Caythorpe Primary School

Inspection of Caythorpe Primary School High Street, Caythorpe, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG32 3DR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 24 and 25 May 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in this village school. They like their teachers and say that they always have time for them. Pupils feel safe. They know that if they are worried, an adult in school will always listen to them and help them to sort their problems out. Pupils understand what bullying is. They know that it is not tolerated in their school. If it happens, they are confident that an adult will make it stop.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created an inclusive school where everyone is welcome. Pupils understand that everyone should be accepted for who they are. One pupil said, ‘It doesn’t matter if you are black or white, short or tall.’ Many parents and carers agree that the school is a caring and nurturing place for their children to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has experienced a lot of change. Many staff are new. They are determined that they can improve the school under the leadership of the new headteacher. Everyone, including governors and the multi-academy trust, is ambitious that pupils will do as well as they can. Leaders are taking action to make sure that their ambitions for pupils are realised. However, many of the plans that leaders have set out are at an early stage of implementation.

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better?

Leaders have recognised that existing curriculum plans do not consistently identify the right knowledge and skills that pupils need to remember. New knowledge is not always taught in a logical order. As a result, leaders have revised many of the existing curriculum plans, including the early years curriculum. Where plans have been revised, pupils are successfully gaining new knowledge. For example, in history in Years 5 and 6, pupils learn about the English Civil War. They use the knowledge they have gained to discuss whether it would have been better to be a Roundhead or a Cavalier. However, not all curriculum plans have been reviewed and many will not be introduced until the start of the next academic year.

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better?

Many subject leaders are new to post. While some leaders demonstrate a strong understanding of their area of responsibility, others do not have an accurate picture of how successfully their subject is being taught. As a result, they do not provide the support and challenge that are needed to develop their area of responsibility further.

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better?

Leaders have introduced a new programme for teaching phonics. Teachers use assessment well to make sure that pupils learn the right sounds at the right time. Pupils who are finding it hard to remember new sounds are given extra help. Teachers give pupils reading books that match the sounds they know. Despite the training staff have received, the teaching of phonics is not precise enough.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. The leader with responsibility for pupils with SEND works closely with staff and parents to identify pupils’ needs. Teachers use effective 24 and 25 May 2022

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strategies to enable pupils to succeed. Leaders make sure that pupils receive specialist support when it is needed.

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Leaders have developed a clear behaviour system in school. Pupils are expected to follow the Caythorpe ‘golden values’. However, leaders’ expectations of how pupils should behave are not high enough. For example, some pupils do not behave well as they eat their lunch. Teachers do not routinely insist that pupils give their full attention in lessons. As a result, some pupils do not develop positive learning behaviours. Children in early years are overly reliant on the adults around them. They do not develop the independence they need in order to be ready for Year 1.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Leaders have strategically planned the experiences and opportunities they want pupils to have. Pupils learn about the world around them. Diversity is celebrated. Pupils meet bakers, martial arts instructors and barristers to develop an understanding of the wide range of careers available to them when they are older. Pupils relish the responsibilities they are given in school, such as being sports ambassadors.

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A very large majority of staff are positive about the changes leaders are making. They say that leaders are considerate of their workload. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide staff with regular safeguarding training. Staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe. They know how to spot pupils who may be at risk of potential harm. They make sure that their concerns are passed on to safeguarding leaders and recorded in detail. Leaders follow up concerns and involve external agencies when needed. Pupils and their families get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

There is a well-planned curriculum to make sure that pupils learn how to stay safe. They learn about a range of potential dangers and how to respond in these situations.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s new phonics programme is not well implemented. Some staff do not have good subject knowledge. They do not always explain things well or address mistakes that pupils make. As a result, some pupils struggle to access the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained and supported to teach phonics well.  Leaders have reviewed the curriculum for many subjects, including the early years curriculum. They have made significant changes to ensure that plans 24 and 25 May 2022

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identify what pupils should learn, and when. However, the majority of plans are new, and some will not be introduced until September 2022. As a result, pupils do not currently learn as successfully as they could. Leaders should ensure that new curriculum plans are implemented as soon as possible, and check that these are being delivered well by teachers and making a difference to what pupils know and remember.  Most middle leaders are new. They do not all have a strong overview of their areas of responsibility. They do not always identify weaknesses or staff who need further support to teach well. This can limit the success with which they lead curriculum developments in their subjects. Senior leaders should ensure that all middle leaders have the expertise they need to lead effectively and provide guidance for their colleagues.  Leaders’ expectations of behaviour are not high enough. In lessons, pupils are not

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consistently engaged. Some pupils do not give teachers their full attention. At lunchtime, some pupils do not display good manners as they eat. Leaders must create an environment where all staff have equally high expectations of pupils’ behaviour.  Expectations of what children can achieve in early years are not high enough. Children do not always demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and lack the independence they need to be ready for Year 1. Leaders should ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to lead early years effectively, so that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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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.

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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

Website https://caythorpe.eschools.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is the first inspection since the predecessor school, Caythorpe Primary School, joined Community Inclusive Trust.  There have been significant changes to staffing, including the headteacher, who was appointed in February 2021.  The school runs a breakfast club that is managed by the governing body.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher to discuss behaviour, attendance and pupils’ personal development. Inspectors spoke to the leader with responsibility for SEND, who is also responsible for leading early years. The lead inspector met with 24 and 25 May 2022

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the chair of governors and three members of the multi-academy trust, including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils reading.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss the school’s arrangements for safeguarding. Safeguarding records were checked, including the single central record. Inspectors spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and at playtimes and lunchtimes. They gathered the views of pupils and staff about behaviour, bullying and well-being.  Responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments were considered, as

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were responses to the online survey for staff. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Anita Denman 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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