The Green Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • introducing robust processes for checking the quality of teaching
  • developing the skills of subject leaders so that they evaluate and influence the work of other teachers more effectively
  • implementing an assessment system that provides an accurate overview of pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics
  • using the funding for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities more effectively to accelerate their progress.
• Improve the quality of teaching to raise pupils’ achievement by:
  • taking swift action to improve any teaching that is found to be less than good through high-quality professional development
  • creating consistently high expectations of the quality and quantity of written work, particularly for the most able, the middle attaining and disadvantaged pupils
  • ensuring that all teachers correct pupils’ letter formation and pencil grip, and insist on the highest standards of presentation
  • making sure that all teachers carefully plan tasks that meet the needs and abilities of all pupils
  • improving the teaching of phonics
  • providing the right support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities to make sure that they make faster progress.
• Improve pupils’ personal development and behaviour by:
  • ensuring that teaching assistants encourage pupils to tackle work for themselves so that they become confident, resilient learners
  • maintaining consistently high expectations of behaviour in all lessons.
• Raise standards in the early years by:
  • ensuring that adults keep a close check on how activities contribute to children’s learning
  • providing children with more opportunities to develop early writing skills.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The newly appointed acting headteacher has been quick to develop an accurate view of the school. She has identified areas for development and prioritised them appropriately. She has high aspirations for pupils and staff. She is committed to improving teaching in all classes and accelerating all pupils’ progress. In the short time since she has been leading the school, she has already begun to improve the quality of teaching in each class.
• Since the last inspection, leaders have been slow to tackle weak teaching and assessment. Consequently, pupils have suffered weak teaching for a prolonged period. This has resulted in considerable underachievement. Since the previous inspection, the school’s performance throughout key stage 1 has declined significantly in all subjects.
• Subject leaders do not check the quality of teaching or of pupils’ progress well enough in their areas of responsibility. They have not received help to gain the skills that they need to carry out their role effectively. Consequently, subject leaders have not provided the necessary support to other teachers to help them improve pupils’ achievement.
• Leaders currently do not have a consistent understanding of the progress pupils make. For example, during the inspection, the acting headteacher was unable to provide a clear overview of the progress of pupils in mathematics, reading and writing. Furthermore, there were inconsistencies between the school’s own performance information and the work in pupils’ books.
• Leaders’ use of the pupil premium funding has not been effective. Until recently, leaders and the governing body have not robustly evaluated the impact of previous expenditure. This means that they have not ensured that disadvantaged pupils make the best possible progress and attend school regularly. Plans are now in place with clear targets for improvement. However, it is too soon to see the effect of these plans.
• The acting headteacher has correctly identified that the systems for managing teachers’ performance are weak. They do not help teachers to improve their professional practice. In the past, leaders have not held teachers to account for the progress that pupils make.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make very slow progress. Leaders cannot account clearly for the use of additional funding for these pupils. They do not check that the support that they provide pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is effective in raising their achievement.
• The acting headteacher has rightly identified that the systems to track the progress of pupils throughout the school lack rigour and accuracy. They give misleading information. Training has been planned as a matter of urgency for all teaching staff so that they become more adept at using assessment information to plan work and check pupils’ progress. Training for the introduction of a more accurate and reliable approach to assessment has been planned.
• Most parents and carers who spoke to inspectors were generally positive about the school. This was reflected by responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. Some expressed concerns about a lack of information about their children’s progress and the lack of homework. Many parents, however, supported the recent improvements that have taken place.
• Topic books reflect a widening of the curriculum. Pupils benefit from a varied range of enrichment opportunities. These broaden their experiences and develop their vocabulary across a range of subjects. This was particularly evident when pupils in Year 2 were adding words such as ‘herbivore’ and ‘predator’ to a glossary. Over the last year, pupils have also visited Bolsover Castle, Conkers and Sudbury Hall.
• The school promotes fundamental British values effectively. It prepares pupils for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils take part in elections for school councillors and learn to value and respect other people. One pupil said, ‘Everyone is different, and everyone is valuable.’
• The curriculum promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well. Pupils have taken part in a number of charitable activities. For example, they raised funds for ‘Little Fibbers’ to provide defibrillators within the community.
• Leaders use the additional primary school physical education and sport premium to good effect. Pupils benefit from specialist tuition to develop their skills. They welcome the opportunity to participate more frequently in activities with other schools, such as games and dance festivals.

