Twynham Primary School

Twynham Primary School Marsh Lane, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 2NH

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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

 Leaders are ambitious for the school and have clear plans for improvement. As a result, pupils’ attainment has risen consistently over the past three years and outcomes are good. Current pupils make strong progress.  Most teaching is well planned to help pupils learn well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress as a result of effective teaching. Leaders use pupil premium funding well to improve pupils’ achievement and their personal development. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils is also improving as a result of these actions.  The teaching of writing is good. It is ensuring that pupils improve their writing across the curriculum and consistently apply grammatical skills. Similarly, pupils make strong progress in reading.  In mathematics, pupils have a good understanding of how to calculate accurately. However, their problem-solving and reasoning

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

skills are not as well developed throughout the school. This is particularly the case for girls.  At times, teaching does not provide the most able pupils with sufficient challenge. This includes pupils in the Reception year. Consequently, some of these pupils are not achieving the outcomes of which they are capable.  Leaders have devised a curriculum to meet the needs of the pupils as the school grows. They regularly review the curriculum to check that it provides pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to make good progress.  The provision in the early years is strong. Leaders and teachers have a clear and accurate understanding of how young children learn. Teaching provides varied activities which allow children to develop well.  Phonics teaching is a strength of the school, particularly in Reception. This provides a strong foundation for future learning.  Pupils have positive attitudes and apply

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

themselves diligently to their work. They are polite and enjoy all that the school has to offer.  The attendance of all pupils is improving due to the successful work of leaders and staff. Rates of persistent absences are declining.  Leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning sometimes lacks precision. As a result, leaders have not identified some key areas for improvement, such as developing teachers’ ability to identify and correct pupils’ misconceptions.  The trust is taking steps to improve the local governing board’s capacity to hold leaders rigorously to account.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders sharpen their monitoring of the quality of teaching so that teachers’ ability to identify and correct pupils’ misconceptions improves – trust leaders improve the capacity of the local governing board to exercise the powers delegated to them by trustees.  Improve the quality of teaching learning and assessment by: – providing sufficient challenge for all pupils, particularly the most able, so they achieve outcomes of which they are capable – ensuring that mathematics teaching enables pupils to develop their problem- solving and reasoning skills, particularly girls.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders are ambitious for the school and have clear and well-targeted plans for improvement. They have worked effectively to ensure a consistency in the quality of teaching and learning as the school expands. The school opened four years ago with pupils in the Reception class only and is growing progressively year by year.  Leaders demonstrate the capacity to develop the curriculum as the school grows. They are constantly evaluating and adapting the themes around which the curriculum is constructed. Pupils experience a range of themes, such as democracy and environmental issues. Leaders are ensuring that the curriculum provides the pupils with the relevant knowledge, skills and understanding required to learn well. Consequently, most pupils are making good progress across a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics, history and geography.  Senior leaders have created a strong culture of high expectations for most pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and staff. Their work to promote equality of opportunity is effective. As a result, pupils participate well in a variety of learning and extra-curricular activities, such as sport and music.  Leaders and governors are proud of the school and ensure that everyone works well as a team. They provide effective professional development and training to enhance the quality of teaching and learning, and this is having a positive impact in most areas. Leaders benefit from the opportunities afforded by working across the trust to promote further improvements in the school. Examples of this include moderation of pupils’ work and leading on aspects of professional development.  Middle leaders know the strengths and weaknesses within their subjects well. As the school continues to grow, they are developing their ability to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. For example, recent work to develop the teaching of spelling has been successful and pupils’ spelling is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

improving.  The leadership of the provision for pupils with SEND is based on a secure knowledge of pupils’ needs. As a result, these pupils are making good progress from their individual starting points. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that additional funding for pupils with SEND is used well to deploy teaching assistants effectively. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ academic and personal development.  Pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. Leaders have a clear understanding of the needs of disadvantaged pupils and have adapted the use of the funding accordingly. The work of staff to improve pupils’ self- esteem and meet their social and emotional needs is having a positive impact on their attitudes to learning and attendance.  Leaders use the sports premium well to provide specialist coaching, which has improved pupils’ sporting skills. More pupils now participate in a range of physical

