Legsby Primary School

Legsby Primary School Legsby, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire LN8 3QW

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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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

 Despite the new co-headteachers’ commitment to improving the school, their actions have not ensured that pupils’ progress, including that of disadvantaged pupils, is consistently good across the school.  Leaders do not check on the quality of teaching with sufficient precision. At times, teaching is not effective enough for pupils to make good progress.  Teaching does not routinely match activities to pupils’ learning needs. Teachers do not consistently use teaching assistants to fill the gaps in some pupils’ learning.  At times, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not as high as they could be. The most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged to reach higher levels in their learning.  Pupils do not apply their skills, or explain their answers with confidence, to deepen their understanding of mathematics.  The teaching of reading does not ensure that enough pupils master their early reading skills

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

or develop their comprehension skills well.  Some elements of the school’s curriculum have not been checked on well enough as to their effectiveness. Pupils do not consistently deepen their knowledge and understanding, or develop their skills, across a range of subjects.  Although, overall, pupils’ attendance is broadly average, it is below average for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils.  The governing body, despite their commitment to the school, have not held leaders to account well enough for improving pupils’ progress.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils are polite and behave well. Leaders have created a learning community where all pupils are welcomed, cared for and helped to stay safe.  Leaders are effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils engage in a wide range of learning experiences outside the classroom.  Typically, pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points.  Leaders provide children in the early years with a positive learning environment. Children in the early years make good progress.  Parents and carers are positive about the school. They say that their children enjoy coming to school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management, by ensuring that: – members of the governing body develop their skills, and establish more rigorous structures, to better hold leaders to account for improving pupils’ progress – leaders and governors are more thorough in checking on the impact of their actions taken to improve the quality of education – the school’s curriculum better enables pupils to deepen their knowledge, strengthen their understanding and develop their skills in subjects other than in English and mathematics.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, so that pupils make consistently good progress and attain highly, by ensuring that teachers: – routinely build in problem-solving activities, and provide pupils with more opportunities to use their reasoning skills, in mathematics – better develop pupils’ early reading skills, and older pupils’ comprehension skills

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– consistently match learning activities to the needs of pupils, especially by increasing the level of challenge for the most able pupils – work with teaching assistants to better support pupils who need extra help to fill their gaps in learning.  Improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The co-headteachers’ diligent and determined work, since their appointment in September 2017, has not made sufficient impact on improving the overall quality of education. At times, their judgements about the quality of teaching and pupils’ academic achievement are overgenerous.  Leaders have not directed some of their actions for improvement sufficiently well for the quality of teaching to be consistently high. They do not check carefully enough that their actions are making a positive difference to improving the school’s overall effectiveness. Pupils’ progress, therefore, is inconsistent across the school. Recent improvements made to the quality of education in the early years, however, have been more effective.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching have not been rigorous enough to refine practice and ensure that pupils achieve well across the school. This is particularly true in the teaching of reading and of mathematics, where some pupils are not making the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

progress they should. As the leaders are also the teachers, structures are not as clearly defined as they need to be to support some areas of improvement. Leaders have, however, improved the teaching of writing.  Leaders have been slow to improve the school’s assessment system to check on and track pupils’ progress and attainment. This is now providing some of the information teachers and leaders need to improve pupils’ progress. However, it is not yet sufficiently well embedded into the school’s routines or checked on for its effectiveness over time.  Although pupils have access to a well-planned curriculum, leaders have not ensured that they have studied some subjects in depth. Leaders do not make robust checks on subjects other than English and mathematics. They are, therefore, not fully informed of how well pupils are progressing through, and understanding, some of their learning.  Leaders have made some effective use of the extra funding for disadvantaged pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

They provide disadvantaged pupils with a great deal of care and ensure that they partake in all enrichment activities. Some disadvantaged pupils make good progress and at times, they catch up with other pupils nationally. This is not, however, consistent for disadvantaged pupils across the school.  Leaders have improved the support they provide for pupils with SEND. They use external agency staff effectively to provide pupils with extra help. External agency staff also guide leaders and teachers to provide these pupils with targeted support, which helps most to make good progress.  Leaders are effective in their promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Pupils learn about the wide range of ethnic groups, cultures and traditions that contribute to British society. Enrichment activities are also used to develop pupils’ curiosity and interest in the world around them.  The primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding is primarily used to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

employ specialist coaches. This has ensured that pupils engage in physical activities and learn the skills associated with them. Leaders have not, however, used the funding as wisely as they could to ensure that improvements to the provision of PE can be sustained.  The local authority and consultant headteachers have provided leaders with strong support, guidance and training. Leaders also use school-to-school support networks to share the most effective practice. At times, however, leaders have not acted on the advice offered in a timely manner to improve teaching and pupils’ progress quickly enough.  Relationships between staff, pupils and their families are strong. Leaders have ensured that good pupil behaviour and personal development and welfare have been maintained. Staff, throughout the school, are conscientious in their approach to caring for and nurturing pupils.  Leaders know the community the school serves extremely well. Parents are supportive

