Lumbertubs Primary School

Lumbertubs Primary School Tonmead Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN3 8HZ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have not secured sustained improvement since the last inspection. They have been slow to respond to the low attainment and progress of some pupils in key stages 1 and 2.  The quality of teaching and learning across the school is inconsistent. Leaders have not used assessment information carefully enough to hold teachers to account for the progress pupils make.  Sometimes teachers do not use assessment information carefully enough to ensure that tasks are set at the right level to challenge all pupils, including the most able pupils.  The teaching of reading and mathematics is not effective across the school. Recent changes to how these subjects are taught are yet to affect the progress that pupils make.  Occasionally staff do not have the subject knowledge or skills to support pupils with their learning and ensure that pupils make good progress over time.  Teachers’ expectations are too low. They do

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

not use lesson time efficiently. Consequently, over time, pupils do not make as much progress as they should.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Adults in the early years develop children’s knowledge and skills well. Speech and language development is a priority, and children progress well through Nursery and Reception.  The curriculum is broad and develops successfully pupils’ knowledge and skills across subjects.  The school’s nurture provision supports the development of social skills in the early years and key stage 1 well.  Leaders monitor the attendance of pupils well. Support is put in place quickly for pupils who fall below the school’s attendance target.  Pupils behave well throughout the school. They are kind and polite to adults and each other.  The leader for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities ensures that pupils’ needs are met. This enables these pupils to participate in learning effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in order to increase pupils’ progress and raise standards, particularly in reading and mathematics, by ensuring that: – teachers use assessment information about pupils’ skills and knowledge to set work at the correct level of difficulty, including for disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils – teachers use time in lessons efficiently to accelerate the amount of progress pupils make over time, especially the most able and pupils who are disadvantaged – the school’s approaches to the teaching of reading and mathematics are used consistently by teachers across the school.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – assessment information is used effectively to monitor the quality of teaching and learning, and to effectively hold teachers to account – assessment information is used to accelerate the progress of all pupils and groups

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

of pupils, such as disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and the most able pupils – training and professional development are provided for all staff in order to effectively support pupils and to bring about further improvements to the teaching of reading and mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have not maintained the pace of improvement since the last inspection. They have not managed successfully issues such as increased mobility or the low attainment of pupils.  Leaders were too slow to react to the low attainment and progress of pupils in upper key stage 2. As a result, some pupils did not make as much progress as they should have done in 2017. The school’s assessment information shows that gaps in attainment for current Year 6 pupils have not been identified quickly enough, and they are working below the standards expected for their age.  Leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching across the school is consistently good or better. Leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning has not been rigorous enough to ensure that, where weaknesses have been identified, they are quickly addressed.  Leaders have not monitored carefully enough the progress of disadvantaged pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Leaders have not ensured that teaching consistently meets the needs of these pupils. Consequently, some disadvantaged pupils have not made as much progress as they should have.  Subject leaders for English and mathematics are determined to raise standards. They have recently introduced changes to the way their subjects are taught. However, these changes are too recent to show an impact on the progress that pupils are making.  The leader for the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities carefully monitors the progress and attainment of these pupils. Different assessment tools carefully track pupils’ academic, social and emotional progress. This is particularly the case for pupils in key stage 1 who access the school’s nurture provision. The school’s assessment records show that these pupils’ social and emotional needs are well met. This enables them to participate effectively in learning in class, reducing the number of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

incidents of disrupted learning.  The leader for the teaching of phonics has ensured that teaching is effective across the school. Careful monitoring of the progress that pupils make has ensured that pupils who have been at the school since Reception make good progress in this area.  Leaders have ensured that staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well. Pupils have a secure understanding of what it means to be a British citizen and understand diversity and equality. The curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to develop their understanding of their locality, the wider world and different cultures. This includes providing pupils with cultural opportunities such as taking part in the local Shakespeare project, where pupils study a play. This year, pupils are taking part in a group production of ‘Hamlet’ at the Derngate Theatre.  The school has received support from the academy trust. However, due to the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

geographical location of other schools in the trust, it has been difficult to establish a local network of schools to develop school-to-school support. As a result, the school will be joining a local trust in the near future.  Leaders have demonstrated the capacity to improve aspects of teaching and pupils’ outcomes, reduce incidents of poor behaviour and improve rates of attendance.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body is passionate about the school. It is determined to bring about improvements to enhance the life chances of pupils at the school. Governors strongly believe that the additional opportunities the school provides should raise pupils’ aspirations, build self-esteem and nourish self-confidence.  Governors understand the pressures that the school faces from the increased mobility of pupils and the high social and emotional needs of some pupils. Governors are supportive of the school’s approach to providing nurture provision for pupils, as well as ensuring that all pupils receive teaching in protective behaviours.  Leaders ensure that governors receive up-to-date assessment information to provide an overview of how well pupils are doing. Governors use this to hold leaders to account. However, occasionally, governors focus too much on the contextual factors that contribute to underachievement rather than challenging the school’s leaders to