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

activities and sporting competitions. The school has been successful in ensuring that pupils have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles.  Leaders’ promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Pupils are very aware of the school values and how to apply them to their everyday interactions and as learners. Assemblies are used effectively to promote key issues of friendship, cooperation and positive learning attitudes. Pupils demonstrate these values through, for example, working together to promote the importance of recycling.  The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils talk confidently about tolerance of others, respect and democracy. They have a strong sense of fairness and justice for all citizens.  Parents are positive about the school. They praise the care and guidance leaders and teachers provide for their children. One parent’s comment was typical of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

many when they said that, ‘Children’s wellbeing is at the heart of the school.’ Parents value the strong sense of community and partnership the school provides, along with timely communications.  Senior leaders monitoring of the quality of teaching is sometimes not sharp enough to identify important areas for improvement. For example, leaders had not identified that pupils’ misconceptions are not being consistently picked up and addressed by teachers. This is having an adverse impact on some pupils’ progress.

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Governance of the school

 The local governing board monitor some aspects of the school’s work well, for example safeguarding and leaders’ work to improve attendance. However, they have not been rigorous enough in their monitoring of the quality of teaching and holding leaders to account.  As a result, trustees have reviewed the scheme of delegation to ensure that these aspects are more robustly monitored by the trust board. The trustees are working to increase the capacity of the local governing body, but this work is in its early stages.  Local governors, including some who were involved in the founding of the school, are committed to ensuring its success and are ambitious for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have established strong systems to promote the safety and welfare of pupils, which staff are familiar with and use well. Staff are knowledgeable about the key aspects of safeguarding, their responsibilities and who to talk to regarding concerns.  Leaders work well with outside agencies to provide support for vulnerable pupils and their families. Staff have a good understanding of the principles of early help and apply them well.  The trust has secure processes for safer recruitment. The record of pre- employment checks is well maintained.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 There is a generally consistent approach to teaching, learning and assessment across the school. Teachers use this approach to promote effective learning of key knowledge, skills and understanding. Most teachers have clear, high expectations of pupils’ engagement in learning, which ensures that most pupils sustain their concentration.  Teachers have a strong knowledge of the subjects they teach. They plan and deliver learning activities that meet the needs of most pupils by building on prior knowledge to increase pupils’ understanding, enabling them to make good progress.  Teachers deploy teaching assistants effectively to provide additional support to those pupils who need it. Both teachers and teaching assistants use questioning skilfully to extend pupils’ thinking as well as maintaining pupils’ focus on learning.  Leaders and teachers generally use assessment effectively to monitor the progress pupils are making. As a result, staff provide timely support for many of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

those pupils who are at risk of underachievement, particularly pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Teachers plan learning for these pupils, which is enabling them to make strong progress from their starting points.  The teaching of reading is a strength of the school. Pupils report that they enjoy reading and read a range of different and high-quality texts. Teachers’ strong use of questioning enables pupils to deepen their comprehension of what they are reading and their ability to explain this understanding.  Phonics is taught well. Pupils can decode, segment and then blend letter sounds to enable them to read fluently. Pupils are applying their understanding of phonics when they encounter unfamiliar words in texts they read as well as increasing the accuracy of spelling in their writing.  The teaching of writing is an integral part of the school’s whole curriculum. As a result, pupils can write with a clear purpose in a range of subjects. Pupils are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

consistently applying the grammatical skills taught, such as punctuation and sentence construction. The school’s work on improving pupils’ handwriting is developing, so there is a growing consistency of presentation.  Mathematics teaching has rightly focused on improving the pupils’ understanding of both mental and written methods of calculation. Leaders have introduced teaching strategies and methods to ensure that pupils have an understanding of standard written methods of arithmetic. However, pupils across the school are not yet routinely provided with activities to develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills. As a result, pupils are less confident in their application of calculations to solve mathematical problems and when explaining their understanding of the methods used. This is hampering their progress, particularly that of girls.  Teaching across the curriculum provides pupils with an interesting and diverse

