New York Primary School

Inspection of New York Primary School Langrick Road, New York, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4 4XH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘Respect’ is a very important word at New York. However, it is much more than a word. The headteacher describes it as, ‘the one golden rule that combines them all’. Pupils know they must treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. As well as giving respect, they know they should expect it in return. This culture makes pupils feel valued, safe and secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Staff manage behaviour consistently. They help pupils who join the school learn what is expected of them, so they quickly feel part of this close-knit community. Pupils enjoy earning house points for following the rules and showing the school’s values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sport occupies a very special place at New York. Staff and pupils are passionate about it. Every pupil gets to represent the school in competitions. They really enjoy these opportunities. Staff use sport to teach life lessons, about how to win and lose with good grace.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of everyone. Pupils told inspectors, ‘The adults here really encourage us to be the best that we can be.’ However, the quality of education in several areas of the curriculum is not currently good enough for these ambitions to be realised.

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better?

Leaders are in the process of redesigning many areas of the curriculum. In mathematics, this work is complete, and it is having an impact on what pupils know, what they can do and what they remember. The curriculum for mathematics has been set out in a logical, progressive order. It is clear what pupils need to know and when they need to know it. Teachers follow these plans closely. They make checks on pupils’ progress. They make sure that pupils have a secure understanding of important mathematical concepts before they move on. Teachers help pupils to recall prior learning and link it to what they already know and can do.

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better?

However, in several foundation subjects, and some areas of learning in the early years, the curriculum is not yet well sequenced. Some curriculum thinking lacks precision. Where this is the case, it is not clear what knowledge pupils will be taught to develop their skills or to deepen their understanding of key concepts.

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better?

Leaders have recently adopted a new phonics programme. They have ensured that the books pupils take home are matched to the letter sounds they know. This helps pupils develop their confidence, fluency and enjoyment. However, not all staff teach the school’s phonics programme in the way it should be taught. For instance, they do not explain how to sound out and blend letter sounds in a common way. Pupils sometimes mispronounce letter sounds. Staff do not always address this when it happens, which means pupils continue to say letter sounds incorrectly. The 16 and 17 May 2023

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curriculum for reading in key stage 2 lacks clarity. It is not clear what pupils are expected to know and do at each stage of their education to make progress with reading comprehension. Leaders have not given enough thought to the texts that pupils will read to develop their understanding of increasingly complex fiction, non- fiction and poetry.

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The leader for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ensures that their needs are fully understood and met. Support plans are precise. They are regularly reviewed. Staff receive the training they need to support pupils’ individual needs.

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Pupils enjoy going to school. They have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils concentrate well in lessons. They listen respectfully to their teachers and to each other. Pupils have a good understanding of their school rules. They try to be role models for each other.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Leaders ensure that pupils have a good understanding of the school’s values. For example, pupils told inspectors that gratitude is about thankfulness and appreciating who you are and what you have. Pupils learn about their rights and responsibilities. They understand why equality and inclusion are important. As one pupil explained, ‘We respect people’s differences here.’ Pupils make the most of the extra-curricular clubs they can go to at lunchtimes and after school.

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Some subject leaders do not have accurate understanding of how well their subject is being taught. Governors know they need to widen the checks they carry out to ensure that the quality of education is high across the curriculum.

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Staff feel well supported. They say that workload and well-being are taken note of by leaders when decisions are being made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding make sure that staff know what they must do if they have concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Staff know the school’s safeguarding procedures well. They report any concerns straight away. Leaders act on concerns promptly. Governors carry out checks to ensure that the safeguarding policy is being followed.

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Safeguarding

In their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons, pupils learn how to stay safe. They know ways to protect themselves when they are online, for example. Pupils feel comfortable reporting any worries to members staff. They know they will always be listened to and get the help they need. 16 and 17 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not deliver the school’s new phonics programme in the way it should be taught. They do not always correct pupils when they mispronounce letter sounds. Leaders have not given enough thought to the texts that older pupils will read or how they will deepen their understanding of what they read over time. These issues affect the rate at which pupils learn to read and they hinder the development of pupils’ reading comprehension. Leaders must ensure that all staff have the training they need, so they can teach the school’s phonics programme as it should be implemented. Leaders must ensure that the reading curriculum in key stage 2 systematically develops pupils’ ability to understand increasingly complex texts.  The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well sequenced in several foundation subjects and some areas of learning in the early years. Where this is the case, pupils do not gain the knowledge they need to fully develop their skills or to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

deepen their understanding of key concepts. Leaders must precisely set out what pupils need to know and when in all areas of the curriculum. Teachers must then ensure that pupils know and remember what they should by checking closely on their progress and helping them to build on what they have been taught before.  Subject leadership is not effective in some areas of the curriculum. Some leaders do not routinely check on the quality of teaching and learning in their subject. This means they have a limited understanding of how well their subject is being taught. Senior leaders must ensure that subject leaders have the expertise and time they require to evaluate and develop the implementation of their curriculum. Governors must hold leaders to account for the quality of education in all subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Horncastle Education Trust in December 2018. When its predecessor school, New York Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection of the school 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 carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For the deep dives, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 16 and 17 May 2023

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff. Inspectors met with the leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour and personal development.  The lead inspector met with the designated leaders for safeguarding to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to pupils’ behaviour.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from across the school.  The lead inspector met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer of Horncastle Education Trust.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Phil Abbott Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 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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