Beswick and Watton CofE (VC) School

Inspection of Beswick and Watton CofE (VC) School Beverley Road, Beswick, Driffield YO25 9AR

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Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early Years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 30 April and 1 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and enjoy learning at this inclusive school. Pupils benefit from the nurturing, family feel that staff have created. Pupils talk confidently about the school’s Christian values. Parents recognise the work that the school does to ensure that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop valuable life skills that will help them to become active citizens. They act as lunchtime monitors, setting and clearing tables. Pupils become reading buddies and read stories to younger children. Through the school’s focus on emotional well-being, pupils learn how to be resilient and ready to learn. They thrive in the mixed-age classes. Pupils support each other to persevere with challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, the school has worked hard to improve the curriculum. There are new assessment systems in place. The proportion of pupils in different year groups in this very small school varies from year to year. Pupils achieve positive outcomes by the end of their time in school. They are well prepared for their next steps. Children begin this journey exceptionally well in the early years, However, there is further work to be done to ensure that rapid rates of progress are maintained beyond Reception.

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better?

The school has prioritised the development of the curriculum in the foundation subjects. These are now organised well. There is a well-sequenced curriculum in place that is designed to be ambitious for all pupils in the mixed-age classes. Pupils build their knowledge over time. The curriculum begins well in the early years. Leaders, including governors, are outward looking. They work closely with the wider federation and local authority to prioritise school improvement activities. The school now has a comprehensive assessment system in place. However, leaders recognise that this is not fully embedded.

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better?

Children flourish in the early years. They achieve extremely well. Adults use the school’s values of love, laugh, live, and learn to help the children to be exceptionally kind, respectful, and eager to learn. Children show well-developed skills of sharing and cooperation.

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better?

Children begin phonics as soon as they start school. They learn new words well and confidently use this in their writing. Books that pupils read match the sounds they learn. This helps them to gain confidence. Staff benefit from the training they receive to teach phonics and reading well. They check on pupils’ phonic knowledge skilfully and quickly identify those who need help. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to catch up quickly.

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better?

The mathematics curriculum is equally ambitious. Teachers routinely review previous learning. They expertly provide clear explanations and model vocabulary. This 30 April and 1 May 2024

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means, for example, that children in the early years can confidently describe different calculations for numbers up to 10.

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The school has high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work with parents and a range of agencies to ensure that pupils receive the help they need. Staff match pupils’ support plans to their needs well and review these regularly. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Teachers’ skilful delivery of lessons in the mixed-age classes is a strength of the school, especially in core subjects, such as English and mathematics. In history, older pupils learn about Anglo Saxons and younger pupils learn about toys old and new. However, the independent work that is set for pupils in subjects, such as history, sometimes does not match the curriculum expectations. When this happens, pupils do not learn as much as they could.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are positive. They behave well in lessons. This begins in the early years. Children listen carefully, take turns, and show high levels of independence. The environment in classrooms and around the school is calm and productive. Pupils show high levels of respect to each other and to adults. However, some pupils are less enthusiastic about aspects of their learning, for example, when talking about their history topics and opportunities for reading.

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Leaders prioritise the wider development of pupils. Pupils develop their sense of character when planning the school fairs. The school teaches pupils about budgeting and the value of money. Pupils talk about the fundamental British values, such as the rule of law and democracy. They debate questions in collective worship. This helps them to understand why it is important for everyone to have their say.

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Governors’ support of the school is steadfast. They share leaders’ vision of ambition for all. Governors understand their roles well and bring a range of experiences to their work with the school. They challenge the school effectively and ensure that its vision and values are prioritised. The school considers staff workload and well-being when making changes, recognising the multiple responsibilities of staff in small schools. As a result, staff feel valued and supported well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment systems in some subjects are new. Consequently, teachers do not always know what pupils have understood before moving learning on. The school 30 April and 1 May 2024

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should continue to develop processes to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge, ensuring staff apply these processes consistently well.  In some subjects, the learning activities chosen do not match the ambition of the curriculum. As a result, pupils are not learning as much or as deeply as they could. The school should ensure that they support teachers to provide activities that focus on the essential knowledge and skills that pupils need to develop in all subjects.

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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). 30 April and 1 May 2024

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school is federated with Bishop Wilton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School and Middleton-on-the-Wolds Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School. Together they form The Wolds Federation.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The last section 48 inspection of the school was in April 2019. The timescales for reinspection have been extended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, curriculum leaders, staff, and pupils. Meetings were also held with representatives of the governing body, the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, 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 observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work in geography.  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

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The views of parents were considered from their responses to Ofsted’s parent questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  The views of staff were considered from meeting with them and from their responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  The views of pupils were considered from meetings with them and from their response to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lisa Ponter, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Styles Ofsted Inspector 30 April and 1 May 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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