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

learning experience. The quality of the work produced within a range of subjects is of a similar quality to that of English and mathematics. For example, through well-thought-out plans, pupils in key stage 2 were able to undertake their own research on the use of beaches and the effects of pollution.  Teachers set homework that builds on pupils’ learning in school. Pupils state that they receive homework linked to aspects in mathematics, reading and spellings covered in class. This allows pupils to rehearse and practise key skills they need to know and understand. They enjoy the ‘research projects’ that are linked to their topic learning.  At times, teachers’ identification of pupils’ misconceptions is not sharp enough. As a result, these misconceptions are not rectified. On occasions, teachers’ checking of pupils’ understanding, for example their understanding of fractions, lacks thoroughness. When this occurs, it limits pupils’ progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching does not consistently enough provide sufficient challenge to enable pupils to deepen their understanding or develop their skills as well as they could. This is particularly the case for the most able pupils, who are not achieving as well as they could.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The relationships between adults and pupils are strong, which contributes to the pupils’ strong sense of self-confidence. Staff are skilled in addressing pupils’ personal and emotional needs. They know pupils well and respond sensitively and appropriately to support pupils’ specific needs, especially those pupils who are disadvantaged or pupils with SEND.  Pupils have a good understanding of themselves as learners. They can explain the school’s values of learning, which promote being ‘a thinker, a communicator, a creator and showing of respect’. Leaders use assemblies well to ensure that pupils understand what it means to be good citizens. The school celebrates hard work and good manners.  Pupils undertake a variety of roles within school, including school council representatives, digital leaders and playground leaders. Pupils value these

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Personal development and welfare

opportunities and confidently share their learning and skills with other pupils. School council members worked with the parental body to raise funds for and to design the playground adventure activity trail, which is well used by all pupils.  Pupils feel safe and secure in school. Pupils of all ages have a good understanding of the potential risks when using the internet, and they use it safely and with confidence. For example, they know the importance of protecting their personal information. Pupils also learn about road and bicycle safety and ‘stranger danger’.  Pupils understand what bullying is but say that this is rare in their school. They are clear that they must tell an adult if something makes them feel uncomfortable.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They are polite and courteous to adults and work and play cooperatively with each other. Pupils are appreciative of the space and the variety of playtime equipment and activities which are provided. They are well looked after and supported by the presence of staff during playtimes.  Leaders ensure that appropriate systems are in place to support and deal effectively with any incidents of poor behaviour. High expectations from staff have a positive impact on the way that pupils behave. Pupils have a clear understanding of the school rules, and of the rewards and consequences of not demonstrating good behaviour. Pupils reported that staff react quickly to ensure that all behave well. Staff are aware of pupils who have specific behavioural needs and deal with these effectively and swiftly to minimise disruption for other

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Behaviour

pupils.  Just occasionally some pupils do not sustain their attention. This is because some teachers do not recognise quickly enough that pupils are ready to move on to more challenging activities or their misconceptions have not been addressed.  Leaders monitor attendance well. They have been successful in improving the attendance of all pupils, particularly that of disadvantaged pupils. As a result, persistent absence for this group of pupils has decreased. Leaders have worked well with outside agencies to provide support and guidance to enable pupils to attend school more regularly and be ready to learn.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In key stage 1, pupils’ attainment is strong, which provides pupils with a good foundation for their future learning in key stage 2. Over the past three years, the proportion of pupils attaining at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics has risen consistently year-on-year.  Current pupils in key stage 2 are making good progress. They make strong progress both in the core subjects of English and mathematics and in the wider curriculum, for example in history and geography.  Outcomes in phonics in 2018 declined from those in 2017. This was a consequence of leaders’ decisions to change the approach to phonics teaching. Leaders have been swift to reverse that decision and current pupils’ phonics knowledge is much stronger.  A consistently high proportion of children in the early years achieve their early learning goals and attain a good level of development. For the last three years

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Outcomes for pupils Good

this proportion has been above the national average.  Disadvantaged pupils, although few in number, make similar progress to that of their peers. Effective use of the pupil premium funding ensures this by providing them with timely support if they require it.  Pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points because of good teaching and learning as well as the effective deployment of teaching assistants.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Children are ready for year 1 by the end of Reception, and key stage 1 prepares pupils well for learning in key stage 2.  As a relatively new school, no pupils have yet taken the national assessments at the end of key stage 2. Therefore, there are no outcomes to report at the end of year 6.

