Swinton Queen Primary School

Inspection of Swinton Queen Primary School Queen Street, Swinton, Mexborough, South Yorkshire S64 8NE

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Swinton Queen Primary School is a welcoming community in which pupils are happy and feel safe. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those eligible to receive the government’s pupil premium funding. Pupils enjoy coming to school. All staff are determined to help pupils thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well. Pupils are polite and respectful to their friends and to adults in school. They understand what bullying means. They are confident that bullying is not a common feature of their school. Adults act quickly to respond to any incidents of bullying that occur. A small number of pupils struggle to manage their behaviours. Leaders have introduced a bespoke programme to ensure that these pupils have the support they need to be successful in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the wider curriculum opportunities available to them. These include residential visits and the book club, gardening club and drama club. Pupils speak positively about the opportunities they have to take part in sports activities outside of school. They are particularly enthusiastic about taking part in the local football ‘Totty Cup’, where they can compete against other schools.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The number of pupils who are persistently absent from school is too high. These pupils are missing valuable learning time and, as a result, have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders, with the support of the multi-academy trust, are taking positive action to reduce these absences. Despite leaders’ efforts, some parents and carers do not bring their children to school on time.

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better?

Leaders have designed and implemented a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum in all subjects. This begins in the early years, where leaders have considered the subject knowledge and vocabulary that children need to be ready for the next stage in their learning. Subject leaders have ensured that staff have the information they need to deliver the planned curriculum well. The curriculums in some subjects, such as science, mathematics and physical education, are more developed than in others. In these subjects, pupils demonstrate a good recall of prior learning. However, in other subjects, such as history, pupils do not have the prior knowledge they need to make connections in their learning.

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better?

The teaching of reading is a clear priority across the school. In the early years, adults provide regular opportunities for children to share familiar tales and develop a love of reading. Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are enthusiastic about the books they read each day in class. Leaders have provided staff with the training they need to teach the phonics programme well. Teachers and teaching assistants use daily small- group or individual teaching to support any pupils who may be falling behind. Pupils read books that contain the sounds that they know. They apply their phonic 18 and 19 October 2022

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knowledge confidently. However, a small number of adults miss opportunities to help pupils develop a fluent approach to their reading.

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In reading and mathematics, teachers use regular assessments to plan learning that matches closely to pupils’ individual needs. This helps pupils to make rapid progress. However, in other subjects, assessment is less consistent. This means that teachers do not have a secure knowledge of any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, teachers move on to new learning before pupils are ready.

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Recent improvements to the support for pupils with SEND are helping pupils to access leaders’ ambitious curriculum plans. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) supports teachers to provide a range of adaptations and guidance in each lesson. These include additional adult support and technology such as dictation software. The SENCo has provided teachers with training to develop their understanding of issues such as dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder. This has increased teachers’ awareness of how to support pupils with different needs in the classroom.

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Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are engaged in their lessons. Pupils show respect for each other. Leaders have fostered an inclusive and accepting school culture. Pupils know that some of their friends may struggle to manage their behaviour. They deal with this well and show understanding and compassion. In the early years, adults use stories to help children learn to recognise and name their emotions. This continues as pupils progress through the school. By Year 6, pupils manage their behaviours well and recognise the impact poor behaviour has on others.

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Leaders have introduced a well-sequenced curriculum for personal development. A carefully considered programme of assemblies helps to strengthen pupils’ understanding of areas such as tolerance, individual liberty and mutual respect. The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to discuss equality through events such as Black History Month and Pride Month. Pupils demonstrate the values they have learned through their positive relationships with adults and with their friends.

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The trust and local governing board provide effective support and challenge to the headteacher. This has helped school leaders to make significant improvements over the past 12 months. The headteacher has created a cohesive staff team whose members are eager to continue to develop and improve. Staff feel supported and are proud to be part of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created an effective safeguarding culture across the school. Teachers understand how to identify and report concerns. They have a thorough understanding of safeguarding risks within the local community, such as county lines (county lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, usually 18 and 19 October 2022

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by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs), domestic violence and substance abuse. Leaders act quickly in response to safeguarding and child protection concerns. They work closely with external partners, such as social workers and the local police, to help keep children safe. The single central record of recruitment checks is well maintained.

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Pupils feel safe in school. They know whom they can speak to if they are worried. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to learn about positive relationships. Pupils understand the importance of consent. The local police help pupils to understand additional dangers, such as railway and canal safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, such as history, the curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. As a result, pupils do not have a secure recall of the key subject knowledge they will need for later learning. Leaders should ensure that all pupils embed the essential subject concepts, such as chronology, to make sure they are prepared for the next stage in their learning.  Leaders have not developed a consistent approach to assessment in subjects other than English and mathematics. There are limited opportunities for pupils to regularly recall and embed their learning. Teachers do not have an accurate understanding of the gaps in pupils’ subject knowledge. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment as part of learning to make sure that pupils’ subject knowledge is secure.  The number of pupils who are persistently absent from school is too high. These pupils are missing out on essential learning opportunities and are falling behind

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

their peers. Leaders, with the support of the trust, should continue to educate and challenge parents about the importance of regular school attendance.

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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. 18 and 19 October 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. 18 and 19 October 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 May 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been substantial changes to the leadership of the school since the last inspection. The headteacher joined the school in September 2021. Three assistant headteachers were appointed in the 2021/22 academic year. The SENCo took up post in September 2021.  The chair of the local governing board has been in post for two years.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 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, the three assistant headteachers, the SENCo, the reading leader, the chair of the trustees, the chief executive of the 18 and 19 October 2022

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multi-academy trust, the chair of the local governing board and various staff members.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also met with the subject leader for personal, social and health education.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of recruitment checks, checked procedures for safer recruitment of staff and held a meeting with the designated leader for safeguarding to discuss actions taken following recorded concerns. Inspectors met with staff to check their understanding of safeguarding and the impact of the training received.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent

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View, including the free-text responses, and spoke to parents at the start of the school day. In addition, inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Alex Thorp, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Holland Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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