East Ayton Community Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Lisa Nellist Headteacher East Ayton Community Primary School 3 Moor Lane East Ayton Scarborough North Yorkshire YO13 9EW

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Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection of your school that took place on 9 February 2023, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous graded (section 5) inspections.

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Primary School

During the inspection, I discussed with you, other senior leaders, the interim chair of the governing body, governors and a representative of the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also reviewed curriculum documents and met with subject leaders for reading, mathematics and history. I carried out lesson visits, observed pupils reading to a member of staff and spoke to members of the school council about life in school. I examined the school’s own self-evaluation and development plan and checked the school’s single central record. I also met with a group of parents from your parent teacher association. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Primary School

East Ayton Community Primary School continues to require improvement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to become good.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

The school should take further action to:

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

 ensure that both senior and subject leaders monitor the impact of your curriculum rigorously and systematically to gain precise knowledge about the strengths and any weaknesses in each subject enabling them to make any adjustments needed with confidence.

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Main findings

There have been changes to senior leadership since the previous inspection in November 2021. At the start of this academic year, you began your appointment as the substantive headteacher. This followed a period in which you and the previous substantive headteacher worked together in a co-headship arrangement. The school’s deputy headteacher joined the school in April 2022. There is currently an interim chair of the school’s governing body.

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Main findings

You have wasted no time in continuing to build on the existing curriculum that was in the process of being introduced at the time of the last inspection. You have enthused your subject leaders to continue to develop the curriculum. Through your judicious guidance, the leaders of mathematics and reading, in particular, have a robust view of their subjects. The curriculum is now well planned and ambitious. It makes clear the knowledge that pupils will learn at different stages and how this will be built upon as pupils progress.

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Main findings

Through strong subject leadership, you have successfully embedded your approach to the teaching of mathematics. This subject is now taught increasingly well with pupils benefiting from your high expectations. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. As such, pupils are currently more able to apply their learning well. For instance, they record their thoughtful reasoning using detail and correct mathematical vocabulary.

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Main findings

Reading continues to be at the heart of the curriculum. Staff share your ambition for every child to be a reader. Phonics is taught consistently in each class in the early years and key stage 1. You are ensuring that the reading curriculum is increasingly well structured. Through monitoring activity, the reading leader makes sure that all pupils receive high-quality experiences. Substantial, effective tracking and early intervention are making a considerable early difference. There is early evidence to show that the vast majority of children are successfully learning the sounds and letters covered this term. Books fully match the letters and sounds that pupils learn. Pupils take home books that they can phonically decode to reinforce what they learn in school. Importantly, you have ensured that all teachers are teachers of early reading. This is because all staff undertake regular professional development. They are supported by your effective coaching models

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Main findings

and the skills and knowledge of your leaders.

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Main findings

There is an intention for subject leaders to have dedicated time to monitor their respective subjects. Subject leaders in early reading and mathematics were able to talk fluently about what they have found out through these activities. However, not all leaders have checked on the consistency and quality of curriculum delivery. As a result, these leaders are currently less well informed to pinpoint precisely where greater improvements could be made. This work is ongoing. Governors are dedicated and increasingly determined to support leaders’ ambitions for all pupils. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Governors show that they now use their own professional skills well to provide a good balance of challenge and support for staff and leaders. Through school visits and information shared, governors have an increasing awareness of the actions taken to improve reading and mathematics and to

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Main findings

strengthen the curriculum. Governors undoubtedly want the best for the community that the school serves. They are committed to hearing the views of parents, pupils and staff.

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Main findings

You and your staff appreciate the support provided by the local authority and the support from a national leader of education from a local multi-academy trust. This support has helped develop your strategic skills and aid leaders’ subject leadership expertise.

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Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for North Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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