Long Marston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection of Long Marston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Angram Road, Long Marston, York, North Yorkshire, YO26 7LR

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 November 2021

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy in this nurturing school. Their behaviour is good. Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for. In lessons and at social times, pupils are friendly and polite. Parents are very supportive and feedback from parents is positive. One parent said, ‘it’s a special place full of love, care and energy for learning’.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Across the school, curriculum plans are well sequenced. In the youngest class, these plans are successfully implemented, and children achieve well. Some staff do not always demonstrate good subject knowledge. Sometimes, they do not assess pupils’ skills and knowledge well enough. This means pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is new. Pupils’ knowledge in this subject is limited in some areas. For example, pupils have had few opportunities to study diversity or to explore global issues.

p.2

better?

The school has faced a challenging time with a high staff turnover and turbulence in leadership. These changes have affected the quality of education. The newly appointed executive headteacher and assistant headteacher are a strong team. They are determined to make improvements.

p.2

better?

Leaders have ensured that reading has a high priority across the school. The library has been improved. There is now a good range of fiction and non-fiction books. Phonics is taught daily from Reception class. Most pupils read from books that match the sounds they are learning. New reading assessments have been introduced. Staff are supported to use these assessments to adapt their teaching, so pupils can develop their fluency and comprehension skills. Story times help pupils to develop a love of reading.

p.2

better?

Curriculum plans are in place for all subjects. They show the knowledge and skills that should be taught across the school. Teachers do not consistently deliver these plans well. In maths, resources are sometimes poorly selected. Some staff have not received sufficient training. At times, their subject knowledge is not strong enough to enable them to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers do not always check what pupils have learned well enough. This means that pupils do not have enough guidance to help them learn as well as they should. This slows the learning for some pupils. Pupils cannot easily recall their learning. Many pupils find it difficult to connect new learning to what they already know. 17 and 18 November 2021 Leaders responsible for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those pupils who attend school on a flexible arrangement, liaise closely with staff and parents to understand pupils’ needs. This additional understanding of the wider

p.2

better?

context of each pupil is beginning to help leaders to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to help individual pupils to succeed.

p.3

better?

Teachers help pupils to learn how to stay physically and emotionally healthy. This support has been ongoing throughout the covid-19 pandemic. Pupils support charities and take part in events within the local community. They enjoy taking on areas of responsibilities for example as school parliament representatives. These pupils have enjoyed planning an enrichment day to celebrate the new federation. The PSHE curriculum is newly introduced. Some pupils do not have a deep enough understanding of cultural differences or fundamental British values. This is an area that the school has identified as a priority.

p.3

better?

The early years leader has worked quickly to improve the curriculum. Some teachers have a strong understanding of how young children develop. Together, they have created an environment that supports children in feeling safe and becoming independent. Staff model language well. They encourage children to develop and extend their vocabulary. Children play and learn happily together. Children get off to a good start in the early years.

p.3

better?

Leaders across the very new federation are working successfully together. The newly-formed governing body share leaders’ ambitions for the school. Some leaders have devised plans for improvement. Other leaders, for example the mathematics leader, have not had a chance to check how things are going in their subjects. These new leaders have not had sufficient opportunity to develop staff expertise.

p.3

better?

Leaders place a high priority on supporting staff and developing a united team. They have coped effectively to manage staff absences during the on-going covid-19 pandemic. Staff feel that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff are excited about changes to the school and feel well supported by leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Staff have a clear understanding of what to do, and what to be aware of, to ensure that children are kept safe. Training programmes and regular updates are a part of school life. These ensure that staff remain vigilant.

p.3

Safeguarding

During the inspection, some aspects of the school’s system for recording safeguarding incidents needed to be updated. These were all completed before the end of the inspection. 17 and 18 November 2021 Staff talk with confidence about work they do to keep pupils safe both online and offline.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not have the required knowledge or skills in the subjects that they teach. They do not use assessments effectively to adapt the teaching. This has slowed learning. Staff require training to build their expertise and to help them use assessments effectively. Leaders must ensure staff receive the development they need so that they can quickly help pupils to remember more and achieve well.  Leadership across the federation is new. Many leaders have not had a chance to check if their subject is implemented consistently well throughout school. Other leaders have made plans for improvements but have not had time to implement these plans. New leaders, at all levels, need time and resources to support them in their role to make checks and to action the improvements they have planned. Leaders must ensure strengthened, distributed leadership will support rapid improvements in the teaching of the curriculum.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The PSHE curriculum is new. Leaders know that pupils have had few opportunities to study diversity effectively or to explore global issues. Pupils do not have a deep enough understanding of cultural difference of fundamental British values. Leaders must ensure the curriculum is enriched to fully prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and support them in becoming global citizens.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 17 and 18 November 2021 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. 17 and 18 November 2021

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10200322 Type of school Primary

p.6

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.6

School details

Chair of governing body Geraldine Barker Laura Wilmshurst Headteacher Liz Mellor

p.6

School details

Website http://www.longmarston.n-yorks.sch.uk/

p.6

School details

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

p.6

Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average primary school.  Some pupils who are electively home educated attend the school through a flexi- school agreement.  On 3rd November 2021, the school became part of the TIG Federation (Togetherness Inspires Growth) with Kirk Hammerton school and Staveley school.  The executive headteacher, assistant headteacher and several teachers and leaders are new to the school.

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 17 and 18 November 2021  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the early years leader, and the special educational needs co-ordinator.  The lead inspector met with four governors, including the co- chairs of the governing body. She also conducted a telephone call with the diocesan representative and met a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector

p.6

Information about this inspection

also listened to some pupils read. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits and at breaktime. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the school’s provision to support pupils educated through a flexi-school arrangement. Attendance documentation and timetables were also considered.  Inspectors met with pupils, staff and leaders to discuss the school’s provision to support pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors checked safeguarding through discussions with a wide range of leaders, staff and pupils. Inspectors scrutinised a range of safeguarding documentation alongside school leaders.  Inspectors met with staff to discuss their well-being and workload.  The lead inspector analysed the responses to the pupil, parent and staff surveys.  An inspector met with parents at the start of the day to consider their views.

p.7

Information about this inspection

Inspectors also met parents face to face who requested a meeting.

p.7

Inspection team

Alison Stephenson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Adrian Fearn Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 November 2021 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8