Frithville Primary School

Inspection of Frithville Primary School West Fen Drainside, Frithville, Boston, Lincolnshire PE22 7EX

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 13 and 14 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Life at Frithville Primary school comes highly recommended by its pupils. They say that everyone is welcome, whatever their background. Pupils play happily together in the different outdoor areas. Lunchtimes are harmonious and pupils say that they enjoy the company of their friends. Pupils understand the school’s golden rule: to treat everyone the way you would like to be treated yourself. They feel that staff are fair. If there are any problems, pupils say that they are always sorted out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents welcome the school’s open-door policy. For example, they enjoy attending celebration assemblies and relish opportunities to come in and share stories with pupils. Pupils enjoy these special times together. Parents explain that their children’s individual needs are well catered for. They say that the staff ‘know the children inside out’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils conduct themselves well around school. They are proud of each other’s achievements. Sometimes, when lessons are not well organised, pupils become restless. Leaders have worked hard to improve the curriculum in some areas. However, there is still work to do in others. In these subjects, pupils do not make the gains in learning that they could.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised improving reading. They have introduced a new phonics programme. Leaders know precisely which sounds pupils know really well. Staff make sure that the books which pupils read match their phonics knowledge closely. Pupils are now making better progress in reading. Staff have had some training. More is planned.

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better?

Pupils enjoy special opportunities to learn, such as during the ‘literacy week’. They explain how a virtual visit from a poet helps them gather ideas to use. Well-chosen texts inspire them to write descriptive passages such as ‘the sound of sand shifting slowly through the wind’. Pupils know more about how to write. However, they do not always use what they know. For example, older pupils do not consistently join their handwriting and have few opportunities to write at length.

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better?

The curriculum in English is organised well. However, this is not the case in some other subjects. Leaders have begun to address this, but this work is not complete. Leaders have not clearly identified precisely what pupils should be taught during lessons. Staff do not always have the subject knowledge that they need to develop pupils’ thinking. Assessments are planned in these subjects but are not yet in place.

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better?

Leaders responsible for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) know what these pupils need to learn next. Staff support them well. The curriculum is closely tailored to their individual needs. Transition to secondary school 13 and 14 July 2023

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is planned carefully. As a result, pupils with SEND are better prepared for the next stage of learning.

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The school grounds are well used to develop pupils’ interests. Pupils are proud of the greenhouse built from recycled plastic bottles. They explain how they care for and sell the vegetables growing in the various beds. Clubs such as cricket and multi- sports are popular. Leaders ensure that all pupils take part in sporting competitions and festivals each year. Pupils explain the challenge and satisfaction of walking up steep hills on residentials.

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The trust has provided extra help for the school during challenging times. Those responsible for governance know what the school needs to do to improve. Some staff at the school do not think that they are as well supported as they could be. They do not feel that their views are taken into account when decisions are made that affect them.

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Pupils understand what protected characteristics are. They know that it is wrong to discriminate against others. Members of the school council have written a ‘Great Big Quiz’ to help pupils and parents revisit this knowledge. School councillors explain how they seek the views of others, for example through collecting suggestions about how the library should be redecorated.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Teachers have made sure that pupils understand dangers that they may face in the local area. Pupils can explain the risks of playing near water. They know that they should be careful about who they speak to online.

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Safeguarding

Staff know the signs that a pupil may be at risk. Leaders record concerns carefully and address these straight away. They work closely with external agencies to make sure that families and pupils are supported. Those responsible for governance check that pupils feel safe and that the right checks are made before adults start to work at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Expectations of what pupils can write are not consistently high. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their ability to write at length. They do not always have the pride in their work that they might. Leaders should make sure that all staff consistently expect pupils to produce their best work. They should make sure that pupils have regular opportunities to use their knowledge of how to write in more extended pieces. 13 and 14 July 2023

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 The quality of the curriculum is inconsistent. Some curriculums do not identify what pupils should learn and so staff do not always know what they should be teaching. Pupils do not make the progress in some of the wider range of subjects that they might. Leaders should make sure that this component knowledge is clearly identified along with where pupils will revisit it. They should make sure that staff check pupils’ growing body of knowledge over time.  Leaders have not consistently checked how well the curriculum is being implemented. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders can make the appropriate checks on both the curriculums which are being embedded and those which will be implemented following the process of review.  Some staff do not feel well supported. Some do not feel that they have had the professional development that they need to teach or that leaders are as mindful of their workload as they could be. Leaders should make sure that staff have the

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subject knowledge that they need to teach these curriculums well and that all staff get the support that they need to undertake their roles effectively.

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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.

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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 July 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Frithville Primary School joined Horncastle Education Trust in December 2018. When its predecessor school, Frithville Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The school does not use any form of alternative provision.  The number of pupils on roll is small. Because of this, no separate judgement has been made about the children in early years.

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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 the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into the following subjects: reading, English, art and design, and geography. They listened to pupils read to a familiar adult, 13 and 14 July 2023

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scrutinised work, visited lessons and spoke with pupils and staff. The also met with leaders of the curriculum.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher and the assistant headteacher. They met leaders responsible for pupils with SEND. They considered a wide range of documentation which the school provided.  The lead inspector met the chief executive officer of the Horncastle Education Trust. She also met trustees and governors.  Inspectors spoke with parents both during the school day and at the end of it. The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.  During the inspection, inspectors spoke with pupils, both formally and informally. They took account of the opinions expressed through the online pupil survey.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff. They also considered the responses to the staff survey.  The lead inspector met with leaders responsible for safeguarding. She reviewed

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the school’s single central record and a range of documents. Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff about safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

George Huthart Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 July 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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