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have ensured that all staff receive relevant and up-to-date training in safeguarding procedures. Leaders share the local safeguarding board updates with staff and volunteers to ensure that they know and understand the lessons learned from serious case reviews.  The designated safeguarding leads have developed close links with local agencies. Where cases do not meet the local authority threshold for support, the designated safeguarding leads put action plans in place to support families and help is sought elsewhere. School leaders readily provide a range of additional resources for their most vulnerable pupils.  The records for safeguarding are well managed and maintained. The designated safeguarding leads are thorough in ensuring that records are up to date. Incidents and updates are recorded chronologically in order to easily show patterns of concerns. Staff

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Safeguarding

at all levels understand the procedures for passing on concerns. The school’s records show that staff are encouraged to record all incidents, no matter how small, and the designated safeguarding leads review these carefully to determine whether further action is required.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Sometimes teachers are not using their knowledge of what pupils can already do carefully enough to provide challenge for all pupils. Sometimes the work that pupils complete is too easy and does not challenge pupils.  Teachers do not use lesson time efficiently. For example, in some lessons, they regularly interrupt the flow of learning by asking pupils to stop working and listen. On other occasions, teachers do not identify when pupils are finding work too easy and require additional challenge to deepen their understanding.  On occasion, adults do not have the skills or subject knowledge to support pupils in their learning. When this happens, pupils do not receive the immediate guidance they require. This hinders the amount of progress pupils make over time.  Leaders hold regular meetings with teachers to discuss the progress of disadvantaged pupils. However, teachers do not always use their knowledge of pupils’ needs well

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

enough to provide effective support. As a result, some disadvantaged pupils do not make as much progress as they should.  Pupils develop their phonics knowledge well in the early years and key stage 1. They use this to read unfamiliar words and to spell new words. However, some pupils in key stage 2 have weak spelling and reading skills. Changes to the support these pupils receive have only recently begun and are not yet showing an impact on pupils’ reading and spelling skills.  Teachers are developing their approach to teaching writing skills but it is not yet consistent across the school. Not all teachers are equally skilled at promoting high- quality discussions between pupils, which successfully encourage pupils to come up with ideas that they can use in their writing.  In mathematics lessons, the expectation of what pupils can achieve is often too low. As a result, some pupils, including the most able pupils, are not making as much progress

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

as they should.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants in class. Pupils use resources to support their learning well and, wherever possible, they are encouraged to be independent in their learning. Where adult support is necessary, support is appropriate and adults are skilled in providing the right level of challenge.  Teachers are creative in their approach to developing pupils’ knowledge and skills in the wider curriculum. Pupils have many opportunities to learn about other cultures, events in history and a range of geographical locations. Teachers skilfully thread the arts into learning across the curriculum; for example, pupils make artefacts from clay and recreate myths and legends using different media.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils’ welfare is supported well by leaders who ensure that, every term, pupils are taught protective behaviours in order to support their emotional development, resilience and self-confidence.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in school, in the community and when using the internet. They know the dangers that they may face online, including on social media and when playing online games. Pupils say that any incidents of bullying are dealt with quickly by leaders.  Pupils understand the school’s values and know how these relate to their lives. They demonstrate empathy and compassion for others and show this in their relationships with pupils and adults around the school. Pupils are happy to talk to adults about their learning and are proud of their school and what it offers them.  The school’s welfare team, including the deputy headteacher and the nurture manager,

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Personal development and welfare

supports pupils who are experiencing difficulties. Pupils know there is always someone they can talk to. Dedicated spaces around the school, such as the ‘chill-out room’, are available to pupils throughout the day if they need some space to think. During lunchtimes, groups of pupils take turns to take part in different activities. These successfully occupy pupils and minimise incidents of poor behaviour.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and well mannered around the school, holding doors open, greeting visitors and shaking their hands. During break and lunchtime, pupils play well together and participate in the different activities on offer with enjoyment.  Leaders have worked closely with families to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. Staff follow up promptly with pupils whose attendance falls below the school’s target. Plans of action identify the reasons for poor attendance and support families to get pupils into school. Rates of attendance have improved and the school’s own attendance records show that attendance is currently above the national average.  Parents, carers and pupils report that incidents of poor behaviour have reduced considerably. The number of fixed-term exclusions has fallen dramatically.  The school’s nurture provision for pupils in key stage 1 develops the emotional

