progress to achieve the higher standards of which they are capable.  Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able of them, do not make sufficient progress and do not achieve as well as they could.  At the end of key stage 2, outcomes for pupils are lower than they should be. Pupils do not make enough progress from their starting points.  Governors have not ensured that pupil premium funding has been well spent. In addition, the school’s website is missing required information

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher, supported by senior leaders and governors, ensures there are appropriate training and professional development opportunities for staff.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported.  Pupils’ attitudes to school and learning are positive; their behaviour is good. They enjoy school and feel safe. They have confidence in staff to look after them and sort out any concerns they may have.  Sports premium funding is used well.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards for all pupils in reading, writing and mathematics by: – improving rates of progress so that all pupils make at least the progress expected of them and most achieve the expected standards for their age – providing appropriate challenge and support for the most able pupils, particularly in mathematics, so they achieve at the higher standards – providing support for disadvantaged pupils to ensure that they achieve as well as other pupils with similar starting points.  Ensure that teaching across the school is good or better so that pupils make rapid progress by: – using assessment information more effectively to plan work that moves pupils on quickly in their learning – ensuring that pupils’ targets are matched to their starting points on entry to the school and there is a clear expectation of the progress needed to achieve their targets.  Improve the impact of leadership by: – using accurate assessment information and information about pupils’ prior

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

attainment more sharply to monitor pupils’ progress and drive improvement rapidly – developing the knowledge and skills of middle leaders so that they can improve their areas of responsibility – setting specific improvement targets for teachers and reviewing their progress against these – adding information about the curriculum on the school’s website so that it meets statutory requirements – ensuring that action plans include time-related milestones and measures of success to track progress and increase the pace of improvement. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be further improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate because, since the last inspection, leaders and governors have not secured the necessary improvements to teaching or standards.  The school improvement plan and subject leaders’ action plans identify the issues the school needs to address. However, the plans focus more on the actions and are less precise about how and when success will be measured. As a result, the pace of improvement is too slow and the expected outcomes are unclear.  Assessment information is not used sharply enough to monitor pupils’ progress in sufficient detail to ensure that pupils reach the standards of which they are capable. The information from the recently introduced assessment tracker is not completely accurately as there are inconsistencies in how the information is collected. This means that leaders and teachers do not have a clear picture of progress from one assessment point to the next. Until recently, the school’s baseline assessments have not been used

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

to set expectations for progress, setting out what pupils need to achieve year on year to reach the standards expected of them.  The role of middle leaders is not fully developed. Although support has been provided for less-experienced leaders, middle leaders have not carried out a full range of monitoring activities and therefore do not have a clear overview of their area of responsibility. Consequently, their contribution to driving improvements throughout the school has been limited.  The pupil premium funding has not been used effectively to ensure that pupils eligible for this funding achieve the standards of which they are capable. The support for these pupils has not been focused tightly enough on their individual needs or the standards they should reach from their individual starting points. Too few disadvantaged pupils make enough progress to catch up or achieve what they should. Leaders and governors are aware of this and have arranged for a review of how the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

school uses the pupil premium funding.  Leaders check the quality of teaching through regular monitoring activities and support is provided, where appropriate. While this has helped the headteacher to successfully tackle the worst underperformance, the quality of teaching is not improving quickly enough to accelerate pupils’ progress.  Senior leaders hold regular reviews of teachers’ performance through an appraisal system. However, objectives are not tightly focused on helping pupils improve.  The headteacher has arranged relevant training and professional development opportunities for staff.  The curriculum has been developed through themes that interest and engage the pupils. There are now more opportunities for pupils to develop their communication, literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects. Extra-curricular activities include team games and sports, encouraging pupils to work together and build social skills.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

However, information available on the school website does not provide sufficient detail of what pupils are learning for parents.  Leaders’ use of the physical education (PE) and sports funding is effective. Membership of the Bolsover PE partnership has helped to improve the quality of PE in school and increased the opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sports. The ‘Fit for Life’ programme has effectively supported pupils to develop a more active, healthy lifestyle.  Leaders have used the funding to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities appropriately to ensure that these pupils make expected progress from their starting points.  Leaders ensure that pupils have a range of opportunities to develop their understanding of British values. They learn about the democratic process through the active school council. The ‘In the News’ display highlights current affairs and poses

