Alderman Cogan's Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Alderman Cogan’s Church of England Primary Academy Whitworth Street, Hull HU9 3HJ

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this friendly, inclusive and welcoming school. They describe their teachers as kind, helpful and fun. Warm relationships between adults and pupils are firmly rooted in the school’s caring Christian ethos. All are treated with kindness and respect. Adults ensure that this is a happy and safe place for pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like the new behaviour system introduced by the headteacher. They say it is helping them to behave more appropriately. Pupils enjoy ‘circle time’ every day, which allows them to talk about good behaviour so they can learn and enjoy their lessons. However, the behaviour system is not yet consistently applied in all classes. As a result, too many pupils interrupt the learning of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The recent establishment of the ‘helping us to belong’ (HUB) room is supporting pupils to understand and talk about their feelings. This is making a significant impact on pupils’ well-being. Leaders have introduced a daily ‘check in’ with all pupils so pupils can share any worries or concerns. Pupils know teachers listen to them and help them sort out any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide opportunities to support pupils’ wider development. The introduction of the cultural passport means that all pupils have opportunities to take part in visits and activities both in the local area and further afield.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has experienced significant changes in the leadership and governance of the school. Consequently, changes to the curriculum have been delayed. In January 2021, the new headteacher quickly and accurately identified what 3 and 4 November 2021

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needed to improve. As a result, governors and staff are clear as to what the school does well and what it needs to do better to support pupils’ learning. Leaders have introduced an ambitious programme for reading. Children leave Reception able to read and write simple sentences. Pupils continue to improve in their reading beyond Reception because staff are skilled at supporting them. The teaching of phonics is consistent because staff are well trained. Most pupils read with confidence and fluency because the books they read are carefully chosen. For a small number of pupils who are still struggling to read, extra support is put in place so that these children catch up quickly. As a result, pupils enjoy reading. The mathematics curriculum is appropriately sequenced across the school. Leaders have accurately identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to remember and use to help them do well in mathematics. Key stage 2 pupils can confidently explain

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their thinking and are proud to talk about what they can do. Many pupils say that mathematics is their favourite subject because it is fun and interesting. Teachers ensure pupils draw on their prior learning often to help them remember important mathematical concepts.

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The quality of some curriculum plans is not sufficiently developed or sequenced to enable pupils to learn as well as they could. This is because some subject leaders have not organised the knowledge pupils need to succeed in a subject as well as they might. As a result, pupils regularly talk about an activity they completed but not what they learned. Many pupils are unclear what subject they are learning because they call everything ‘topic’. Where subject leadership is strong, for example in history and science, leaders have clearly identified what pupils need to remember and practice. Pupils know and remember what they have learned in both these subjects.

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Pupils’ attendance to school is improving because leaders are vigilant. They swiftly follow up on any pupils who are missing from school. Rewards assemblies and postcards home reward good attendance. However, there are still some pupils who do not attend regularly and are therefore missing valuable learning. These are often the most disadvantaged pupils.

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A few parents of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not happy with the support leaders provide for their children. However, many parents can see that this has improved recently. The new special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has put in place additional support and resources to help pupils with SEND achieve more strongly. Wherever possible, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. One parent said, ‘Staff are really helping my child to do well and be part of the class with her friends.’

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The new behaviour policy is welcomed by staff and pupils because it is clear and built on resolving issues and helping pupils to self-regulate. Pupils particularly like the ‘fresh start’ every day. Behaviour in class and at breaktimes and lunchtimes is generally positive. However, when the behaviour policy is not consistently applied, some pupils disturb the learning of others. 3 and 4 November 2021

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that physical education and history may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular safeguarding training for all staff. The training is well understood. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. Pupils spoken to understand how to stay safe online and outside school. Visits from other professionals, including the fire service, enhance the safeguarding curriculum.

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Safeguarding

Governors check safeguarding arrangements regularly. They understand their role well and understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The knowledge that pupils need to learn in some subjects is not clearly identified so that pupils develop their knowledge and understanding in logical steps. In subjects such as computing and design technology, pupils do not acquire knowledge in a well- sequenced way. This means pupils do not have the background knowledge they need to learn new content more effectively. Leaders must ensure that all subject leaders carefully set out the knowledge and skills pupils need to gain in a subject at each stage. Leaders must plan the curriculum so that it follows a clear sequence, allowing pupils to gain a secure understanding before they move on.  Subject leaders are still developing some aspects of their leadership skills, particularly how well the curriculum planning is being implemented. As a result, some leaders are not identifying precisely what is going well and what actions are needed to improve the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

delivery of their subjects. Senior leaders should provide subject leaders with support and training to improve their skills in monitoring the implementation of the curriculum in order to identify how it could be developed further.  Low-level disruption limits pupils’ learning in some lessons. Leaders need to ensure that the school behaviour management system is applied effectively and consistently, with all staff having the necessary skills to manage pupils’ behaviour in lessons.  Attendance for a small number of pupils is not as strong as it could be. Although the system to follow-up on pupil absence is more effective, there is still more that the school can do to improve attendance for these pupils so that they do not miss out on valuable learning.

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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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under 3 and 4 November 2021

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section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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This is first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Alderman Cogan’s Church of England Primary School, to be good in November 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 3 and 4 November 2021

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School details

Local authority Kingston upon Hull City Council

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School details

Inspection number 10200607 Type of school Primary

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form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Ebor Academy Trust in August 2017.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher joined the school in 2021.  The chair of the local governing body was appointed in September 2021.  The school uses alternative education for one pupil.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met the headteacher and other senior and middle leaders.  The inspector met the chief executive from the trust and the governors, including the chair of the local governing body.  The inspector undertook deep dives into the following subjects: reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at 3 and 4 November 2021

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curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Minutes of meetings of the local governing body and other documents were evaluated, including the school’s plans and reviews by the trust.  The inspector met with the senior safeguarding lead, well-being and welfare leader, attendance lead and the SENCo. Other activities included visiting the breakfast club, speaking to teachers and pupils, speaking to parents at the start of the day, visiting lessons and reviewing pupils’ work.  The inspector took into account the 16 responses from parents who completed Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. Twenty-seven members of staff completed Ofsted’s online survey for staff and 69 pupils completed the pupils’ survey. All of these responses were taken into consideration.

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Inspection team

Jen Cave, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 November 2021

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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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