Kirton Lindsey Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kirton Lindsey Primary School Cornwall Street, Kirton Lindsey, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 4EH

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Outcome

Kirton Lindsey Primary School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that one or more areas may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the last inspection, pupils have not achieved well in reading, writing and mathematics. Some pupils do not get off to a good start in learning to read. This hinders their progress throughout the school. In mathematics, pupils do not master the basic skills they need to solve problems. However, they achieve particularly well in physical education (PE).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They say that adults care about them very much. Pupils enjoy their learning. Playtime is delightful at this school. Sports ambassadors ensure that pupils have plenty to do and enjoy organising games for other children. Behaviour has improved, and most pupils now conduct themselves very well in lessons. Pupils are not concerned about bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the range of activities on offer, both during and after school. Older pupils were looking forward to racing their kit car at a forthcoming rally following a recent science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) project. They are keen to take on special jobs, as librarians for example, and take their responsibilities very seriously.

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better?

Over time, leaders have not taken effective action to ensure that all pupils do as well as they should. More recently, things have started to move in the right direction. However, teachers in Years 5 and 6 still have too much ground to make up.

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better?

Leaders recognise that the school’s phonics programme has not been working well. As a result, some pupils do not learn the sounds they need to meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Leaders are trialling a new approach 3–4 March 2020

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in Reception Year and things are looking up. Leaders have mapped out the sounds and tricky words that pupils should learn term by term. Recent training is helping adults to develop the expertise they need to teach phonics well. Pupils enjoy reading and choose appropriate books from a carefully structured scheme. However, leaders have not developed a plan for how reading will be taught throughout the school once pupils have mastered the basics. This means that teachers do not have the guidance they need to teach the right things in the right order. As a result, pupils’ comprehension skills do not develop well enough.

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In mathematics, teachers follow a curriculum plan that sets out what leaders expect them to teach and when. However, teachers have not implemented these plans well over time. Older pupils lack the basic knowledge they need to solve problems successfully. This hinders their progress towards the higher standards.

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In PE, leaders have thought about the curriculum very carefully. Lessons build on what pupils have learned before and prepare them for what is coming next. Pupils use technical language to talk with confidence about the skills and tactics they have developed. Leaders have provided staff with the training and support they need to teach PE well. Pupils understand the benefits of exercise on their physical and mental health.

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Leaders have prioritised pupils’ wider education. They provide many opportunities, including residential experiences with other schools, to help pupils develop confidence and resilience. Pupils develop a sense of moral purpose. For example, they told me how their work with a local foodbank benefited people in difficult circumstances. Pupils develop strategies for coping with stressful situations. They recognise how this benefits their mental health.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) supports class teachers to adapt the curriculum to meet their needs. She has the time, expertise and passion to fulfil her role effectively.

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Leaders’ ambition for children in early years is rising and staff articulate this with passion. Routines are well established. Outdoors, play is purposeful and engaging. Children were keen to show me how they were building a trap to catch an escaped bear!

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Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils know and follow the rules. However, parents and carers and other pupils have noticed the poor behaviour of a small number of older pupils. Leaders have taken appropriate action to address this and things appear to have settled down now. Leaders take bullying seriously and help pupils to learn the error of their ways when incidents occur.

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Staff appreciate the attention that leaders and governors pay to their workload. Staff describe a ‘caring culture’ and share examples of where leaders have gone ‘above and beyond’ to support them. 3–4 March 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding has a high priority in the school. All staff have had the latest safeguarding training. They know what to do if they are concerned about a pupil’s welfare. Staff work effectively to support families who need extra help.

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Safeguarding

Arrangements for checking the suitability of new staff and volunteers are secure.

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Safeguarding

The school site is safe and secure. School council members teach other children how the school systems help to keep them safe. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe out of school, both online and offline.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the past, leaders have not made effective checks on the progress of pupils from their different starting points. As a result, some pupils have not received the right help quickly enough to prevent them falling behind. This is particularly notable for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders should ensure that they keep a very close eye on the attainment and progress of all pupils across the curriculum. They should intervene quickly to ensure that pupils receive carefully tailored support that matches their immediate needs.  Leaders have not thought carefully enough about the content and structure of the reading curriculum in each year group. As a result, teachers are not following a systematic approach and pupils’ reading is not developing as well as it should. Leaders should produce and implement a curriculum plan for reading that clearly outlines how pupils will acquire decoding, fluency and comprehension skills that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

are appropriate for their age.  Over time, staff have not received the right training and guidance to implement the planned curriculum successfully. This means that pupils have developed gaps in their learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers know how to check pupils’ prior learning and make the necessary adaptations to the planned curriculum before moving on to more complex tasks, especially in mathematics. 3–4 March 2020

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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 or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence 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 in May 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

to 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 .

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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. 3–4 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10133500 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 4–5 May 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll has increased since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 I held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, two senior teachers and subject leaders. I also met with governors and a representative from the local authority.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and PE. I visited lessons in these subjects and held discussions with subject leaders and teachers to find out more about the curriculum. I discussed their learning with pupils, reviewed the work in their books and listened to them reading.  I scrutinised the school’s register of pre-employment checks and the dates that staff had received statutory training. I met the designated safeguarding lead and the learning mentor to find out more about the school’s procedures and systems for protecting pupils from harm. I checked the school’s safeguarding records and spoke to staff about their safeguarding practice. I also found out how pupils are taught to keep themselves safe through the curriculum.

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 I talked to children and observed their behaviour, both at work and play.

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Inspection team

Jo Bentley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3–4 March 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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