Linchfield Community Primary School

Linchfield Community Primary School Crowson Way, Deeping St James, Peterborough, Lincolnshire PE6 8EY

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils consistently make less progress than other pupils nationally. In 2018, half of the Year 6 pupils did not achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined.  Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make particularly poor progress.  Pupils follow the national curriculum, but weak curriculum planning and inconsistent teaching mean they do not make good progress.  Senior leaders have not provided staff with a consistent approach to raising standards. They have not monitored school improvement strategies carefully enough.  Leaders and governors have not created a climate in which staff feel respected, treated fairly or well supported.  Governors have not held school leaders to account for the school’s recent poor performance.  The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Procedures are not compliant with the government’s guidance.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have overseen a decline in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The stronger practice that exists within the school is not shared.  Leaders have not ensured that assessment information is accurate. Teachers do not plan activities to meet the needs of pupils. They do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to develop their mathematical and writing skills.  The early years provision is inadequate because leaders have not ensured that it meets statutory requirements for the early years and safeguarding.  Senior leaders have not supported middle leaders to be effective in their roles.  Sometimes pupils do not demonstrate the skills of effective learners.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils play an active role in the local community.  Pupils are polite and well behaved. They are respectful of adults and each other.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently address the weaknesses in the school’s safeguarding systems by ensuring that: – the arrangements for safeguarding and safer recruitment meet statutory requirements – the designated safeguarding leader maintains full and accurate records of safeguarding concerns – governors hold leaders to account for the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding and safer recruitment arrangements.  Improve the impact of leadership and governance by: – evaluating the impact of funding for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils to ensure that this funding is used effectively in order to raise standards for these pupils – supporting middle leaders to enable them to bring about improvements to their areas of responsibility – creating an environment in which staff feel well supported, respected and treated fairly.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that the assessment of pupils throughout the school is based on thorough

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

evidence of pupils’ achievements and is used effectively to plan pupils’ next steps in learning – developing pupils’ skills in mathematics and providing opportunities for them to explain and reason – providing opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their writing skills – ensuring that teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are ambitious and appropriate to pupils’ abilities, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils – ensuring that teachers have high expectations of pupils’ handwriting and standards of presentation.  Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by developing pupils’ resilience to become successful learners.  Improve the quality of education in the early years by ensuring that the setting meets statutory requirements for safeguarding and the early years curriculum. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders do not recognise the school’s weaknesses. They have not identified clear priorities for improvement, or taken effective action to bring about the necessary improvements.  The capacity to improve this school is weak. Development plans do not address the key weaknesses, and leaders flit from one strategy to another without assessing the impact on improving teaching, pupils’ outcomes or, indeed, staff morale.  Many staff do not feel able to share their views with the school’s leaders and governors. Many staff report experiencing bullying and intimidation from senior leaders.  Leaders have not taken effective action to stem the decline in standards at the end of key stage 2. Since 2016, approximately half of pupils in successive Year 6 classes have left the school without the knowledge and skills necessary for the next stage of their education.  Leaders have not demonstrated commitment to improving the quality of teaching and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

learning. They have not provided staff with the resources necessary to implement strategies effectively.  The guidance to teachers about how to improve their practice is inconsistent and confusing. Actions for improvement are not given sufficient time to become routine before they are changed. This means that teachers are not able to implement actions intended to improve outcomes for pupils.  Leaders have not provided staff with effective professional development. They have not shared the stronger practice within the school effectively.  Senior leaders do not support middle leaders to bring about improvements to their areas of responsibility. Middle leaders are aware of what improvements need to be made and are keen to bring about change. However, their actions are hampered by a lack of support from senior leaders.  Leaders have failed the vast majority of disadvantaged pupils. They have not ensured

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

that these pupils make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders have not spent the pupil premium grant effectively to raise attainment. Far too few disadvantaged pupils achieve their potential.  Until recently, leaders have not ensured that the needs of pupils with SEND were met. Leaders have not evaluated the progress that these pupils make, or ensured that funding is used to boost their progress. Leaders are now beginning to understand these pupils’ needs and are seeking external support when necessary.  Pupils follow the national curriculum, but make poor progress across a range of subjects because of poor planning and inconsistent teaching.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education and pupils’ awareness of British values are strengths of the school. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their understanding of the world. Staff use visiting speakers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

and external visits to ensure that pupils have experience of other faiths and cultures. Pupils appreciate how Britain has changed over the years.  The spending of the physical education (PE) and sport premium has provided teachers with opportunities to develop their skills in some areas. Some pupils receive additional sport coaching to develop their skills further.  The local authority has provided the school’s leaders and governors with high levels of support and challenge. Leaders have not acted on recommendations made by local authority advisors. Leaders have not accepted some support offered to the school. The school has become involved with some projects run by the local authority to raise standards, but leaders do not demonstrate ongoing commitment to such projects and so they do not have the intended impact.  The school should not appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Governance of the school

