Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Victoria White Interim Headteacher Keyingham Primary School Russell Drive Keyingham Kingston-upon-Hull HU12 9RU

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School

Following my visit to your school on 17 December 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the outcome and inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken since the school’s most recent section 5 inspection.

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School

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses in March 2019. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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School

Following the monitoring inspection, the following judgements were made:

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School

Leaders and managers are not taking effective action towards the removal of the serious weaknesses designation.

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School

The school’s action plan is fit for purpose.

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School

The local authority’s statement of action is fit for purpose.

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School

I am copying this letter to the chair of the executive board, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for East Riding of Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

 Urgently ensure that leaders and governors fulfil their statutory safeguarding responsibilities, by making sure that: – safeguarding policies and procedures are consistently applied – leaders act promptly and appropriately in response to any concerns raised about pupils, record the actions they take and, where appropriate, liaise with external agencies – record keeping in relation to safeguarding is detailed and well maintained – all staff understand and consistently apply the procedures for reporting and recording concerns about pupils’ safety and well-being – all staff have the necessary knowledge of the risks pupils may face in their lives at home or school – governors responsible for safeguarding hold leaders to account for this aspect of work.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, by ensuring that: – effective action is taken to improve the quality of teaching and learning so it

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

is at least good throughout the school – governors are clear about their roles and responsibilities and are effective in holding leaders to account, particularly in relation to pupils’ progress – pupil premium funding is spent effectively, leading to rapid improvements in the attendance and achievement of disadvantaged pupils – the quality of plans and provision to support pupils with SEND enables pupils to achieve their full potential – the skills of middle leaders are further developed to enable them to take greater responsibility for leading improvements in the areas they oversee – the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school reduces rapidly.  Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that all pupils make good progress in a wide range of subjects, by ensuring that: – teachers have consistently high expectations of what all pupils can achieve, including the most able children in early years

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

– all pupils, but particularly the most able, are given work that is appropriately challenging to help them achieve at the higher standard in all subjects – teachers plan work that stimulates pupils’ love of learning and fully holds their interest – the books pupils use to practise their early reading skills are precisely matched to their phonic knowledge, particularly for pupils with low prior attainment – pupils are supported to make better use of their prior learning when tackling new concepts – targeted support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND is well planned and effective in helping pupils to catch up quickly – teachers assess pupils’ progress closely and use this information to plan work that will deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding as soon as they are ready to do so.

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Evidence

I observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and worked with you and the director of education for The Consortium Academy Trust throughout my visit. I visited lessons with you and we toured the school site. I met with the deputy headteacher, the school business manager, a range of staff and groups of pupils. I also met with the local authority school improvement partner, a member of the interim executive board (IEB) and the chief executive officer and chair of the board for The Consortium Academy Trust. I spoke to parents and carers at the start of the school day.

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Evidence

Evaluating the school’s safeguarding arrangements was a focus of my visit. I also looked at other aspects of the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. This included reading, provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), pupils’ attendance and governance.

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Context

There have been substantial changes in senior leadership since the last inspection, including three changes of interim headteacher. A multi-academy trust sponsor, The Consortium Academy Trust, has been identified very recently. Conversion to academy status is due in spring 2020. You have been in post as the trust’s interim headteacher for three weeks, working alongside the trust’s director of education. A new designated safeguarding lead and safeguarding team have been appointed. Following the resignation of the governing body after the last inspection, an interim executive board has been appointed by the local authority. Work with leaders in other schools has been brokered by the local authority, and, more recently, by the incoming trust.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

Throughout significant changes in senior leadership, delays in the leadership’s response to the issues raised in the last inspection and in the school securing an academy trust sponsor have meant that the school has stalled in making the improvements needed. Some aspects of the school have deteriorated further since the inspection in March 2019, such as pupils’ external end of key stage outcomes and pupils’ attendance.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

An emphasis on making sure that the school is safe for pupils has been the main priority for improvement. The local authority, the interim board and the incoming trust have contributed to work in this area. However, although the local authority conducted a safeguarding audit straight after the last inspection, the turmoil in leadership following the inspection resulted in some delays in securing improvement in the safeguarding culture.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

Leaders have ensured that staff have received up-to-date training and that safeguarding documentation, such as policies, is compliant. Pupils know how to keep safe online but their knowledge about other ways to keep themselves safe is limited. For example, they are not sure about the risks they may face in the local community, or how to manage these. All those involved in helping the school improve know that there is more work to do to ensure that pupils’ safety is always of the utmost priority. They recognise the need to embed a culture of safeguarding in the school that extends well beyond a tick list of compliance.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

