Thorne King Edward Primary School

Inspection of Thorne King Edward Primary School King Edward Road, Thorne, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN8 4BY

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding 16 and 17 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established a distinctive school vision based on the acronym ‘HEART’. Staff work together to build their school on the foundations of happiness, excellence, aspirations, respect and togetherness. These are not just words. They are values that thread through all aspects of school life. Staff consistently display these values through their interactions with pupils. This inspires pupils to treat those around them with the utmost respect and kindness. Leaders have created a highly inclusive school culture. The school is a very happy place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that pupils study an ambitious curriculum. Pupils know that the things they learn now will help them in the future. This inspires pupils to be resilient when learning something new or mastering a skill such as writing. Pupils use their developing knowledge and skills confidently. This curriculum is brought to life through the impressive outdoor learning opportunities that the school offers. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults apply their high expectations of pupils consistently. Pupils behave consistently well. They display very positive attitudes towards their learning. Attendance is lower than it should be. However, leaders are taking action that is beginning to improve attendance. They are helping families to understand why it is important to attend school.

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better?

Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum. They have carefully considered the order in which pupils learn new content across the curriculum. This is increasingly helping pupils to remember more of their learning. In physical education (PE), pupils secure important skills such as throwing, catching and sprinting. When studying history, pupils develop their understanding of important cultures such as ancient Greece and Chinese dynasties. However, the school has not precisely identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This makes it harder for pupils to make connections between the different aspects that they are learning about.

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better?

Leaders have made reading a priority. They have made sure that all staff have the training that they need to help pupils become confident readers. In early years, adults help children to get off to a flying start. They learn phonics and begin to read and write simple words. Adults select a range of high-quality books for children to enjoy. Across school, adults share carefully chosen stories in a way that inspires pupils to read. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the way their teachers bring these stories to life. Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the support that they need to be able to read confidently. When pupils struggle to read, skilled adults provide the right support to help them catch up. This is helping all pupils to become confident readers.

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better?

Staff give children in early years lots of opportunities to develop their mathematical 16 and 17 July 2024

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skills. For example, children work out how many jugs of water it might take to fill a container. They become confident with number quickly. Leaders have recently revised the curriculum for mathematics. Pupils have more opportunities to apply their mathematical learning in different contexts. This is helping them to remember more of their learning.

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Pupils with SEND develop important knowledge and skills over time. They improve their confidence and communication skills. However, some support for pupils with SEND is not as effective. This support is not matched precisely enough to the areas individual pupils need to develop. This limits progress for some pupils with SEND.

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Pupils understand difference and diversity. They know that everyone deserves to be respected. Pupils talk with maturity about issues such as healthy relationships and consent. They know how to stay safe when online. They also appreciate the importance of not sharing personal information. Leaders deliberately broaden pupils’ experiences by introducing them to a range of different jobs and careers. This starts from Nursery. Here, the children experience ‘Big City’ role-play activities based on different jobs and careers. These include dentists and vets. Older pupils participate in career-focused weeks. They meet with visitors to talk about their professions. These experiences help pupils to be aspirational for their own futures.

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Those responsible for governance are knowledgeable about the school. The school secures effective support and professional development for staff at all levels. The workload and well-being of all staff is a priority. The school makes sure that staff have the time that they need to undertake their responsibilities effectively. Staff are proud to work in this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school has not identified the most important knowledge that pupils need precisely enough. Pupils do not connect this important knowledge to the things that they already know. The school should make sure that this knowledge is clearly identified to help pupils connect new learning to their existing knowledge.  Some pupils with SEND do not have the precise support they need. This means they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff understand how to meet the precise needs of pupils with SEND to ensure they achieve well. 16 and 17 July 2024

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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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Dr Sarah Caldwell

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School details

Website www.kingedward.doncaster.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 October 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This is an above-average-size primary school.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school runs a forest school provision for pupils.  The school runs a breakfast club provision for pupils in the school.

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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 senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. 16 and 17 July 2024

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 The lead inspector held a meeting with the local governing body including the chair of governors. The lead inspector held a separate meeting with the local authority representative.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, PE and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  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.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including minutes of

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governing body meetings and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors also spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, inspectors took account of the responses from Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including free-text comments. Inspectors also met with parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors met formally with staff to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joanne Cliff Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 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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