The Gedney Hill Church of England VC Primary School

The Gedney Hill Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School North Road, Gedney Hill, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 0NL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

p.1

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

p.1

Early years provision Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not held high enough ambitions for pupils. Their expectation for what pupils should achieve has been too low.  The school’s plans for improvement are not sharp enough. They do not address the school’s specific areas for improvement.  Leaders have not developed the role of middle leaders. Middle leaders have not been able to effectively raise standards in their subject.  Leaders’ use of assessment information is not strategic enough. They do not always challenge the reasons for weak progress.  Rates of attendance are too low. Persistent absence is above the national average.  Teachers have not ensured that pupils understand how to be effective learners.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is not strong enough to ensure that the teaching of phonics and reading is effective.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils should be able to achieve are not high enough, particularly in English. They do not use

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

assessment information effectively to challenge pupils to achieve their potential.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ presentation and handwriting are not high enough.  Adults in early years do not have a comprehensive understanding of foundation stage curriculum. Sometimes they do not develop children’s learning effectively.  Staff do not apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently. The expectation of pupils’ behaviour is sometimes too low.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school’s approach to teaching mathematics is consistent. Teachers routinely challenge pupils to achieve more.  Disadvantaged pupils make strong progress because they receive effective support.  Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enables them to make good progress.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Enrichment opportunities enhance learning. School, 21–22 May 2019

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, by ensuring that: – school improvement plans are sharp enough to address the school’s areas for improvement, and are used effectively to hold leaders to account – leaders and governors hold high ambitions for all pupils, to ensure they make the progress of which they are capable – middle leaders drive improvements within their subject – leaders use assessment information more precisely to ensure that teachers have high expectations for pupils.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, by ensuring that: – teachers’ subject knowledge is secure to enable them to teach effectively, particularly in phonics and writing – the school’s programme for the teaching of phonics builds pupils’ subject knowledge systematically – the teaching of reading develops pupils’ skills systematically to enable them to read more complex texts – the teaching of writing provides pupils with opportunities to develop their

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

understanding of genre, style, punctuation and grammar – teachers use assessment information sharply to provide pupils with tasks which meet their needs – teachers have high expectations of pupils’ presentation and handwriting.  Improve pupils’ personal development, welfare and behaviour, by: – increasing rates of attendance for all pupils – ensuring that adults apply the behaviour policy consistently and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour – developing pupils’ understanding of how to be effective learners.  Improve the quality of teaching in early years, by ensuring that adults have a comprehensive understanding of the foundation stage curriculum and use this to develop children’s knowledge and understanding. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. School, 21–22 May 2019

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have demonstrated the capacity to drive change through the improvements to the teaching of mathematics, and the support provided for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. However, in some instances, they have been too slow to implement improvements.  Leaders do not have high enough expectations for some pupils. While they have comprehensive knowledge of pupils, this sometimes means that their expectation of what pupils should be able to achieve are not high enough. Sometimes leaders excuse weak progress and are not ambitious enough for pupils. They do not routinely challenge underachievement.  The school’s plans for improvement lack clear milestones and impact measures. These omissions make it difficult for governors to hold leaders to account. Some subject improvement plans are stronger; however, these too do not reference how leaders will measure improvements.  Leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not rigorous

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

enough. Leaders do not effectively hold teachers to account for the progress pupils make as their expectations are sometimes not high enough.  Leaders have put in place support plans for some staff. However, these have not yet served to raise standards and improve the quality of teaching, particularly in reading and writing. Leaders do not always follow up the support provided effectively. Sometimes, support lapses before teachers have improved sufficiently.  Leaders have not developed middle leadership roles. Some subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of how to raise standards in their area.  Leaders have implemented a new approach to the teaching of mathematics. This has been effective in improving teachers’ subject knowledge and raising the expectations of what pupils should be able to achieve.  Leaders have ensured that the support provided for pupils with SEND enables these pupils to make strong progress. Leaders’ inclusive approach aims to ensure that all

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

pupils receive the support they need. Leaders seek additional support when required to meet the needs of these pupils. This has enabled all pupils to access the curriculum.  The use of funding for the very small number of disadvantaged pupils has enabled them to make strong progress. For example, leaders have put in place a programme to develop pupils’ communication and language skills. The programme is enabling targeted pupils to fully access the curriculum.  The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils have opportunities to make links between the different subjects. Trips, visitors and enhanced learning opportunities help to bring learning to life. For example, pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 used virtual reality to explore what an Ancient Greek settlement might have looked like.  The school’s values curriculum develops pupils’ moral and social education and British values well. Pupils learn about what it means to be a good citizen. The wider

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

School, 21–22 May 2019 curriculum develops pupils’ spiritual and cultural education. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. Visits to local places of worship help pupils to understand faiths different to their own. The work of musicians and artists is celebrated and used to enhance learning across the curriculum. For example, pupils learned about Georgia O’Keeffe when making poppies to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.  Leaders have ensured that the spending of the physical education (PE) and sport premium funding is used effectively. Specialist coaches work with teachers to develop their skills in teaching PE. The PE leader has provided pupils with increasing opportunities to participate in tournaments and competitions against other schools locally, including in hockey, football and athletics. Staff and pupils celebrate sporting participation and achievements during assemblies and class time.