Weaknesses in the quality of education exist because the curriculum lacks progression and ambition for all pupils. It is unclear exactly what content of the national curriculum will be taught when, and how pupils will build their knowledge in different subjects over time. Conversations with pupils about their work show gaps in their knowledge over time. Expectations in the quality of pupils’ work are varied.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

You have rightly identified that the curriculum for early reading requires significant improvement. Staff do not use a consistent method of teaching phonics. Routines are not well established. For the lower-ability pupils in particular, phonics sessions are not matched to what pupils need to learn next. Sounds and their application into writing are not modelled well enough to give pupils confidence and success in saying and writing sounds and words. The books that lower-ability pupils read are not matched well enough to their knowledge in phonics. Therefore, these pupils struggle to read with fluency and accuracy. You have purchased a new programme to support staff in delivering this fundamental element of the curriculum. Training is booked for all staff in all year groups, because you and trust leaders recognise that many pupils now in key stage 2 also need help to improve their phonic knowledge.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

Pupils with SEND have not received the support they need in the curriculum and provision to ensure that they achieve as well as they should. Very recent changes are raising expectations of what pupils can achieve. The leadership team has started work with staff and parents to provide the environment and support these pupils need to be successful.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

Pupils and staff say that behaviour has been ‘up and down’ over time. They say that it is better now than it has been, but you know that there is still much work to do in this area. You have worked with the staff team to design a new behaviour policy in the last couple of weeks. You have also sought the opinion of pupils and a group of parents to test out the way that praise, rewards and sanctions will be given.

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improvement identified at the section 5 inspection

Pupils’ attendance has declined further below the national average since the last inspection. Action has not been taken to address this until the past few weeks. New leaders have identified this as an improvement priority – you understand the direct link attendance has to keeping pupils safe. Your work in these very early days has included defining an attendance officer job role and making sure contact is made with parents on the first day of their child’s absence. New routines established for a safer entry to and exit from school at the start and end of the school day have, leaders say, had the benefit of improving pupils’ punctuality.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management at the school

Parents and staff describe the school being in ‘limbo’ for the last few months. School leaders, the local authority representative, the interim executive board and the incoming trust members are clear about the circumstances that sit behind this, but do not make excuses. This team is now working closely together to swiftly address the existing inadequacies in the school.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management at the school

Parents and staff say that the arrival of the trust team, including you as the new interim headteacher, has brought stability, renewed energy and, already, precise direction in school improvement. You have quickly gained a crystal-clear view of the school. You know that you have the experience and capacity of other trust leaders supporting you and the school team in this journey.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management at the school

The interim board and the incoming trust executives have a good understanding of the school. They know that there is considerable work to undertake to ensure that the school becomes a good school, but they have got off to a positive and effective start with staff and parents. They recognise glimmers of potential and are encouraging and supporting these. They are equally strong on being clear about any aspect of the school’s work that is not good enough. Consequently, staff feel on board with the changes for improvement that are being made.

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Strengths in the school’s approaches to securing improvement:

 Safeguarding arrangements have been overhauled. Leaders have made sure that policies are fit for purpose and all staff are appropriately trained. A new safeguarding team has been appointed. This team is working closely with the local authority and the incoming trust to strengthen the culture of safeguarding within the school.  The new interim headteacher, with strong support from the incoming trust, has quickly got to grips with the strengths and weaknesses in the school. It is very early days, but the right priorities have been identified and work to address them already started.

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Weaknesses in the school’s approaches to securing improvement:

 The turmoil in senior leadership and the time taken to secure an academy sponsor have hindered necessary improvements taking place. Important decisions, such as the implementation of a new programme and whole-staff training for phonics, have been on hold, to avoid potential unnecessary expense and mixed messages in training for staff.  Leaders have made sure that the school is a safe place for pupils, but they have not given attention to improving the quality of education for pupils across subjects.  Other aspects of the school’s work have also drifted during changes in leadership. For example, the decline in pupils’ attendance has not been understood or responded to. Until very recently, some challenges in pupils’ behaviour had not been suitably addressed.

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External support

The local authority has supported school staff and leaders in widening their knowledge of the potential risks that pupils may face. They have undertaken a thorough audit of the processes in place. They have worked with staff to put policies and systems in place that are fit for purpose. They have signposted the school’s safeguarding leaders to leaders in other schools to support this work.

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External support

Since the academy sponsor has been secured, trust members have quickly started work with staff, the interim board, pupils and parents to identify and start to address the significant improvement the school needs. A network of support in all aspects of the school’s work has quickly been implemented.

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