Keelby Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Keelby Primary Academy Manor Street, Keelby, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN41 8EF

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Outcome

Keelby Primary Academy continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy to belong to Keelby Primary Academy. They enjoy an exciting curriculum, brought to life through a range of different learning experiences. From exploring a water pump in Reception to recreating 1960s Grimsby Docks in Year 6, pupils are absorbed in their learning. Highly skilled teachers make learning fun.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff work together to provide a caring environment and an ambitious curriculum across all year groups. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to access the same learning opportunities as other pupils. All pupils follow an engaging curriculum. This develops their independence and builds their knowledge as they progress through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and adults are very positive. As one pupil said, ‘I completely trust the staff to take good care of us.’ Whether in class or on the playground, pupils behave very well. Pupils say that bullying is very rare. They trust staff to deal with any behaviour issues.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. One parent, typical of many, commented: ‘Our children love attending school. All staff want the best for the children and go above and beyond to help.’

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

Senior leaders, supported by the trust, have thought hard about how to make the curriculum work for their pupils. Each subject has been planned with great care. Subject leaders identify the most important knowledge for pupils to learn and the order in which to learn it. As a result, pupils increase their understanding step by step. The building blocks for each subject start in early years. For example, adults support children in early 24 and 25 May 2023

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years to label parts of a flower. This develops children’s precise vocabulary in readiness for their science learning in key stage 1. The emphasis in each lesson on recalling prior knowledge helps pupils to learn very successfully.

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Staff use their expert knowledge to choose engaging activities that support pupils’ learning. Curriculum documentation helps teachers to make checks on pupils’ learning. This means that staff can quickly spot if a pupil has fallen behind or has a misconception. Teachers act effectively to help pupils to keep up with their classmates.

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The curriculum is accessible for all pupils, including those with SEND. Staff know the individual needs of pupils, and what works best to help them take part in lessons. Pupils with the most complex needs receive appropriate and timely specialist help and guidance. Pupils with SEND are exceptionally well supported to access the high-quality curriculum.

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Reading is a priority at this school. In early years and key stage 1, adults are effective in helping pupils to build their phonic knowledge. All staff have received training in how to teach phonics so that targeted teaching can continue into key stage 2 for pupils who need it. Pupils of all ages speak enthusiastically about reading. Older pupils are able to explain the relationship between reading and writing. As one pupil commented, ‘I enjoy reading because it empowers me to use the things I’ve read in the things I write.’

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Many pupils take on leadership responsibilities, such as being personal development representatives. All pupils enjoy working through a programme of experiences beyond the classroom. This includes competing in a sporting event, pond dipping, producing a film and going on a night walk to gaze at the stars. The Keelby Citizenship Award encourages pupils to think about character development. They reflect on leadership, participation, learning and service. The school’s successful work in this area is clear, for example in the maturity of the school council members as they lead a weekly assembly.

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Leaders’ expectations of what pupils can do and how pupils should behave are high. Pupils’ work reflects their knowledge and their positive attitudes. Pupils want to do well, so they work hard in class and rarely misbehave.

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Leaders provide high-quality support and training to ensure that the delivery of the curriculum is consistent. Staff are extremely well motivated. They strive to provide top- quality care and learning experiences for their pupils. There is a strong focus on both pupils’ and staff’s well-being.

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Academy improvement committee members have a clear understanding of the work of the school. They provide challenge and support to help improve the school. Leaders have the support of staff and parents in their drive to make the school the best it can be. 24 and 25 May 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff receive appropriate and regular training on how to keep pupils safe. This enables staff to identify and report any concerns. School leaders follow up on all concerns. They work closely with outside agencies to get the help pupils and families need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they carry out appropriate checks on staff before they start working at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes potential dangers they may face online.

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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 January 2018.

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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. 24 and 25 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Enquire Learning Trust in March 2015.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2013.  The school does not use any alternative education provision.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the executive principal, senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, trust officers and members of the academy improvement committee.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The inspector also spoke to leaders about curriculum development in other subjects. 24 and 25 May 2023

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 The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The inspector considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe by meeting with senior leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding measures. The inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector spoke to parents at the school gates and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including behaviour records and minutes of the academy improvement committee.

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Inspection team

Martyn Skinner, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 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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