Priory Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Priory Primary School Priory Road, Hull HU5 5RU

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Outcome

Priory Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Care and respect are at the heart of Priory Primary School. Pupils say that teachers really care for them and listen to any concerns they have. Bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly. Pupils help each other in lessons and around school. Pupils show respect and kindness to others. Pupils value the differences that make them unique and talk with passion and understanding about how they accept others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The staff have high expectations of pupils. They aim for all pupils to achieve well from their starting points.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupil-led ‘Junior leadership team’ takes an active role in the school. They work to make the school a better place. Junior leaders hold discussions with their class and take pupils’ ideas to the school’s senior leadership team. Junior leaders are currently working towards reducing the impact the school has on the environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to learn about their community and the place they live through the ‘Hull curriculum’. Pupils learn about significant figures from Hull and the impact they have today. For example, some pupils who spoke with the inspector explained how Mary Murdoch helped women in Hull to get the vote and become educated.

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

Leaders have made reading a top priority for the school. Teachers throughout the school read to pupils at the end of each day. In Nursery, staff focus on developing children’s vocabulary and their interest in books and stories. Staff begin to teach pupils to read from the start of the Reception year. The school’s chosen phonics programme is well implemented and helps pupils to read fluently and with confidence. There is rigour and consistency in the way that reading is taught. Leaders make sure that pupils who find reading difficult get support. Extra reading sessions help these children to keep up with the expectations of the school’s reading curriculum. 9 and 10 March 2022

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Leaders ensure that for most subjects, pupils build knowledge and skills over time. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 5 were seen using their knowledge of place value to help them to add and subtract decimals and money. Teachers find fun ways to help pupils practise skills and recall what they have learned before. This regular revisiting of subject content helps pupils to know and remember more.

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In some subjects in the wider curriculum, such as history, the curriculum content that leaders want pupils to learn and remember is not as clearly defined. Some pupils do not have a secure understanding of what they have been taught previously. This makes it difficult for pupils to build on their prior learning. Subject leaders have begun to refine the curriculum in these subjects to help pupils to know and remember more.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully involved in the life of the school. Teachers support pupils with SEND well. The special educational needs coordinators work with staff to identify the best ways to support pupils with SEND. This ensures that pupils get the help they need. Parents spoke highly of the support the school gives to pupils with SEND.

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Assessment is used well. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge and correct misconceptions straight away. Teachers have identified gaps in pupils’ knowledge that have come about because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders have carefully adapted the curriculum in response to help pupils catch up.

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The personal development of pupils is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Pupils learn about people’s rights and responsibilities in society. Pupils demonstrate understanding and empathy when discussing the different protected characteristics. Staff teach pupils about career choices and encourage them to think about their future. The school runs many different clubs, including judo and opportunities to learn to play a musical instrument. Participation in these clubs is high. Pupils have the opportunity to represent the school in different sports and competitions. Pupils said that the trips and visits they take part in help them with their learning.

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Parents and carers are typically positive about the school. Parents are invited to attend regular curriculum workshops and have access to videos recorded by staff. This helps them to understand the curriculum and support their children at home. Parents were pleased with the curriculum and support offered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload. They provide well-being check-ins regularly so that staff can talk over any concerns. Governors and the trust provide regular challenge to leaders. Together, they make sure that the school does not rest on its laurels.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training to ensure that they are kept up to date with safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff are vigilant. They know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil’s safety. 9 and 10 March 2022

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Leaders keep detailed and appropriate records on how they follow up on any safeguarding concerns. Pupils’ welfare is central to leaders’ decision-making. Leaders are not afraid to challenge the decisions of other agencies.

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Pupils learn how to manage the risks they might face, including when working online. Pupils understand the importance of developing and maintaining healthy relationships with their peers.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not clearly defined the subject content that pupils should know. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. Subject leaders should define how the knowledge and skills in their subject build over time so that teachers have a better understanding of how to build on pupils’ prior knowledge.

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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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 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 . 9 and 10 March 2022

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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. 9 and 10 March 2022

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

Headteacher Julia Mitchell (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Website www.prioryprimaryschool.org.uk/ Date of previous inspection 12 and 13 October 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of Whitehouse Pupil Referral Unit as an alternative provision provider.  The school runs its own breakfast club.  The school is part of the Thrive Co-operative Learning Trust.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with all senior leaders and a number of teaching staff and support staff. The inspector met with the local governing body. The inspector also met with the chief executive officer, the chair of the trust and a trustee.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. The inspector looked at 9 and 10 March 2022

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curriculum plans for design technology, personal, social and health education and religious education.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.  The inspector looked at the effectiveness of the school’s work on safeguarding by reviewing the record of pre-employment checks for staff, speaking to staff, governors and pupils and meeting with the safeguarding team. They also examined documentation relating to safeguarding.  The inspector took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys. She also spoke to parents at the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Clayton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 March 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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