Setting

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

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Mr Craig Nicholson Principal North Ormesby Primary Academy James Street North Ormesby Middlesbrough TS3 6LB

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No formal designation inspection of North Ormesby Primary Academy

Following my visit with Diane Buckle, Her Majesty’s Inspector, to your school on 12 March 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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No formal designation inspection of North Ormesby Primary Academy

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about pupils’ outcomes.

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Evidence

During the inspection, inspectors reviewed leaders’ actions to maintain outstanding outcomes for pupils currently at the school. Visits were made to all classes alongside senior leaders. Pupils’ work was scrutinised with the leaders for English and mathematics.

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Evidence

Inspectors scrutinised the record of checks carried out to ascertain the suitability of staff, governors and visitors to work with children, and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements. Meetings were held with you, a representative of the local authority, a representative from the trust and representatives from the parent and community advisory board. A telephone conversation was also held with the chair of the governing body.

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Evidence

Inspectors talked to several parents as they dropped their children off at the start of the school day. They also took account of the 19 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Evidence

Inspectors talked informally with pupils in lessons and at breaktimes. An inspector met formally with a group of pupils and listened to several pupils read. Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents including: the school’s self-evaluation and development plans; minutes of governing body meetings; school assessment information; attendance documentation; and reports from the trust and external agencies.

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Main findings

Your leadership is extremely strong. You are determined to provide all pupils with the very highest quality of teaching so that they are better equipped for the next stage of their education. You and your team encourage all pupils to have high aspirations for their future by helping each individual to discover what makes them remarkable.

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Main findings

The school’s mascot, Tim, is used very successfully to promote positive learning habits. Pupils aspire to be like Tim and achieve the best possible outcomes through hard work, determination, exemplary behaviour and a real love of being challenged. As a result of this, and other inspiring work on personal development, pupils become confident, independent learners with a mature attitude. For example, many pupils confidently support each other to learn, with several pupils in Year 6 acting as ‘learning leaders’.

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Main findings

Your thorough self-evaluation has enabled you to accurately assess the school’s current effectiveness and to identify priorities for improvement. These priorities are being addressed with carefully thought out action plans, which are regularly monitored and evaluated.

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Main findings

Leaders at all levels have been empowered to take ownership of their areas of responsibility. Staff welcome the support and challenge they receive, whatever role they have. They value opportunities for professional development, both within and outside school. They feel trusted to try things out and to innovate in ways that are right for their pupils. Staff morale is exceptionally high.

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Main findings

A large number of pupils join and leave the school at times other than the usual transition points. Your assessment of pupils as they join the school gives you a starting point for checking their progress. It also helps you to tailor support to meet their needs quickly and effectively. You have exceptionally high expectations for all pupils, including those who join the school at points throughout the school year. Any pupils who are at risk of falling short of these high expectations are supported swiftly to ensure that they catch up swiftly and successfully.

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Main findings

Children make rapid progress in early years from starting points that are generally lower than typical. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development has remained above the national average for two years for all pupils, as well as for disadvantaged pupils, girls and boys. The teaching of phonics is consistently strong. Staff have very high expectations of what pupils can achieve. There has been considerable investment in new resources which are used very effectively. Books that pupils are asked to read are well matched to their phonics knowledge. Disadvantaged pupils attain particularly well in the phonics screening check, with an above-average proportion reaching the required standard in 2018.

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Main findings

The teaching of reading is well structured. Regular work is done to develop pupils’ understanding of vocabulary in a wide range of contexts. This is helping pupils to read with understanding. Pupils are encouraged to read regularly for pleasure. However, this independent reading is not carefully monitored, so pupils are not always challenged to read books of different types or by a wider range of authors. Attainment at key stage 2 rose by 30% in 2018. Current assessment information and evidence of strong progress in pupils’ books show that this improvement is continuing.

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Main findings

Pupils have made strong progress in writing over this academic year in all year groups. Teaching is sharply focused and gives pupils opportunities to write at length for a range of different purposes. Pupils are encouraged to consider the effect the use of different structures and vocabulary may have on the reader. This is enabling pupils to become confident, successful writers.

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Main findings

You have made sure that there is a highly consistent approach to teaching mathematics. Pupils are encouraged to notice patterns and to use apparatus and pictures to support their understanding. They are supported to develop fluency in each aspect of mathematics. As soon as they are fluent, they are quickly moved on to more demanding tasks, which usually involve reasoning and problem solving. Misconceptions are picked up quickly. These are then addressed by adults or other, confident pupils. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard and higher standard at key stage 2 shows year-on-year improvement. The most able pupils consistently reach the higher standard and reach their full potential. Current school data and work in pupils’ books show that this is set to continue.

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Main findings

The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is thoughtfully designed to engage and interest all pupils. Opportunities are provided to study a wide range of topics and subjects, often in innovative ways. Learning is enriched with a range of visitors, educational trips and after-school clubs. Pupils can apply and practise their English and mathematical skills in many subjects. This does not detract from the development of subject-specific skills, knowledge and understanding. These are continually built upon. Pupils are encouraged to make meaningful links between subjects to deepen their understanding.

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Main findings

All safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Staff are well trained and are diligent in their approach to keeping pupils safe. They understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and report all concerns, no matter how small. Records are thorough and clear and show that, when appropriate, actions are taken in a timely manner. There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school.

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Main findings

You and your team have recently strengthened your approach to improving attendance. Your procedures are extremely robust. Decisive actions are taken to address poor attendance with parents and carers, and staff are relentless in providing challenge and support. Pupils who stop attending the school are carefully tracked to make sure that they are safe. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the way classes are rewarded for good attendance through your bespoke system, ‘Nopa-ly’. These actions have resulted in a dramatic improvement in attendance in this academic year. Current attendance matches the national average for the last academic year. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged by persistent absence in this year has more than halved when compared with the same period last year.

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Main findings

Having considered the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Main findings

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and managers have taken effective action to maintain the high standard of pupils’ outcomes identified at the last inspection.

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Context

North Ormesby Primary Academy is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage, with 13 other ethnic groups represented in the school. A quarter of pupils speak English as an additional language and this is just above average. Just over half of all pupils are entitled to free school meals and this is more than double the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who join and leave the school at times other than the usual transition points is above average. The school converted to become an academy in 2012 and is part of the Academies Enterprise Trust. The acting principal was appointed to the role permanently in September 2018 and a vice-principal has very recently been appointed from within the school.

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External support

The school is taking part in the local authority Developing Schools Project. This entitles the school to additional funding to support the development of reading and spelling, punctuation and grammar. This work started in September 2018 and is monitored each half term by the local authority.

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Priorities for further improvement

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:  pupils’ reading skills and enjoyment of reading continue to develop through greater opportunities to read texts by a wider range of authors.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the chair of the board of trustees, the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Middlesbrough. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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