Thorngumbald Primary School

Thorngumbald Primary School Plumtree Road, Thorngumbald HU12 9QQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too variable. Across different subjects and key stages, pupils’ progress is not as strong as it should be because teachers’ planning does not consistently meet pupils’ needs.  Teachers have high aspirations for what pupils can achieve, but the setting of tasks which are appropriately challenging is variable in quality.  Systems for spotting when pupils are falling behind have been introduced, but teachers do not consistently take the necessary steps to help pupils catch up quickly.  The teaching of phonics is of variable quality. While pupils’ misunderstandings are identified, too often the misunderstandings are not corrected.  Pupils’ progress has been in line with the national average at key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics for several years. At key stage 1 in 2018, pupils’ attainment was below the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 In 2018, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check was well below the national average.  Across a range of subjects, including English and mathematics, current pupils make variable progress from their starting points.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher is determined that pupils will achieve highly. She is well supported in this ambition by other leaders and governors.  After a period of substantial changes in leadership roles, a new and settled leadership team has started to bring about the necessary improvements to the school.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare is a strength of the school. Pupils feel safe and well supported. Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils are courteous and considerate.  The early years foundation stage (EYFS) is good. It prepares children well for key stage 1.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is consistently good or better by: – ensuring that teachers plan effectively to match pupils’ needs, so that tasks are set at the right level of challenge – making sure that the systems for spotting that pupils are at risk of falling behind are used consistently to remedy gaps and misunderstandings in pupils’ knowledge.  Ensure that the quality of the teaching of phonics is consistently good or better, so that pupils’ misunderstandings are accurately rectified.  Improve pupils’ progress across a range of subjects, including English, mathematics and phonics, so that pupils’ outcomes improve.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since her appointment, the headteacher has led the school through a period of substantial change in staffing, particularly at senior and middle leadership level. Recently appointed leaders are taking effective action in a short space of time to begin to improve the school. Attendance has improved and the rate of exclusion has fallen. New systems to check the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress are in place. However, leaders’ actions have not had sufficient time to eliminate the variability in the quality of teaching that exists, or to improve pupils’ outcomes.  The headteacher has a drive and a determination to improve the school. Her ethos of aspiration is shared by staff, across a range of roles. As a consequence of the headteacher’s vision, supported by governors and the local authority, morale among staff is strong. Pupils are eager to do well.  Central to teachers’ strong commitment to the headteacher’s aspiration for the school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

is the use of continuing professional development. All of the teachers spoken to by inspectors were in agreement that they have received appropriate and helpful training in relation to their roles. They welcome being able to visit and work with colleagues in other schools, for instance, to share good practice.  Leaders have rightly made the assessment of pupils’ progress a priority. A new system for checking on how pupils are doing has been introduced. Confidence in the reliability of this information has been strengthened by rigorous sampling of pupils’ work, including at ‘cluster’ meetings of neighbouring schools. As a result, leaders and governors have stronger information about pupils’ progress from which to plan.  Leaders have introduced new systems to improve the quality of teaching and these are beginning to make a difference. In mathematics, for example, across all years, teachers follow a consistent approach based on leaders’ ‘non-negotiables’. These have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

resulted in a consistent means of checking pupils’ understanding at the start of a new topic and then at the end of it. Consequently, teachers can spot when pupils have struggled to grasp new concepts.  Leaders have done much to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the role of the school council, for instance, in helping them to learn about democracy. All of the pupils spoken to by inspectors were in agreement that the school is a tolerant community, with people’s differences respected. Pupils have an age-appropriate awareness of what is going on in the world. In lessons, teachers take opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. In history, for instance, pupils were encouraged to consider the differences in society between the ancient Greeks and modern Britain.  Leaders have a strong grip on the additional funding they receive for the pupil

