Swinton Fitzwilliam Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Swinton Fitzwilliam Primary School Broadway, Swinton, Mexborough, South Yorkshire S64 8HF

p.1

Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

p.1

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Peter Cotton. This school is part of White Woods Primary Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Kathrine Davies, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phil Marshall.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school. Pupils behave well in class and around school. They are polite and friendly. Pupils enjoy coming to school. New pupils settle in quickly. Pupils are proud ambassadors of their school. They enjoy taking on leadership roles. This helps them to contribute positively to developing the school. For example, members of the school council have worked with their peers and school leaders to revise the school’s rules.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers value being part of the school’s community. They recognise how the school fosters partnership between home and school. Many parents who provided feedback during the inspection commented favourably on the caring and nurturing environment that the school provides. They appreciate being able to speak to their child’s class teacher if they are concerned about something.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils. However, pupils’ achievement in national tests over the past two years indicate that some pupils achieve less well than expected by the time they leave the school. The school has developed strategies to overcome barriers to pupils achieving. Despite this, further refinement of the school’s practice is required for its ambition to be realised. 14 and 15 January 2025

p.1

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

In recent years, the school has redesigned its curriculum. It has identified what children should learn during their time at the school. Children in the early years benefit from opportunities to explore their learning through purposeful activities. They learn to count and recognise numbers. Adults promote children’s communication and language well. Children learn the important skills and knowledge that they need to support their learning. This prepares them appropriately for moving into Year 1.

p.2

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

The school has supported teachers to structure their lessons carefully so that pupils learn the intended curriculum. Teachers explain learning clearly. However, they do not consistently check what pupils already know and can do. Sometimes work is not well matched to pupils’ prior understanding. For some pupils, the work they are given does not challenge them sufficiently. Some other pupils are given work that is too challenging. This prevents pupils from deepening their knowledge and understanding of what they are learning.

p.2

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

The school has established processes to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, it does not have a consistently clear view of the steps needed to support their learning effectively. Consequently, it is difficult for the school to evaluate whether pupils are making the progress that is expected.

p.2

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

The school’s approach to teaching phonics is established. The majority of pupils leave key stage 1 having achieved the expected standard in phonics. Some of these pupils continue to require additional support with their reading when they are in key stage 2. Adults skilfully support pupils who require further time to become confident and fluent readers. Pupils develop an interest in reading as they move through the school. They enjoy reading books by a range of authors. The school has carefully selected texts for pupils to study that reflect a variety of cultures. This helps pupils to learn about the world beyond where they live.

p.2

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

Most pupils attend school regularly. They know that it is important to go to school. The school has implemented clear systems and processes to review pupils’ absence. It works with families to overcome any barriers to pupils attending. Over time, pupils’ rates of absence have significantly decreased.

p.2

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

Pupils benefit from opportunities to enhance their broader development. They demonstrate an age-appropriate understanding of the fundamental British values. They know that it is important to treat other people with fairness and respect. The school enables pupils to regularly participate in events within the local community. This includes sports competitions and tournaments as well as singing with other schools. These activities broaden pupils’ horizons and develop their sense of citizenship.

p.2

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

Most staff appreciate that the school supports them in their role. Leaders consider the impact of decisions on staff well-being and workload. Staff value this. The school has taken steps to ensure that all pupils benefit from a consistently high-quality education. It 14 and 15 January 2025

p.2

3

checks that steps taken to improve the school are effective. However, these checks lack precision. The school does not fully consider the impact of its actions on pupils’ progress. This means that leaders, including those with responsibility for governance, do not develop a clear and accurate understanding of which actions are working and why.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not consistently identify the steps it needs to take to support pupils with SEND. For some pupils, it is not clear what actions are needed to support their learning effectively. The school should make sure that it consistently and accurately identifies the most important steps that pupils with SEND need and ensure that these are clearly communicated to, and implemented, by staff.  Teachers do not consistently check what pupils already know and can do. Some pupils are given work that does not challenge them enough. Others complete work that is too difficult. The school should continue to refine its strategies to ensure that teachers provide work that accurately meets pupils’ needs.  Systems and processes to review the impact of the school’s actions are not refined enough. This prevents the school from sharply identifying aspects of its work that require further development. Leaders, including those with responsibility for

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

governance, should refine the way they check on the impact of their actions.

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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, 14 and 15 January 2025

p.3

4

behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.4

4

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Swinton Fitzwilliam Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2015.

p.4

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 14 and 15 January 2025

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 9 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is part of White Woods Primary Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator. 14 and 15 January 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 inspector held separate meetings with the executive school improvement leader for the trust, the CEO, chair of the governing board and the chair of the board of trustees.  The inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector met with a group of staff and reviewed responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Matthew Harrington, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

p.6

7

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.

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