Settle Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Settle Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Bond Lane, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 9BW

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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?

Leaders have created a broad and ambitious curriculum for pupils. The school takes advantage of the locality and its heritage. Carefully considered opportunities help to enrich pupils’ academic learning and create new interests. Pupils eagerly take part in activities such as bushcraft and dry-stone walling.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum for teaching pupils to read is not as well developed as the curriculum in other subjects. Leaders have not prioritised this important aspect of the school’s work. Teachers know which pupils have fallen behind. However, the support these pupils receive is not helping them to catch up quickly enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and pupils are well behaved. Warm and caring relationships between staff and pupils create a positive environment for pupils to learn in. Pupils are taught to be well mannered. They talk respectfully to one another and are keen to share their thoughts and opinions in class discussions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well cared for due to the positive relationships they experience with staff. Pupils are confident to seek the support of a trusted adult if they are worried about bullying. Leaders have developed effective systems to record and respond to behaviour incidents. The system includes checking if each incident could be considered bullying. Leaders take appropriate action when this is the case.

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

Over time, leaders have not made sure that the teaching of phonics is of high enough quality. There is not a consistent and coherent approach through the school. In addition, 2 and 3 February 2022

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a lack of training for staff means that phonics has not been delivered well enough. Too many pupils, including some with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not learn to read as soon as they should. This makes it difficult for them to access the full curriculum and gain the knowledge they need for success in education and later life.

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An increasing proportion of pupils have fallen behind with reading due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders have not prioritised addressing gaps in learning when pupils returned to school full time. Pupils who are behind with reading are also finding it difficult to achieve success with complex writing tasks. For example, they do not have the phonics knowledge to spell the words they want to write or the letter formation to know how to write each letter.

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Pupils are encouraged to read often at school, and teachers regularly read aloud to pupils. Pupils talk about the class books they have enjoyed listening to. Once they become confident and fluent readers, pupils enjoy the reading competitions and working towards ‘Starbooks’ and ‘Reading Around the World’ awards.

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Beyond reading, other subject curriculum plans are further developed. For example, in mathematics, pupils’ knowledge is carefully sequenced over time. Pupils build their fluency in number facts and using different procedures. This helps them to grapple with increasingly complex calculations, making good use of their prior learning. Teachers allow for plenty of recap and repetition so that pupils remember important knowledge they have been taught. Provision for children in the early years is well considered. Staff pay careful attention to their interactions with children. This helps to develop children’s communication and understanding of language.

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Leaders are determined that pupils will develop ‘skills for life’ and ‘engineering habits of mind’. The school’s offer to promote and develop pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils learn about first aid, mental well-being, emotional literacy and financial skill management. Leaders ensure that pupils also benefit from a wide- ranging extra-curricular offer. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their participation in felting and kickboxing and learning a musical instrument. They participate in partnership projects and competitions which give them a chance to apply their knowledge and skills in creative and purposeful contexts. Pupils have opportunities to become actively involved and take responsibility in the wider life of the school. Pupils’ voice is genuinely sought and respected. Older pupils talked with pride about the impact they had as school councillors, green (eco) team members and sports leaders.

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Parents are incredibly supportive of the school’s work and value the education and care provided by the school. ‘I feel the school has been particularly good at encouraging my child’s resilience and supporting the development of her confidence and well-being,’ is typical of the many positive comments made.

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The governing body has recently reformed as part of the school’s federation. Governors are keen to focus on curriculum development. They have established a new curriculum committee to consider curriculum issues in greater detail. Governors’ visits to school have been reintroduced following COVID-19 restrictions. This is enabling governors to see the 2 and 3 February 2022

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school in action, so they are in the best position to provide the necessary challenge and support.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that early reading, including the teaching of phonics, 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

There is a strong safeguarding culture. Leaders have made sure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps staff to be confident in recognising and reporting any signs of concern. Staff are vigilant and are aware that ‘it can happen here’. Leaders make sure that vulnerable pupils get the help they need. This includes support from external agencies when needed.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum provides a range of opportunities for pupils to learn about potential safety risks. For example, pupils learn how to recognise unhealthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Early reading has not been prioritised sufficiently by leaders. The school’s development plans are not sharply focused on improving phonics. Too many pupils do not learn to read as soon as they should. This prevents them from accessing the full curriculum. A lack of training for staff about early reading means that teachers do not have the expertise to deliver phonics effectively enough. Leaders should make early reading a priority. They should implement a coherent, whole-school approach to teaching phonics. They should provide staff with the training they need to be able to teach phonics with rigour so that pupils keep up with the pace of the curriculum. Leaders should make sure that pupils who are behind with phonics receive effective support, so they urgently catch up. Teaching should take account of the specific gaps in pupils’ 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 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. 2 and 3 February 2022

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2016.

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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. 2 and 3 February 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Richard Wright (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Website www.settle-pri.n-yorks.sch.uk/ Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 January 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Settle Primary School is a voluntary controlled Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection took place in October 2015. The next section 48 inspection is due in 2022.  The school is part of a federation with Kirkby-In-Malhamdale United Voluntary Aided Primary School. The two schools share an executive headteacher, who was appointed in September 2018.  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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 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 2 and 3 February 2022

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also listened to some pupils read.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders, including the early years leader and the special educational needs coordinator. Meetings were also held with a representative of the local authority and four governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors talked to leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding issues. They examined safeguarding records, including those related to behaviour and bullying.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Godfrey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Asa Britton Her Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 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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