Governance of the school

• Together with the acting headteacher, the new chair of the governing body has introduced new ways of working for governors. Governors now have greater involvement in improving the school.
• Through her weekly meetings with the acting headteacher, the chair of the governing body has developed an accurate understanding of the quality of the school’s provision.
• The recent appointment of a number of new governors has served to re-energise and motivate the governing body. Governors now attend a wide range of training aimed at rapidly improving their skills and knowledge. Governors are committed to fulfilling their roles. They are keen to raise standards by holding teachers and leaders to account.
• The acting headteacher provides governors with much more detailed and accurate information than was the case in the past. Consequently, governors are much better informed to make decisions about the future of the school more quickly.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The acting headteacher has reviewed all safeguarding policies and procedures recently to ensure that they are suitable for their purpose. She has quickly identified gaps in administrative procedures and has acted with urgency to resolve these. As a result, pupils are safe, with leaders following up any safeguarding concerns that they may have in a timely manner.
• All staff receive annual update training for safeguarding. They are vigilant and discharge their responsibilities well.
• The school works cooperatively with parents to support the needs of pupils, including those whose circumstances might make them vulnerable. The school uses a range of outside agencies when needed.
• The site is secure and maintained in a safe, clean and tidy condition. Leaders undertake careful checks on the suitability of staff, volunteers and contractors. They keep detailed records of these checks.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

• Weak teaching since the last inspection throughout key stage 1 has led to a significant number of pupils underachieving. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils have made particularly slow progress.
• Poor assessment practices have led to a decline in the quality of teaching. Teachers lack a secure enough understanding of how to support the learning of key groups of pupils. Teachers do not ensure that the tasks that they set match pupils’ next steps in learning. Staff have little understanding of how assessment links to pupils’ learning.
• Low expectations mean that teachers do not plan lessons precisely enough to meet the needs of pupils. This results in lost learning time for different groups of pupils. Pupils of average ability and the most able sometimes find their work too easy and finish it quickly. Low-prior-attaining pupils often do not understand the task and rely too heavily on teaching assistants to help them.
• Work in writing and mathematics books shows that teaching brings little progress for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. In writing, pupils’ letter formation is often inaccurate. In lessons observed throughout the school, teachers did not intervene to correct aspects of pupils’ writing, such as pencil grip.
• The teaching of writing is particularly weak. Teachers are not effective at building on pupils’ phonic knowledge. Pupils’ ability to spell unfamiliar words is limited. Teachers do not set clear expectations that pupils will write accurately. They accept careless spelling and a lack of punctuation in pupils’ written work. Much of the work that inspectors saw was of a poor standard. Teachers’ expectations of both the quality and quantity of written work are too low.
• Leaders have not ensured that teachers have received sufficient preparation for the rigour of the recently revised curriculum. As a consequence, teaching does not prepare pupils well enough for the next stage of their education.
• Pupils read at least weekly to adults, and the school provides high-quality reading books. There is a very marked difference in standards between the different groups of pupils. The most able pupils read fluently with expression and show a good understanding of the text. Disadvantaged pupils, however, struggle to apply their phonic knowledge to break down unfamiliar words.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.
• Adults’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. Teachers’ lack of attention to the quality of the work in pupils’ books means that much of their work is untidy, poorly presented and shows a lack of pride.
• These low expectations also affect pupils’ engagement with the activities that teachers give them. The majority of pupils have positive attitudes to learning, but some show less commitment when the pace of learning slows. They lose concentration and drift off task.
• Pupils working with teaching assistants receive little opportunity to tackle the work themselves. Teaching assistants often complete the work for them or tell them what they should write. Pupils rely too heavily on the help that they receive and lack the confidence to try things out for themselves. They do not build up the resilience to persevere. This slows the progress that they make.
• Pupils like the school and their teachers. They say that they feel safe in school and know where to seek help if they are unhappy. They understand how to keep safe on the roads and in cars. They have learned about risks that unsafe use of the internet may pose.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• A small minority of pupils constantly call out and present challenging behaviour. This hinders all pupils’ learning.
• Pupils’ disruptive behaviour arises from a lack of interest in their work. Some staff do not set high enough standards for pupils’ conduct in lessons.
• The school is mostly a calm, ordered and welcoming place for pupils and staff. The majority of pupils conduct themselves well in and around the school. They show good manners and courtesy.
• Pupils said that bullying is rare and that they are confident that adults will listen and deal promptly with any concerns that pupils may have about how other pupils treat them.
• Leaders comprehensively record any serious incidents of poor behaviour. However, they do not analyse this information to understand the impact of actions taken to improve the behaviour of some pupils.
• This academic year, overall attendance has improved and is now close to the national average. The persistent absence of a small number of pupils, however, is adversely affecting their achievement in school.

