Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

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

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Mrs Jennie Fullwood Headteacher Scunthorpe CofE Primary School Gurnell Street Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire DN15 6HP

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 20 February 2018, 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 Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You are unequivocal in your vision for the school, which is that all pupils will succeed, no matter what their ability or background. As a result, the school is highly inclusive. Governors and staff are committed to developing the ‘whole child’. You place high importance on preparing pupils for their place in the world. Consequently, the curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to learn about different religions, faiths and cultures. The promotion and celebration of different cultures is a strong feature of the school. This is reflected in the many displays around the school celebrating different faiths and cultures. Pupils are respectful and tolerant of each other and show a good understanding of British values.

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Since the previous inspection, you have continued to ensure that there is no complacency. You set high expectations of what pupils should and can achieve. Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes. They show resilience in their learning. The vast majority of pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils typically support each other in lessons. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills. For example, the well-established ‘student council’ provides opportunities for pupils to be involved in school improvement planning. Pupils talk with pride about the school’s promotion of kindness, teamwork, courage and persistence. One pupil said, ‘The school is a place to shine.’

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Governors and staff wholeheartedly support the key priorities identified in your ‘moving the school forward’ plan. However, you acknowledge that action plans currently do not identify clearly who will check and who will evaluate the impact of actions. Staff and governors are committed and dedicated to providing the best possible provision for pupils and the local community. As a result, the school is open over the school holidays, providing lunch and support for families. Parents talk highly of the support provided by the school. One parent said, ‘I don’t know where I would be without the school.’

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Since the previous inspection, you and your staff have worked tirelessly to address the areas identified for improvement. You have ensured that there are more opportunities for staff to share best practice, including working with staff in other schools. Additional adults provide good support for pupils who are new to English or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, pupils continue to make good progress from their varied starting points.

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

A further area for improvement was to ensure that teachers make good use of information about pupils’ progress. You have introduced a tracking system, which enables teachers to quickly identify pupils who have fallen behind. This ensures that pupils at risk of underachieving are provided with appropriate support. As a result, in 2017 the progress made by pupils from the end of Year 2 to the end of Year 6 improved. In writing, key stage 2 pupils made progress well above pupils with similar starting points nationally. In mathematics, key stage 2 pupils made progress above similar pupils nationally. The proportion of pupils at the end of key stage 2 who reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined improved from the decline in attainment in 2016. Although attainment was below the national average in 2017, pupils made good progress from their different starting points, particularly pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding requirements are fit for purpose. Leaders, governors and staff take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously.

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Staff are vigilant to any potential safeguarding issues and pass on any concerns to you, no matter how small. The governing body safeguarding team supports you in your work to keep pupils safe. They regularly visit the school and talk to pupils and staff. They ensure that safeguarding training is up to date. Together with the governors, you have a good awareness of any issues in the local community. You use this information effectively to offer help and support to your families. You work with a number of outside agencies to further support families. Referrals are made in a timely manner. You are persistent and ensure that pupils and their families receive the support they need. Such is the extent of your work that there is a strong culture of safeguarding within the school.

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Short inspection of Scunthorpe CofE Primary School

Pupils told me that they feel safe in school. They say bullying is rare. If bullying does happen pupils told me that adults deal with any incidents quickly and effectively. The school’s anti-bullying ambassadors take their responsibilities seriously. They are well trained in order to provide support to other pupils.

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Inspection findings

 You have rightly made improving pupils’ attendance a key priority. Leaders have introduced a range of measures to improve attendance. Home visits by staff and meetings with parents are leading to improved attendance. The governing body ensures that additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. As a result, persistent absence of disadvantaged pupils has reduced significantly. You have raised the profile of attendance across the school. Pupils understand the importance of good attendance. They enjoy receiving rewards for good or improving attendance. Despite improvements in pupils’ attendance, you recognise that there is still work to do to ensure that persistent absence reduces further.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics in key stage 2. I wanted to check if the quality of teaching in key stage 1 enables pupils to make the same good progress. You have introduced a number of initiatives to improve pupils’

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Inspection findings

outcomes. Pupils access equipment to support their understanding of key mathematical facts and methods. This is consistent across year groups. In Year 1, pupils regularly explain their thinking at an age-appropriate level. Pupils eagerly offer help and support to each other and develop a range of strategies to help them work out a problem before asking the teacher. Pupils say they feel challenged in mathematics lessons. They talk with enthusiasm about the ‘mild’, ‘hot’ and ‘fiery’ challenges. Pupils are encouraged to spot errors in their work and correct their own mistakes. Pupils say this helps them to avoid repeating the same mistake. You acknowledge that there is further work to do to ensure that pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking and develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills consistently.  During the inspection I also wanted to check the school’s approach to reading, particularly for girls and disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2. In 2017, pupils

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Inspection findings

made progress similar to other pupils nationally in reading by the end of Year 6. However, it was not as strong as pupils’ progress in mathematics and writing. You have raised the profile of reading across the school and developed a strong reading culture. During the inspection, pupils talked positively about their enjoyment of reading, the opportunities to join book clubs, and how they are encouraged and supported to read regularly. Visiting authors are helping to further raise the profile of reading across the school. Weekly ‘tea and toast’ sessions enable parents to develop their confidence and skills to support their children at home. You continue to prioritise the development of pupils’ vocabulary and comprehension skills. As a result, a higher proportion of pupils are working above age-related expectations in Year 6 compared to previous years. Based on school information, a higher proportion of girls and

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Inspection findings

disadvantaged pupils are on track to achieve the higher standard in reading this year.  Since the previous inspection, you have placed high importance on the teaching of phonics. This has included weekly training sessions for teachers and teaching assistants. As a result, outcomes in the phonics screening check improved in 2016. Although there was a decline in the number of pupils achieving the expected standard in 2017, a higher proportion of current pupils are on track to achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check this year. However, while progress is evident, you have identified improving the quality of teaching of phonics as a continued whole-school priority.  Children in the early years generally start school with skills below those typical for their age. Fewer children than the national average achieve a good level of development at the end of Reception. Due to many children joining the school

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Inspection findings

who speak English as an additional language, you place high importance on the development of children’s speaking skills. There are lots of opportunities for children to develop their talk and listening skills. This ensures that children’s confidence increases quickly. Teachers and additional adults use every opportunity to develop pupils’ language skills through effective questioning. As a result, children are engaged in their learning. They sustain their interest and focus on an activity. School information shows a higher proportion of children are on track to achieve a good level of development this year than previously. Your action plan rightly identifies the further development of the outdoor area so that it, too, provides rich opportunities to develop pupils’ language skills, as does the indoor area.

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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

 persistent absence continues to reduce  action plans clearly identify who will check and who will evaluate the impact of actions  mathematics teaching increasingly supports pupils in developing age-appropriate problem-solving, reasoning and explaining skills  the quality of phonics teaching is consistently strong so that an increasing number of pupils achieve the expected standard by the end of Year 1.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Lincoln, 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

During the inspection, I made visits to lessons with you and the deputy headteacher. I also looked at the work in pupils’ books. I met with you, a number of staff and four governors, including the chair of the governing body. I also met with two representatives from the local authority.

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Information about the inspection

I took account of the three responses from parents to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. I met with a group of pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6. I spoke to a number of parents as they picked their children up at the end of the school day. I listened to some pupils from Years 1 and 2 read.

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Information about the inspection

I examined a range of documents, including the school improvement plan, the school’s self-evaluation, assessment information, governors’ minutes of meetings, attendance and behaviour logs, attendance information and safeguarding records.

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