Eastfield Primary Academy

Inspection of an outstanding school: Eastfield Primary Academy Margaret Street, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire DN40 1LD

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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 at Eastfield feel happy and enjoy coming to school. They know staff have high expectations of them and they work hard to do well. Pupils enjoy sharing their achievements and explain how they collaborate to ‘get things done’. Pupils are thoughtful and keen to help one another in any way they can. The pupils chosen for the EAST team are positive role models around school. Those pupils who are part of the ‘Safe Souls’ group know the importance of their work. They value the opportunity to help those who are worried or sad.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Bullying is rare. Pupils trust adults to listen to their concerns and to sort problems out. This helps pupils to feel safe. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils describe staff as kind and caring. Parents agree.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for what and how pupils learn. Leaders continually review and make improvements to the curriculum to work towards their aim for pupils to achieve excellence in all subjects. In many subject areas, pupils do achieve very well; however, this is not consistently the case in all subjects. Leaders work with purpose to give pupils a wide range of experiences. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about enterprise events, ‘living the stone age life’ and competing in sporting competitions.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that details the knowledge and skills pupils need from the early years onwards. Leaders have clearly set out the knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. Leaders have improved aspects of the planned curriculum. For example, they recognised that the curriculum for music was not giving 24 and 25 May 2022

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pupils the depth of knowledge and skills they need. Leaders have recently made changes and introduced a more detailed curriculum for this subject.

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Some subjects, such as mathematics, are very well planned and taught. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They help pupils to build their understanding with clear explanations. Pupils have the time to practise and apply their skills. Teachers regularly recap previous learning. Pupils explain that this helps them to remember key facts. They know that this is making them confident mathematicians. Teachers carefully check what pupils understand. Teachers plan activities so that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve well.

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However, this is not consistently the case in all subjects. For example, pupils’ knowledge in music is much weaker. Leaders identified concerns about music in the autumn term. They recognised that pupils had gaps in their knowledge. Leaders introduced a new curriculum in November to help to address this. However, teaching is not currently supporting pupils to retain the recently taught knowledge well enough.

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Leaders and staff ensure that pupils read widely and often. Pupils enjoy listening to the stories that teachers share with them every day. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about class reading challenges and assemblies. Leaders know how important it is for all pupils to read well. Staff are skilful in the ways that they support pupils. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to practise and become more fluent readers. Pupils achieve well as a result.

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Pupils with gaps in their knowledge are quickly identified. They get the additional help that they need. As a result of well-targeted support, pupils catch up, including those pupils with SEND. Pupils are proud to share the progress they make.

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Leaders have thought carefully about the opportunities all pupils have. Pupils experience trips that deepen their understanding of subjects, for example in history and science. Leaders have taken steps to make sure pupils feel part of and are active in community events. Partnerships with local businesses have broadened pupils’ understanding about the world beyond school.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Lessons are free from disruption. Routines are well known, and school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and respectful to staff and visitors.

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Staff are proud to work at Eastfield. Leaders, including those from the trust, take the well- being of staff seriously. Workload is carefully considered and staff feel well supported. There is a strong sense of teamwork in the school and across the trust. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders at all levels make sure that safeguarding has the highest priority in school. Systems and actions taken are robust. Leaders make the necessary checks about the suitability of adults who work at and visit the school. Leaders maintain accurate records about these checks.

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Safeguarding

Well-trained staff know what to do if they have a concern. Leaders use their expertise and knowledge about pupils very well when assessing risks and taking next steps. Leaders work well with other professional agencies to help pupils and families get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe in different situations, including online. They know how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy. Pupils explain that activities in ‘Mental Health Week’ deepen this understanding.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While teaching supports pupils to achieve well in many subjects, this is not consistently the case in all subjects. For example, where leaders have made appropriate changes to the curriculum, such as in music, teaching is not enabling pupils to remember the taught curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teaching supports pupils to achieve consistently highly in all subjects.

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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 March 2016. 24 and 25 May 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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 March 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The academy is part of the Enquire Learning Trust.  The academy has alternative behaviour provision on site.  The academy also uses a further alternative provider for pupils needing specialist support.

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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 lead inspector met with the principal, other school leaders, staff, pupils, members of the academy improvement committee, trustees and other representatives from the Enquire Learning Trust.  The lead inspector spoke with leaders at an alternative provision used by the academy.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and music. The inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at 24 and 25 May 2022

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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 lead inspector listened to pupils reading to a known adult.  The lead inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation. The inspector considered how well the designated safeguarding lead acts on concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare. The inspector spoke to pupils, staff and governors about safeguarding practices.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. She also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Asa Britton, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 24 and 25 May 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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