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The local authority has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. It has provided additional support for leaders to enable them to move forward and make the improvements required.

p.4

Governance of the school

 While governors are resolute in ensuring that the school meets pupils’ welfare needs, they have not championed the life chances of pupils at the school. Their ambitions for what pupils should achieve have been too low. They have been too accepting of weak progress and low attainment. They have not robustly held leaders to account when pupils fail to achieve their potential.  Governors have not ensured that the school’s plans for improvement are suitable to enable them to hold leaders to account. Their understanding of assessment information is not thorough enough to effectively challenge what leaders are telling them.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the needs of pupils and their families. They seek additional support when necessary. When cases do not meet the local authority thresholds for involvement, they ensure that families receive the support they need from school staff wherever possible.  Staff at the school take their responsibility to safeguard pupils seriously. They know pupils well and are vigilant in spotting signs of concern. The school’s records for safeguarding pupils show that staff pass on appropriately any concern they may have. Leaders follow these up effectively, speaking with families to fully understand issues and provide support when necessary.  The school’s record keeping is comprehensive. Leaders and governors have ensured that all necessary recruitment checks are completed.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teachers’ expectations of what pupils should achieve are sometimes too low. Teachers do not use assessment information routinely to ensure that they set tasks that meet School, 21–22 May 2019 pupils’ needs. As a result, they sometimes set work that lacks sufficient challenge for pupils.  Conversely, teachers do not always check that pupils are secure with basic skills or necessary concepts before they are moved on with their learning. As a result, some pupils move through the school without the basic skills necessary as a firm foundation for future learning.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ writing are sometimes too low. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their writing, and pupils rely on familiar writing styles. Some pupils do not have a secure understanding of grammar, different genres and writing styles.  The school’s phonics programme is not effective. Books are not well matched to pupils’

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

phonic stages and some pupils read books that they cannot decode. Adults do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to reinforce and practise sounds that they know to develop fluency. The subject knowledge of some adults is not strong enough, resulting in them teaching pupils misconceptions.  The teaching of reading is not systematic. Leaders have not provided teachers with a clear structure to develop pupils’ skills as they move through the school. Owing to the weaker subject knowledge of some teachers, there is sometimes little coherence between chosen texts and what teachers expect pupils to learn.  Teachers expectations of pupils’ presentation and handwriting are too low. Teachers do not routinely expect pupils to present their work to a high standard.  There is a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics. Staff are using the school’s strategy with developing confidence to provide pupils with tasks that

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

increasingly meet their needs. Teachers encourage pupils to tackle challenging tasks once they have demonstrated that they have understood concepts.  Where teachers’ subject knowledge is strong, they use effective questioning to develop pupils’ understanding. For example, when reading ‘Who Let the Gods Out?’ by Maz Evans as a class text, the teacher developed pupils’ understanding of vocabulary choices by asking them how the author’s choice of words affected their feelings towards the characters.  Teachers ensure that pupils with SEND receive additional support when required to enable them to make progress. Additional adults adapt and discuss tasks with pupils to enable them to complete their tasks successfully. Teachers are careful not to over support pupils, and they encourage independence whenever possible.  The support for the very small number of disadvantaged pupils is specific and targeted

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. School, 21–22 May 2019  In class, pupils generally participate well in their learning. They are keen to learn. However, when tasks do not fully meet their needs, or the learning does not match the task, pupils can become distracted or dispirited. Teachers do not always notice this and direct pupils back to the task in hand.  While teachers encourage pupils to be independent, they have not ensured that pupils understand how to be effective learners. Some pupils do not demonstrate resilience when learning or in social situations.  Leaders have established an inclusive environment where pupils’ differences are celebrated. Adults are caring and are determined to meet pupils’ welfare needs.  Pupils say that when they are feeling sad or anxious, there is always someone available for them to talk with. They say that adults help them to understand difficult situations

p.5

Personal development and welfare

and emotions.  Pupils know what a healthy lifestyle is. They talk with confidence about what constitutes a healthy diet.  Pupils say that there are very few incidents of bullying. When pupils do fall out, adults are available to help them resolve the situation. Pupils say that they feel safe at school.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in and out of school. They understand road safety and know what they would do if a stranger approached them. They have a secure understanding of the dangers they may face online. Several pupils said they would not use the ‘chat’ function in online games as they do not know who they are talking to. They know not to share personal information and would speak with an adult if they had concerns.

