Auckley Pre-School Ltd

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

p.1

Mr Kevin Flint Executive Headteacher Auckley School School Lane Auckley Doncaster South Yorkshire DN9 3JN

p.1

Short inspection of Auckley School

Following my visit to the school on 6 March 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 December 2012.

p.1

Short inspection of Auckley School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You provide strong leadership and have a clear vision for the school, which is shared by governors, leaders and staff. You have successfully developed an enthusiastic and dedicated leadership team that provides you with valuable support. There is a strong sense purpose at the school, and staff morale is high. Leaders, governors and staff work together as a highly effective team to fulfil the school’s vision: ‘Together we nurture, challenge and inspire’. As a result, Auckley Primary School is a solidly good school that provides a good education for its pupils.

p.1

Short inspection of Auckley School

Governors work closely with the school and provide effective support and challenge; they are well informed and hold you and your leaders fully to account. They know that your work has been effective in improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Governors act as very effective critical friends.

p.1

Short inspection of Auckley School

At the time of the last inspection, the school was asked to strengthen the small amount of teaching requiring improvement by making sure that the work pupils do is sufficiently challenging and meets their needs. You and your leaders have taken effective action to improve teaching and have provided teachers with good professional development opportunities to improve their practice. Your leadership team has also reviewed the English and mathematics curriculum to ensure that it meets pupils’ needs and have improved the way these subjects are taught. As a result of your actions, outcomes have improved in reading, writing and mathematics in all stages of the school.

p.1

Short inspection of Auckley School

Additionally, the school was urged to raise achievement in mathematics. This you have successfully done. Leadership of mathematics is strong, and the quality of teaching is monitored regularly. The changes leaders have made to the mathematics curriculum have had a positive effect Standards in mathematics are noticeably improving across the school.

p.2

Short inspection of Auckley School

You were quite rightly pleased with the most recent outcomes in 2017 for children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2. Attainment in all subjects is high, especially at key stage 2. However, you and your leaders are not complacent and recognise that there is still work to be done. Although writing standards are improving, you acknowledge that more pupils are capable of attaining the higher standard in key stage 2. You also agreed with me that in some classes pupils are not consistently taking a pride in the presentation of their work.

p.2

Short inspection of Auckley School

Leaders have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that records are detailed and of a high quality. Staff have benefited from appropriate training and understand what to do should a safeguarding issue or concern arise. All your policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, including safeguarding checks on adults working at the school, meet requirements and are up to date. When necessary, leaders work with different agencies to ensure that families and pupils receive the support they need.

p.2

Short inspection of Auckley School

Overwhelmingly, parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and those who responded to the school’s own survey feel that their child is safe at this school. Pupils said that they enjoy school and are insistent that there is no bullying in school. Pupils feel safe at school and on the rare occasion when they have a problem are confident that an adult will sort it out.

p.2

Inspection findings

 You quite rightly acknowledge that the success of the school is not solely down to you. You have successfully nurtured an effective leadership team that gives you strong support in your desire for improvement. They are determined leaders who share your high aspirations. Leadership of the school is a strength.  We first agreed to investigate the progress of pupils in key stage 1 who need to catch up in mathematics. You have invested significantly in resources for mathematics, and teachers have received good professional development to ensure that they meet the needs of these pupils more effectively. As a result, pupils from low starting points are currently making stronger progress.  I also wanted to determine how those pupils who did not reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check are being supported. This small group of pupils receives additional help each morning from an experienced

p.2

Inspection findings

teaching assistant. These pupils are making rapid progress as a result of this extra support.  Another focus of the inspection was to determine how effectively children in the early years are being challenged to improve their writing further, specifically those children who are capable of exceeding the expectations for their age. The early years is led extremely well and teaching is strong. It was clear when visiting the early years that writing is given a high profile. Children of different abilities have good opportunities to develop their writing skills and evidence from their work shows that they are making rapid progress.  As a team, you have implemented plans that have improved attainment in writing across the school, especially for pupils achieving the expected standard for their age. Evidence in pupils’ workbooks shows that this has been done successfully. However, you recognise that these plans have yet to improve the proportion of

p.2

Inspection findings

pupils attaining the higher standard in writing in key stage 2.  When looking in books, we both agreed that there are examples of beautifully presented work. It is clear that these pupils take a great pride in their work. However, you acknowledged that, while this is very pleasing, some pupils’ work lacks the same care and attention.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.3

Next steps for the school

 plans to improve standards in writing are firmly embedded so a greater proportion of pupils in key stage 2 attain higher standards  where necessary, pupils are encouraged to take a greater pride in the presentation of their work.

p.3

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 Doncaster. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3

Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, the deputy head of school, the early years leader and subject leaders for English and mathematics. I also met with two members of the governing body and a private consultant. I spoke with pupils informally during lunchtime and when listening to pupils read. I made short visits to classrooms with you and your deputy head of school and looked at pupils’ books. I scrutinised various documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans and safeguarding documents. I considered the 34 responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey, the 65 responses to Parent View, and 61 free-text responses to Parent View.

p.3