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

premium and sport premium. Although the proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is small, leaders have made effective use of the funding. Based on nationally recognised research evidence, leaders have enhanced the support for disadvantaged pupils’ levels of literacy to good effect, for example. Through the use of the primary school sport premium, rates of participation in inter-school competitions have increased.  Leaders have taken steps to review the use of funding for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Good practice has started to be shared between staff. A system for the closer monitoring of the progress of pupils with SEND has been introduced. It is early days, but there are encouraging signs of improvement in the rate of progress that these pupils make.  Leaders are currently reviewing the curriculum, with a view to introducing changes in September 2019. The current curriculum is broad and balanced. Leaders have recently

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

introduced the teaching of French to further deepen and extend pupils’ experience. The extra-curricular opportunities are similarly broad. On the days of the inspection, for example, pupils participated in sessions with Hull Kingston Rovers rugby league club and ‘Kwik Cricket’.

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Governance of the school

 Governors share the headteacher’s drive to improve the school. They have welcomed the training provided by the local authority to equip them with the skills necessary to continue to support and challenge leaders. Governors’ plans include further, ongoing training.  Governors understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They challenge leaders in meetings, asking pertinent questions about a range of school performance matters. These include, for instance, pupils’ progress, progress and outcomes of pupils with SEND and the quality of teaching.  To further strengthen and support leaders’ actions, governors undertake monitoring visits to school so that they gain first-hand knowledge of how things are going. For example, visits take place to check on safeguarding arrangements and the provision in the EYFS.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders’ checks on the suitability of staff to work in the school are thorough and meet legal requirements. Staff training in safeguarding matters is up to date and includes consideration of potential local risks.  Leaders with particular responsibility for safeguarding are vigilant and persistent in their duties. For example, detailed records are kept about child protection cases, which show a dogged insistence that appropriate professionals in external agencies become involved when necessary.  Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school. They are aware of the various ways in which they can tell an adult if they are worried about anything. Leaders regularly survey pupils about safeguarding matters, such as bullying, so that they can act quickly when any issues arise.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inconsistent. There is some good and effective teaching, but it is not typical across key stages and subjects. As a result of this variability, too many pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.  Leaders have been effective in ensuring that teachers share their high aspirations for pupils’ achievement. As a result, typically, teachers now introduce topics which are suitably demanding. This was seen in a range of subjects and in both key stages. However, while the overarching topics are appropriately challenging, teachers’ planning for how to meet the needs of pupils from different starting points is patchy in its quality. At times, work is matched well to pupils’ abilities and they make strong progress as a result. At other times, however, pupils make less progress than they should because the work is too easy. On occasions, some pupils are not engaged in the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

learning.  Teachers’ use of subject terminology is variable. Sometimes, teachers use appropriate vocabulary to stretch pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. At its best, this helps pupils to grasp new ideas and concepts and provides the right language to discuss or write about them. At other times, however, teachers use subject vocabulary which is too simplistic to push pupils on in their learning as strongly as they could.  Leaders have improved the system for identifying when pupils have not fully understood new learning and are at risk of falling behind. Consequently, there is shared good practice in place, across subjects, to ensure a consistent approach. The extent to which teachers make effective use of this information, however, is mixed. At its strongest, gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ understanding are quickly and effectively put right. At other times, such gaps and misconceptions are less effectively

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

addressed. This means that pupils go on to repeat the same errors and their progress is not as strong as it could be.  Leaders have taken action to improve the quality of the teaching of phonics since the outcomes of the Year 1 phonics test in 2018. For example, all teachers now follow the same phonics scheme. They stick to the necessary strategies for teaching this scheme, so that there is consistency and continuity between teachers. The system for monitoring pupils’ phonics ability, introduced this year, provides leaders with the information they need to identify which pupils are in need of further help.  Despite these improvements, the teaching of phonics in key stage 1 is of variable quality. Although pupils are identified as requiring intervention in a timely way, too often the teaching does not adequately address the pupils’ particular phonics weaknesses. At times, teachers do not check that pupils have secured the letter/sound

