Amotherby Community Primary School

Inspection of Amotherby Community Primary School Meadowfield, Amotherby, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 6TG

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Amotherby Community Primary School is a happy and friendly school. Pupils treat members of the school community with courtesy and respect. In the early years, relationships between adults and children are warm and caring. Pupils are safe. They trust adults to help them to resolve any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school aspires for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to receive a high-quality education. Children in the early years get off to a strong start. However, the school’s ambition for pupils is not yet realised. In some areas of the curriculum, too many pupils do not achieve as well as they should. There is still work to do to ensure that all pupils have the breadth, and depth, of knowledge they need to be ready for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very well behaved in all areas of school life. Pupils meet the school’s high expectations for behaving well right from Reception. Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone equally. Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra- curricular activities. Pupils welcome visitors warmly to their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of parents and carers are positive about the school and would recommend it to others. Many commented on the friendly atmosphere and strong community feel.

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better?

The school has a clear vision for an ambitious curriculum. Some subjects, such as science, have well-designed plans. In these subjects, the precise knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is clear. Pupils regularly revisit key concepts. Pupils can confidently recall what they have learned. However, some subjects are at an earlier stage of development than others. In these less-well-developed subjects, pupils find it difficult to remember important knowledge. They do not talk confidently about what they have learned.

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better?

The curriculum content for mathematics is well considered. The school ensures that pupils cover key mathematical concepts. However, some pupils do not learn these concepts in sufficient depth. When this happens, pupils struggle to use what they have learned when they move on to new learning.

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better?

Early reading is a high priority in school. Staff implement the school’s chosen phonics programme consistently and effectively. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start in Reception. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. Well-trained staff provide effective support for pupils who are at risk of falling behind in reading. These pupils get the support they need to catch up quickly. Pupils become fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading and the range of books on offer.

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better?

The school routinely checks how well pupils are learning the curriculum. In some subjects, any misunderstandings pupils may have are identified and addressed well. 10 and 11 April 2024

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However, this does not happen effectively in all subjects. In mathematics and writing, for example, the checks that the school makes are not precise enough. They do not fully identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Some pupils, including those with SEND, do not get the support they need to achieve consistently well. Sometimes lesson activities are not adapted well enough to meet the needs of individual pupils.

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The early years curriculum prioritises language development. Staff model spoken language well. Skilled adults encourage children to use new vocabulary and extend their talk. Strong routines are firmly established. Children cooperate sensibly with each other. They show consistently positive attitudes towards their learning. Children persevere with challenging tasks. For example, during the inspection, one child made a cave for a woolly mammoth. They reminded themselves what the animal looked like by checking on the internet.

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The school has clear rules about behaviour. These include to ‘be ready, be respectful and be safe’. Pupils understand, and consistently follow, these rules. Pupils value the rewards that they receive in the weekly celebration assembly, such as the ‘above and beyond’ and ‘lead learner’ certificates.

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Pupils know how to stay healthy. They understand the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise. They learn strategies for positive mental health. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe online. They enjoy the leadership roles in school, including school councillors and playground leaders. Pupils are enthusiastic about the introduction of the school newspaper. They enjoy the opportunity to report about key areas of school life, including the ‘teacher feature’.

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There have been significant changes in leadership at the school since the last inspection. The school has identified the most important priorities to take the school forward. Parents, pupils and staff comment positively on the recent changes. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported with their workload. There is a strong team in place to ensure that the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the wider curriculum, the school has not identified the precise knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This means that pupils are not building their knowledge step by step. The school should use the processes that have been successful in subjects such as science to develop the remaining subjects, making sure that teachers have the resources and training they need to implement the curriculum effectively.  In mathematics, some pupils do not have a secure knowledge of mathematical 10 and 11 April 2024

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concepts. This means that they are not able to apply their understanding of mathematics to work out more complex problems. The school should make sure that pupils have the opportunity to practise and consolidate what they have been taught before moving on to new learning.  In some subjects, the school does not identify consistently, or in enough detail, the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This means that pupils are not achieving as well as they should in some areas of the curriculum and in national tests. The school should complete the implementation of its recently revised approach to assessment swiftly and ensure that the identification of, and support for, pupils’ needs is effective across all subjects in the curriculum. As part of this work, the school should continue to monitor closely how well pupils are prepared for their next stage in education.  In some lessons, activities are not adapted well enough for pupils with SEND. This

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means that some pupils with SEND are not achieving as well as they could. The school must ensure that all staff understand how best to meet pupils’ specific needs so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum successfully and achieve well.

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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’ 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). 10 and 11 April 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was new to the post in February 2024.  The school does not use 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

 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and the assistant headteacher who is also the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors met with a representative from the local authority and with members of the governing body. 10 and 11 April 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors 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. Inspectors heard pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, at playtime and at lunchtime. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their views of the school, their learning, behaviour and safety.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff and

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pupils. They took into account the views of parents and carers using Ofsted Parent View, including comments received via the free-text facility. Inspectors also talked to parents in the school playground.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beaumont, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stu Mills Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 April 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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