Linton-on-Ouse Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Linton-on-Ouse Primary School Linton Woods Lane, Linton-on-Ouse, York, North Yorkshire YO30 2BD

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love this school. Pupils, staff, governors and parents refer readily to the caring, nurturing, family feel the school has.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has exceptionally high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Staff effortlessly model the 'Linton way' ensuring that expectations are consistently applied. The school equips pupils with techniques that support them to manage their own behaviour. Pupils are extremely focused and participate fully in lessons. When pupils are working independently, they display high levels of self-control and resilience. One pupil, who reflected the views of many, said ‘you must keep going even when it gets tough.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has impressively high expectations for its pupils. Pupils’ handwriting is impeccable. Pupils produce high-quality work. They are proud of their learning journey.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their leadership roles. They organise lunch time clubs to teach younger pupils new games or to read together. Some pupils run a well-being club. These pupils offer support, friendship and promote well-being strategies to their peers. Pupils enjoy this responsibility. It supports them to develop organisational and interpersonal skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils want to make a difference to their community. For example, throughout the year they write and deliver letters to their neighbours. This enables pupils to show kindness, respect and what it means to be a good citizen. 23 April 2025

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

Since the last inspection, the school has ensured that the wider curriculum is well constructed to ensure that pupils build on prior learning. The school has significantly redesigned the curriculum to meet the needs of the rural community. As a small school, pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. The curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), cover the right content at the right time. The school quickly identifies any barriers to pupils’ learning. It provides appropriate support to ensure that pupils with SEND are highly successful. The school is meticulous in ensuring that pupil’s work matches their needs. For example, in mathematics pupils have individual targets that they diligently work to achieve.

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

Staff have exceptional subject knowledge. They use the correct subject-specific terminology and articulate clearly subject matter to pupils. The school check what pupils know and remember to ensure that pupils can recall prior knowledge. For example, in geography children in the early years learn about their school and village. Pupils build on this in subsequent year groups to widen their understanding of the world. The school encourages debating. This enables pupils to showcase what they have learned over time.

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

The school uses a phonics programme from the early years. Children have many opportunities to practise their oracy skills. For example, children in Reception swiftly formulate grammatically correct sentences containing a word given by the teacher. Pupils with SEND participate in these sessions successfully. Pupils’ reading books match the sounds that they know. Pupils at the early stages of reading show resilience and determination to read with fluency and accuracy. The school has an effective catch-up programme in place to support pupils who need extra help. As a result, by the end of key stage 1, pupils develop secure phonics knowledge.

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

The school has a rich and exciting personal development offer. It is at the heart of all that the school does. The school continuously reviews its personal, social and health education curriculum to ensure that it addresses issues that directly affect its pupils. For example, the school is close to a river and so it ensures that pupils learn to swim. It teaches pupils to be ‘mini medics’ so they understand health and safety and first aid procedures. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of the fundamental British values. They can relate these to their lives, such as following the school’s rules and voting for the school council representatives.

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

The school enriches its personal development programme with residential visits. These are carefully considered alongside the curriculum. This supports pupils’ character development as pupils experience teamwork tasks. It enhances their social skills, self- esteem and independence. Pupils are inquisitive. For example, children in Nursery are curious about their environment. They are keen to explore, ask questions and engage in physical challenges in the outdoor space.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has made significant progress in curriculum design and implementation. These changes are consistently applied by staff. There is a shared 23 April 2025

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vision for excellence across the school. Staff report incredible support from the school to reduce their workload. Governors are mindful of staff well-being, particularly in the context of being a small school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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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, 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 for overall effectiveness in December 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 23 April 2025

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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). 23 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher is the headteacher of this school and another local primary school.  The school is working in an informal collaboration with the school over which the headteacher also has responsibility.  Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.  The number of pupils on roll has decreased since 2019.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. 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 headteacher and other leaders in the school. 23 April 2025

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 Inspectors also met with members of the governing body and with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors 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, 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils. Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and pupils to gain their views about the school.

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sam O'Brien Ofsted Inspector 23 April 2025

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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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