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

blend before moving on, with pupils often continuing to get it wrong.  Leaders have made the enjoyment of reading a priority. While there is still more to do, the large majority of pupils who spoke to inspectors said that they are encouraged to read widely. They said that it is usual for an adult to listen to them read at least once a week. Leaders have identified the need to overhaul and restock the school library, so that the choices of books are more closely aligned to the different levels of pupils’ phonics abilities.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are proud of their school. The very large majority are keen to do well and to improve their work. They respond positively to teachers’ guidance about what they need to do to make their work better.  Leaders have made the well-being of pupils a priority. Pupils told inspectors about the various ways in which leaders have taught them about keeping safe, such as online safety. Leaders have arranged for visits to school by the police to talk about road safety. There have been assemblies following atrocities such as the Manchester bombing. Other ‘keeping safe’ activities have focused on bonfire night and the risks of drugs. Leaders have also taken action to educate pupils, and communicate with parents, about some of the possible downsides of social media and gaming.  Pupils told inspectors that bullying in school is rare. They are confident that, when it

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Personal development and welfare

happens, it is dealt with quickly and effectively by school. Leaders’ records and systems show that they remain constantly vigilant for any incidents of bullying and that they take swift action when necessary.  Specific staff appointments have been made to take particular responsibility for supporting pupils’ well-being, whatever the issue. The ‘Rainbow Room’ serves as a safe space for pupils to talk to staff about things that might be troubling them. A ‘worry box’ is available and regularly checked, so that immediate action can be taken to resolve any concerns raised by pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Throughout the inspection, pupils conducted themselves to a good standard. They are consistently polite and courteous to visitors. Pupils move around the site in a calm, orderly way. In lessons, inspectors saw no disruptive behaviour. All of the staff spoken to by inspectors said that behaviour in school is good. Pupils work together with consideration and respect.  Recently, the rate of fixed-term exclusion has been above the national average. However, this was due to the conduct of a small number of pupils with particularly challenging behaviour. Leaders have taken appropriate action to support these pupils. As a result, the rate of fixed-term exclusion has fallen markedly in comparison with the same time last year.  Rates of pupils’ absence in 2017/18 were very slightly above the national average for similar schools. Compared with the same point in time last year, the rate of attendance

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Behaviour

has improved as a result of leaders’ actions.  While the standard of behaviour overall is good, a few pupils and parents think that behaviour in some lessons and on the field is not consistently good.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 For the previous three years, pupils’ progress at the end of key stage 2 has been in line with the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. At the end of key stage 1 in 2018, pupils’ attainment at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was below the national averages.  In the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 in 2018, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard was well below the national average. The progress of the least able readers currently in key stage 1 is not good enough, because often misunderstandings are not spotted and dealt with effectively.  Most pupils read frequently in school, with reading skills appropriate for their age. However, a very small number of the key stage 1 pupils who read to inspectors were reading books that were too easy for their level of reading ability. Older pupils told inspectors that the best readers were allowed to choose books that were too easy for

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

them, and that they whizz through a large number of unchallenging books. As a result, at times, these pupils are less challenged in their reading than they could be.  Current pupils make variable progress across a range of subjects and years. In English, pupils’ progress is inconsistent across both key stages. Often, pupils make strong gains in their learning in English as a result of effective teaching. At other times, however, pupils’ progress is limited by gaps in their knowledge and misconceptions which are not addressed effectively.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics is similarly inconsistent. Across all years, progress is sometimes limited by tasks which are too easy for the pupils’ abilities. At other times, however, levels of challenge in the tasks are much better matched to pupils’ needs. At these times, pupils make strong progress from their starting points.  In other subjects across the curriculum, such as history and science, pupils’ progress

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

over time is variable. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are sometimes too low, with the result that learning is sometimes too easy and pupils’ progress not as strong as it could be. In other subjects, such as French, pupils make stronger progress as a result of effective teaching.