 Governors do not have high enough ambitions for the standard of education that pupils receive. They have been complacent and have not acted to stem the decline in standards. They have been too accepting of the information provided by senior leaders and have not checked to ensure that what they are told is correct.  Governors have not carried out their statutory duties regarding the safeguarding of pupils at the school. They have not checked carefully that the school’s procedures meet the statutory requirements of ‘Keeping children safe in education’. They have not made sure that leaders carry out the necessary checks before new staff are appointed.  Governors have not ensured that the organisation of the early years foundation stage meets statutory requirements. They have not challenged information provided by senior leaders, which has resulted in the failure to meet welfare requirements.  Governors have not fostered a culture in which staff feel respected, treated fairly or

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The school’s systems and procedures for safeguarding pupils do not meet statutory requirements.  The leadership of safeguarding has undergone a period of change. Leaders did not manage the handover of safeguarding responsibilities well. Consequently, there is confusion over roles and responsibilities and the new safeguarding leaders have not been well prepared for their roles.  Leaders have not ensured that statutory training for the current designated safeguarding leaders is up to date. Some staff identified as designated safeguarding leaders have not had the necessary training to enable them to fulfil their role effectively.  The current and recent designated safeguarding leaders do not have a secure understanding of the needs of pupils and families who require additional support.  Leaders have not acted to rectify shortcomings in safeguarding arrangements. The

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Safeguarding

school’s plan for improvement does not include actions to improve safeguarding. This is despite the school’s own safeguarding audit identifying gaps in provision, and the local authority highlighting safeguarding as an area for concern.  The school’s procedures for reporting and recording actions following safeguarding concerns are inconsistent. While staff report concerns using the identified system, leaders have not ensured that actions are recorded in a consistent manner. Safeguarding records presented to inspectors were incomplete.  Leaders have not ensured that safer recruitment procedures are adhered to. Staff who manage these procedures have not received clear guidance from leaders to ensure that systems fulfil statutory requirements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teachers do not receive clear direction from the school’s leaders in how to improve their practice.  Teachers have tried to implement strategies designed to raise standards for pupils. However, due to a lack of commitment and effective monitoring from leaders, strategies quickly lose impetus and become ineffective.  Teachers do not use assessment information effectively to plan for pupils’ next steps in learning. Teachers do not adapt learning well to meet the needs of pupils. Work is too hard or too easy for some pupils.  Teachers do not fully understand the learning needs of disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. They do not use assessment information carefully to support these pupils in their learning.  The teaching of reading and phonics is inconsistent. Teachers move some pupils on too quickly, that is, before they have had time to consolidate their learning. Some adults are not precise enough in the language they use when teaching phonics, or do not use

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

the correct sound when teaching new graphemes. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ reading comprehension is sometimes too low.  In writing, teachers do not provide pupils with appropriate opportunities to practise the skills they have learned at the correct stage for them. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are sometimes too high or too low. Teachers do not provide pupils with appropriate guidance to help them improve their writing.  The teaching of mathematics is inconsistent. Teachers do not plan carefully enough to set tasks that match pupils’ abilities or provide pupils with enough opportunities to develop their reasoning skills.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ presentation and handwriting. The quality of presentation in some pupils’ books is poor.  There are some examples of more effective teaching in the school. For example, inspectors observed a few instances of teachers clarifying pupils’ misconceptions to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

ensure that they understood their learning. Some teachers extended pupils’ learning effectively and used questioning well. Leaders have not shared this stronger practice with other staff.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Sometimes pupils do not demonstrate the skills of effective learners and do not demonstrate resilience in their learning.  Despite the failure of senior leaders and governors to secure effective safeguarding procedures and processes, pupils are safe due to the diligence of teachers and support staff.  Staff know pupils well. Teachers have ensured that pupils know how to reduce the risks they may face, including when using new technology. Pupils understand the different forms of bullying and say that incidents are rare. They know who they would speak with were they to have a concern.  The inclusion team, which includes the school’s learning mentors, works closely with families and pupils. These staff monitor vulnerable pupils closely and provide effective support and guidance when necessary. They keep diligent records of the support they

