Thoresby Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Thoresby Primary School Thoresby Street, Thoresby Primary School HU5 3RG

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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Outcome

Thoresby Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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Outcome

The head of school of this school is Catherine Corner. This school is part of Hull Collaborative Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Estelle MacDonald, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Huscroft. There is also an executive headteacher, Melissa Milner, who is responsible for this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive an exceptionally high-quality of education at Thoresby Primary School. A high number of pupils join the school throughout the year. Many of these pupils arrive from overseas. Pupils are proud of their school; they relish the opportunity to welcome their new friends and learn more about them. Leaders ensure that all pupils feel welcome and part of this strong community. The school has high ambitions and aspirations for all its pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is overwhelmingly positive. Leaders have the greatest of expectations for all pupils. This means that all pupils engage well and have a keen sense of what is right and wrong. Pupils talk about their invisible backpacks. This is in reference to the school’s meticulous approach to teaching pupils the character skills that they will need in life. Pupils accept that they have responsibility for their own behaviour in school and in the wider community. They speak of being an upstander not a bystander in reporting any injustice or unfairness that they might see.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is fundamental to the offer that pupils receive at Thoresby Primary School. Leaders ensure that pupils’ opinions are heard. Pupils can be a part of the many committees in the school. These include the international and enterprise committees. Pupils in these groups raise an awareness of local and global issues to others in school, for example by fundraising for local food banks and worldwide charities. 28 and 29 November 2023

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

The school has an exacting approach to the way that it has designed its curriculum. Central to this curriculum is an understanding of the school community. For example, leaders have deliberately chosen texts and places that are studied, to ensure that all pupils feel that their own backgrounds are represented. The exact knowledge that pupils need to learn in each subject and at each stage is clear. This is carefully and deliberately sequenced to build on pupils learning and to support any gaps in knowledge that they may have. The level of detail and consideration given to the choices made and the precise nature of what pupils will learn is impressive. There is a relentless and considered approach to checking what pupils understand and need to know next. As a result, pupils learn exceptionally well.

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

Leaders ensure precision in the teaching of all subjects. Learning activities are carefully matched to what pupils need to learn and remember. Thoughtful links are made across different subject areas. For example, pupils apply their earlier learning in mathematics and science during fieldwork visits in geography.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), as well as those who speak English as an additional language, are fully immersed in the school’s curriculum. Staff know how to support these pupils to learn alongside their peers successfully. The school’s relentless emphasis on the development of language and the learning of new words is pivotal to this inclusive approach.

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

In reading and mathematics, leaders have a clear oversight of pupils’ needs across all year groups. Starting points are very quickly established when pupils join the school. This is a priority so that pupils receive the support that they need quickly and effectively. Those delivering these additional sessions are highly skilled. They support pupils through a well-structured approach.

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

Children get off to the best possible start in the early years. They have a calm and purposeful start to each day at school. Routines are well established. As a result, the youngest children display high levels of independence. Children benefit from a well- thought-out curriculum. In Reception, children build on the knowledge they have learned in Nursery. This ensures that children are continually challenged. They are well prepared for key stage one and beyond.

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

Pupils talk enthusiastically about their annual ‘kaleidoscope celebration’. This event is the culmination of the sustained work that the school does to broaden its pupils’ personal development. Key learning from the curriculum is at the heart of this celebration of diversity. It gives pupils a keen sense of what it means to be part of a community. Pupils talk about becoming global citizens. They understand that this is about respecting the planet as well as each other. They take part in discussions and debates about issues such as discrimination, fair trade and freedom. They have opportunities to learn about economic well-being and what it means to give back to their community. Pupils at Thoresby use the saying, ‘You are never too small to make a difference.’ 28 and 29 November 2023

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Leaders are determined that all pupils will succeed. All staff share this passion. Leaders are not complacent. They continue to reflect and strive to improve. Staff feel well supported by leaders and the trust. They access continued professional development so that they can flourish in their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 outstanding in June 2016.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Local authority Kingston upon Hull City Council

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average primary school.  The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average. 27 different languages are spoken in the school.  A sizeable proportion of pupils join the school at times other than the start of the school year. Many of these pupils are new arrivals to the country.  The school has a breakfast club.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 28 and 29 November 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the executive headteacher, head of school, deputy headteacher and other leaders. She met with representatives of the trust, including the CEO and the chair of the trust board.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspector spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central

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record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included comments received via the free-text facility. The inspector also talked to some parents in person. The inspector spoke to staff and pupils about their experiences at school.

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Inspection team

Sarah Gordon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 November 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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