Kettlewell Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kettlewell Primary School Kettlewell, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 5HX

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Outcome

Kettlewell Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love to learn at Kettlewell Primary School. Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement. They plan an ambitious curriculum enabling every child, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the village school atmosphere. They feel safe and free from bullying. Strong relationships exist between staff and pupils. Pupils know that they can talk to an adult if they have a worry or concern. Pupils behave well, following the school rules of ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’. They are kind and polite. One parent accurately describes the school as, ‘caring and inclusive where children shine brightly all of the time’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide variety of trips and after-school clubs that enhance their learning and support their wider development. Pupils have a positive impact on the school through leadership roles. They feel part of decision-making. They have a good understanding of democracy.

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

The school is part of a federation of four small primary schools in the Yorkshire Dales. Leaders have high ambitions to ensure that all pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum. They have carefully planned the curriculum to expose pupils to a range of experiences, ensuring that pupils do not become isolated in a smaller school. Pupils benefit from the power of being part of a federation. Through ‘Federation Fridays’ pupils enjoy learning a range of subjects with their peers from across the schools, such as music and French.

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

Pupils learn the intended curriculum in a logical and sequenced way. Staff regularly check pupils’ understanding. They use this information to quickly identify and address any misconceptions or gaps in pupil’s learning. In lessons, staff help pupils to learn the intended curriculum well. This generates pupil’s passion and enthusiasm for the subjects. In mathematics lessons in Reception and key stage 1, staff deepen and extend pupils’ 4 July 2024

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understanding through discussion, verbal reasoning and skilful questioning. However, this is not as consistent in key stage 2. Consequently, pupils who are ready to tackle more complex work do not receive the challenge that they need to deepen their knowledge.

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Reading is at the centre of the curriculum. Staff receive consistent support and training to enable them to deliver effective phonic lessons. Staff quickly identify pupils who may be at risk of falling behind. Pupils receive interventions that help them to progress rapidly. As a result, pupils are fluent, confident readers who love to read. They access a range of books that have been carefully chosen by the school.

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Staff receive training to help them quickly identify pupils with SEND. They successfully adapt their lessons to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND access the same knowledge- rich curriculum as their peers. As a result, they progress well.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. In lessons they are self-motivated and eager to learn. Children in Reception display high levels of independence and resilience. They know the routines well. They listen carefully and follow instructions.

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The early years curriculum explicitly focuses on developing children’s communication and language skills. All staff know how to extend children’s vocabulary. Children have a good understanding and knowledge of the natural world. Leaders carefully select appropriate activities that brings learning to life. Children enjoy learning mathematics through building tent frames out of sticks in the forest school. Their physical development is enhanced through den building. Children have a sense of awe and wonder when collecting and observing insects through a magnifying glass. They know how to keep themselves safe in this environment.

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Leaders deliberately plan the curriculum to enrich pupils’ wider experiences and enhance their cultural capital. This includes a range of performances, such as a musical mash up performance of ‘Matilda’, Year 6 residentials and trips to London and the seaside.

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The school prioritises regular attendance. Leaders work with parents and carers to support the school’s expectations of pupils’ attendance are met successfully.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They are highly motivated to help pupils to succeed in their learning. One member of staff reflected the views of many, ‘this is a tiny school with big ambitions’. They feel leaders, including governors, are supportive, visible and are mindful of their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not yet fully implemented the use of strategies to extend pupils’ knowledge and deepen their understanding in mathematics. This limits pupils’ progress. The school should ensure it provides opportunities for pupils to extend their learning in mathematics consistently across school.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we the school to be good in July 2019.

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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). 4 July 2024

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provision

Appropriate authority The governing body

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provision

Co-Chairs of governing body Anne Vetch (Co-chair) Kester Horn (Co-chair) Executive Headteachers Claire Greenwood (Co-executive headteacher) Mr Chris Parkhouse (Co-executive headteacher) Website http://www.kettlewell.n-yorks.sch.uk/

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provision

Date of previous inspection 10 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Upper Wharfedale Primary Federation of which there are three other schools. There are two co-executive headteachers across the federation.  Since the last inspection, a co-chair of governors has been appointed.  The federation runs a breakfast club at the school. There is also an after-school club at Grassington Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School which some pupils attend.  The school does not use any alternative provision. 4 July 2024

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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 the evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the co-executive headteachers, subject leaders across the federation, governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also considered the online staff survey and pupil survey.

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Information about this inspection

 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.

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Inspection team

Jenny Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Voyce His Majesty’s Inspector 4 July 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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