Gurnard Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Gurnard Primary School Baring Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 8DS

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Outcome

Gurnard Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Gurnard Primary is a school where children learn to love education. Pupils enjoy attending this happy and vibrant school, rarely missing a day. There was much excitement during the inspection, with Year 6 visiting the Making of Harry Potter studios on the mainland. They explained how this would help them with their computing and design and technology work. Pupils proudly spoke about teachers challenging them in a wide range of subjects. They also love the variety of sport and musical opportunities they have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils work hard and take pride in what they do. Behaviour around the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils told me that bullying is rare. They know that teachers would sort it immediately if it were to happen. Pupils are very clear on what they would do if they saw bullying. They feel safe in school. They understand how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire are very positive about the school. As one parent wrote, ‘Gurnard provides a safe and fun environment, where my child is able to learn and grow.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and governors strive to provide all pupils with the best education possible. They have carefully considered how they want different subjects to be taught. Leaders have introduced a model where teachers are supported to specialise in an area of the curriculum. This has resulted in a highly skilled teaching team, with strong subject knowledge. As one governor said to me, ‘the teachers’ enthusiasm for their subjects is infectious’. Pupils love being taught different subjects by different teachers. They told me they feel ‘very grown up and ready for high school’. Pupils are excited by the subjects they study. For example, they showed me bird boxes they are making in design and technology. They have loved using tools like drills and saws, learning how to use them accurately and safely. 5–6 November 2019

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Much of the curriculum is planned well. Since the previous inspection, leaders have reviewed the mathematics curriculum. They have made sure that teachers have the skills to teach this subject well. Leaders have been very successful here. Attainment in mathematics at the higher standard at the end of key stage 2 in 2019 was significantly above the national picture.

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In subjects such as computing and science, leaders have ensured that teachers know exactly what to teach and when. This includes which content is most important and vocabulary they want pupils to know and understand. Teachers routinely check whether pupils have remembered what they have been taught. However, some subjects are not so well planned, such as history and geography. Leaders also appreciate that it is too soon to see the impact of their new approach to teaching on pupils’ learning over time.

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Teachers teach reading and phonics well. Children in early years learn phonics quickly. They can confidently read words formed from the letters that they know. Teachers know exactly what order to teach the sounds. They ensure that the books that pupils read match the sounds they have learned.

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Pupils love reading and do so fluently and often. Pupils were proud to show me the wide range of books in the school library, bought with money they had raised in a sponsored reading challenge. Teachers read stories that pupils enjoy, using expression and different voices that capture imagination. For example, in a Year 4 class, pupils sat spellbound listening to ‘The BFG’ by Roald Dahl.

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Teachers understand the difficulties faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Support plans are in place to help teachers adapt their teaching for these pupils. This works well in English and mathematics. However, leaders need to make sure that teachers know how to successfully adapt the curriculum in their specialist subjects to improve learning for pupils with SEND.

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Leaders make sure that pupils learn about their place in the wider world. For example, pupils are keenly aware of the impact of single-use plastic on their local environment, supporting the local community in cleaning beaches. Pupils also learn about how to be a good friend and how to stand up to peer pressure. Pupils are kind to each other. They behave well in lessons and try their best. Any pupils who need help with their behaviour choices are supported well. This is because staff understand their needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know the pupils and their families well. Designated safeguarding leads pay high levels of care and attention to pupils’ welfare and safety. Communication is seamless. Records are thorough and all necessary actions are taken without delay.

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Safeguarding

Staff training is regular and relevant. Possible local risks are understood well by staff. Staff know exactly what to do if they have a concern about a child. 5–6 November 2019

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Leaders ensure that all necessary checks are carried out before adults work or volunteer in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders make sure that pupils learn a wide range of subjects which are taught by skilled teachers. In most subjects, leaders have sequenced the learning, carefully considering the order they want pupils to meet new concepts and skills. Leaders should, however, ensure that learning in all foundation subjects builds pupils’ knowledge and skills coherently, so that all pupils learn and remember more. This includes making sure that staff are given the support and training necessary to adapt the curriculum in their specialist subjects so that pupils with SEND learn well. Leaders need to monitor and evaluate the success of the newly introduced approach to teaching on pupils’ learning.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged Gurnard Primary School to be good on 23–24 May 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 5–6 November 2019

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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. 5–6 November 2019

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Information about this school

 The deputy headteacher currently works at the school for two days a week, as she is supporting another local school.  The school is due to move into a new building on the same site in December 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 During this inspection, I met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. I also met with the chair of the governing body and four other governors. I spoke to a representative from the local authority on the telephone.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. This involved speaking to subject leaders, teachers and pupils. I visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work and leaders’ planning. I also heard some pupils read. I also met with the computing and science leaders.  To inspect safeguarding, I met with two of the school’s designated safeguarding leads, spoke to staff, governors and pupils, checked recruitment procedures and looked at safeguarding records and policies.  I considered the 71 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire, including 37 free- text comments. In addition, 41 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff 5–6 November 2019

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were considered, as were 77 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5–6 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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