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

of social and family events run by the school. Those spoken with during the inspection, and those who responded to Parent View, expressed their full support for the school. An increased number of parents are now choosing to send their children to the school.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have not used their skills and expertise as effectively as they could. They have not held leaders to account sufficiently well to ensure that some of the provision within the school continues to be good.  Some information that leaders share with governors has not been as helpful as it could be. Governors have not, therefore, focused well enough on improving pupils’ progress. They have not made effective use of external reviews to gain a fully accurate understanding of how leaders’ actions have improved the school.  Governors make checks on the extra funding the school receives, especially for pupils with SEND. Their checks, however, have not been thorough enough to check if the pupil premium strategy has consistently closed the gaps between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. Governors’ checks on the sustained use of the primary school physical education and sport funding have also not been as rigorous as they

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Governance of the school

could be.  Governors are committed to improving the school. They make regular visits to the school and have a good understanding about how well pupils are looked after. Governors routinely check on and discuss the school’s safeguarding records and procedures.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and fit for purpose. The school provides a nurturing environment where every pupil is valued and cared for. Pupils told the inspector that they feel safe in school. They explained how to keep safe in different circumstances.  Leaders and staff are well trained in safeguarding matters. Appropriate checks on the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children are carried out thoroughly. Leaders work effectively with parents and external agencies to make sure that pupils are supported and receive any extra support that they need.  All parents spoken with during the inspection, and those who completed Ofsted’s online survey, agreed that their children were safe. They made a point of saying that all the staff are caring and that they really get to know each child.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has not ensured that pupils’ progress is consistently good across the school.  Some teaching does not focus sufficiently well on planning activities that are well matched to pupils’ learning needs. On these occasions, pupils do not make the progress they could. At times, pupils are asked to complete tasks that are too difficult. At other times, they sit and wait for other pupils to finish their work before they are moved on. The most able pupils are not challenged as well as they could be to reach a greater depth in their learning.  More recently, the teaching of reading has not ensured that pupils have grasped early reading skills well enough. Pupils have, therefore, not applied their phonics skills in reading as well as they should. While some pupils show great interest in and understanding of the stories they read, others do not demonstrate the same level of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

comprehension. Leaders have introduced new reading schemes to further develop pupils’ reading skills. These are better linked to the school’s phonics teaching scheme, but are not yet fully embedded.  In mathematics, teaching does not routinely encourage pupils to apply their learning. Pupils do not use problem-solving as well as they could to practise the skills they have learned. Teachers do not challenge pupils to explain their answers often enough to check that they have understood the knowledge that they have gained. Leaders are considering new approaches to the teaching of mathematics to further improve pupils’ progress.  Teaching assistants do not consistently provide some pupils with the extra support that they need to make good progress. Pupils are, sometimes, unable to complete the tasks set and support is not provided quickly enough. At other times, however, teaching assistants make valuable use of extra resources. They structure activities well so that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

pupils can learn at a more suitable level and make good progress. This is especially true for pupils with SEND.  Pupils learn about a variety of subjects, some in more depth than others. Pupils have not gained sufficient knowledge, skills and understanding in a range of subjects. At key stage 1, homework supports learning well. At key stage 2, however, homework has not been a regular part of the learning process. Plans to improve the contribution that homework makes to pupils’ wider learning are developing.  Teachers ensure that pupils write at length. Pupils practise and consolidate the writing skills they develop by writing regularly in different contexts and genres. For some pupils, however, handwriting is not of a consistently high standard.  Pupils try hard and remain focused on their learning. This is true even when activities are not well matched to their learning needs. This positive attitude is not, however,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

consistently reflected in some of the pupils’ books. Presentation is not consistently of a high quality, and is often left unchallenged.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Staff know the pupils in this small community well. They place a high value on pupils’ individuality and care for them well. Pupils are confident and they show care and consideration for others.  Pupils benefit from a personal, social and health education programme of study. This plays an important role in contributing to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils show a good understanding of diversity as they learn about different faiths and cultures. They are encouraged to share artistic and cultural learning by, for example, playing the piano in assembly.  Pupils develop leadership skills and hold positions of responsibility such as peer mentors or members of the student council. Leaders enrich pupils’ experiences through trips and activities beyond the classroom. For instance, pupils have taken part in

