Fishergate Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Fishergate Primary School Fishergate, York, North Yorkshire YO10 4AP

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Outcome

Fishergate Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Fishergate Primary School is a special place for pupils to learn, develop and grow. Pupils, staff, governors and parents and carers are proud to be part of its community. This collaboration supports the school’s aim to ‘achieve great things together’. Leaders and staff have developed effective partnerships with parents. Parents value and appreciate this approach. It is one of the many strengths of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are caring and thoughtful. They consider other people’s feelings. Pupils say that no one is left out in their school. It is a place where difference is celebrated. The school’s inclusive ethos enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to feel valued members of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a behaviour policy that is known and understood. The three simple school rules – respect, ready and safe – underpin the work of everyone and provide clear guidance to all pupils about how to behave. Classrooms are calm and purposeful working environments. Pupils move around school sensibly. They are polite and friendly to visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Occasional incidents of bullying are dealt with swiftly by leaders. Consideration is given to the needs of all involved. Leaders ensure that they regularly review pupils’ behaviour following any incident so that appropriate support can be provided.

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

Leaders are rightly proud of the ‘Fishergate curriculum’ that they have created. It is ambitious in its intent for all pupils. From the early years through to Year 6, pupils are provided with opportunities to develop their learning through interesting and engaging lessons. The knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn have been carefully sequenced. Further refinement of the curriculum has broken down these key components into even smaller steps. Consideration has been given to how units of work connect to other topics. For example, in mathematics, pupils learn the two, four and eight times 13 and 14 March 2023

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tables and the links between these. They then use their knowledge of multiplication facts when finding the area and perimeter of shapes.

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Regular opportunities are provided for pupils to revisit what they have learned in previous topics. This regular review of concepts enables pupils to remember important information. In history, timelines are frequently used and referred to. This helps pupils to build an understanding of, and make connections between, historical events.

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The school’s inclusive ethos ensures that the needs of pupils with SEND are successfully met. Careful consideration is given to find ways for pupils to have a positive start to their day. Some pupils, who find it difficult to concentrate for long periods of time, are provided with ‘brain breaks’. These purposeful times with an adult develop pupils’ confidence and social interaction skills.

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Leaders relaunched the teaching of phonics at the beginning of the academic year. This has provided clarity to the school’s approach to the teaching of reading. There are signs that this work is having a positive impact on pupils. As pupils progress through the school, they learn to read and analyse a variety of texts. Pupils enjoy visiting the school library and finding new books to read. Leaders respond to pupils’ interest in new books and authors by regularly refreshing the school’s selection of books. Book fairs, a ‘book swap’ and other initiatives promote a love of reading for pupils.

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Children in the early years get off to a strong start. They explore new ideas through play and interaction with their peers. Activities in the classroom promote children’s skills in early mathematics. Adults support children effectively to develop their language and vocabulary. They use skilful questioning to develop children’s thinking. From an early age, children learn the skills required to become independent learners. During the inspection, a group of children independently sorted green building blocks to make a model monster. They listened to each other and used an example in a book to guide their ideas.

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Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities to support their wider development. They take on responsibilities, such as being school councillors. Through this, pupils organise events, including the annual school marathon. Recently, pupils raised money to restore the school’s two rocking horses. This work has contributed to learning about the history of the school. It is a significant and relevant feature in the school’s curriculum.

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Leaders, including governors, know the school well. They check that the decisions they make are in the best interests of pupils and do not adversely impact staff’s workload. Leaders have put in place actions to address the gap in achievement between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Clear processes are in place to support leaders to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Detailed records, and the regular review of these, ensure that pupils’ needs are appropriately met. 13 and 14 March 2023

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The school’s curriculum and weekly assemblies provide regular opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe, including online, at an age-appropriate level. Events such as ‘Speak out Stay safe’ teach pupils about healthy relationships. Pupils know that they should speak to an adult if they have a concern and know how to contact Childline if they need to.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some groups of pupils do not make as much progress as they should. The gap between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils has widened since the pandemic. Leaders should further develop the strategies already implemented, so that the achievement of disadvantaged pupils is in line with their non-disadvantaged peers.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.

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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 March 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Fishergate Primary School is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is close to the national average.  The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above the national average.  There are a higher proportion of pupils at the school who speak English as an additional language than is seen nationally.  There are two early career teachers (ECTs) at the school. Both started in September 2022.

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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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher to discuss the impact of their work. 13 and 14 March 2023

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 The curriculum was evaluated by conducting ‘deep dives’ in early reading, mathematics and history. For this, the inspector spoke to subject leaders, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke to pupils.  Separate meetings were held with some members of staff, including two ECTs, as well as representatives from the governing body.  Playtimes and lunchtimes were observed by the inspector.  Parents’ views were considered through reviewing responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View. In addition, the inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector met with the head of effectiveness and achievement and a primary adviser from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Matthew Harrington, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 March 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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