Kirby Hill Church of England (VC) Primary School

Inspection of Kirby Hill Church of England (VC) Primary School Kirby Hill, Boroughbridge, York, North Yorkshire YO51 9DS

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 30 November and 1 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Kirby Hill Primary School. They attend school well. The school’s embedded Christian values help to foster pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and to caring relationships. Pupils have a strong understanding of diversity and celebrate other people’s differences. Pupils behave well in lessons and enjoy playing together at breaktimes. Pupils understand what bullying is but say that it does not happen in their school. The school is a caring and friendly place. Staff know pupils well. Pupils have confidence that staff will help them when they are worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including governors, have high expectations of themselves and the pupils in the school. Together, leaders have galvanised the staff team and secured improvements to the quality of education and pupils’ behaviour. They have sought out training for subject leaders and staff to ensure that they have the knowledge they need to lead and teach the curriculum effectively. As a result, pupils are now achieving well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to go on educational visits to enhance their learning. For example, some pupils have visited Ripon Workhouse Museum, while others have taken part in an archaeological dig to learn about how the Romans once settled in the area.

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better?

The early years environment engages children’s curiosity and provides opportunities for them to deepen their understanding of the curriculum they are being taught. Adults focus on developing children’s vocabulary. Children are encouraged to describe the links between the different things that they are learning. For example, children used appropriate vocabulary to talk about the work they had been doing about time and linked this to what they had learned about nocturnal animals.

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better?

Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Adults read regularly to pupils, using inspiring texts that link to aspects of the curriculum that they are learning about. Pupils spoke excitedly about the authors they enjoy reading and the range of books they can choose from. Pupils were particularly enthused by a recent visit from a comic book author.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of early reading. Staff have received extensive training, which has led to them teaching early reading well. Children begin to learn to read at the start of Reception. Teachers introduce new sounds clearly and allow pupils to develop fluency by reading books that match the sounds they know. Teachers quickly identify pupils who need extra help with reading. These pupils take part in effective additional sessions to help them catch up. However, the teaching for a small number of pupils does not precisely match their stage in learning. These pupils are taught sounds from later in the curriculum before they are fully secure in the sounds they need to know first. Staff use catch-up sessions to backfill the gaps 30 November and 1 December 2021

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in pupils’ learning that this approach creates. This slows the pace of learning for these pupils.

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Leaders have introduced an ambitious curriculum that meets the aims of the national curriculum. Subject leaders have received training which has improved their understanding of how to lead their subjects. Curriculum plans for subjects such as science and history make it clear what pupils should learn and remember. Subject leaders adapt the curriculum each year to ensure that new learning builds on what pupils already know. Recently introduced ‘mini-quizzes’ help teachers to know where pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Subject leaders regularly check the curriculum is being taught well and that it is enabling pupils to remember the content of their curriculum plans.

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The curriculum for mathematics is ambitious and well taught. Teachers explain new learning clearly. They address misconceptions effectively. Teachers provide additional support for pupils who need it to ensure that they keep up with the school’s curriculum for mathematics.

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Teachers quickly identify if any pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, plans of support for these pupils sometimes lack clarity about how staff should help pupils to overcome any barriers to learning. As a result, a small number of pupils with SEND are not well supported. Staff provide strong pastoral support for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs. This has resulted in improvements in attendance and engagement in lessons for some pupils.

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The well-considered personal, social and health education curriculum contributes to pupils being well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught how to stay safe. They speak knowledgeably about how to do this online. Pupils learn about safe relationships, appropriate touch and consent. As a result, pupils understand what makes a healthy relationship and know what to do if they need help or are concerned. Children in the early years have recently been learning about how they can ring 999 if they need help from the emergency services.

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There has been considerable change in the governing body since the last inspection. Governors have ensured that they have the skills they need to provide effective support and challenge to school leaders. They receive detailed information about the school and seek information out themselves through regular visits. As a result, they have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas that need to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Designated safeguarding leaders (DSLs) are well trained and knowledgeable. Staff are trained to identify the risks to pupils’ safety. Staff regularly discuss scenarios to help deepen their understanding of safeguarding and how they should respond to 30 November and 1 December 2021

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certain situations. When DSLs are aware of a risk to a pupil’s safety, they act appropriately. However, the records of their actions are not always clear. Leaders, including governors, recognise the need to improve systems for record-keeping and are taking action to address this.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The teaching of phonics for a small number of pupils is not precisely matched to their stage in learning. This means that they are not learning to read as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that the teaching of phonics closely matches pupils’ stage in learning so that all pupils learn to read as quickly as they can.  Some support plans for pupils with SEND are not specific enough to help staff meet pupils’ needs. Consequently, these pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that support plans for pupils with SEND are precise, so that staff can provide effective support to enable pupils to achieve well.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school received a section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools in February 2016.  This is a smaller than average-sized school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium grant is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is similar to the national average.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and members of the school’s leadership team, including the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. Curriculum leaders were involved in all activities alongside inspectors.  An inspector held a meeting with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke to representatives from the local authority and from the Anglican Diocese of Leeds.  Inspectors scrutinised documents related to safeguarding and spoke to the school’s DSL.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke to parents informally on the playground.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Tim Scargill-Knight, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gillian Douglas Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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