Sand Hutton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Sand Hutton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Sand Hutton, York, North Yorkshire YO41 1LB

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Sand Hutton show the utmost respect towards their friends and the adults who support them in school. Parents and carers appreciate the nurturing ethos provided by this small school. Many parents spoke of the different ways in which leaders and adults in school go ‘above and beyond’ to include and support each member of their school community. Pupils are happy and safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are passionate about developing pupils’ independence and resilience. Pupils live out these values every day. Their behaviour is exemplary throughout the school. Older pupils explained that bullying does not have the opportunity to happen here, as adults in school deal with any incidences of poor behaviour promptly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. Professionals, including a local author, visit school to talk with pupils. The school takes part in large scale events such as ‘Young Voices’ as well as inter-school sporting competitions. There are also many smaller events that pupils delight in with equal measure, such as cinema nights and a recent federation street party. These events allow leaders to bring together the communities from both schools in this small federation.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have found organising the curriculum in a small school to be a challenge. They have spent a significant amount of time considering the order of what they teach, as they evaluate and then develop their approach to learning. This work is still at an early stage. Curriculum thinking in foundation subjects is not embedded across the school. In early reading, the techniques and strategies for teaching pupils to learn to read have become diluted over time. Pupils do not learn to read as well as they might. 25 January 2023

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

Leaders have an ambitious vision of what they want their school’s curriculum to become. They are reviewing each subject to consider how to achieve this. In core subjects, such as mathematics, learning is carefully planned. Pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. In mathematics and reading, older pupils can talk about how they use what they already know to help them when they are learning something new. However, in many subjects within the wider curriculum, planning is incomplete or yet to be embedded.

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

In some foundation subjects, such as geography and history, units of learning are planned without the necessary consideration of how this will support pupils to be ready for the next stage in their education. Leaders are unable to demonstrate how new knowledge builds on what pupils already know or how this prepares pupils well for what they need to learn next. In these subjects, pupils struggle to talk about what they know and remember. When talking with inspectors, pupils became confused when trying to recall what they had learned.

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

Leaders have an established phonics curriculum in place. However, staff do not consistently follow the techniques and strategies needed to deliver this programme. Taught phonics sessions and additional phonics support groups do not follow the school’s intended approach precisely. This is not helping all pupils to become successful readers. The federation’s early reading leaders are very new in post. These leaders understand the importance of addressing this at speed.

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

Leaders have high expectations of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their needs are identified appropriately. Leaders work well with parents to establish appropriate structures to support pupils with SEND where this is needed. Pupils with SEND are well supported by adults, and many achieve well. However, at times, this is variable. The key knowledge that pupils need in order to be prepared well for future learning is not always clearly set out in curriculum planning. This makes it difficult for support to be as precisely matched to pupils’ individual needs as it could be.

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

Pupils are confident and articulate. They are taught how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy. Pupils explained that they are an integral part of what happens in school. This takes a number of forms, including speaking with adults if they have a concern and sharing their ideas through the student council. Leaders have thought carefully about the contextual pressures of their rural locality. They address these through their personal, social and health education curriculum. Pupils learn how to stay safe offline as well as online. Pupils know not to share sensitive information about themselves. They learn about and respect each other’s differences.

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

Governors are knowledgeable about the school and the wider community they serve. They are highly supportive of leaders and work with them closely. Governors understand the importance of offering suitable challenge to leaders and have accessed various training opportunities to further develop their knowledge. Staff feel well supported by senior leaders. They enjoy being part of a happy and caring team. Staff say that leaders and governors are considerate of their well-being and workload. 25 January 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure there is a strong culture of safeguarding and care for pupils. Staff receive regular training in safeguarding and are kept informed of any contextual risks. Regular updates are provided so that all adults in school have a good understanding of the procedures and systems in place.

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Safeguarding

Pupils and their families benefit from strong relationships that are formed with the school. Leaders know their families well. They communicate openly with them to offer assistance if this is needed. This open relationship helps to keep pupils safe and ensures that parents have confidence in the staff who are there to support them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are not being taught how to read systematically. Adults do not follow the whole school approach. Pupils are not familiar with the strategies that will help them. This prevents some pupils from learning new sounds accurately and being able to use these to read with fluency. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive training in the school’s chosen phonics approach to support them in implementing the phonics curriculum with precision. Leaders must then ensure that staff implement this approach with fidelity.  In a number of foundation subjects, leaders have not clearly defined the expectation of exactly what knowledge pupils should learn and by when. In these subjects, pupils struggle to recall facts and information. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum planning, in every subject, clearly sets out exactly what pupils should know and in what order. This needs to build from pupils starting points in Reception through to Year 6 in

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

order to prepare them well for the next stage in their education.

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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 school to be good in January 2013.

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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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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. 25 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Sand Hutton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is federated with Warthill Church of England Primary School. There is one headteacher and one governing body across this federation.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The most recent section 48 inspection of this school was in January 2023.  This school is smaller than the average-size primary school.  The school provides before and after-school care for pupils.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and 25 January 2023

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other staff. An inspector met with the governing body and a representative of the diocese and the local authority.  Inspectors looked in detail at geography, mathematics and reading. They talked to leaders and teachers about their curriculum plans. They also talked to pupils about what they knew and remembered in these subjects. They looked at pupils’ work and visited lessons. Inspectors also reviewed further curriculum planning.  Inspectors met with leaders with overall responsibility for safeguarding and looked at school records. They also scrutinised the single central record.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. They also considered responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including free-text responses.  Inspectors talked to pupils to gather their views on school life. An inspector talked to a number of parents at the school.

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Inspection team

Zoe Lightfoot, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela Harper Ofsted Inspector 25 January 2023

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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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