The Gainsborough Parish Church Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Gainsborough Parish Church Primary School Acland Street, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 2LN

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Outcome

The Gainsborough Parish Church 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?

Pupils are proud of their school. They say that teachers make them work hard and give them work that makes them think. Pupils enjoy being challenged. Pupils feel safe and know who to go to if they have a problem or concern. They know that they can post a worry note to the school’s pastoral lead if they want help. Pupils describe the school as a welcoming place and that poor behaviour rarely interrupts their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are positive. Staff and pupils get on well. Pupils are courteous and polite. They hold doors open for each other and extend a warm welcome to visitors and newcomers. Older pupils are proud to help out around school, supporting younger pupils and helping out in the dining hall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of pupils in lessons. They give pupils work that is well matched to what they can do. In mathematics, teachers make sure that pupils regularly revisit things that they have learned before. This means that pupils are getting better at remembering more over time in this subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum covers a wide range of subjects. However, it is not clear what pupils are expected to know and remember at each stage of their schooling. Pupils do not achieve well across the curriculum.

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

Early reading is taught well. Leaders check what sounds pupils know and can sound out before they start at the school. Teachers use this information to make sure that from the start of Reception teaching matches what children can do. Leaders have clear expectations of what pupils should be able to read and by when. They regularly check to 10–11 March 2020

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make sure that children are learning well and provide extra help if anyone starts to fall behind. Children achieve well in phonics. Across the school adults read to pupils with energy and enthusiasm. Pupils develop a love of reading.

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There is a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics. The start of each lesson revisits things that pupils have learned before so that pupils remember things over time. Good-quality training has resulted in teachers making pupils think carefully about their work. Teachers use questions and sentence starters to help pupils learn facts and apply them in different situations effectively. However, the school’s long-term plans for mathematics do not clearly set out what pupils are expected to know and remember at each stage of their learning. This is also the case in other subjects, such as history, art and computing. Pupils do not achieve well across the curriculum.

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Subject leaders work hard to make their subject exciting and engaging. However, there is not a clear enough understanding of the role and responsibilities of subject leaders. In some cases, teachers make changes to the school’s plans without checking with subject leaders. Subject leaders do not understand their role in making decisions about what is taught and how it is sequenced across the school.

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The school manages behaviour well. Leaders carefully record and check on patterns of behaviour to identify where help is needed. They put pastoral support plans in place when pupils need extra help. These plans successfully improve pupils’ behaviour over time.

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Governors are determined that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have a wide range of experiences during their time at the school. Leaders ensure that a programme of visits and visitors is used to make learning exciting and to give pupils opportunities that widen their experiences. Pupils are proud of the roles they play in school, such as mini-police, school councillors, buddies and house captains. Pupils understand how these roles make an important contribution to the school community.

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Since September, the governing body has had two co-headteachers in post. Governors carefully considered how this role would work. However, some staff say that the co- headteacher role has created problems. They say that leaders are inconsistent in their approach and that they sometimes contradict each other with solutions to problems. Despite making checks, governors have not picked up on this issue.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff training is regular and thorough. Leaders make sure that all staff attend training.

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Safeguarding

Records are detailed and fit for purpose. Information is shared quickly with the relevant people. Pupils and their families who need help get good support from the school’s pastoral leader. She is quick to identify what help is needed and to put it in place.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to stay safe online, on the roads and in the community. 10–11 March 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers make sure that learning is fun and engaging. However, the school’s plans for the curriculum do not make clear what pupils are expected to know and remember at each stage of their learning. Leaders have not given enough thought to what is taught and in what order. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans clearly set out what pupils need to know and remember in each subject and by when.  Subject leaders work hard to make their subjects fun and exciting for pupils. However, there is an inconsistent understanding of what the role of the subject leader is in the school. This means that leaders are unclear about who makes decisions about curriculum content and sequencing. Leaders should ensure that the role and responsibility of the subject leader is clearly defined and fulfilled consistently.  The role of co-headteachers has been implemented by the governing body. Some staff say that the co-headteachers are inconsistent in their approach and that they

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

sometimes contradict each other with solutions to problems. The governing body should ensure that there is a consistent model of senior leadership in the school.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, The Gainsborough Parish Church Primary School, to be good on 7 December 2011.

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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 . 10–11 March 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. 10–11 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121263 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Tracy Fulthorpe and Sarah Nelson (Co- headteachers) Website www.parishchurch.lincs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 May 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses Springwell Alternative Academy Lincoln as an alternative off-site provider.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection I held meetings with the co-headteachers and the leaders for reading, history, mathematics, art and computing. I met with a group of governors and held a telephone discussion with an alternative provider used by the school.  Reading, mathematics and history were considered in depth as part of this inspection. I visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with teachers. I spoke with pupils in lessons and met with groups of pupils. I listened to pupils read and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  I looked at information about attendance and behaviour provided by the school. I considered the 10 responses to Ofsted Parent View and an email and a letter from parents. I considered the responses to the questionnaires from staff and pupils. 10–11 March 2020

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10–11 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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