East Halton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: East Halton Primary School College Road, East Halton, Immingham, Lincolnshire DN40 3PJ

p.1

Outcome

East Halton Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend East Halton Primary School. They feel safe at this small, friendly school. They know if they have any worries that staff will listen and respond. Pupils say they enjoy coming to this small school ‘because we’re really tight-knit, and everyone knows and cares for each other’.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around school. They are polite and courteous to adults and each other.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from many different opportunities to enhance their personal development. They enjoy learning from visitors to school, both in lessons and in assemblies. They take on roles with different responsibilities and understand how these contribute to school life.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement. This reflects in pupils’ good standard of work. Pupils achieve standards of attainment typical for their age. A new, improved curriculum has been introduced. This is helping pupils to know and remember more in many subjects. Pupils talk knowledgably about what they have learned. In some subjects, however, curriculum improvements are in the early stages of implementation. The school is yet to review and evaluate the impact it is having on pupils’ achievement. Leaders have already identified that doing so is an important next step.

p.1

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and well structured. Recent improvements carefully consider how to sequence learning for pupils in mixed-age classes. The early years curriculum is well adapted to meet children’s individual needs. Children are well prepared for learning in key stage 1. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same curriculum as their classmates. Effective steps are put in place to support their needs. 19 June 2024

p.1

2

The school has a clearly structured phonics programme. It is a school priority and there is a consistent approach to its delivery. Leaders check the impact of this closely. Teachers share their subject knowledge well. They give pupils many opportunities to revisit and consolidate prior learning. Teachers then check this to provide additional timely support for those pupils who need it. Any pupils who fall behind, catch-up quickly. Pupils read regularly, both at home and at school. They read books that are well matched to their needs. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

p.2

2

The new curriculum in writing is already having a positive impact. There is now a stronger focus on developing basic writing skills at a young age. The quality of pupils’ handwriting skills has improved. Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to write extended sentences. Older pupils understand the different purposes of writing and apply this well in their own independent work. Pupils receive effective feedback about their work and this helps them to know what to do to improve their writing further.

p.2

2

In mathematics, overall, pupils achieve well. The curriculum is sequenced to give pupils opportunities to build on what they already know and to learn new content in small steps. All pupils, including those with SEND, receive the support they need. Practical resources, or modified questions, are used to help these pupils to keep up with their classmates. Pupils who struggle receive timely support to ensure that their mathematical knowledge builds well over time. However, sometimes, teachers’ checks do not identify whether pupils’ knowledge and understanding is fully secure before asking them to apply it independently, such as to problem-solving and reasoning challenges. At times, pupils’ misconceptions hamper their ability to achieve as well as they could.

p.2

2

In many subjects, pupils are able to remember things they have previously learned, and this supports them well to understand new concepts. In geography, for example, pupils are able to use their knowledge of continents to understand where earthquakes may occur. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is still developing. In these subjects, leaders are not fully clear how well pupils know and remember what they have been taught in new units of work.

p.2

2

Expectations of behaviour are high. Pupils treat each other with respect. Attendance is good. The school follows robust systems to provide pupils and their families with the support they need. These systems have a positive impact.

p.2

2

Work to develop pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils take on active roles, such as well-being ambassadors and play leaders, which they enjoy. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain through regular assemblies on current affairs, and can talk about things such as protected characteristics. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe through learning about things such as water safety and online safety. Pupils care about the school and its role in the community.

p.2

2

The school has been through a period of change. Leaders have correctly identified strategic improvements and have taken the necessary steps to ensure pupils achieve well. They know the school well. Leaders work effectively with external partners. Changes to the curriculum have been carefully introduced and are having a positive impact on pupils’ 19 June 2024

p.2

3

learning. Staff also recognise these improvements and appreciate that leaders consider their workload when making changes.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In mathematics, sometimes, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding effectively before asking them to apply that knowledge. This means that some pupils have misconceptions during their independent work. The school should ensure that staff use effective assessment strategies in lessons to identify those who need further support.  Curriculum improvements are in the early stages in some subjects. Leaders have not yet been able to evaluate how well pupils know and remember learning from new units of work. Leaders should ensure that monitoring activities check what pupils have learned and remembered in all curriculum subjects.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2019.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 19 June 2024

p.3

4

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). 19 June 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority Interim executive board

p.5

School details

Chair of the interim executive board Rob Biglands

p.5

School details

Headteacher Hayley Twidale (executive headteacher)

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Humber Estuary Federation. The leadership team works across all three schools within the federation.  An interim executive board was established for the school and federation in May 2022.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the executive headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with members of the interim executive board.  The inspectors carried out deep dives into the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers, 19 June 2024

p.5

6

and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also met with staff to discuss the science and physical education curriculum, and looked at pupils’ writing books.  The inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND and pupils’ personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead 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 inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors and in lessons. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying. Inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s programme of personal development.  The lead inspector considered the responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View,

p.6

6

including the comments submitted via the free-text facility. The lead inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Paul Martindale, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7