East Whitby Primary Academy

Inspection of East Whitby Primary Academy Stainsacre Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4HU

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

p.1

The principal of this school is Simon Smith. This school is part of The Enquire Learning 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), Darren Holmes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Delyse Turrell. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

East Whitby Primary Academy is an inclusive and caring school. Deeply respectful and positive relationships exist between teachers and pupils. During lesson times, pupils’ behaviour is calm and focused. At playtime and lunchtime, pupils enjoy playing together. All pupils consider themselves ‘playground buddies’. This means that no one is left out. Arguments between pupils are rare. They are confident that when they need help, the adults in school will be there for them. Pupils feel safe, well cared for and respected.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school aims to create confident and independent learners. Consistently high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour help to realise this ambition. This starts in the early years where children are quickly taught to share, take turns and learn together. All pupils are well supported to reach the school’s high aspirations.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wealth of opportunities that broaden their horizons beyond Whitby. This includes trips to museums, residential experiences and visits from published authors. Pupils relish the opportunities they get to contribute to the life of the school. They enjoy running their own clubs. Pupils speak proudly of the money they have raised for charity and the difference that this has made for others.

p.2

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

The school has made significant improvements to the curriculum in subjects, such as English and mathematics. Pupils’ knowledge builds up over time in a logical sequence. Highly effective staff training has ensured that teachers have the skills and expertise to teach these subjects well. However, in some other subjects, the curriculum does not clearly define the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should remember. This leads to gaps in their understanding, and pupils’ use of subject specific language is less precise. The school’s choice to teach some subjects less frequently than others also hinders pupils’ recollection of the knowledge they have been taught. This is because pupils are not given enough opportunity to revisit their learning and because the time between units of work is too long.

p.2

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

Developing pupils’ love of literature is a big part of school life at East Whitby. Pupils benefit from a well-stocked library with a wide choice of genres and authors to enjoy. Reading is prioritised as soon as children start school. Staff in the early years encourage children to explore books throughout the day, and classrooms are full of high-quality texts.

p.2

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

Staff enthusiastically read to children. This brings stories to life and captures pupils’ imagination. Teachers are experts at delivering phonics. They make regular checks on pupils’ learning to ensure that they are keeping up. Extra help is available for pupils who may be struggling. The number of pupils starting key stage 2 as confident readers is increasing.

p.2

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

In the early years, children enjoy learning in a well-resourced and engaging learning environment that is rich in vocabulary. The outdoor learning space provides opportunities 25 and 26 March 2025

p.2

3

for children to be adventurous and creative. This helps to build children’s confidence and independence. The early years is a place of celebration and adventure.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff are well trained and knowledgeable. They make careful adjustments to the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND are fully included. Pupils with the most complex needs thrive under the care and support that the staff provide.

p.3

3

The school is tenacious in the way it promotes attendance and challenges pupils’ absences. Monthly communications to parents and carers provide updates on their child’s attendance. Leaders analyse attendance information frequently. They take targeted action where necessary and work with local charities and services to help provide the support parents need to get their children to school.

p.3

3

There is a well-considered provision for pupils’ personal development. At the start of the year, pupils set out their hopes and ambitions, which are displayed around the school. The school’s ‘Pride of East Whitby Programme’ is an innovative approach to developing pupils as active citizens. Through the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, pupils learn about the negative impact that drugs or alcohol can have on physical and mental health. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. However, pupils’ knowledge of British values is underdeveloped. They do not understand the importance of these values in modern society.

p.3

3

The trust works closely with the school. It has an accurate view of the school’s performance. Enquiry visits are used to check on the progress the school is making against agreed priorities. This helps to focus the school’s work on areas that will most impact pupils. Specialist support is provided by the trust to support the school in achieving its ambitious goals.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum does not clearly define the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should know and remember. Because of this, learning does not always build sequentially and pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught. The school should clearly establish the important curriculum content and vocabulary that pupils need to learn across all subjects so that they do not have gaps in their knowledge.  In some subjects, the way in which learning is organised does not give pupils the opportunities they need to build on previous learning. This means that pupils are unable to recall what they have studied. The school should ensure that pupils revisit 25 and 26 March 2025

p.3

4

their previous learning more regularly so that they remember more of what they have been taught.  The curriculum does not provide pupils with an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values. This means that they are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that they further develop pupils’ understanding of British values so that pupils have a clear understanding of what this means in their lives and their role in society.

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). 25 and 26 March 2025

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 4 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school joined The Enquire Learning Trust in 2016.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.  There is a residential field study centre, owned and operated by The Enquire Learning Trust, on the school site.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The school does not use alternative provision.  There is a 12-place targeted mainstream provision on site for pupils with communication and interaction needs.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and 25 and 26 March 2025

p.5

6

management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.6

6

 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. 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 the principal, vice principal and members of the Academy Improvement Committee, including the chair of the committee.  Meetings were held with the chair of the trust and the CEO.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the school’s work in some other curriculum areas.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

6

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.  An inspector visited the school’s breakfast club and spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  To evaluate pupils’ behaviour, inspectors visited lessons, analysed behaviour records, met with groups of pupils and observed their play at breaktime and lunchtime.

p.6

Inspection team

Chris Pearce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Mark Hassack Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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