East Tilbury Primary School

Inspection of a good school: East Tilbury Primary School Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Essex RM18 8SB

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Outcome

East Tilbury Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Senior leaders and teachers have created an ambitious curriculum that opens pupils’ eyes to cultures and experiences around them. Pupils become aspirational for their future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy their learning at this inclusive school. Pupils are safe and say that they feel safe. They learn and play together in an attractive and secure environment. Their attitudes reflect the school’s vision that ‘Together everyone achieves more’. Pupils who are health and safety officers assist in checking outside areas for litter and worn-out equipment, which they report to staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils’ learning and behaviour. Many pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They greet visitors and hold doors open for adults. There is very good provision, throughout the school and in the annexe, to support the few pupils who find it harder to make the right behaviour choices.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand what bullying is, what types of bullying there are and what to do when it happens. Bullying does not happen often here. Pupils are confident that staff deal with bullying effectively when it does occur.

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

The head of school, governors and the trust have developed a very effective team. Together, they make sure that pupils have every opportunity to take part in dramatic performance and be creative with their learning.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum to develop pupils’ skills and knowledge over time. Staff deliver all subjects in line with leaders’ expectations. Teachers regularly refer to what pupils have learned before. One pupil summed up the views of others by saying that ‘our work is pitched just right so we can learn’. Lessons are often calm, which pupils say helps them to concentrate on their learning. Pupils remember a great deal of what they have studied in a wide range of subjects. They talk about their learning with enthusiasm. 4–5 February 2020

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For example, we saw a group of pupils having a well-informed discussion about Banksy and Lowry, comparing their artistic styles.

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There are many extra-curricular activities designed to complement learning in lessons. These are very popular. However, now that there are more pupils at the school, there is not enough room for everyone to attend clubs who wants to. This causes disappointment for some pupils and parents.

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In Reception, children are confident solving problems in an environment rich with practical things to learn. Staff throughout the school delight in deepening pupils’ understanding. They choose activities that interest pupils. For example: in science, pupils find out which materials would make a good bucket to have used in the Great Fire of London, and in art pupils explore the properties of clay, before using it to make a castle’s tower.

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Leaders’ curriculum is accessible to all pupils. Teachers make adjustments for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), where necessary. For example, the annexe and nurture groups develop pupils’ social skills and self-confidence through outdoor learning and art activities. With this support, pupils become more confident in their learning. Pupils enjoy learning and they attend well.

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Leaders know that pupils need to be able to use more difficult words, so they have better chances in life. Teachers use the school’s agreed ways to help pupils understand and use more words. This is particularly effective in reading, science and art. Some pupils do not understand mathematical terminology so well. A small number of pupils sometimes learn how to answer questions but cannot say what they are learning.

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Leaders have focused on the teaching of reading since the previous inspection. As a result, by the end of key stage 2, pupils read well. Leaders provide a range of books to suit pupils’ interests. Older pupils develop their reading through listening to, discussing and reading, well-chosen books. They enjoy reading and discuss favourite books or authors with confidence. Leaders provide staff with annual phonics training. All staff teach phonics accurately and model how to say sounds. Younger pupils are also given books to practise their reading skills. On occasion, these books are too easy or too hard for what younger pupils know and can do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff, including those new to the school, receive appropriate safeguarding training. Adults know how to recognise signs that a pupil might be at risk. Staff know how to report any concerns. Leaders work with external agencies so that pupils and families get the right support.

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Safeguarding

Pupils recognise how staff help them to be safe. Pupils know how to stay safe online at school and at home. All pupils we spoke with know there is someone they can talk to if they have worries. 4–5 February 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in mathematics is well planned and sequenced. Leaders communicate what they want pupils to know by the end of Year 6. Some staff do not consistently ensure that all pupils understand and embed mathematical vocabulary so they can explore and discuss their learning. Leaders need make sure that adults give the same attention to developing pupils’ mathematical vocabulary as they have to language in other areas of the curriculum.  Reading is taught consistently in line with leaders’ expectations, in all parts of the school. Yet, in the early years and key stage 1, some pupils’ reading books are not precisely matched to their knowledge and skills. Teachers need to give all pupils books they can enjoy reading and understand, with the right level of challenge.  Pupils are keen to attend the wide range of extra-curricular activities that the school offers. As pupil numbers have grown, leaders need to review how they make sure that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

all pupils who wish to are able to take part in the activities on offer.

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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 East Tilbury Primary School to be good on 11–12 May 2016

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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 are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 4–5 February 2020

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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. 4–5 February 2020

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School details

Website www.easttilburyprimary.thurrock.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–12 May 2016

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Information about this school

 East Tilbury Primary School is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school also provides alternative provision for key stage 2 pupils who have been permanently excluded from other schools in the borough. The provision is known as ‘the annexe’.  The school has established four nurture groups for its most vulnerable pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 As part of this inspection, we held meetings with the head of school, executive headteacher, governors and the chief executive officer of the trust. We met with groups of teachers and pupils. We also met with a representative from the local authority and the trust’s education welfare officer.  We looked closely at reading, mathematics, science and art. We spoke with curriculum subject leaders, visited lessons, evaluated work in pupils’ books and met with teachers and pupils to determine the quality of education. 4–5 February 2020

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 We scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to curriculum planning and development, behaviour, exclusions, attendance, the school’s evaluation of its own performance, the school’s development plan and governors’ minutes.  We took account of the 58 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.  We took account of the 88 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and 29 comments on the free-text service.  We spoke with pupils about their experiences of school life and their learning. We also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at playtime.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, we reviewed school policies, procedures and records, including recruitment checks of adults working at the school. We met with the head of school, as one of the designated safeguarding leaders, and spoke with staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Paula Masters, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Pauline MacMillan Ofsted Inspector 4–5 February 2020

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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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