Scotby CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Scotby CofE Primary School Park Road, Scotby, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8AT

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Outcome

Scotby CofE Primary School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is proud of their school. Most parents and carers have nothing but praise for the adults who work in school. Leaders have created an environment where everyone is included. Pupils love coming to school. They feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers make learning fun. They plan topics and ‘memorable experiences’ to engage pupils in learning. For example, Year 5 pupils explored what it was like to be an evacuee in the Second World War.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils and want them to achieve well. However, leaders have not produced a clear plan for a well-sequenced curriculum across the whole school. In some subjects there is too little guidance for teachers to plan a sequence of lessons that builds on what pupils already know. This means that pupils do not learn as well as they could in subjects such as history.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers expect their pupils to behave well. Pupils do behave well in class and around school. One pupil said, ‘We have strict rules here and everyone keeps to them.’ Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They treat everyone the way that they would want to be treated themselves

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying is rare. They recognise the difference between bullying and ‘falling out’. Pupils say that if bullying happens, adults sort it out quickly so that it stops.

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

Leaders have made the teaching of reading a high priority. In 2019, they were disappointed with the number of pupils who did not meet the expected standard in reading by the end of key stage 2. Leaders have clear plans to improve pupils’ reading. It 20–21 November 2019

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is now at the heart of the curriculum. Leaders have identified interesting books for pupils to study each term. For example, children in Year 5 read ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’. This linked closely to a topic they were studying in history.

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In 2019, there was a dip in the number of pupils who met the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Leaders identified that some teachers were not following the agreed phonics programme consistently. Leaders now check pupils’ progress in reading more regularly and all staff follow the same phonics programme. Leaders have a clear plan for what pupils need to learn and by when. Staff make phonics lessons fun. They help pupils who fall behind to catch up quickly. Reading books are well matched to pupils’ phonic knowledge. Older pupils read confidently in lessons.

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The curriculum in mathematics is well planned and builds systematically on what pupils already know. Pupils enjoy regular practice in calculations. They soon become fluent in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In Year 6, pupils can easily recall what they learned about fractions in Year 5.

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In subjects such as history, pupils do not develop sufficiently detailed knowledge and skills over time. This is because the curriculum is not organised in a logical order. Some curriculum leaders have a new subject to lead. They have not identified the most important subject knowledge for pupils to learn and in what order to teach it. Leaders recognise that this needs to be addressed. They are at an early stage with their planning.

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The number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has increased significantly since the last inspection. Leaders have developed expertise in all staff to support pupils’ individual needs. The inclusion manager helps staff to plan small steps so that pupils can make progress. Where possible, staff adapt the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can fully access what is being taught. Parents of pupils with SEND are delighted with this support. They say that their children are thriving in school.

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Pupils and staff actively promote the school’s values. These include kindness, respect and responsibility. Pupils in Year 6 enjoy taking on additional responsibilities at lunchtime. They help younger pupils to get along well. Most pupils enjoy keeping themselves healthy. They run the ‘daily mile’. Pupils are proud of their recently installed running track.

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Children join the school from several nursery providers. They quickly settle in and make new friends. They work and play alongside each other, inside and outside the classroom. For example, children were working together in the wooded area of the playground to make ‘hibernation shelters’ from different materials. Children achieve well, particularly in mathematics. They count regularly and practise their number formation. Some children were adding numbers together while playing a board game with their teacher.

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Governors bring a wide range of skills to the role. They know what the school does well and what could be better. Leaders are mindful about the workload and well-being of staff when making key decisions about school life. 20–21 November 2019

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school’s caring ethos means that pupils’ safety is important to everyone. Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained. Staff are aware of the signs when a pupil may be at risk of harm. They are vigilant and report all concerns. Leaders carry out the necessary checks on all adults who work at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe online. They are helped to understand a wide range of risks to their safety and well-being through a planned programme of activities.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In 2019 standards in reading declined. Leaders have made this a priority for improvement. They have made a good start in implementing a detailed action plan that sets out the actions to be taken. Leaders should continue to implement this plan robustly so that any decline in reading standards is halted.  The school’s curriculum is not sufficiently planned and sequenced in many of the foundation subjects. There is too little guidance for teachers to plan and develop a sequence of lessons based on what children already know and remember. Leaders should develop plans as to how they will systematically improve the content and sequencing in these subjects and how this will be built upon from one year to the next.  Some curriculum leaders are new to leading their subjects. They have not yet had time to review or plan the content and sequencing of knowledge in these subjects. Senior leaders should continue to support subject leaders in developing their subject-specific

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 11–12 Feb 2015. 20–21 November 2019

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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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 20–21 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10058079 Type of school Primary

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School details

School category Foundation School, Church of England

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website https://www.scotby.cumbria.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–12 Feb 2015

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Information about this school

 The proportion of children attending the school with an education, health and care plan is significantly higher than the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I spoke with senior leaders and subject leaders. I also spoke with teachers, staff and members of the local governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  The inspection focused deeply on reading, mathematics and history. I visited lessons, met with subject leaders and pupils, observed pupils reading, met with staff and looked at pupils’ work.  I looked at documentation relating to leaders’ self-evaluation and improvement planning. I considered school attendance and behaviour information.  I looked at safeguarding documentation and met with the designated safeguarding lead. I discussed what leaders do to ensure that pupils are kept safe at the school.  I considered the views expressed by parents in the 55 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including 31 comments received via the free-text facility. I spoke to several parents at the beginning of the school day. I considered 29 responses to the

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Inspection team

Garry White, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 20–21 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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