Yoxall St Peter's CofE Primary School

Yoxall St Peter’s CofE (VC) Primary School King Street, Yoxall, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 8NF

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has a clear vision of providing a high-quality education in school. He is determined to achieve it.  The roles of middle leaders are currently developing. They are not yet fully effective in leading their areas of responsibility throughout the school.  Teaching is effective. Pupils enjoy learning. Classrooms are attractive and interesting places to learn.  Disadvantaged pupils are supported well. The school works effectively to remove barriers to the learning and well-being of these pupils.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress.  Teaching assistants are well deployed and show high levels of skill in supporting pupils’ learning.  Safeguarding is effective. Staff receive appropriate, up-to-date training and are well informed.  Governors know the school well. The governing body is led effectively. Governors are clear about what needs to be done to achieve

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

further improvements.  Leaders have had a positive impact on the English and mathematics curriculums. The development of other subjects is still ongoing.  Children do well in the Reception class. This is because it is well led and staff have high expectations. Links with parents and carers in the early years are strong and positive.  Pupils’ skills and enjoyment in reading are a developing strength in school. Pupils increasingly take delight in books and enjoy thinking about and sharing their ideas on books.  Since the headteacher’s appointment two years ago, teaching has improved. As a result, the standards achieved by pupils are improving.  There are times when the most able pupils are not challenged as well as they could be, particularly at key stage 2.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is expertly developed. Pupils behave well. They care for each other and cooperate well. They are well prepared for life

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Move the most able pupils on to more challenging work more quickly so that their learning is extended fully.  Ensure that parents receive clear communication:  regarding the progress their children are making  fully informing them about events that take place in school.  Develop the roles and responsibilities of middle leaders so that:  leadership is more equally distributed among staff  staff have more ownership of their specific phases or subjects.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher leads the school with a clear vision of what outstanding education looks like. He is determined to achieve it at Yoxall St Peter’s Primary School. He is very realistic about the school’s strengths and what needs to be done to improve it further.  The headteacher has developed and maintains a very inclusive ethos. This focuses on ensuring that the needs of all pupils are accurately identified, carefully catered for and, as far as possible, met.  Due to the small size of the school, much of the management and monitoring of the quality of the school’s provision falls to the headteacher. However, increasingly, other members of staff are taking on monitoring, training and leadership roles. This is helping to support the headteacher in his work and to ensure that all staff are fully involved in shaping the direction the school moves in.  The headteacher has focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning. He is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

using performance management to focus, refine and improve teachers’ skills.  Leaders have made significant changes to the way that English and mathematics is taught. These new approaches are having a positive impact on standards in these subjects. Other curriculum areas are currently being developed.  A few parents expressed concern that leaders do not deal effectively with bullying at the school. The school’s records show that leaders appropriately log incidents of bullying, meet with parents to discuss the issues and arrange mediation sessions between pupils so that matters can be resolved. These records are clear and detailed and show how leaders effectively manage any issues that occur.  Parents feel they do not receive enough information from the school. Inspection evidence shows that communication between the school and the parents could be better, particularly with reference to feedback about pupils’ progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 In response to staff concerns, leaders and governors have plans in place to improve the work/life balance for all staff.  Additional funding to support pupils with SEND is used effectively. The provision for pupils with SEND is well led. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is meticulous in her approach. Records are detailed and links with outside agencies are strong. The SENCo works effectively to help all staff, including teaching assistants, to develop their skills in supporting pupils with SEND. This is having a positive impact on the overall quality of teaching and the progress these pupils make.  The school, working with outside support from Burton Albion and the East Staffordshire Partnership, uses its allocation of the physical education (PE) and sport funding successfully. As well as giving pupils opportunities to develop their sports skills and experience, opportunities to extend staff’s expertise in the teaching of PE are provided.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

The impact is noticeable. This year, the school won the Dove Valley football league for the first time in 18 years. The school takes part in festivals that allow pupils to try out new activities such as crown green bowls. The school has a large outdoor area that pupils use widely both at playtimes and for sport.  Pupil premium funding is focused precisely and effectively by the school to ensure that barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils are, as far as possible, removed. As a result, disadvantaged pupils are doing at least as well as, and often better than, other pupils.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well catered for. A thoughtful and well-planned series of acts of worship underpin the life of the school. Pupils are reflective about the themes they discuss such as ‘tolerance’ and ‘respect’. As a result of the work of the headteacher and governors at the school, pupils are well prepared to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

take up their roles as productive, reflective and open-minded citizens. Pupils have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of religions. Examples of this include pupils taking part in a ‘faith walk’ in Derby and visiting a synagogue, a church and a mosque all in one day.

