Mount Pleasant Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Mount Pleasant Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Princess Road, Market Weighton, York, North Yorkshire YO43 3BY

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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 Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have high expectations and a strong vision for the future of the school. They have identified appropriate priorities for improvement and are systematically working to address them.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Work in pupils’ books shows that current pupils make good progress in all subjects across the curriculum.  Teachers and teaching assistants give clear explanations and use questioning well.  Pupils are polite and well behaved. Most have positive attitudes to learning. They are proud to attend the school and are keen to take on additional responsibilities.  Pupils have lots of opportunities to experience a wide range of sports and to take part in competitions.  Attendance is good and improving because of the effective strategies that leaders use.  There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school.  Middle leaders have identified priorities for improvement. However, they have limited

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

opportunities to have an impact on practice in the subjects they lead.  Governors know the school well and carry out their statutory duties effectively. However, they do not always hold leaders to account for their actions.  Pupils have a wide range of experiences that effectively promote their spiritual, moral and social development. However, their understanding of cultural diversity is limited.  Work is usually pitched at the right level for pupils, although the level of challenge, especially for middle-attaining pupils, is not always high enough.  Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge. However, some teachers do not have a thorough knowledge of teaching phonics.  An accurate assessment system is in place for English and mathematics. However, assessment in other subjects is less well developed. School, 18–19 June 2019

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – increasing the impact that middle leaders have on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment – ensuring that governors ask more probing questions of leaders so that they can effectively hold them to account for their actions – ensuring that work on cultural development is strengthened by giving pupils a better understanding of the cultural diversity of modern Britain.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils attain higher standards by: – ensuring that all pupils, especially middle attainers, are provided with the right level of challenge – increasing teacher subject knowledge in phonics – continuing to develop the use of the school’s assessment systems. School, 18–19 June 2019

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The senior leadership team has changed since the last inspection. The new team has a strong vision for the school which has been communicated to all staff. Everyone understands the role they have in continuing the school’s journey of improvement. There is a culture of high expectation throughout the school.  Leaders have carried out a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of the school and have used their findings to identify priorities for development. These priorities are being methodically addressed through effective action plans.  Senior leaders regularly monitor the quality of teaching and learning and provide effective support and challenge. Teachers and teaching assistants value the opportunities they have for professional development. They were able to give examples to inspectors of how this has had a positive impact on the progress of pupils.  English and mathematics leaders have regular opportunities to influence practice in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

their subjects. They have made sure that lessons are carefully sequenced so that units of work are systematically taught. Their actions have resulted in increased progress in reading, writing and mathematics over this year.  Other middle leaders have identified areas for development in their subjects and have written action plans to address them. However, most have very few opportunities to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning or to provide support. This means that they have little impact on progress in the subjects they lead.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Progression is evident in pupils’ work and expectations match those for English and mathematics. Links that are made between subjects are helping pupils to learn and remember more.  The primary school physical education (PE) and sport premium is used well. Pupils are able to experience a wide range of different sports in PE lessons and through school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

clubs. All pupils have opportunities to take part in competitive sport. For example, during the inspection, a group of Year 5 pupils took part in a series of cycle races with pupils from other schools.  The spending of pupil premium funding is based on the outcomes of educational research. Leaders were able to provide evidence to show the positive impact that it is having on disadvantaged pupils. However, this impact is not consistent in all subjects or year groups.  Leaders ensure that all pupils have a wide range of experiences, including trips and visitors to school, which effectively promote their spiritual, moral and social development and their understanding of Christian and British values. However, work on understanding the cultural diversity of modern Britain is not as well developed.

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Governance of the school

 Many governors are relatively new to their roles. Despite this, they show a good School, 18–19 June 2019 understanding of the difficult journey the school has been on over the last two years.  Governors are linked to subjects and other aspects of school work such as safeguarding. They have gained an accurate knowledge of the strengths and areas for development for the school from published data, reports from leaders and visits to the school. As a result, collectively they have a thorough knowledge of the work of the school.  Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively. They are beginning to act as critical friends, providing both support and challenge. However, they do not consistently ask probing questions and therefore do not always effectively hold leaders to account for their actions.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders ensure that accurate and up-to-date records of the checks on all adults that work in school are maintained. All policies and procedures are fit for purpose.  Staff are well trained and are given regular updates. They understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and report all concerns, no matter how small. Record-keeping is clear and well organised. It shows that when necessary, appropriate actions are taken immediately. Support from external agencies is effective.  Parents and carers who made their views known during the inspection say that their children are happy and feel safe at school. Most say that the school responds well to any concerns they raise.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have high expectations of what their pupils can achieve. They give clear explanations which result in most pupils fully understanding the tasks they are asked to complete.  Teachers and teaching assistants use questioning well to provide both support and additional challenge. They check the work of pupils regularly during lessons. This means that errors and misconceptions are usually picked up quickly and addressed. Ongoing assessment is also used well to make sure that future lessons are well planned to meet the needs of groups and individuals.  Teaching assistants are well deployed. Many are skilled in delivering effective interventions to support pupils with specific needs. They give effective support in classes but also encourage pupils to be independent. For example, they break tasks into small steps which pupils can complete without help.  Recent improvements to the teaching of mathematics mean that pupils are able to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

complete more challenging tasks. They are now more confident in the use of correct mathematical vocabulary. Most can apply the skills they are developing in fluency, reasoning and problem-solving in different contexts.  Class novels, extracts from quality texts and teacher modelling of writing are used School, 18–19 June 2019 effectively to support the teaching of both reading and writing. The use of a common script throughout the school has resulted in improved handwriting.  Pupils know what the teacher expects to be included in their writing before they begin their work. They can give examples of how they have met these expectations when their work is complete. This has helped to improve the quality of writing across the school.  Leaders are confident that the assessments that teachers make of reading, writing and mathematics are accurate. A new system has been introduced to record attainment and progress in these subjects. However, assessment in other subjects is at an earlier

