Pollington-Balne Church of England Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Pollington-Balne Church of England Primary School Balne Moor Road, Pollington, Goole DN14 0DZ

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding 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 enjoy coming to this welcoming and friendly school. Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They are committed to pupils’ academic success but place equally high importance on developing pupils’ character. The school’s established Christian values result in a caring and busy school where pupils behave well, work hard and look after each other. Pupils feel safe. One pupil summed up the views of many when they said, ‘You can be yourself, we are one big family, and we care about each other.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are champions of equality. They are taught about figures such as Martin Luther King and Harvey Milk who have campaigned for equal rights. As a result, pupils show respect for one another and those who are different to themselves. They understand what makes different faiths distinctive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum inspires pupils’ curiosity. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the things they have learned. Leaders have ensured that teachers build on pupils’ existing knowledge. As a result, pupils develop a deep understanding of the subjects they study. Leaders enhance the curriculum with visits to interesting places in the local area, such as the Knottingley and Goole canal.

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

There has been a significant change in the school’s leadership and staffing since the last inspection. Leaders, including governors, with the support of the local authority and the diocese, have managed this well. 3 February 2022

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Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all subjects. Subject leaders have worked with specialist leaders of education to help them to design the curriculum. They have detailed the knowledge that pupils should learn as they move through the school. As a result, teachers understand how what they teach builds on what pupils already know. Leaders have ensured that staff are well-trained and have the knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. For example, staff have worked alongside experienced teachers of languages and music to develop their own subject knowledge.

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Teachers frequently revisit content that pupils have already learned and make links with new learning. This helps pupils to remember important knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Teachers adapt tasks or provide additional instruction to ensure these pupils fully access the curriculum. Teachers check regularly to make sure that pupils remember what they are being taught. Pupils who spoke to inspectors could explain, in detail, some of what they had learned recently and in previous years. For example, older pupils could connect aspects of their learning when they talked about the similarities between the armies of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

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Staff read to pupils regularly and surround them with enticing books. Pupils support each other by reading in pairs and talking about the books they are reading. These strategies help to develop pupils’ love of reading.

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Leaders have implemented a new curriculum for early reading. When this was initially rolled out, all staff were fully trained to deliver the programme. However, some staff have left, and new staff have been appointed. While some training has taken place for new staff, this has been restricted due to the impact of COVID-19. Consequently, there are some inconsistencies in the implementation of the phonics programme which means that some pupils are not making the progress they should in reading.

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The early years environment is stimulating and purposeful. Adults develop nurturing relationships with children. Because of leaders’ clear curriculum expectations and staff’s skilled questioning and instruction, pupils in Reception achieve well. They are doing particularly well in writing. Inspectors saw pupils talking about seasonal change and writing descriptive sentences about the things they had seen in the school grounds.

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Staff teach pupils about healthy relationships and how to stay safe. Leaders have thought carefully about the local risks pupils need to be aware of. For example, pupils have been taught about water safety because of the school’s proximity to a canal. Despite the limitations due to COVID-19, pupils take part in a range of clubs, for example craft, physical education and dance. Pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles on the school council and worship council.

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Staff say they feel proud to work in the school. They say that leaders are mindful of their work-life balance and do their best to make sure the team is happy and motivated.

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Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas to improve. They are supporting leaders effectively and holding them to account for their actions. This has resulted in recent improvements to pupils’ behaviour and the quality of education in the school. 3 February 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Adults are well trained and know how to identify if a pupil could be at risk of harm. Leaders have developed effective relationships with external agencies and work well with them to support vulnerable pupils and their families. Occasionally, records relating to safeguarding are not as thorough as they could be. However, because of staff’s strong safeguarding knowledge and collaborative working practices, this has not put pupils at risk of harm.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Due to the impact of COVID-19, some staff have not been fully trained to teach the school’s chosen phonics programme. As a result, there is some inconsistency in the implementation of the curriculum for early reading. Leaders should, as soon as they are able, ensure that staff complete the necessary training so that the school’s chosen phonics programme is taught effectively.  Some records of leaders’ actions when they receive a concern about a child’s safety are not well kept. This means it is not clear to other staff what action has been taken to ensure a pupil is safe. Leaders should ensure that safeguarding records detail all the actions taken to safeguard vulnerable pupils.

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Background

When we have judged [a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under 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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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in April 2016. 3 February 2022

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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.

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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. 3 February 2022

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Anna Laycock Brown Headteacher Katherine Rawes (Interim Executive Headteacher) Website www.pollingtonbalneprimary.com Date of previous inspection 13 October 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Pollington-Balne Church of England Primary School is a voluntary aided school. It is part of the Diocese of Sheffield.  A section 48 inspection took place on 24 November 2016.  Since May 2020, the school has been led by an interim headteacher. In January 2022, the interim executive headteacher was appointed to the school. The previous interim headteacher became the interim associate headteacher and continues to work in the school one day per week.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and members of the governing body. 3 February 2022

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 Inspectors undertook deep dives in early reading, mathematics and science. 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.  A range of documents were reviewed, including documents relating to safeguarding and the school’s single central record.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, the online questionnaire, and spoke to parents on the playground informally at the end of the school day.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and Ofsted’s pupil survey

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

Kate Williamson Her Majesty’s Inspector 3 February 2022

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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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