Gladstone Road Primary School

Inspection of Gladstone Road Primary School Wooler Street, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 7DD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 1 and 2 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through an unsettled period. At the time of the previous full inspection, standards were low throughout the school. The new leadership team has addressed this. They have high expectations of all members of the school community. This is resulting in more positive signs of improvement in outcomes for most pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are good relationships between all members of the school community. Pupils would recommend the school to others. They say they feel safe. Leaders place a high priority on the safety of pupils. They have worked hard to ensure all adults and children in this setting understand the importance of keeping children safe. Pupils know how to stay safe both online and in their local community. They learn about the importance of positive relationships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the behaviour system and feel it is applied fairly. They say the school now feels calm and safe because behaviour has improved. Pupils know that when bullying happens an adult will listen and follow up their concerns. Pupils are respectful of one another. Throughout the inspection they demonstrated positive relationships and were seen encouraging each other’s efforts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A small number of pupils find it difficult to manage their emotions and behaviours. The emotional needs of these pupils are nurtured through the school’s hub classrooms. The hub offers pupils a bespoke approach to support them to remain in school. Some pupils are spending extended periods of time in this space. There are limited plans in place to support the pupils to move back into a mainstream classroom or to access further support more widely if this is needed. As a result, these pupils are unable to access the full curriculum offer that is available to their peers in most mainstream classrooms.

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better?

Leaders and those responsible for governance have high aspirations for the pupils at Gladstone Road Primary School. They have a clear vision in place and know what they need to do in order to realise this. They are passionate about ensuring pupils at this school gain the knowledge and understanding they need to be ready for secondary school. They have thought carefully about their overall curriculum offer. They have focused on what they want pupils to learn and when. Leaders have worked closely with all staff to develop this offer and begin to implement this across school. Governors are a strength within school and support leaders with this process and more widely.

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better?

In all subjects, leaders are committed to ensuring pupils attain ambitious end points that prepare them for the next phase of their education. However, leaders know that the school is on a journey towards achieving this goal. In some areas of the curriculum, teachers’ subject knowledge is stronger that in others. In core subjects 1 and 2 December 2021

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such as mathematics and English, as well as subjects such as physical education (PE), teachers support pupils to connect their learning to what they already know. However, in other subjects, such as science and design technology (DT), the curriculum is at a much earlier stage of development. In these subjects, pupils are unable to recall their prior learning. In some classes, teachers are unsure of what key information they are building on.

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In some classes, pupils do not get enough chances to practise and recall the important knowledge that teachers want them to master. Sometimes what teachers have planned is not in the right order because it does not build on what pupils learned before. Leaders acknowledge this and are working closely with all staff to develop a consistent approach across the mainstream classes.

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In mathematics and English, leaders have started to check whether pupils remember what they have been taught. For example, they found that pupils needed more practice of basic concepts in mathematics so that they could recall them more fluently. As a result of this, fluency sessions have been put in place for pupils in Year 6 to ensure they can quickly retrieve and apply the mathematical concepts they have learned. In other subjects these assessment processes are in their infancy. In some subjects, teachers have checked what pupils know and remember but have not yet responded to this information. In other subjects, these assessment processes are planned but have not yet been implemented.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified. In mainstream classes, staff work together with the SEND team to adapt the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can access learning alongside their peers. In addition, there are a small number of pupils who access one of two school based SEND hubs. Pupils can spend extended periods of time in this provision. This is a concern as there is not the same academic rigour for pupils in the hub. There has been limited involvement of other agencies for these pupils. Leaders are frustrated by the lengthy timescales they face when seeking additional support. In order to begin to mitigate this, the school has sought to purchase some additional professional expertise.

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The early years curriculum is thoughtfully considered and detailed. Leaders have prioritised the development of children’s language and communication. Effective communication between home and school is in place. Children are taught to read using a clear systematic approach which is delivered with consistency from children’s starting points in the early years and throughout key stage 1. Early reading and phonics are emerging strengths of this school. Staff are highly knowledgeable about early learning across the curriculum and have created an environment which facilitates this. Leaders are further developing their outdoor provision so children are able to better continue with their purposeful learning both indoors and outdoors.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 December 2021

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Leaders place paramount importance on the safeguarding of pupils. This is a clear priority, which has resulted in a robust safeguarding culture throughout the whole school. New staff receive detailed information about how to keep pupils safe. Staff know which signs to look for to identify a range of safeguarding concerns. All members of the school community know who to talk to should they have any concerns about pupils’ safety.

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Leaders responded with speed to the concerns raised at the section 8 inspection in March 2021. They quickly addressed the identified safeguarding issues as well as further concerns that were raised both nationally and locally. The headteacher provides all members of the school community with regular updates about safeguarding. The headteacher then delivers short quizzes to ensure all stakeholders remember what they have learned. Governors provide challenge to check that procedures are being followed. Pupils and staff have recently received training about online safety as well as how to stay safe in their local community. Pupils know what to do if they have concerns about messages they may receive or online material. They have a clear understanding of the local risks they may face and how to respond to these.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not as well sequenced in all subjects. In some subjects, pupils cannot remember the key information that they previously encountered to help them with new learning. Leaders should refine the curriculum so that these key concepts are clearly identified. They should make sure that it includes opportunities for pupils to practise and recall important knowledge.  Assessment is in its earliest stages. In some subjects this is being used well to support pupils in knowing and remembering more. However, in science and across the wider curriculum this needs further development. In these subjects, teachers do not accurately know whether pupils have achieved the intended end points. Leaders should further develop and embed assessment processes so that prior learning can be effectively built on.  There are inconsistencies in the curriculum offer available for pupils with SEND. At present, when pupils attend the school SEND unit they do not receive the same

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

ambitious curriculum as their peers in mainstream classrooms. Some pupils have remained in this setting for an extended period of time. This means that their learning is hindered for long periods of times. Leaders must formalise the processes which underpin attendance at the SEND unit. This should include clear criteria to determine which pupils need to access this provision, the curriculum offer provided while pupils attend the hub setting and a time-specific reintegration process to support pupils to re-enter their mainstream classroom alongside their peers. 1 and 2 December 2021

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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. 1 and 2 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10202844 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 – 3 March 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in January 2020.  There have been several changes to leadership and staffing since the previous full inspection in December 2019.  The school does not currently use any 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 first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the senior leadership team. Inspectors also held meetings with subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, the chair of the local governing body, representatives of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. 1 and 2 December 2021

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 Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils reading to familiar adults in school. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and during lunchtime.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science, DT and PE. Inspectors reviewed curriculum plans for a range of other subjects.  Inspectors examined safeguarding records, including the single central record and recruitment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the views of parents by reviewing the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.  Inspectors also considered views of staff by meeting with various groups of adults employed in the school.  Inspectors also considered views of pupils, speaking with different groups of pupils from all age groups.

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Inspection team

Zoe Lightfoot, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Birch Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 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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