Eyres Monsell Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Eyres Monsell Primary School Simmins Crescent, Eyres Monsell, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 9AH

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 February 2024

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Outcome

Eyres Monsell Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they are happy at this inclusive school. One child, typical of many, said, ‘People are allowed to be unique and different in our school.’ Parents and carers appreciate how welcoming the school is. They are greeted on the playground each morning by school staff who help them sort out any queries. Each term, parents are invited to join their children in school for the ‘look into learning’ sessions. Pupils enjoy showing off what they have been learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they feel safe in school. The recently introduced behaviour policy teaches them to be ‘ready, respectful and safe’. They like the routines that have been introduced such as ‘amazing assemblies’ and ‘wonderful walking’. They say that these help them to follow the rules. Pupils know that if they are worried, there is always an adult on hand to sort problems out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that all children experience different opportunities. Each term, children go on trips to support their learning, such as a visit to the local secondary school to dissect hearts. Visitors regularly come to school to help pupils learn. Pupils say that they learn something new every day in mathematics, which helps them solve harder problems.

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

The recently introduced curriculum plans, which begin in the early years, identify the key ‘sticky knowledge’ and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. For example, in mathematics, children begin in Reception to learn to count and add up to 10. In year 4, pupils continue using their knowledge of addition to help them understand multiplication. The school has been quick to review the way the curriculum is taught in light of the outcomes pupils, particularly those in key stage 1, achieved in some areas of the curriculum in 2023. 13 and 14 February 2024

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Overall, this work is enabling current pupils to be able to know and understand more of what they are learning.

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The curriculum plans identify ‘check points’ to make sure that pupils have learned the important knowledge in each subject. In some subjects, these checks are used to confirm pupils’ understanding before moving the learning on. For example, in phonics, weekly assessments make sure that pupils have learned the sounds and blends being taught. Where gaps are spotted, these are quickly revisited to help pupils remember them. However, in some subjects, these checks are made but teachers do not yet use the information gathered to adapt their lessons. This means that knowledge is not revisited and gaps in pupils’ learning are not addressed.

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In most lessons, teachers design activities that support pupils to learn important knowledge. For example, pupils use torches and balls to help them understand how the sun shining on the rotating earth creates night and day. However, in some lessons, the activities do not help pupils to build their knowledge and remember their learning.

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Phonics is taught consistently throughout the school. Children learn the routines of the phonics scheme, and they quickly become accurate readers. Pupils take home books that match the sounds learned. The school ensures that pupils enjoy a wide range of books. Children like learning new information from books and love to imagine that they are in the fantasy world of a book. Those pupils who need extra help receive prompt, effective support that allows them to keep up with their peers.

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The early years is a warm and welcoming environment. Children are encouraged to learn new words. They learn to be independent as they wash their own cups and plates. In Nursery, children begin to recognise letters. They quickly learn to blend sounds to read words when in Reception.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs quickly identified. Staff know how to assess pupils’ needs accurately. They set targets which provide pupils and other staff with clear steps to follow. This helps pupils to get the help they need. When necessary, the school makes effective use of external expertise. Most parents appreciate the regular communication about their children’s education.

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Attendance is a priority for the school. Any pupil absence is followed up quickly. When pupils do not attend often enough, the school works with families to help them make sure that their children come to school every day.

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Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have in school. They like learning about democracy through voting for the school council. They can talk about the many different religions they study. The school runs a variety of clubs such as sewing and sketching. Pupils who attend breakfast club enjoy a calm start to the day.

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Governors are now making regular visits to check on the quality of education across the curriculum. They are given the information they need to enable them to challenge and support the school effectively. Staff are proud to work at the school. They enjoy being 13 and 14 February 2024

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part of the team. Staff say that leaders support them in managing workload as ‘the door is always open’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum plans recently introduced identify the key knowledge to be learned. However, in some classrooms, the key knowledge that children need to learn is not made clear and the activities set for pupils to complete do not help them to learn this knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not learn and remember the key knowledge as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to focus on the most important knowledge in their teaching and help pupils learn that knowledge.  In some subjects, assessment information is not used to inform the next steps of teaching. Where this is the case, teachers do not plan activities to address the gaps in learning. The school should ensure that teachers know how best to check closely on pupils’ understanding in all subjects and then address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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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 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. 13 and 14 February 2024

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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 special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 13 and 14 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.eyresmonsell.leicester.sch.uk/

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provision.  The inspector was aware during this inspection of a serious incident involving a child who used to attend this school that had occurred since the previous inspection. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the school in response to the incident were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.  The school operates a breakfast club on the premises.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair. 13 and 14 February 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and science. 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 observed pupils reading with a familiar adult.  The inspector also looked at planning for foundation subjects and samples of pupils’ work in history.  The inspector met with leaders responsible for pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance, the early years and the provision of pupils with SEND.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the results of the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils. She met with groups of staff and pupils and met with parents on the playground.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central 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.

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Inspection team

Ann Davey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 February 2024

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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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