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Personal development and welfare

filmmaking and attended a film festival in Paris. They have also regularly entered gardening competitions at the Lincolnshire Show.  Pupils are taught how to stay safe. Those spoken with during the inspection demonstrated a good understanding of how to stay safe. Pupils also understand the importance of eating healthy foods and taking regular exercise, both of which, they say, are available to them at the school.  Leaders’ work to prevent bullying is effective. Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. They told the inspector that they could not remember the last time anyone was bullied in their school. Pupils also have a strong awareness of racism. They explained that racist behaviour is not something they would engage in.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and welcoming. They cooperate well with each other and are supportive of each other during lessons and at playtime.  Leaders reward pupils for positive behaviour. Incidents of poor behaviour are rare. There have been no permanent exclusions or fixed-term exclusions for the last five years. Pupils and parents agree that behaviour is good.  Leaders’ positive actions have rectified the 2018 dip in attendance. Typically, pupils’ overall attendance is similar to other pupils nationally. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, however, is below average. Leaders’ actions have yet to improve the attendance of these groups of pupils. A small number of pupils do not attend school as often as they should.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Published outcomes fluctuate due to the small number of pupils in each year group, but pupils’ progress overall is not consistently good. Although pupils’ progress in reading and writing, by the end of key stage 2, has been broadly average, this has not been the case in mathematics. The progress of current pupils, in mathematics and in reading, varies too much. Progress in writing, however, indicates a stronger picture.  Over time, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been broadly average. Pupils currently in the school, however, have not achieved as well in their phonics skill development.  At key stage 2, the proportion of pupils who reach the expected standard in reading has been broadly average. Standards reached in writing, in the use of grammar, spelling and punctuation, and in mathematics, however, have been varied over time. Provisional results, for 2019, and the school’s assessment information for current

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

pupils, indicate that standards continue to be varied.  The most able pupils are not routinely challenged in their learning. The proportion of pupils who reach a greater depth at key stage 1, and a higher standard at key stage 2, is below the national average. Current assessment information indicates that this pattern is continuing for many year groups currently in the school.  Historically, disadvantaged pupils have made good progress by the time they leave Year 6. This good progress has been maintained in writing for current pupils, and especially for pupils in key stage 1. Disadvantaged pupils’ progress in key stage 2, however, is not consistently good.  At key stage 1, the proportion of pupils who reach the expected standards in reading, in writing and in mathematics is broadly average. Provisional results, for 2019, indicate that this has continued for current Year 2 pupils.  Typically, pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points. This is

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

especially true when extra support targets pupils’ specific learning needs and when external support is used.  Pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics is inconsistent. This is because pupils do not study some subjects in sufficient detail to deepen their knowledge.

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Early years provision Good

 Children make good progress in Reception. The school’s assessment information shows that the proportion of children who reach a good level of development is increasing. Children are now better developing their reading, writing and number skills than they have done in previous years. They are, therefore, better prepared to meet the demands of Year 1.  Leaders have taken effective action to improve the early years provision. They have used external guidance and support wisely to create a positive learning environment for the Reception children. The indoor and outdoor learning spaces are stimulating, well-cared for and focused on improving children’s specific skills. Examples of children’s own interests and links to the local community are proudly displayed in the school’s outdoor farm area.  Leaders plan the early years curriculum based on careful assessment of children’s needs. They use ongoing assessments well to adapt the curriculum and fill children’s

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Early years provision Good

gaps in learning. The quality of teaching overall helps children to make good progress. At times, however, the adult-led sessions, with key stage 1 pupils, do not focus precisely enough on the learning needs of the Reception children. At these times, Reception children do not consistently make the progress they could.  Leaders provide daily activities for children to develop their early reading skills. Learning journal records show that children’s writing and number skills are improving.  Children are confident and make independent choices about their own learning. They enjoy the activities that adults provide. During the inspection, they were particularly engaged in the ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ themed work. Children typically behave well, but sometimes distract the learning of older pupils when their own learning is not matched well enough to their needs.  Children are safe and relationships with adults and each other are strong. Adults

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Early years provision Good

welcome parents into school to engage with their child’s education. Parents spoken with during the inspection were happy with the school’s work. Children, and their families, are provided with any extra care or support that they may need.

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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

Email address enquiries@legsby.lincs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in two mixed-year classes. The co-headteachers were appointed in September 2017. They are also the main teachers of the two classes, along with one other part-time teacher who teaches both classes.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above average. The proportion of pupils with SEND or an education, health and care plan is above average. Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The school is part of the Wolds Learning Partnership and the KYRA teaching school.  The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club for its pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at a broad range of evidence, including the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, plus planning and monitoring documentation. She also looked at the work in pupils’ books, records relating to attendance and behaviour, and the school’s information on pupils’ current progress and attainment.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised. The inspector reviewed the school’s website to confirm whether it met the requirements on the publication of specified information.  The inspector observed pupils’ learning several times in both classes. Some of this learning was observed jointly with one of the headteachers.  Discussions took place with staff, members of the governing body and a local authority representative.  The inspector met formally with a group of pupils and talked informally with other pupils. The inspector also listened to Year 1 and Year 2 pupils reading, and observed

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Information about this inspection

assembly and pupils’ playtime. Pupils did not respond to Ofsted’s survey.  The inspector considered the 11 parent responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including 11 free-text comments. The inspector also considered the school’s own parent survey. Staff did not respond to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Vondra Mays, lead inspector 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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