Tetney Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Tetney Primary School Humberston Road, Tetney, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN36 5NG

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Outcome

Tetney Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tetney Primary School is warm and welcoming. Pupils say they feel happy and safe. The vast majority of parents and carers agree. Pupils trust adults to help them if they need it. Pupils get on well with each other and the adults they work with. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school emphasises the values of courage, integrity, inclusion, kindness, respect and unity. Staff teach these values through consistent messages, and by providing clear boundaries and support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for its pupils and what they can achieve. Pupils are doing well in reading and mathematics. They are achieving very well in writing. The school is reviewing and improving its curriculum for the other subjects. It wants pupils to achieve high standards in every subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupil numbers have grown as Tetney’s good reputation has spread. Many pupils travel from Grimsby and from neighbouring villages to attend the school. One parent captured the views of many when they said, ‘Tetney is a fantastic school. My child has thrived since starting last year.’

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

The school is in the process of revising its curriculum. The new curriculum is ambitious. It has been set out clearly for the current year. However, next year’s curriculum plans for mixed-age classes have not yet been fully determined.

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

The school checks pupils’ learning effectively in reading, writing and mathematics. It is starting to check that pupils are remembering important knowledge in other subjects. However, at present, staff cannot be sure which pupils may be falling behind in foundation subjects. 22 February 2024

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The mathematics curriculum is strong. Detailed curriculum thinking sets out what pupils should know, and be able to do, in each year group. What children learn in Reception connects with what comes next in key stage 1. If any pupil falls behind in mathematics, staff ensure they get the help they need to catch up. As a result, pupils develop secure mathematical knowledge.

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The school has improved its reading curriculum recently. Staff have received training on how to teach the school’s chosen phonics scheme. Staff now adopt a common approach to the teaching of phonics, which starts at the very beginning of the Reception year. Staff make sure that the small number of older pupils who still need some help with phonics get the support they require. The love of reading is promoted in a number of ways at Tetney. This includes the ‘poetry basket’ in the early years and shared reading sessions in key stage 1 and key stage 2.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are welcomed in the classroom, and they play a full part in the life of the school. Teachers adapt activities so that pupils with SEND can learn the same things as their classmates. The school checks carefully to make sure that pupils with SEND are fully involved in extra-curricular activities.

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Almost all pupils attend well, despite the distances some have to travel. The school has high expectations for attendance. These expectations are shared with families when they join Tetney.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development well. Pupils learn about different faiths and beliefs. They develop leadership skills. For example, some pupils become members of the school council or sports leaders. They take responsibility for setting out equipment during social times. They learn about fundamental British values and about protected characteristics.

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Pupils enjoy attending a range of clubs and activities outside of lessons. The school keeps track of who attends these activities. The extra-curricular offer is adjusted to match pupils’ interests.

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Staff praise leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being. They acknowledge the significant improvements that have taken place over the last two years. Staff appreciate the training and support they receive. They are relishing the opportunities to lead subject development.

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There is strong leadership on the governing body. Governors are now visiting the school more often. This is helping them to know more about the quality of education at Tetney. The governing body is keen to develop further so they can hold leaders to account effectively for all aspects of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 22 February 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not completed its review of the curriculum for foundation subjects. At present, pupils are learning an appropriate curriculum but plans for next year and beyond are not yet fully determined. The school should complete its curriculum review, ensuring that pupils in mixed-age classes develop and deepen their knowledge year on year.  The assessment of pupils’ progress in foundation subjects is not as rigorous and informative as assessment in the core subjects. At present, the school cannot identify with certainty which pupils are falling behind in non-core subjects. The school should continue to develop an effective assessment strategy alongside their revised curriculum plans.  Governance in the recent past has not been sufficiently wide-ranging or challenging. Governors should continue to build on recent improvements in their monitoring so that they are well informed and can hold leaders to account effectively across the

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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 November 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. 22 February 2024

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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). 22 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Rebecca Blackwood

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2021.  The school has grown in size since the last inspection, from 69 to 122 pupils.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors undertook deep dives into early reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 22 February 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors 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.  The inspectors visited the after-school club and observed pupils during breaks and around the school site.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including curriculum plans and the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The lead inspector met with governors and reviewed minutes from meetings held by those responsible for governance.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff questionnaires and spoke with parents at the start of the day.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority and to two parents/carers on the telephone.

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Inspection team

Jo Ward, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Fearns-Davies His Majesty’s Inspector 22 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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