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Early years provision Good

 Leaders have a strong oversight of the provision in early years, as well as the strengths and areas for development. Action plans are well matched to the overall needs of the children, with a specific focus on areas of the early years curriculum in which children need to make better progress.  Leaders and teachers have high expectations of the children. They plan a wide range of learning activities across the curriculum that build on what children can already know, understand and can do. Learning activities provide children with a clear purpose and develop their skills in a range of areas, including reading, listening and attention, and moving and handling. Teachers and teaching assistants are skilled at asking pertinent questions that move children’s learning forward. As a result, children are making strong progress in many areas of the early years curriculum.  Teachers are aware of the needs of children with SEND and disadvantaged

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Early years provision Good

children. Activities and tasks are planned well to enable these children to make good progress throughout the curriculum. All adults are sensitive to the specific difficulties these children face in maintaining their focus and attention. As a result, these children have increased the amount of time they are able to remain interested in their tasks.  Teaching of phonics is strong in the Reception class. Teachers are ensuring that children have a good understanding of the letters and sounds being taught. Consequently, children are applying their understanding well when reading and writing.  By the end of the Reception year, a large proportion of children are ready to move successfully into year 1. This is due to the thoughtful way in which the school deals with the transition into the next stage of children’s education and learning.  Relationships between adults and children and between children are extremely

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Early years provision Good

positive. Teachers and additional adults interact well with children and have fostered their personal and social development effectively. As a result, children cooperate well with each other to develop positive behaviours. The children are confident and self-assured as well as being independent in their learning.  Children generally sustain their learning focus for long periods of time. They maintain positive learning attitudes and enjoy their time in school. As a result, their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time is well developed.  Leaders and staff have formed strong and trusting relationships with parents, carers and families. Parents spoken to during the inspection praised the way the leaders led the successful transition into school for their children. Parents appreciate the termly learning information provided. They say this communication, alongside learning workshops for parents and carers, enables

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Early years provision Good

them to help their children to continue their learning at home.  All safeguarding and welfare requirements meet statutory requirements. Staff are well qualified and have the necessary experience and expertise to deliver good teaching and sustain improving outcomes for children and their families.  At times, the most able children are not sufficiently challenged to achieve what they could be capable of. Adult support sometimes does not enable children to make the most of the activities provided for them.

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School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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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

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Twynham Primary School was founded as a Free School in 2015. It became part of the Twynham Multi-Academy Trust in 2016. The trust has a board of trustees, a chief executive officer (CEO) and a director of standards, who work with the school.  The school initially opened with pupils in Reception, Year 1 and 2. It has grown year-on-year and the oldest pupils are now in year 5.  The school recently moved into purpose-built premises in September 2018, having previously been temporarily housed on Twynham Secondary School site.  The proportion of pupils who are in receipt of the pupil premium is well below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The number of pupils who have education, health and care plans is well below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning across the school. Most of the observations were undertaken jointly with the senior leaders.  The inspectors looked at pupils’ work across the curriculum and carried out learning walks across the school.  The inspectors listened to pupils read and spoke with them to find out about their attitudes to reading.  Meetings were held with governors, middle leaders and pupils. The lead inspector met with the CEO and director of standards from the Twynham Learning Multi-Academy Trust.  The inspectors took account of 59 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and held informal discussions with parents when they brought their children to school. Inspectors took account of 21 responses to the staff questionnaire. The inspectors took account of 94 pupil responses to the online questionnaire and talked with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime, as well as

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Information about this inspection

during lessons.  The inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement plan, school policies, minutes of local and trust board governors’ meetings, and the school’s own assessment systems and monitoring records.  The inspectors reviewed a range of safeguarding evidence, including the school’s single central record and incident logs.

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Inspection team

Paul Smith, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Hester Millsop 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

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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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