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

questions for pupils to reflect on. There are clear expectations, articulated in the school aims for pupils to be ‘responsible, resourceful and resilient’ while being tolerant towards others who may have different beliefs or cultures. This is indicative of how well pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted.  The local authority has provided or brokered support for the school over recent years, particularly in relation to helping with staffing gaps, which has been appreciated by the headteacher. However, the fact remains that the support has not ensured that the necessary improvements have been brought about. The difficulties in recruiting high- quality staff continue to be a barrier in bringing about further improvement.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body is supportive of the school and members are aware of the strengths and the key priorities for improvement. However, they have not provided sufficient challenge to senior leaders to ensure a rapid pace of improvement.  Governors have not ensured that the pupil premium funding has been well spent or that the school’s website has all the necessary information.  Governors have supported the headteacher’s strategies to improve the quality of teaching. They know that standards in the school need to be higher but have not challenged leaders sufficiently about the progress made by pupils.  Governors are keen to improve their effectiveness and have arranged for a review of governance to take place.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The safety and well-being of pupils and adults is a priority for the school.  Leaders ensure that all staff and governors receive up-to-date training and the most recent guidance on safeguarding. There are clear systems in place to raise concerns, and these are followed up quickly and thoroughly. Detailed records are kept of incidents and concerns. All subsequent actions and related information are well documented.  The school works effectively with parents and external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils, and their families, are well supported.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through a range of activities that focus on specific areas. For example, a focus on internet use showed pupils how to recognise and manage potential risks online.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The teaching of the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics is inconsistent and this hampers pupils’ progress. The pace of learning varies and pupils do not move on quickly in their learning. Teachers provide a range of tasks for pupils of different abilities. However, they do not check closely enough whether these challenge the pupils sufficiently, or whether pupils have fully understood their work.  Teachers do not expect enough of some pupils, especially the most able. Teaching does not focus enough on developing the skills they need to work at greater depth in a range of subjects. Consequently, much of the work that the most able pupils are given does not help them to achieve the standards they are capable of, especially in mathematics.  Although assessments of what pupils know and can do are generally accurate, this information is not used effectively to plan the next steps and keep the pace of learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

brisk. As a result, progress in writing is slow because pupils do not build on their skills systematically.  Teaching assistants are supportive and encourage pupils to do their best, often asking questions to help pupils think things through for themselves.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support because it is planned carefully.  Pupils’ books are mostly well presented and work is neatly set out as a result of the clear expectations set out by school leaders. Pupils develop organisational skills that will help them in their next stage of education.  Pupils enjoy the opportunities to participate in discussion and different shared activities. When teachers use questioning to check pupils’ understanding and then challenge them to think hard and develop their own ideas and opinions, pupils develop confidence and good attitudes to learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Relationships in the school are strong and all members of the school community are respectful of each other. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and try their best. For example, during a mathematics lesson seen by inspectors, a reminder about self-belief spurred pupils on when their confidence faltered.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school and parents agree. Pupils say that bullying is rare and they have confidence in adults to sort out any worries they may have. Any incidents are carefully logged and followed up by school leaders.  There are regular awareness days run by the school to help pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. Pupils also told inspectors about anti-bullying week, fire drills and first aid. Nurture groups support potentially vulnerable pupils well.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and at other times of the school day. Playtimes provide opportunities for different types of activities; pupils play sensibly together, enjoying their social time. As they move around the school, pupils are well mannered and courteous.  The behaviour management system is clear and consistently applied by staff. Pupils explained that they are rewarded for good behaviour and politeness as well as good work and effort. Rewards can also be given to classes, promoting the school motto, ‘Together We Succeed’. Parents are kept informed of their child’s behaviour and attitudes at parents’ evenings; these are well attended and appreciated by parents.  Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Absences are followed up rigorously and the family support worker works closely with parents and children to improve attendance if it is too low. The number of occasions when pupils are late to

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Behaviour

school has reduced as a result of close monitoring by school leaders.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Historically, rates of progress have been significantly below national averages. The most recent data from national tests show that this is still the case. As a result, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are not as high as they should be by the end of key stage 2. Pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Progress made by current pupils is inconsistent. Many pupils are underachieving, even taking into account the school’s own baselines, which are often lower than the results of pupils’ key stage 1 assessments.  Most-able pupils do not make sufficient progress to reach the higher standards for their age. Work in books does not reflect the standards they should be achieving.  A detailed scrutiny of disadvantaged pupils’ work and individual assessment information showed that many of these pupils, including the most able, make insufficient progress. This means that the school’s use of the pupil premium is not

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

being used effectively to help disadvantaged pupils to achieve the standards expected for their age.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make the progress expected of them in reading and mathematics. Work in books shows that pupils’ progress is slower in writing than in the other subjects.  Pupils read competently and enjoy different types of story. However, they are less confident in their comprehension skills and do not tend to choose challenging texts for themselves. In guided reading sessions, pupils make good progress when working with a teacher, but make little progress if working on an independent task.  Attainment in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has improved. This is because some pupils have had targeted support, working in smaller groups with an additional teacher. However, there are still too few of the most able pupils achieving at the higher standard.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Work in books shows that writing is improving. However, many pupils are not yet working within the expectations for their age and progress is steady, rather than at the accelerated rates needed to ensure that pupils achieve the expected standards at the end of the year.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.pinxtonkirkstead.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Email address headteacher@pinxtonkirkstead.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21–22 January 2105

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Information about this school

 The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the curriculum on its website.  The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support via the pupil premium is above average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.  The school does not meet the government floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.  Since the previous inspection, the school has experienced significant staffing changes, with around half of the current teaching staff being new to the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in all classes, visiting each class more than once. A joint observation was carried out with the headteacher.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior leaders, subject leaders, governors and representatives of the local authority. They also talked informally to parents at the start of the school day and took into account the 14 responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s own self- evaluation, the school improvement plan and safeguarding documents. Inspectors looked in detail at pupils’ assessment information.  Inspectors talked to groups of pupils and listened to some pupils reading. Inspectors also reviewed pupils’ workbooks.  The 15 responses to the staff questionnaire were considered. Inspectors took account of 21 responses to the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Jane Salt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Debbie Beeston 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

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 .

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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

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.

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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 .

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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 .

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

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

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