Archibald Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Archibald Primary School Ayresome Green Lane, Middlesbrough TS5 4DY

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2022

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Outcome

Archibald Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Being a good citizen and showing tolerance and respect are the hallmarks of pupils in this school. There is an unmistakably positive atmosphere here. High levels of respect exist between pupils and teachers, and between pupils and their classmates. Pupils respond well to the high expectations that teachers have for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities. There are competitions for spelling, poetry and handwriting, as well as sports. Pupils compete to win the election to be a school councillor or to be the star pupil of the year. Pupils aim high. Career aspirations to be an engineer, electrician or teacher are typical.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the diversity at school. There are pupils from 24 countries. Pupils try to speak and read each other’s languages. Signs around school, such as how to wash hands, appear not only in English.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. The building and site are secure. Pupils share their concerns or worries with an adult or put them inside a ‘worry monster’. Bullying has virtually disappeared. Pupils try to stick to the golden rules for behaviour. They talk of how using kind words and following instructions is important. Pupils appreciate the school environment. Displays of work are of high quality, representing different subjects and aspects of school life.

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

Leaders’ determination to create a high-quality curriculum is clear. Revisions and improvements in curriculum plans are continual. In most subjects, learning builds progressively. For example, in mathematics, solid foundations develop early as children gain a firm understanding of number. Children in Reception count confidently to 20. Older pupils develop their understanding of place value. Leaders ensure that key ideas thread through learning in most subjects. This helps pupils to understand how learning fits together. Teachers use inspiring resources and sound subject knowledge to develop pupils’ understanding of chronology in history, for example. In a small number of 13 and 14 September 2022

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subjects, such as history or art and design, the essential knowledge that pupils are supposed to learn does not build on what they already know. This prevents pupils from linking new specific knowledge to what has already been learned.

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Continual assessment is fundamental to the school’s approach to teaching. Checks in lessons allow teachers to make adaptations and changes to future learning. Future lessons then address any gaps or misconceptions in subject knowledge. Teachers are skilled in questioning. Leaders have made sure extra support is available if needed.

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Reading is of the highest priority for the school. Leaders are working to address weaknesses in some younger pupils’ reading. A daily systematic system to teach phonics is bearing fruit. Children in the two-year-old room already enjoy sitting in the reading corner to hear a story. Nursery children love the outdoor ‘book boats’, giving them a cosy and comfortable space with a picture book. Pupils are quickly becoming confident readers. Older pupils use techniques from professional drama to enter the spirit of a text. Access to a rich, broad range of vocabulary through reading and drama enhances the quality of their writing. Both boys and girls become uninhibited authors.

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Behaviour in lessons is very strong. Pupils’ attentiveness and eagerness to succeed underpin their learning. Teachers ensure that they adapt the curriculum so that pupils of all abilities develop their knowledge. This includes work for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils are taught the same curriculum as their classmates. Modifications are only made if needed. These could include ways in which work is recorded or using different resources. This is a highly inclusive school.

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Leaders’ commitment to developing pupils’ character and the promotion of positive attitudes and values is evident. Ensuring pupils’ positive physical and mental health is central to their work. Leaders plan celebration and awareness days over the school year. Pupils understand themes like human rights, World Oceans Day, International Women’s Day, safer internet day and Holocaust Memorial Day. A citizenship project helps pupils to understand the impact of migration on individuals. Plans exist to resume trips and visits around local points of interest. Pupils develop into well-rounded, confident individuals.

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The staff well-being team typifies leaders’ desire to promote staff welfare. The team meets regularly. A suggestion box for staff provides the chance to raise issues that affect well-being. Staff share tips to work more efficiently aimed at reducing workload. Low staff turnover reflects their happiness and desire to remain part of a strong staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone’s business in this school. The pastoral team and the care team ensure every concern is addressed. Leaders provide support for vulnerable pupils. The local governing body and board of trustees check safeguarding systems, holding leaders to account. There are regular updates and relevant safeguarding training for staff. This helps them spot warning signs that something may be wrong. Action is immediate. 13 and 14 September 2022

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Record-keeping is meticulous and detailed. Leaders make checks on new staff when recruiting.

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Pupils learn how to stay safe. They speak about road safety, being safe online and using the emergency services.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small number of foundation subjects are not sufficiently well planned. New knowledge does not build on or connect to what pupils already know. As a result, some pupils find it difficult to remember new knowledge in these subjects. Leaders must ensure that all curriculum areas are carefully planned and sequenced so that pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Archibald Primary School to be good in September 2011.

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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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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. 13 and 14 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241376 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school has a 32-place provision for two-year-olds.  The school converted to become an academy in April 2018.  The school is part of the Endeavour Academies Trust.  At the time of the inspection, the school was using four registered alternative providers.

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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 the school leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, teachers and the school administrator. The inspector met four members of the governing body, including the chair. The inspector met with the chief executive officer of the trust. The inspector also met the parent support adviser, the attendance officer and the designated safeguarding lead. 13 and 14 September 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to a range of pupils read from different year groups.  The inspector looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about other curriculum subjects.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits, at break time and at lunchtime. The inspector also visited the breakfast club. The inspector spoke to pupils about their views of behaviour. A group of pupils gave the inspector a tour of the school.  The inspector looked at the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks, and spoke to leaders, teachers, governors, trustees and pupils about safeguarding.

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 The views of parents who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire, Parent View, were considered.  The inspector met with staff to discuss their well-being and workload. The inspector considered the responses and comments from Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Phil Scott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 September 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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