Preston Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Preston Primary School Station Road, Preston, Hull HU12 8UY

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Outcome

Preston Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to attend Preston Primary School. Parents and carers are very pleased with the care and quality of education that their children receive. Pupils learn to read, write and use their mathematics well. In subjects such as science, they enjoy their work and they remember important knowledge or ‘sticky facts’. For example, Year 5 pupils could explain that day and night occur because the Earth spins on its axis every 24 hours.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children settle quickly into the Reception class. They enjoy playing and learning inside and outdoors. Daily phonics, counting and ‘dough disco’, where pupils manipulate dough to music, help children to make a good start with their learning. Pupils make good progress in their reading, writing and mathematics as they move through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is good, both in classrooms and around the school. Pupils understand what bullying is and they say bullying is rare. Pupils know staff will sort out any problems if they occur. Pupils say they enjoy learning because they get lots of help and support from their teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. These pupils take a full part in the life of the school.

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

Pupils’ reading skills are improving rapidly. After a decline in reading outcomes at the end of Year 6 in 2019, new subject leaders have taken effective action to improve the teaching of reading. Teachers have selected texts to interest pupils and developed pupils’ understanding and comprehension. The raised profile of reading has ensured that pupils have a love of books and are enthusiastic about reading. Phonics teaching begins as soon as children start in the Reception class. Teachers and teaching assistants are skilled at teaching phonics. The books pupils take home are matched to the letters and sounds pupils are learning in class. As a result, pupils’ phonic skills are developed effectively. Those who find reading difficult get extra help so that they catch up quickly. 21–22 November 2019

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Pupils enthusiastically select books to read in class and to take home. As a result, most pupils are reading with greater accuracy and fluency. However, a small number of pupils have books which are occasionally too difficult for them to read and understand.

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Leaders have planned a broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils learn a wide range of subjects. Topics have been planned to link to story books. For example, in Year 3, pupils read a book about a boy with a bronze axe as part of a topic connected to the stone age. In Year 4, pupils read a story about an incredible book-eating boy. They go on to study the digestive system as part of their science work. Pupils can remember the names of different parts of the digestive system; the teeth, oesophagus, stomach and intestines, as well as describing their differing functions.

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In most subjects, leaders have broken down the curriculum into termly topics and learning activities over a number of weeks. This helps pupils to make connections between different topics. For example, in Year 2 pupils read a story about a man on the moon and learn about Neil Armstrong in history and the Earth’s continents in geography. However, in some subjects the curriculum is less well planned. Senior leaders know there is more to be done and have plans to ensure that all subjects are well planned by the end of the year.

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Support for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. Teachers provide support that helps pupils with SEND experience the full curriculum.

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Staff enjoy good relationships with pupils and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well and most behave well in lessons and around the school. Any disagreements or fall-outs between pupils are sorted out quickly.

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The Reception class team has created a happy and welcoming learning environment. Children settle quickly and get off to a good start. Daily mathematics teaching helps children to learn to count with confidence. Effective phonics teaching ensures that children make good gains in learning to read from a young age. As in the rest of the school, topics, such as ‘space’, are planned to catch children’s interest.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out appropriate checks on employees before they begin to work at the school. Safeguarding leaders are well trained. Staff work closely with a wide range of external agencies to ensure that pupils who may be at risk of harm are promptly given the support that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through regular personal, social and health education lessons and assemblies. They understand the importance of staying safe using the internet. They know that, if something is worrying them, they can speak to any of the adults in the school. 21–22 November 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of cases, the books pupils read in key stage 2 are too challenging. This makes it difficult for some pupils to read with fluency. Leaders need to ensure that the books older pupils read are more carefully matched to their reading skills.  Not all subject leaders have worked with staff to ensure that teachers sequence learning effectively. Pupils do not learn as effectively in these subjects. Senior leaders need to ensure that all subject leaders have the skills and knowledge they need to strengthen the quality of education in their subject area.

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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 Preston Primary School to be good on 16 November 2010

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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.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil 21–22 November 2019

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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. 21–22 November 2019

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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School details

Inspection number 10110797 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 April 2016

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the proportion of pupils with SEND has increased.

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Information about this inspection

 On this inspection, I looked closely at reading, writing and science. I worked alongside the headteacher to visit classrooms and to talk to pupils about their work and learning.  I looked at pupils’ workbooks with school leaders. I also spoke with pupils to gauge the depth of their knowledge in different subjects, and their understanding of safeguarding arrangements.  I met four subject leaders and leaders responsible for safeguarding. I spoke with a range of staff, including lunchtime assistants, office staff and teaching assistants.  I met with a group of four governors, including the chair and vice-chair of governors. I also met with the local authority school improvement officer.  Many of the inspection activities gave me the opportunity to evaluate the culture of safeguarding in the school. I also scrutinised child protection records and the single central record. 21–22 November 2019

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Inspection team

Amraz Ali, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21–22 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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