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Early years provision Good

 The headteacher has got a firm handle on the leadership of the EYFS. She has established a clear ethos. She has put effective systems in place to ensure that the children make good progress from their starting points.  The headteacher has made sure that staff are appropriately trained. Staff speak positively about the effectiveness of the continuing professional development made available to them. As a result of the commitment to training, staff demonstrate good levels of skill and expertise. Leaders make sure that they gather the necessary information about children’s abilities and progress. The headteacher checks children’s progress information regularly. This enables her to support and challenge the EYFS teachers to plan engaging and appropriate learning activities for the children.  Typically, most children make good progress by the time they finish the early years. Over the previous three years, the proportion of children attaining a good level of

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Early years provision Good

development has steadily increased. In 2018, the proportion of children attaining a good level of development was above the national average. In reading and numbers, the proportion of children attaining the expected levels in 2018 was above the national average. Consequently, the large majority are well prepared to start key stage 1.  Leaders have taken effective steps to help children settle quickly into the foundation class. There are strong links with the two main nursery providers from which the large majority of children come. Transition arrangements involve parents as well as children, so that effective relationships are formed between school and families from the outset. ‘Parents as Partners’ journals and the EYFS online platform, provide good opportunities for two-way communication about the children’s progress.  Teaching in the EYFS is good. Phonics teaching focuses on the necessary skills children

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Early years provision Good

need to become good readers. Teachers are consistent in their use of the school’s chosen phonics scheme. As a result, children are making good progress in learning to read.  The effective teaching of writing enables children to make good progress. Over time, children’s writing typically shows strong development from making marks on the page, to forming letters, to writing and punctuating simple sentences.  The outside space is organised and structured so that, typically, opportunities to nurture children’s learning are taken. Teachers’ planning is carefully focused on how to exploit the potential for learning in each of the outside space’s play stations. As a result, teachers are mostly adept at seizing moments when children’s scientific, numerical, physical and creative understanding can be developed. At times, such moments to further develop children’s learning are not as fully grasped.  Children typically behave well towards one another and their teachers. The children

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Early years provision Good

play and work side-by-side with ease, learning the unspoken rules of how to communicate with others, such as listening respectfully to others and taking turns to talk.  Safeguarding is effective in the early years, with the same policies and procedures as the main school in operation.

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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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

Website www.thorngumbaldprimaryschool.org.uk

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School details

Email address thorngumbald.primary@eastriding.gov.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2018

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2016 following a period as acting headteacher. The deputy headteacher/special educational needs coordinator was appointed in January 2016. The numeracy/phase leader was appointed in September 2017 and the literacy/phase leader was appointed in September 2018.  The proportions of pupils who are disadvantaged and those with SEND are below the national averages.  The school’s pupils are predominantly of White British heritage.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited a range of lessons across subjects and years, sometimes accompanied by the school’s senior leaders. During these visits, inspectors talked to pupils and looked at work in their books.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work across several subjects, with different year groups and pupil abilities represented.  Meetings were held with the headteacher. An inspector met with a group of governors.  Inspectors met with senior leaders with responsibility for: the EYFS; attendance; behaviour; provision for SEND; the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; pupils’ personal development and welfare; the pupil premium and sports premium funding; the curriculum; literacy; pupils’ progress information; and safeguarding.  Meetings were held with four groups of pupils, drawn from across year groups. Inspectors also spoke informally with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime.  Meetings were held with several members of staff including: middle leaders, non-

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Information about this inspection

teachers, teachers at different career points and non-teaching staff.  An inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, on corridors, in social spaces such as the dining room, the field, and at the start of the day when pupils were arriving at school.  A wide range of documentation was examined. This included: leaders’ self-evaluation and plans; minutes of governors’ meetings; attendance, behaviour and exclusion information; records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching; records of contact with parents in the EYFS; logs and analysis of incidents of bullying; accident logs and pupils’ progress information. Leaders’ processes for vetting adults’ suitability to work in school were checked, along with safeguarding files.  Inspectors took into account the 36 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Parent View, together with 18 free-text parental comments. An inspector

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Information about this inspection

spoke with parents at ‘drop-off’ time at the start of the day.

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Inspection team

Steve Shaw, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Millard 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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