Sandringham Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Sandringham Primary School Sandringham Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN2 5LS

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Outcome

Sandringham Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that is ‘reaching for stars’. Leaders are raising the ambition and expectations for all pupils across school. These high expectations are beginning to be realised in pupils’ achievements. Pupils are excited about their learning and their futures. As one pupil said, ‘You can do whatever you want in life.’ Pupils feel safe both physically and emotionally. They feel cared for. They know that adults will support them if they have worries. Bullying happens on occasions, but pupils know that this is dealt with quickly. Pupils are taught how to recognise bullying and to report any instances quickly. Behaviour around school is calm and well ordered. Pupils show maturity and consideration to others. They are polite and respectful. Pupils take turns to speak and they listen carefully to their peers in group situations. At unstructured times, such as playtimes and lunchtimes, pupils play alongside each other positively and happily. Leaders have ensured

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What is it like to attend this school?

that across school, staff use consistent strategies to enforce clear expectations for how pupils should behave and learn. Pupils enjoy a range of after-school clubs and activities. Pupils in the ‘Junior Leadership Team’ enjoy working with leaders in school to continue to broaden the types of activities and clubs on offer to pupils.

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

Leaders have made recent changes to the curriculum. These changes are having a positive impact to pupils’ learning. In most subjects, leaders have mapped out the knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. Subject leaders are identifying the areas within their subjects that need further development. They frequently check how well their subject is being taught. This helps them to identify where staff need further training and support. In some curriculum subjects, the activities and opportunities given to pupils in lessons are sometimes not as well matched as they could be to help them reach the ambitious end points of the curriculum. 4 and 5 May 2023

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There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Staff receive regular training and coaching to develop their understanding of how to teach pupils at the earliest stages of reading. Phonics teaching begins as soon as children enter Reception. Leaders identify pupils that need help with reading and give precise and effective support. Pupils are given books to read that closely match the sounds they have been taught. Older pupils who need support are quickly identified and are given the help they need. Leaders have given careful thought to the books that pupils have access to throughout their time in school. Pupils of all ages talk enthusiastically about their opportunities to read. Pupils readily discuss their favourite books from their time in school. Many of these books have been chosen by leaders as a vehicle to develop pupils’ awareness of equality and protected characteristics.

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Leaders place importance on how pupils are taught to understand the society and world in which they live. Pupils are taught how to recognise groups in society who may face prejudice. Pupils have opportunities to contribute to their school community through leadership roles. There are a range of activities for pupils that extend beyond the classroom. Pupils talk excitedly about opportunities such as trips that link to their learning in the curriculum, for example a recent visit to Conisbrough Castle. Leaders are beginning to consider how they can help pupils to understand career possibilities in different subjects.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified and well supported. Their needs are understood by staff. Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND to be successful. Teachers make careful adaptations so that these pupils can fully access the curriculum.

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Leaders at all levels have a clear and accurate picture of the school. Governors and trustees have clear systems to appropriately challenge and support leaders in the school. They understand statutory duties and how these are applied in their roles. Governors and trustees actively seek external expertise to check that their own evaluation of the school is clear. Leaders in school are taking actions to continue to move the school forward. Staff at all levels feel well supported with regards to their workload and well-being, including newer members of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are aware of local, and more general, risks for pupils. Staff know who to report concerns to. They receive regular updates to keep them aware of trends and patterns. Leaders quickly identify pupils and families at risk and provide support and, where necessary, signpost and source further professional and external support. Leaders are diligent in following up incidents and ensuring that the actions they have taken are helping to keep pupils as safe as possible. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and how to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships. 4 and 5 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the activities and experiences that teachers set in lessons for pupils are not precisely matched to the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that some opportunities are missed for pupils to develop deep subject knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that they support teachers to set work for pupils that precisely matches the knowledge they want pupils to learn, so that pupils build their knowledge over time to reach the ambitious end points that leaders set.

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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 Sandringham Primary School to be good in May 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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268447 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Exceed Learning Partnership Academy Trust.  The school joined the trust in December 2018.

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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.  Inspectors spoke to senior leaders, including the chief executive officer, the deputy chief executive officer, the director of primary education, members of the board of trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors spoke to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in mathematics, early reading and art. 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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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 Inspectors evaluated responses from parents to Ofsted’s online survey. They spoke with some parents dropping their children off at school. Inspectors also evaluated the responses that staff and pupils made to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Liam Colclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 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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