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

stage of development. This means that leaders are unsure of standards in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally good. However, in some classes, pupils do not have enough strategies to complete their work independently, and become disengaged when they have to wait for the attention of their teacher.  Work is generally pitched at the right level for all pupils. However, there are times when some, especially middle-attaining pupils, are not sufficiently challenged by the tasks they are asked to complete.  Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan well-structured lessons. However, some teachers do not have a strong enough knowledge of phonics to help them to support the lowest-attaining pupils with reading and spelling.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are self-confident and are proud to belong to their school. They are very friendly and were happy to chat to inspectors about their work and other aspects of school life.  Pupils have opportunities to take on additional responsibilities. For example, some pupils are democratically elected to act as house captains or school council representatives. Other roles include: junior sports leaders, digital leaders, junior travel ambassadors and eco-committee members.  Pupils show an understanding of healthy eating and the benefits of exercise. A range of equipment is available at breaktimes, which is encouraging pupils to be active.  Pupils understand the importance of sharing any concerns they may have with a trusted adult about any form of abuse. They were able to explain how they are taught to keep themselves safe from potential dangers when crossing the road, riding their

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Personal development and welfare

bikes or using the internet. Digital leaders work with other pupils in school and from the neighbouring infant school to promote online safety.  Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They work hard, sustain concentration and present their work neatly. However, a small minority engage in off-task behaviour during lessons.  Pupils say that there is some bullying in school, but it is dealt with effectively by School, 18–19 June 2019 teachers. However, a small number of parents who made their views known during the inspection do not agree with this view. School records show that when bullying is identified, it is dealt with swiftly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Over time, behaviour has improved. The small number of incidents of poor behaviour that still occur are all recorded and dealt with appropriately. The use of fixed-term exclusions has reduced.  Pupils show respect for adults and their peers. They are well behaved in lessons, as they move around school and at breaktimes.  Attendance over time is broadly in line with the national average. Leaders have introduced many effective strategies to improve attendance. For example, some pupils who act as Junior Travel Ambassadors lead assemblies. Current attendance for this academic year, when compared to the same period last year, has improved.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In-school data and work in pupils’ books show that current pupils, in all year groups, are making at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Some pupils are making better than good progress.  The most able pupils are making at least good and sometimes better progress. Progress for these pupils is greatest in mathematics. This is as a result of high expectations and the challenging tasks that they are expected to complete.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported and are therefore making good progress overall. Pupils with complex needs are making small but significant steps of progress.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils varies between year groups and subjects. Overall, progress for these pupils has increased, especially in reading and mathematics over this year.  Work in pupils’ books shows that progress in science, especially with scientific

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Outcomes for pupils Good

investigation, is strong. Pupils develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a wide range of subjects. Progress across the curriculum, from different starting points, is evident in pupils’ work in all year groups. However, leaders do not have a system in place to record this progress.  Published data in 2018 showed that the proportions of pupils at the end of Year 6 reaching the expected standard in reading and grammar, punctuation and spelling were in line with the national averages. However, the proportions reaching the expected standards in writing and mathematics were below the national averages. The proportions of pupils reaching the higher standards in all these subjects were below the national averages.  Over time, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils has generally remained below that School, 18–19 June 2019 of other pupils nationally. However, the proportion of these pupils reaching the

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Outcomes for pupils Good

expected standard in 2017 in reading and mathematics was above that of others nationally.  Pupils have developed a love of reading. They spoke with enthusiasm about the class novels they are reading and could explain how they help them to develop their reading and writing skills. They could explain why they enjoy reading books by particular authors. However, some pupils do not have sufficient phonics knowledge to read some of the unfamiliar words in their books. School, 18–19 June 2019

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address mountpleasant.juniors@eastriding.gov.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16–17 July 2013

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Information about this school

 Mount Pleasant Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School is a slightly larger than average-sized junior school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average, although the proportion with an education, health and care plan is higher than that found nationally.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2017. School, 18–19 June 2019

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. Some of the observations were undertaken jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors alongside middle leaders looked at work in pupils’ books.  An inspector met with four members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  An inspector met with a representative from the local authority and a representative from the diocese.  A range of documents was scrutinised, including the school’s self-evaluation document, improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings, records of checks on teaching and learning, and attendance and safeguarding information.  Inspectors met formally with a group of pupils, spoke informally to pupils in lessons and listened to some pupils read.  Discussions took place with staff about safeguarding and the support and professional development that they receive.  Inspectors considered the views of parents by meeting informally at the start of the

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Information about this inspection

school day and through the 98 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Chris Cook, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Larissa Thorpe Ofsted Inspector School, 18–19 June 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 .

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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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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