Kirmington CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kirmington CofE Primary School Kirmington, High Street, Ulceby, Lincolnshire DN39 6YP

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kirmington CofE Primary School is a small village school that enjoys strong links to the community. Pupils enjoy going to school and get on well with each other, no matter which year group they are in. Adults have positive relationships with the pupils. They chat with pupils as they meet them in the school and know all about their interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. They listen carefully to adults in lessons and are keen to join in class discussions. Pupils say they do not have to worry about bullying. They know about different types of bullying and say that bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that adults would help them if they had any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has begun to review the curriculum. However, curriculum plans are not used carefully enough. This means that, in some subjects, pupils in mixed-age classes do not build on what they have learned the previous year. This means that despite the school’s high expectations for pupils’ achievement, pupils are not making consistently good progress. The school does not check what has been taught carefully enough. This means leaders do not know how well pupils are learning in each subject.

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

Curriculum plans identify what pupils must know in each subject. In mathematics, these plans are used to ensure that pupils learn knowledge that is well matched to their needs. Pupils have a range of opportunities to solve problems and develop their reasoning skills. They build on what they have done in previous years. However, in some other subjects, the school does not ensure that curriculum plans are used effectively. This means that pupils in mixed-age classes do the same work. As a result, pupils do not build on what they have learned before. 3 July 2024

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The school does not check how well pupils are doing carefully enough. There have been no checks on some subjects. This means leaders do not know if the curriculum is being taught. The school gathers assessment information to check how well pupils are learning in English and mathematics. However, the school has not used this information well enough. In other subjects, the school has not put in place systems to check what pupils have remembered. As a result, the school cannot be sure if there are gaps in pupils’ learning.

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From an early age, adults help children to develop their language skills. Children in the early years are well supported to develop their vocabulary, such as through role play. Children start to learn to read as soon as they start school. All staff are trained to support pupils to learn letters and the sounds they represent. This helps to ensure there is a consistent approach in place to teaching phonics. The sounds that pupils should know as they move through the school are clearly mapped out. Teachers check that pupils are keeping up, and pupils receive extra support if they start to fall behind. The books that pupils read are well matched to their age and stage of development. As a result, most pupils use their knowledge of phonics well to read unfamiliar words.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive extra support. There are clear systems to identify pupils who have additional needs. The special educational needs coordinator provides staff with advice where needed. The school provides a range of resources to help staff meet pupils’ individual needs. This helps teachers and support staff to ensure pupils with SEND access the curriculum alongside their peers.

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The school encourages pupils to be respectful of different beliefs and ideas. Pupils are respectful of people with different backgrounds or beliefs. One pupil, typical of many, said, ‘It’s OK to be different. We’re all the same underneath.’ Pupils have opportunities to attend extra-curricular clubs, such as karate and creative writing clubs. These are well attended by all groups of pupils. The school’s curriculum helps pupils to learn how to stay healthy and safe. For example, pupils join in the ‘With Me in Mind’ programme and learn how to maintain positive mental health.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They work well as a team to help each other. The local authority supports the school in a range of areas . There has been a review of governance. Governors have not had effective oversight of the leadership of the school. The governing body is taking steps to ensure that there are clear systems in place to ensure it has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans are not followed closely enough in some subjects. Pupils of different ages learn the same knowledge in some subjects. As a result, pupils do not build effectively on what they have already learned in previous years. The school needs to ensure that curriculum plans are followed closely so that pupils are able to build effectively on what they know and can do in all subjects.  In some subjects, the school does not carefully check that pupils have learned the planned curriculum. As a result, leaders and teachers do not always know when pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school needs to ensure that there are systems in place to accurately identify what pupils know and remember in all subjects.  Governors have not maintained effective oversight of the way the school has been led and managed. This means governors do not have the knowledge they need to challenge leaders effectively. The governing body needs to introduce systems that help them to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

understand the school’s effectiveness so that they can provide challenge and support to school leaders.

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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 March 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. 3 July 2024

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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). 3 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes. Class 1 includes children in Nursery, Reception and Years 1 and 2. Class 2 includes pupils in Years 3 and 4. Class 3 includes pupils in Years 5 and 6.  This school is part of a federation with St Barnabas Church of England Primary School.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.  The school has a Christian character. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2017.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 3 July 2024

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 The inspectors met with the senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils and representatives of North Lincolnshire local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The inspectors listened to some pupils reading to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as the

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responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including safeguarding records and minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Sharp Ofsted Inspector 3 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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