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Behaviour

resilience and social skills of pupils who may struggle to manage their behaviour in class and around the school. The school’s own assessments show that pupils who have accessed the nurture provision learn how to manage their behaviour, enabling them to participate fully in class. Pupils in key stage 2 who struggle to regulate their behaviour receive support from adults and can access the school’s chill-out room when required. A small number of pupils who are new to key stage 2 are unable to access nurture provision. While leaders provide support for these pupils, occasionally their needs are not as well met as those of younger pupils.  On occasion, the behaviour of pupils in class is not as focused as it could be. This is due to the tasks set not meeting the needs of pupils in the class and being either too easy or too difficult. As a result, some pupils become distracted.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ outcomes require improvement because pupils are not making good progress throughout the school. In 2016 and 2017, the proportions of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stages 1 and 2 were below the national average. In 2017, pupils in key stage 2 did not make the progress of which they were capable in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ workbooks show that, although pupils are making progress, this is not rapid enough to counter the weaker progress made in previous years. This is particularly the case for current Year 6 pupils, where much of the teaching is spent filling gaps in knowledge that should have been covered in previous years. There is some evidence of better progress and attainment in pupils’ workbooks in some other year groups.  The proportions of disadvantaged pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stages 1 and 2 in 2016 and 2017 were

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

below the national averages. Teachers are not using their knowledge of what these pupils can do well enough to sets tasks that provide challenge. Some disadvantaged pupils do not make as much progress as they should.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, particularly those who have an academic need, make good progress. Teachers and leaders use a range of assessment information to track the progress that these pupils make, and small-step targets are used effectively to ensure that pupils make progress. In 2017, a few pupils who had social, emotional and behavioural needs did not make as much progress as they should. The support for these pupils was not developed well enough to enable these pupils to fully access learning.  Pupils make good progress in the development of phonics in key stage 1. Assessment information for the last three years indicates that the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check is falling. However, this reflects the

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

high number of pupils who join the school part-way through early years or key stage 1. The school’s own analysis shows that pupils who have been at the school in the early years and Year 1 achieve well in phonics.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leader has a secure understanding of the progress and attainment of children. Assessment information is used well to target individual needs. Parents are encouraged to contribute to children’s learning journals and to pass on significant milestones in children’s development.  Adults seek additional support quickly for children who require more specialist support. The early years leader and the leader for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities work closely together to ensure that necessary support is put in place swiftly and that parents are well informed about pupils’ needs and progress.  The early years leader has ensured that disadvantaged children receive support that targets their needs carefully. Over the past three years, disadvantaged children have performed better than other children, with the proportion leaving the early years with a good level of development being above the national average.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years environment is well resourced and all the areas of the early years curriculum are well provided for. Children have access to a wide range of resources to help them develop their learning across the curriculum, and adults use role play well to develop learning. For example, adults and children were recreating the life cycle of a butterfly using movement and drama that included accurate use of technical vocabulary.  Adults respond well to children’s interests and react well to events that unfold around them, allowing children to shape and develop their learning. While outside with a group of children, a loud aeroplane flew over the school, which excited the children. The adult used this to encourage them to consider where the aeroplane might be going and to think about the contrasting localities that they knew of.  Children’s behaviour is exemplary. They play well together, respond with care and

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Early years provision Good

respect to each other. They use the resources well, looking after them and putting them away carefully.  The early years leader has developed a programme of extra-curricular activities to provide children with opportunities they may not encounter outside of school. This includes tag rugby and ballet sessions.  Children enter the school’s nursery provision with skills below those typical of children their age. Leaders have focused on developing the speech and language of all children in order to support their development across the curriculum. As a result, the majority of children leave the early years well prepared for key stage 1.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Email address head@lumbertubs.northants-ecl.gov.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 November 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Collaborative Academies Trust. The powers of governance lie with the trustees of the Collaborative Academies Trust. The trustees have appointed a committee known as the local governing body. The trustees delegate some of their powers to the local governing body, which is supported and developed by the Collaborative Academies Trust.  The proportion of pupils who are believed to speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum requirements for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed learning in a number of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. They observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in all year groups to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteachers, subject leaders and representatives of the governing body. The inspectors also spoke with the trust link adviser.  The inspectors spoke with parents informally and considered the five responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and the 15 responses to the staff survey.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement, the most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils, information relating to the health, safety and safeguarding of pupils

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Information about this inspection

and the most recent data relating to the attendance of pupils.  The inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Evans Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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