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Sometimes, around the school, the expectation of pupils’ behaviour is not high enough. Adults do not take equal responsibility for checking pupils’ behaviour, and low-level misbehaviour goes unchallenged. Staff do not apply the behaviour policy consistently.  Overall attendance remains below the national average. Leaders have not ensured that all parents understand the importance of regular attendance. Owing to the size of the school, the persistent absence of a very small number of pupils lowers the rate of attendance significantly. Leaders are working closely with families to get pupils back into school. This is beginning to improve rates of attendance.  Pupils play well together and respect the wide range of resources available to them. They are keen to learn, and readily share their experiences with adults.  Leaders have ensured that the very small number of pupils who demonstrate

p.6

Behaviour

challenging behaviour receive the support they need. Effective partnerships with the local authority ensure that pupils who are at risk of exclusion receive tailored support to enable them to remain in school. School, 21–22 May 2019

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, at the end of key stage 2, was well below the national average in 2018. Since 2016, too few pupils have left the school well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils make weaker progress than pupils do nationally, particularly in writing and mathematics.  In key stage 1, some pupils do not make as much progress as they are capable of. The expectations of what pupils should achieve are not high enough. In 2018, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard at the end of key stage 1 was well below the national average in reading and writing.  The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1 fluctuates. However, since 2016, too few pupils have attained the expected standard.  Pupils’ workbooks show that in mathematics, teachers are providing pupils with

p.7

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

increasing challenge. Pupils are making stronger progress than they have in the past. However, in English, some pupils are not making the progress of which they are capable.  Given the size of the school, there is an above-average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Leaders seek external advice when required to ensure that they are meeting the needs of these pupils. Pupils with SEND are making strong progress as the support provided enables them to access the curriculum.  Disadvantaged pupils benefit from appropriate support. They make good progress.

p.7

Early years provision Requires improvement

 Adults in early years do not have a secure enough understanding of the early years curriculum to enable them to develop children’s learning effectively. Leaders do not always have high enough expectations of children. Their questioning is sometimes limited, and they are not always successful at developing children’s learning across a wide range of areas. Some tasks set do not match the intended learning and have little value in developing children’s skills and knowledge.  The proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the foundation stage has been below the national average for the last two years. Too few children have left early years well prepared for Year 1.  Children are enthusiastic and keen to learn. When the activities provided are stimulating and have a clear purpose, they participate well. For example, children were excited to find pips inside an orange. The teacher encouraged children to find the most

p.7

Early years provision Requires improvement

efficient way to fill up a large container with soil, so they could get on with planting the pips. The school’s own assessment information suggests that current children are making stronger progress than children in the past, with more children likely to achieve a good level of development than in 2018.  Children play well together, taking turns and sharing resources well. They chat happily School, 21–22 May 2019 with each other and adults and are excited to share what they are learning about. Leaders provide children with opportunities to take their learning outside school, by joining up with other schools at a tea party, or visiting the zoo.  The school has developed close links with the local nursery. Children begin their transition to the school from the September prior to joining the Reception class, visiting the school once a week. As a result, children settle very quickly as they are already

p.7

Early years provision Requires improvement

familiar with the setting and the school’s staff.  Leaders have provided targeted support for children with SEND and for disadvantaged children, seeking external support when necessary. The school’s own assessment information shows that these children are making strong progress from their respective starting points. School, 21–22 May 2019

p.8

School details

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

p.9

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.9

School details

Email address Alison.Buddle@gedney-hill.lincs.sch.uk

p.9

School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 December 2015

p.9

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Gedney Hill Church of England and Shepeau Stow Primary Schools Federation, working in partnership with Shepeau Stow Primary School. The executive headteacher is responsible for both schools.  The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection was carried out in September 2015.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average.  The majority of pupils are from a White British background.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. School, 21–22 May 2019

p.9

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in a number of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with the executive headteacher and the assistant headteacher. The inspector observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspector also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, assistant headteacher, English subject leader, class teacher and representatives of the governing body. The inspector also spoke with members of support staff, teachers and the local authority adviser.  The inspector spoke with parents informally and considered the 21 responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and the 11 responses to the staff survey.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement; the most recent information on the achievement and

p.10

Information about this inspection

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.

p.10

Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector School, 21–22 May 2019 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 .

p.10

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 .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11