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Personal development and welfare

provide and their actions following incidents.  Pupils are taught about healthy lifestyles and have an awareness of their mental health.  The school’s ‘investors in pupils’ scheme encourages pupils to take an active role in the school and local community. For example, pupils visit local residential homes to share stories with the residents, perform for them, and participate in various celebrations throughout the year.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  During lessons, pupils sometimes become distracted from the tasks they are set and require prompting from adults to return to the task.  Pupils are polite and well behaved. They are respectful of adults and each other. They generally follow the school’s routines well.  Adults encourage older pupils to support younger pupils. For example, Year 6 pupils help younger pupils in the dining room at lunchtime. They are eager to help and support when they can.  Parents and pupils understand the need for regular school attendance. Pupils are generally punctual, and ready to learn. Learning mentors support families who require extra help to secure regular attendance well. Attendance is consistently above the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 The proportion of pupils achieving at the expected standard by the end of key stage 2 has remained consistently low for the past three years. Since 2016, approximately half of Year 6 pupils left the school having not achieved the expected combined standard in reading, writing and mathematics.  In 2018 in key stage 2, pupils did not make as much progress as pupils nationally in reading and writing and made significantly weaker progress in mathematics. The progress pupils have made by the end of key stage 2 has been declining for the past three years.  Disadvantaged pupils do not make enough progress. In recent years, the progress that these pupils make has been weaker than that made by other pupils nationally. In 2018, too many disadvantaged pupils left the school insufficiently prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils with SEND do not make enough progress because teaching does not meet their

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

needs well enough.  In key stage 1, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard at the end of Year 2 was similar to the national average in 2018. However, currently, some pupils who achieved a good level of development at the end of the early years are not making as much progress as they should.  Pupils’ workbooks show that many pupils are not making the progress of which they are capable. The school’s assessment information shows that in some year groups teachers are not building on pupils’ attainment, and too many pupils are underachieving.  The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check is consistently above the national average. However, leaders have not ensured that there is a consistent approach to teaching phonics and early reading skills, so some pupils do not make as much progress as they should.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The early years is inadequate because leaders have not ensured that it is compliant with the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. Leaders have not ensured that safeguarding arrangements for early years pupils are robust and fit for purpose.  Staff in the early years have not been vigilant in ensuring that health and safety is a priority. During the inspection, inspectors witnessed several health and safety hazards. Staff did not notice these hazards or rectify them swiftly once they were identified.  Published information indicates that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the early years has consistently been above the national average. However, in 2018, judgements were externally moderated, and some assessments were found to be too generous. Following this, leaders have not provided effective support for early years staff to ensure that current assessments are accurate.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 Sometimes, adults do not have high enough expectations of children’s behaviour. For example, adults do not check children when they run into the building. When children drop things on the floor adults do not direct them to pick things up or remind them of the appropriate behaviour.  Leaders have not ensured that children with SEND or disadvantaged pupils receive support appropriate to their needs. They do not have a secure understanding of how support provided is affecting the progress that these children make.  Staff in the early years are keen to provide children with a range of activities to help them to develop their knowledge and skills. For example, inspectors observed children reading a basic recipe to make playdough. Adults allowed children to make mistakes and amend their recipes to succeed.  Children in the early years generally participate well in activities. Most children join the early years with skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. They are very keen

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Early years provision Inadequate

to learn and try new things. Staff have good relationships with parents and ensure that children settle well.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Joint Chairs Stephen Hines Mark Gregson Headteacher Andrew Fawkes

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School details

Email address enquiries@linchfield.lincs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 to 11 November 2015

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average primary school. The school’s nursery takes children from the age of two and a half.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium grant is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed learning in a number of lessons, and senior leaders were invited to join inspectors. Inspectors 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 a wide range of subjects to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle leaders, teachers, support staff and representatives of the governing body. Inspectors also considered the 24 responses to the staff survey. The inspectors spoke with the local authority locality lead and children’s service manager for school strategy.  The inspectors spoke with parents informally and considered the 92 responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation

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Information about this inspection

and plans for improvement; the most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the safeguarding of pupils; 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

Stephanie Innes-Taylor 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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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