Minsterley Primary School

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

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Mr Clive Roe Headteacher Minsterley Primary School Minsterley Shrewsbury Shropshire SY5 0BE

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Short inspection of Minsterley Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 13 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 February 2013.

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Short inspection of Minsterley Primary School

Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I have identified some priorities for improvement which I advise the school to address. In light of these priorities, the school’s next inspection will be a full section 5 inspection. There is

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no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

You have ensured that the ethos of the school lives up to its values of ‘caring, sharing, improving’. Pupils’ behaviour and personal development remain strong. This is a caring community where pupils look out for each other and staff ensure pupils are looked after well. Leaders and governors have taken successful steps to enhance the capacity of the school to improve with the appointment of a new deputy headteacher. Leaders recognise the areas where they need to improve and have targeted them accordingly. This has led to improvements in outcomes in reading and writing, but not yet mathematics. Governors are well informed and have a wealth of educational experience which they are using to challenge leaders over most aspects of the performance of the school. Governors’ performance management targets for the headteacher are linked to improving outcomes in mathematics throughout the school.

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no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Leaders have worked well to address the issues identified for improvement at the last inspection. Pupils now have time to reflect and find things out for themselves, for example through forest school. They now assess their own work through ‘purple-pen marking’. Pupils learn in an environment free of disruptive behaviour. There are good relationships between adults and pupils and between different groups of pupils.

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no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Safeguarding of pupils is a high priority for leaders and staff. Leaders are well trained for their roles and ensure that they keep up to date with guidance and information. Staff are regularly trained and updated. They know what to do if there is a potential safeguarding incident and are alert to any possible incidents. Records are kept securely. Leaders ensure that they meet all their statutory responsibilities and duties. Governors are vigilant in checking that all documents and records meet requirements. They too are well trained to carry out their responsibilities vigorously.

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no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Parents and carers who responded to Parent View were unanimous that the school keeps their children safe. Almost all of them said that the school deals effectively with any bullying incidents that arise. Most of the small number of pupils spoken to during the visit said that they felt safe and knew what to do if they experienced bullying. A small minority said that they did not feel safe about the site’s security, although there was no evidence seen that the school is not safe and secure. In fact, the school has taken rigorous measures in recent years to ensure that visitors and parents cannot access the site unchecked.

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Inspection findings

 Since the last inspection in 2013, outcomes for pupils have declined in reading, writing and mathematics in both key stages 1 and 2. Pupils’ progress in reading from the start of Year 3 to the end of Year 6 was very low in 2016. It improved in 2017, but was still below the national average. It is continuing to improve for pupils currently in key stage 2 as result of new strategies, introduced a year ago, to accelerate pupils’ progress in reading. These strategies have recently been extended to key stage 1, but have not been in place long enough to demonstrate as much impact there. Standards in phonics by the end of Year 1 have been on an upward trend over the last three years. Phonics is taught well in early years and key stage 1 so that pupils develop the skills they need to decode unfamiliar words. Pupils, including children in Reception, are gaining increasing opportunities to read more widely, independently, with others and with an adult.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics by the end of key stage 2 has remained low over the last three years up to 2017. It has shown little sign of improvement. Recent strategies introduced by leaders, including a greater emphasis on reasoning, problem solving and mastery, have not yet been in place long enough to lead to measurable improvements in outcomes. The teaching of mathematics is not yet consistently good in the school. Outcomes were also low in mathematics at the end of key stage 1.  Outcomes in writing in key stage 2 have improved significantly. In 2017, pupils’ progress from key stage 1 to key stage 2 was above the national average. Outcomes for boys have considerably improved over the last three years. In the most recent writing assessments at the end of Year 6 in 2017, boys significantly outperformed girls. Boys spoken to said that they enjoyed writing, especially when they are given extended time to write creatively. Pupils benefit from a wide

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Inspection findings

range of subjects in the curriculum, including art, physical education (PE), history, geography, French, music and information and communication technology (ICT). This has had a positive effect in improving outcomes in writing for pupils currently in the school.  Outcomes overall have improved in early years over the last four years, based on the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception. However, there has been a three-year dip in writing. Outcomes in writing are not yet improving quickly enough for children currently in Reception.  Leaders recognise that the school has been slow to diminish the difference in outcomes between disadvantaged children and other children nationally at the end of Reception, and in key stages 1 and 2. The pupil premium expenditure has not been monitored with enough rigour by leaders to ensure that it is making a difference in improving outcomes. Leaders’ monitoring of teaching and learning is

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Inspection findings

not closely enough linked to outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in each class and subject. The impact of the support of additional adults funded by the pupil premium is not tracked sufficiently by leaders.  Governors do not evaluate the impact of pupil premium spending rigorously enough. In pupils’ work seen during the inspection, teachers’ expectations for low-attaining disadvantaged pupils are not as high as they are for most-able pupils. As a result, where work is untidy, unfinished or incorrect, these pupils are not challenged as much as other pupils to improve it.  Leaders have an over-generous view of teaching. The quality of support of additional adults is not yet consistently good. Middle leaders, some of whom are new to post, have not yet had sufficient experience of monitoring teaching and analysing pupils’ outcomes. Action plans do not specify measurable outcomes and milestones clearly enough or identify who will hold teachers and leaders to

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Inspection findings

account.  Parents responding to Parent View and the Parent View free-text service were overwhelmingly positive about the school and its leaders. Almost all said that they would recommend the school to another parent. Attendance of pupils is high and continuing to improve. The rate of persistent absence is low.

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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

 outcomes improve in mathematics in key stages 1 and 2 through better leadership and teaching in the subject  outcomes in writing improve for children in early years  the school undertakes an external review to ensure that pupil premium funding is having a positive impact on outcomes for disadvantaged pupils  the monitoring of teaching and learning, including by middle leaders, is more rigorous  action plans include measurable outcomes and milestones and set out clearly who is responsible for monitoring and evaluating their impact.

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

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you, senior and middle leaders and other teaching staff. I also met with six members of the governing body, including the chair. I met with a representative from the local authority. I met with a group of eight pupils from key stages 1 and 2. I carried out five lesson observations jointly with you, which included scrutinising pupils’ books and talking to pupils. I observed pupils’ behaviour around the school. I took account of 28 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and 28 responses to the Parent View free-text service. I scrutinised the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, information about pupils’ performance, behaviour and attendance, and several school policy documents as well as safeguarding and child protection records. I also checked the school’s website .

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Information about the inspection

The key lines of enquiry for this inspection were: the impact of leadership and management on outcomes over time, especially in reading and mathematics; provision for reading; the impact of pupil premium funding on outcomes for disadvantaged pupils; provision for writing in early years; progress and standards in mathematics; and safeguarding.

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