Kirkby Woodhouse School

Inspection of a good school: Kirkby Woodhouse School Main Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG17 9EU

p.1

Outcome

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

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils try hard in lessons and are enthusiastic about their learning. Pupils are not afraid to ask questions when they do not understand. They are kind, polite and thoughtful towards each other and adults. Staff are proud to work at this school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy and that they are looked after well. The vast majority of parents and carers agree. Pupils know what bullying is. They say it rarely happens and are confident they can talk to staff if something is worrying them.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They enjoy collecting the points they receive for positive behaviour and trading them in for various prizes.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the range of visits and activities that their teachers provide. The yearly residential trips are a clear highlight. They enjoy the after-school clubs. However, some say that they would like to see more offered.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught the full range of subjects within the national curriculum. However, leaders have not yet made sure that pupils’ learning is carefully planned across all subjects. When pupils’ learning does not build on what they already know, pupils struggle to remember what has been taught.

p.1

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

Senior leaders have worked hard to stabilise the school after a period of change. They have recently reviewed what pupils learn across the different subjects. Leaders have started to look closely at the curriculum and to set out the key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn. They want the curriculum to clearly build on pupils’ prior learning and support pupils’ future ambitions. 29–30 January 2020

p.1

2

In some areas of the curriculum, such as music and science, plans are still in the early stages. In subjects where plans are less well developed, pupils find it more difficult to make links in their learning and to remember what they have learned. Pupils are keen to learn and participate well in lessons. Some subject leaders are developing the skills necessary to develop their subject across the school and to check that the actions they take are having a positive impact.

p.2

2

Leaders have begun to give a high priority to reading in the school. However, the teaching of phonics is not yet consistent. Expectations are not consistently high. Adults do not always say the sounds that letters make correctly. Adults do not always pick up on pupils’ mistakes. Pupils who fall behind are not supported well enough to help them catch up quickly. Leaders have adapted their approach to teaching phonics this school year. They have a clear plan for how pupils will build on the sounds that they already know. Pupils are given books which are well matched to their ability.

p.2

2

The mathematics curriculum is well planned and sequenced to ensure that pupils remember their learning and achieve well. Leaders ensure that mathematics is taught well throughout the school. Pupils enjoy their lessons. Teachers use questioning well to deepen pupils’ understanding of key concepts and skills. Pupils have opportunities to explain their thinking and solve problems. Teachers build on pupils’ knowledge to plan new learning.

p.2

2

Staff enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils were very keen to talk about their ‘aspire’ afternoons. The engineering sessions were the clear favourite with pupils. Currently, they are creating a rocket-powered car. Other favourites were working with clay and sewing.

p.2

2

Teachers and staff work closely together to support individual pupils’ needs. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are provided with resources which help them in their learning. Because of this, all pupils are able to access the curriculum offered. Many parents appreciate the support their children receive.

p.2

2

Within the early years, staff form caring relationships, so that children feel safe in the school. Children are happy, and routines are in place. Indoor and outdoor areas are stimulating places for children to learn.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training and updates on how to keep pupils safe. They know to report any concerns that they may have, no matter how small. Senior leaders respond quickly to any concerns raised. Leaders respond appropriately to the information they receive from staff.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks to make sure that everyone employed in the school is suitable to work with children. 29–30 January 2020

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not yet embedded a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Leaders should ensure that all staff have high expectations of what pupils can do and that misconceptions are consistently addressed. They should ensure that all adults receive training to improve their teaching of phonics. Leaders should check that all adults say the sounds that letters make correctly.  Leaders are in the process of developing the curriculum. However, what they want pupils to know is not well planned in some subjects. Leaders and other staff should identify the most important content that they want pupils to learn. They should ensure that their plans clearly identify the order in which pupils should learn this.  The implementation of the school’s curriculum is not yet consistent. Teaching does not always build on what pupils have learned before. As a result, pupils do not always know more and remember more. Leaders, including subject leaders, need to closely check

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the impact of their new curriculum plans to ensure that they are allowing pupils to gain a deeper understanding in all subjects.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school Kirkby Woodhouse School to be good in November 2014.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

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 . 29–30 January 2020

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 29–30 January 2020

p.4

School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10121298 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Website www.kirkbywoodhouse.notts.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Kirkby Woodhouse School converted to become an academy school on 5 May 2017 and joined Aspire Multi Academy Trust. When its predecessor school Kirkby Woodhouse Primary School and Nursery was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  Since conversion to academy status, the school has had significant changes in leadership, including three different headteachers. The current headteacher took up her post in April 2019.  The school has restructured the leadership team, which currently includes two deputy headteachers and four assistant headteachers.  The school has a nursery which caters for three-year-olds.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  I met with six members of the governing body, including the chair. I also met with the chief executive officer of Aspire Multi Academy Trust. 29–30 January 2020

p.5

6

 I looked in detail at three subjects – reading, mathematics and music – to consider the quality of education. I visited lessons with senior leaders. I met with teachers, curriculum leaders and pupils, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  I spoke with parents. I took account of the 112 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View, and the 33 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  I met with the headteacher, an assistant headteacher and the family liaison worker to discuss safeguarding. I also met with staff to discuss their understanding of the school’s procedures to keep pupils safe. I also considered documentation relating to safeguarding, the school’s single central register and the system for undertaking checks on new staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Heidi Malliff, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 29–30 January 2020

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7