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Governance of the school

 Governors know the school and the community well. They are clear about the school’s strengths and the areas that need attention. They are well led and constantly seek to improve their impact on the work of the school. They work closely with the multi- academy trust (MAT) to produce detailed improvement plans.  Governors receive regular and increasingly detailed information about the school, including information about the school’s performance, from the headteacher. They provide a good balance of challenge and support for the headteacher. They take their safeguarding duties seriously and carry out unannounced safeguarding audits in school, when they check procedures and ensure that pupils are safe.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Procedures and systems for checking the suitability of visitors and staff recruitment are strong. Careful checks are in place to ensure staff’s suitability to work with children.  The headteacher ensures that all staff and governors are suitably trained and skilled in safeguarding matters. The headteacher is well supported by the designated safeguarding governor in this aspect of the school’s work.  The headteacher maintains a culture in school where staff show a clear understanding of their responsibilities and of the procedures that keep pupils safe. Staff engage with outside agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the support that they require.  Pupils have many opportunities to learn and understand how to stay safe through the subjects they study in class and during assemblies. Pupils told the inspector that they regularly learn about how to stay safe online.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Since his appointment, the headteacher has introduced a number of new initiatives and approaches to teaching that are beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. In the last two years, he has focused on the appointment and training of new staff, including three newly qualified teachers. He uses performance management to focus on strengths and development areas in teaching and to refine teachers’ skills.  Pupils are taught in stimulating learning environments that excite them about their learning. For example, in a key stage 1 class, a display asked, ‘What’s happening behind the door?’ and gave clues leading to the story ‘Elf Road’ by Pie Corbett. Consistent approaches can be seen across classes in terms of displays and classroom organisation.  Staff demonstrate good subject knowledge. They know pupils well. They generally plan learning that builds on what pupils already know and understand. They monitor pupils’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

learning carefully and those at risk of falling behind are quickly identified and given extra support. The most able pupils are not routinely moved on to more challenging work when they are ready. This is mostly the case at key stage 2.  Teaching assistants are skilful and deployed well across the school. During the inspection, examples were seen of teaching assistants using questioning effectively to challenge pupils and make them think.  Teachers are effective in helping pupils across the school develop their writing skills well. Teachers plan a range of opportunities for pupils to write. Vocabulary and sentence structures are typically of a good standard. Pupils are given opportunities to write at length and the presentation of their work is generally good.  A review of mathematics books showed that the most able pupils get the clear majority of questions they were set right and that more challenging work was not often set to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

move these pupils on further. This was particularly the case in key stage 2.  Pupils’ books show that the teaching of the curriculum beyond English and mathematics is still developing. The school has identified this as an area to be improved and they are working on it. Leaders of subjects other than English and mathematics are not yet fully effective in leading and developing their subjects and monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are given a bible when they join the school, which they use regularly as they move through the school. The school makes strong links between pupils’ welfare and biblical stories. For example, ‘On the road to Emmaus’, Jesus was not recognised by his disciples. A link was made to not knowing people we meet online and why we should be cautious. This made the story real and relevant to the pupils, while reinforcing safety messages.  Pupils are kind, caring and aware of the needs of others. Pupils spoken to formally and informally on the playground spoke about how much they enjoy school and how well staff care for them. One pupil said, ‘It is a safe school’, and other pupils nodded vigorously in agreement.  Despite the small size of the school and its village setting, pupils are keenly aware of their place in, and responsibilities to, the wider world. Pupils said that, because of their

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Personal development and welfare

lessons and other experiences at school, they know about other lifestyles and ways of being. Examples of this are where pupils have written to a school in South Africa that they have links with. Also, a parent came in to talk about living in Kenya.  Pupils are encouraged to take on roles of responsibility, mostly as they get older. Pupils are given the opportunity to vote for representatives on the school council, house captains and members of the sport and well-being committee. This reinforces teaching and learning about democracy that take place in class.  Due to the school’s diligence and actions, pupils have a good understanding of the range of forms that bullying can take. Pupils said bullying is rare. One pupil said, ‘We used to have bullying, but Mr Draper sorted it.’ Some parents raised concerns that bullying was a major issue at the school. However, inspection evidence did not find this to be the case. Pupils told the inspector that they feel safe and know how to keep

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Personal development and welfare

themselves safe in a range of situations, including when online.  Pupils have the view that ‘it is okay to be different’ and understand how our differences make us unique and special. This is echoed by the pictures of individual pupils that can be found around the school hall.  Staff know pupils well and most parents speak warmly about staff. One parent commented: ‘It has been great to be given so many opportunities to visit the school for workshops, classroom visits and special assemblies. The staff are all very friendly and approachable, with some establishing such special bonds that they will always be remembered.’

