Luddington & Garthorpe Primary

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

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Mrs Janine Bassindale Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School High Street Luddington Scunthorpe Lincolnshire DN17 4QP

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 29 November 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 January 2013.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe 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 Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

Since your appointment in September 2016, you have brought about rapid improvement in the quality of education and in the effectiveness of the governing body. Your sharp and insightful analysis of the schools’ strengths and weaknesses led to well-directed and robust action to overcome identified weaknesses. You make good use of external views from the local authority and other schools to confirm your evaluations. Your strong drive, precise plans and highly effective actions have brought about significant improvement in the consistency and quality of teaching, learning and assessment, the breadth and organisation of the curriculum, the provision of clubs, the role of middle leaders, and relations with parents.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

Your high expectations have created a team of staff whose members are highly committed to school improvement. You acted firmly to tackle weaknesses in teaching which, in 2017, led to low outcomes in writing at the end of key stage 2. Your appointment of two experienced new teachers and a newly qualified teacher, in September 2017, has contributed well to the strength of teaching, learning and assessment. Your clear expectations of teaching and of the standards of pupils’ work have led to strong consistency in learning across classes and year groups. You are developing staff well, enabling teachers and middle leaders to observe and learn from effective practice in good and outstanding schools. You monitor the implementation and impact of action plans scrupulously. Development of early years is your current priority. In early years, assessment does not identify consistently and precisely the next steps in children’s development to ensure that all children reach

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

their full potential, including the most able.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

The previous inspection report asked the school to improve aspects of teaching to ensure that pupils of all abilities extend their learning, improve their own work and present it well. Teachers use their detailed knowledge of pupils well to pitch tasks accurately at different levels. They regularly set challenges that encourage pupils to tackle tasks that are more ambitious. Pupils respond well to teachers’ verbal and written comments by regularly correcting their work and extending their writing. Standards of presentation are good in English, mathematics and topic work.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

Pupils are well behaved and enthusiastic learners. They sustain their concentration well and work hard. Their good relationships with teaching staff give them confidence in asking and answering questions. Many pupils attend the extensive range of after-school clubs. These provide pupils with new experiences and enable them to enjoy sports and gain physical fitness. Pupils appreciate the new provision for art and music in the curriculum.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

The last inspection report asked governors to strengthen their understanding of information about pupils’ progress and their scrutiny of teaching and learning. The reconstituted governing body, led by a new chair and enhanced by the appointment of a primary headteacher, plays an active and well-informed role in school improvement. Governors have a good understanding of information about progress and attainment, which they are using well to interrogate school leaders. Visits to school and conversations with staff and pupils have deepened their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. The governing body is keen to be as effective as it can be and has commissioned an external review to see how to improve further.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

Parents were highly positive about your impact on the school. They say that the school is welcoming and staff are approachable. Parents appreciate teachers’ enthusiasm and say that teaching has improved. They welcome the range of after- school activities for pupils. Parents of children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are pleased with the actions you have taken to support their children’s learning.

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Short inspection of Luddington and Garthorpe Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Tight systems for recording concerns, referrals and actions ensure that the right people have access to relevant information at the right time. Staff record issues and actions in appropriate detail. Staff know pupils well, are thorough in their assessments of need and act promptly to follow up concerns. Staff demonstrate good care and persistence in finding solutions to difficulties. Communication with parents and other agencies is effective. Pupils feel safe and know what to do to protect themselves online. Staff and governors are up to date with their safeguarding training. Governors check that the school has acted on any safeguarding audit recommendations from the local authority and that policies are up to date. They have an informed overview of how well safeguarding systems are working.

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Inspection findings

 Progress and attainment in writing by Year 6 declined in 2017 due to disrupted learning caused by staff absence and weakness in the teaching of writing. Pupils did not demonstrate a strong grasp of grammar and punctuation and did not write at sufficient length or complexity. Year 6 pupils’ writing improved towards the end of the year, but there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate secure standards in writing assessment, checked by the local authority. Current pupils are receiving well-structured and precisely focused teaching, at key stages 1 and 2, that is enabling them to understand grammar and apply the necessary skills of punctuation. The use of clear success criteria and the methodical approach to teaching pupils how to compose written work are leading to higher standards and more extended writing. Presentation of writing is good.  Frequent teaching and reinforcement of basic skills in mathematics ensured that

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Inspection findings

pupils at the end of key stage 2 made progress in line with the national average in 2017 and attainment was average. The use of well-planned tasks with different levels of challenge is promoting pupils’ reasoning in mathematics, especially by the most able. Teachers are using tests effectively to supplement teacher assessment and to identify and tackle gaps in pupils’ mathematical knowledge.  In 2017, the progress made by pupils in reading at the end of key stage 2 was at least in line with the national average. Reading diaries show that pupils of different abilities read regularly at home. Pupils are responding well to the rewards for regular reading.  Teachers use questions well to extend learning. They successfully encourage pupils to think for themselves. Pupils seek support from each other or use the guidance on the wall displays before they ask the teacher. Tasks are well organised and pupils have a good range of relevant resources to support their

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Inspection findings

independent learning. Teachers provide helpful feedback and support for individual pupils during lessons. Pupils value the time teachers give for them to make corrections and improve their work.  The use of carefully planned one-to-one personalised extra support is helping pupils to prepare for a topic or to catch up on what they have not learned. This helps vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils to make better progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders reflect on the use of pupil premium funding well and they adjust plans flexibly to strengthen the impact of actions on disadvantaged pupils’ attendance and progress.  For the last two years, all Year 1 pupils have reached the required standard in phonics. This is because teaching is systematic and conducted by well-trained teachers and teaching assistants. In Years 1 and 2, pupils of different abilities demonstrate good progress in their current lessons and books. The school’s

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Inspection findings

current assessments indicate that most pupils in Years 1 and 2 are at or above age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.  The proportion of children reaching a good level of development has consistently been at or above national averages. Children play purposefully in regular, planned activities. Adults model language well in their interaction with children. Children enjoyed writing information about hospital appointments in a role play. Some were developing their counting in a baking activity using a modelling compound. Staff in early years are developing their skills in using assessment data and in recording observations about what children can do. However, assessment does not identify regularly and systematically the next steps in children’s development.  You are developing recently appointed middle leaders well by giving them well- defined responsibilities and setting clear requirements. They are showing

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Inspection findings

thoughtful initiative in developing and implementing their action plans. Their guidance is contributing to the stronger consistency in the teaching of reading and writing and the development of basic skills in mathematics.  You have reorganised the curriculum well so that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. You have enriched the curriculum to give pupils a wider range of practical first-hand experiences, including in after-school-clubs. The recently appointed middle leader has started to methodically monitor the planning, teaching and assessment of foundation subjects and has identified areas for further development, for example the use of practical work in science.

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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

 the currently good teaching results in better progress and higher attainment at the end of key stage 2, especially in writing, including at the higher standard  assessment in early years identifies consistently and precisely the next steps in children’s development so that all children fulfil their potential, including the most able.

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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 North Lincolnshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

I met with you, middle leaders, a group of pupils, four members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. I also spoke to parents bringing children to school. I jointly observed teaching with you in all classes and I discussed the learning in pupils’ books with class teachers. I also listened to pupils read.

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Information about the inspection

I checked the school website and examined a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, assessment information, the school development plan and safeguarding records. I took account of 28 responses from parents to the Ofsted online questionnaire, plus one letter. I also considered 10 responses from staff and 38 responses from pupils.

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