Katherines Primary School

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

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Mrs Suzanne Ryan Headteacher Katherines Primary School Brookside Harlow Essex CM19 5NJ

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School

Following my visit to your school on 8 June 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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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, following the section 5 inspection of October and December 2016, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements at the school.

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Evidence

I scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation relating to safeguarding, including: the single central record of checks made on adults working at the school; several of the school’s risk assessments; child protection arrangements and minutes of meetings of the governing body and interim executive board. I held meetings with senior and middle leaders, teachers and learning support assistants, the learning mentor, the chair of the interim executive board and the executive headteacher from the National Education Trust. I also held a telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority. On a tour of the school with you, I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime. I also spoke with one group of 15 pupils chosen by you, as well as with pupils present around the site. Having considered the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Context

Katherines Primary School is a larger than average-size primary school, providing education for 330 pupils. The proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and those from minority ethnic groups are similar to the national averages. While there is a significantly lower proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in school, the percentage of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is similar to the national average.

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Context

Since the previous section 5 inspection, several changes have taken place. In March 2017, the local authority established an interim executive board which replaced the governing body. The school is due to become an academy, as part of the National Education Trust, from 1 July 2017. Representatives from the trust began working alongside leaders at the school in March 2017. You have resigned your post and will leave the school at the end of this academic year. A new headteacher has been appointed and is due to take up her post in September 2017.

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Main findings

Working with the local authority, interim executive board and National Education Trust, you have taken appropriate action to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective. You are rightly proud that Katherines Primary School is one in which pupils typically behave well and sustain positive relationships with each other and with the adults who work with them.

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Main findings

Pupils told me they feel safe and enjoy their learning and play. One pupil explained that ‘there are always adults and friends who look out for you’. This sentiment reflected the views of many pupils spoken with over the course of the inspection. Several pupils told me how much they appreciate the secure nature of the site and the fact that there is a high level of adult supervision at lunchtimes and breaktimes. Pupils’ sense of security and well-being is evident in the cheerful confidence with which they interact with each other and adults.

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Main findings

Parents who spoke with me on the day of inspection praised the level of care that staff provide. Several parents also told me how approachable they found staff at the school. Parents gave specific examples of how staff take effective action to meet the individual needs of their children. The overwhelming majority of parents who have responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agree that their children are safe at Katherines Primary School.

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Main findings

Through the personal, social and health education curriculum, leaders make sure that pupils are equipped with strategies to keep themselves safe in a variety of settings. Pupils understand the concept of ‘stranger danger’ and confidently told me the actions they would take to keep themselves safe online and when using social media. They also explained what they had learned from talks about fire safety, road safety and being safe on bonfire night. Pupils also told me how, when carrying out their duties as play leaders and playground monitors, they enjoyed the responsibility of looking out for the well-being of their friends. Through such activities pupils develop a suitable sense of awareness of the importance of acting in a safe, responsible manner.

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Main findings

Pupils demonstrate a mature understanding of relationships, explaining that ‘we learn from our mistakes and remain friends’. They also have an age-appropriate understanding of what bullying is and share the view that it is a rare occurrence at their school; a fact confirmed in your carefully maintained records. Pupils spoken with also clearly understand the negative consequences of bullying, saying it ‘affects your self-esteem’ and ‘if you bully people, it would not be easy to make friends’. Pupils confidently explained that were bullying to occur, adults in school would sort it out quickly and effectively.

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Main findings

Making use of the information gathered through two external audits of the school’s safeguarding practice, you have worked with the trust and the local authority to make appropriate improvements. For example, staff have been provided with updated safeguarding training, including that relating to the government’s ‘Prevent’ duty. The impact of this training is evident: adults clearly understand that safeguarding is ‘everyone’s responsibility’. They also know how to recognise the signs that may indicate a child is at risk. Staff understand their important role in protecting pupils and report any concerns in writing to the designated safeguarding lead in a timely manner.

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Main findings

It was noted at the time of the previous inspection that the learning mentor had established rigorous recording systems to manage any concerns about a pupil’s well-being. This remains the case. Staff told me they are confident that were they to report any concerns, these would be dealt with well by senior staff. Records demonstrate that leaders take appropriate and timely action when concerns are identified.

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Main findings

The previous inspection report also identified that leaders had not ensured that the correct pre-employment checks on adults working at the school were being carried out. Inspection evidence demonstrates that you have ensured that appropriate checks on new employees are now in place. Where you require additional information about adults you have offered positions to, you seek guidance from the local authority and correctly act upon any advice given.

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Main findings

In December 2016, inspectors judged that risk assessments carried out by staff to safeguard pupils were not fit for purpose. You have taken action to ensure that this is no longer the case. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the purpose of risk assessments. The risk assessments I examined indicate that staff are now more skilled in carrying these out. Staff identify potential risks specific to the activity being undertaken, and outline what actions should be taken to minimise these risks. Importantly, additional adults taking part in school activities are made aware of the potential risks. A strength of the changes that you have made is that you ensure that risk assessments are regularly updated to reflect any changing circumstances, both locally and nationally.

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Main findings

Working with staff from the trust, you have amended other aspects of safeguarding practice. For example, you have introduced the trust’s ‘pink slip’ method of recording any concerns staff may have about a pupil’s well-being. Despite this being very recently implemented, you have trained staff effectively and they have a clear understanding of this process and its purpose. You have also amended how accidents are recorded and made changes to the individual care plans for pupils with medical needs. You are aware that you need to make sure that these new systems are kept under constant review to ensure that practice continues to improve.

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Main findings

You monitor the attendance of pupils carefully and stress the importance of regular attendance to pupils and parents. You also work with families, carry out home visits and work with external agencies to ensure that pupils attend as often as they should. However, you are aware that more needs to be done to ensure that all groups of pupils attend more often.

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Main findings

Over the short time the interim executive board has been in existence, the chair made sure that he has a good understanding of the school’s work, particularly the safeguarding processes. The interim executive board receives regular reports from the trust’s safeguarding lead as part of its monitoring of this aspect of the school’s work. The chair of the interim executive board also carries out checks on risk assessments to assure other members of the board that they are fit for purpose.

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External support

Leaders continue to make use of the effective links with external providers noted at the previous inspection. Where a pupil is vulnerable or at risk, leaders draw upon the expertise of a range of agencies. Leaders have also been working with the National Education Trust and the local authority to ensure that appropriate improvements are made to safeguarding practices. This collaborative approach has provided you with additional expertise and support to accelerate the pace at which the necessary changes have been made and to ensure that arrangements are fit for purpose.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Make sure the improved safeguarding practices introduced are kept under review to ensure that safeguarding is of the highest quality.  Develop further strategies to ensure that those pupils who do not attend as often as they should, improve their attendance.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the interim executive board, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Essex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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