Stainforth Kirton Lane Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Stainforth Kirton Lane Primary School Thorne Road, Stainforth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN7 5BG

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Outcome

Stainforth Kirton Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Kirton Lane Primary School. They enjoy learning and playing in the inclusive environment that the staff have created. Pupils’ work is celebrated in assemblies and displays. Pupils learn about the local area and the rich mining heritage in the village that they live in. They are proud of what they achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years settle in very quickly. They learn to take turns and share. Adults model new vocabulary and encourage pupils to use it themselves. Pupils concentrate on activities and persevere when facing difficulties.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what is expected of them. Behaviour is positive. There is a calm atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils understand that some of their friends have different needs to themselves. Pupils are kind and caring. They know that adults will help them to resolve any issues or worries they might have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take full advantage of the range of activities that the school offers, such as archery and arts and crafts. Pupils also have leadership opportunities in school. They can become school councillors and playground buddies. Older pupils help younger pupils at lunchtime during the family service dining.

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

The school has a carefully designed, bespoke curriculum that is ambitious and progressive. New learning builds on what pupils already know. Subject leaders and early years staff work together. This ensures that the curriculum builds from the early years to the end of key stage 2. There is a focus on vocabulary that increases in ambition over time. Pupils with SEND successfully learn the same curriculum as their peers. The school adapts teaching and resources to support pupils with SEND well. All pupils access the intended learning. 23 and 24 April 2024

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Subject leaders support teachers well. This enables them to teach the broad curriculum with confidence. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. Their enthusiastic approach to teaching encourages pupils to want to learn. Pupils enjoy well-established learning routines and engage well in their learning. Staff use appropriate activities to deliver the curriculum. This helps most pupils to remember the important knowledge that they have been taught. However, some pupils working at a higher level do not have the support they need to deepen their understanding. Although these pupils can access challenging activities, sometimes they do not understand how to complete them. As a result, some pupils do not achieve at the levels they are capable of.

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The school regularly checks pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum in all subjects. Teachers use this information to address any gaps in learning. Pupils have many opportunities to revisit and remember what they learned have before.

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Reading is a high priority in this school. Children in the Nursery class enjoy stories. Once in the Reception class, children follow the school’s phonics programme. Staff are highly skilled at teaching early reading. They ensure that children become confident and fluent readers. Staff ensure that children who need additional support receive it. The school shows parents how to help their children read at home.

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Pupils say that they enjoy reading. They have a library and can choose books they would like to take home to read. Pupils are rewarded for reading at home. Older pupils enjoy using the online reading programme.

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The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Teaching is adapted to enable pupils to learn to become successful learners. The school uses specialist staff and adapted resources to ensure that pupils with SEND can follow the same curriculum as their classmates.

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Following the COVID-19 pandemic, some pupils still do not attend school often enough. The school works tirelessly to support families and to encourage attendance. Overall, attendance is improving slowly. However, there are a number of pupils who are persistently absent from school.

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The school ensures that pupils have lots of opportunities to develop their character. Trips, activities and events are planned carefully to give pupils a wide range of opportunities. The ‘Super Learning’ days have a focus, such as learning about Shakespeare. Younger pupils have access to a Forest School every week. They learn about risk-taking and life skills.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel valued. Their workload and well-being are considered. Governors use their knowledge and experience to contribute strongly to the school’s development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 23 and 24 April 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are absent from school too often. These pupils miss out on learning and have gaps in their knowledge. The school should continue to support families to overcome barriers to pupils attending school.  Some pupils are not able to access challenge effectively in lessons. As a result, some pupils do not achieve at the higher standards that they are capable of. The school should ensure that the curriculum is challenging enough for the most able pupils.

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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 December 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.

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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). 23 and 24 April 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 December 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club and after-school clubs for pupils.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.  There are high numbers of disadvantaged pupils at the school.

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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 of the school since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and members of the staff team.  The inspector conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, art and mathematics. There was also a meeting with subject leads about the history curriculum. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 23 and 24 April 2024

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. She also listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke to members of the governing body, including the chair. She also met the senior learning standards and effectiveness officer for the local authority.  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.  The inspector spoke to pupils about their experiences of school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also considered the responses to the Ofsted surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Helen Haunch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 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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