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, both within classes and outside on the playground. During the inspection, pupils were often seen cooperating well with each other.  Pupils talk enthusiastically about ‘play leaders’ and their positive impact on behaviour and making playtimes interesting and fun.  As a result of the efforts of staff and the attitudes of pupils and parents, overall attendance is consistently above the national average. Additionally, very few pupils are persistently absent.  Most pupils are interested in what they do at school. They have responded enthusiastically to the school’s focus on reading and explained how they had decorated potatoes as their favourite book characters. Pupils generally use their initiative to persevere with solving problems, both socially and academically.  Pupils, staff and visitors have the opportunity to nominate pupils for ‘carer of the

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Behaviour

week’. The school’s ‘golden book’ details examples of the caring behaviour shown by many pupils at the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Since opening as an academy in 2016, pupils’ outcomes have improved across the school. Attainment on entry varies from year to year. However, most pupils enter school with skills that are typical for their age. Good teaching enables pupils to progress well as they move through the school.  In 2017, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was above the national average but dipped slightly in 2018. However, the majority of current Year 1 pupils are on track to meet the expected standard.  Outcomes in key stage 1 have improved year on year since 2016. In 2018, the proportions of pupils attaining average and higher attainment were above the national figures. Current Year 2 pupils are on track to make the standards expected for their age.  Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 have been above the national average for the last two years, with the exception of mathematics, which was slightly below in 2018. While

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Outcomes for pupils Good

attainment in English and mathematics is improving, there is still not a consistent level of challenge provided for the most able pupils, particularly in mathematics, where the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard is below average.  Attainment at the end of key stage 2 in grammar, punctuation and spelling has been above the national average for the last two years. Pupils’ English books show they apply these skills effectively in their writing.  Reading is a growing strength of the school. Pupils reported that they enjoy the opportunities they now have to read, both in and out of school. They said that they enjoy reading in class and sharing the experience of reading and its ‘escapism’ into different worlds.  Disadvantaged pupils do well across the school. The school’s assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils generally make strong progress.  Pupils with SEND make generally good progress from their starting points. This is

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Outcomes for pupils Good

because of a highly knowledgeable and skilled SENCo, who ensures that the work they are given to do is carefully targeted at what they need to learn and that they are supported effectively.

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Early years provision Good

 The leadership of early years is good. The Reception team’s assessment of children as they enter the provision is very thorough. It draws on a wide range of evidence and information about each child, including information provided by parents. By the time children enter the Reception class, staff know them well. Reception children are taught in a class with Year 1 pupils but care is taken to ensure an early years experience for these children.  There are strong links with local nurseries, which staff visit. Staff take full account of the information they receive on each child from these partners. As a result, staff establish a secure and accurate view of each child’s needs and strengths. They use this information to inform and focus their planning and teaching.  Staff are developing an interesting and safe learning environment, which provides a range of interesting learning activities and experiences. The outdoor area is currently

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Early years provision Good

being developed so that more of the learning that takes place inside the classroom can continue outside the classroom. A range of appropriate resources have been ordered to further improve this area.  Phonics is taught well. Staff make the sessions interesting and fun, with ‘Freddy Frog’ helping children learn their sounds. Children respond well. Staff are adept at picking up misconceptions quickly so that children make good progress.  Due to small number in the Reception class, the proportion of pupils who achieve a good level of development by the time they reach the end of Reception varies from year to year. However, inspection evidence and the school’s own records show that, from their starting points, children make generally good progress during their time in Reception.  The Reception team works with the MAT and other partners to develop expertise and check the accuracy of their judgements of children’s progress.

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Early years provision Good

 Parents of Reception children said that their children settle well and enjoy coming to school. The team focuses on establishing open links with parents and this further supports children’s learning.

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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

School category Church of England voluntary controlled academy Age range of pupils 4 to 11

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School details

Website www.st-peters-yoxall.staffs.sch.uk/

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School details

Email address headteacher@st-peters-yoxall.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Yoxall St Peter’s is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils join the school at the start of the Reception Year.  There are very few pupils from minority ethnic groups and none speak English as an additional language.  Very few pupils are disadvantaged and known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium.  There has been high staff mobility since 2013, including three headteachers.  The current headteacher was appointed in 2017.  The school is a sponsored academy and part of the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed pupils’ learning in all year groups. These observations were undertaken jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector scrutinised work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. She met formally and informally with groups of pupils to gain their views of the school. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at social times and in assemblies, as well as in lessons.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, as well as other senior leaders and middle leaders. The inspector met with governors and also with the chief executive officer of the MAT.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation. These included assessments of pupils’ progress, the school’s checks and records regarding safeguarding, child protection and attendance, records of bullying incidents, records of how teaching is monitored and the school’s own self-evaluation and improvement plans.  The inspector considered 75 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. She

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Information about this inspection

considered free-text comments from parents. The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day and also considered 18 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Heather Phillips, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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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