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

• In 2017, attainment in reading at the end of key stage 1 was well below average and in the lowest 10% of schools nationally. The proportions reaching the expected standard in writing and mathematics were also below average. Pupils’ progress from their starting points was poor. Many pupils were not suitably prepared for their move to the junior school at the end of Year 2.
• In 2016, the proportions of pupils who reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 were well below the national averages. The proportion who achieved the expected level in reading was in the lowest 20% nationally.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well cared for, but the academic achievement of these pupils is poor. Leaders and teachers do not make a detailed analysis of their progress. Teachers do not provide tasks that help these pupils to build on what they already know and understand.
• The work in pupils’ books shows marked variations in progress between different groups of pupils. Low-prior-attaining pupils, for example, struggle to make secure progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• There are considerable differences between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and others, with disadvantaged pupils doing less well. The difference in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has not diminished since the previous inspection.
• The proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard in phonics at the end of Years 1 and 2 has remained below the national average for three years, although it is improving. This means that pupils have not been equipped well enough with the basic skills of reading, spelling and writing.
• Pupils who enter Year 1 with skills and knowledge below those expected for their age are not catching up quickly enough. Teaching does not meet their needs, and their achievement is too low.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• In 2016, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development was in line with the national average, but this figure was below average in 2015 and 2017.
• A high proportion of children enter the early years with skills and knowledge below those typical for their age, particularly in communication and language, and in personal and social skills. Leaders have ensured that the early years provision provides these children with a safe and happy learning environment, promoting language and social skills.
• Leaders have not ensured that they use the additional funding to support disadvantaged children effectively. Over the previous three years, too few disadvantaged children have made good progress or achieved a good level of development.
• Teaching is not strong enough to allow children to make consistently good progress. Planning does not set out what teachers expect children to learn from the range of activities on offer. Adults allow children to drift from activity to activity without a clear focus on what they are intended to learn.
• Adults provide too little support for disadvantaged children. As a result, the proportion of disadvantaged children who reach the early learning goals, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics, has remained well below average for three years.
• Leaders deploy adults well to support a wide range of learning activities. They use ongoing conversation and questioning skills to promote the use of language and to extend children’s vocabulary. Children behave well and share strong, trusting relationships with adults so that they develop confidence and resilience. Staff are good role models and children learn to value kindness, cooperation and honesty.
• Current assessment information indicates that the teaching of phonics in the early years is improving. Children use letters and sounds to read and write simple words in preparation for their transition to Year 1. Their recorded work, however, showed limited progress in letter formation and early writing from the start of the year. Children have too few opportunities to apply phonic knowledge to regular writing activities.
• Progress is stronger towards the other early learning goals, including communication and language, personal and social development, expressive arts and understanding the world.
• The school’s systems to keep children safe are effective. Children who are new to the setting settle quickly because of strong transition arrangements and well-established routines. The early years provision meets all welfare requirements.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 112622 Derbyshire 10041583 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 5 to 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 162 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Sarah Smith Philippa Whitton (acting headteacher) Telephone number 01773 811465 Website Email address www.green.derbyshire.sch.uk/ info@green.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 21–22 April 2015

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than the average-sized infant school.
• The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average.
• The governing body has recently appointed a new chair.
• The school is currently led by an acting headteacher, who has taken on this full-time role since January 2018. This follows the resignation in December 2017 of one of the co-headteachers, who was not in school during the inspection. The resignation takes full effect from April 2018.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team visited 12 lessons to observe pupils’ learning throughout the school. Six of these visits were made jointly with the acting headteacher.
• The inspection team, together with the acting headteacher, looked carefully at pupils’ work from all year groups and across a range of subjects.
• The inspectors held meetings with the acting headteacher and with governors. They held telephone conversations with the chair of the governing body and the local authority’s improvement partner for the school. A further telephone conversation was held with another representative of the local authority to discuss the support it has given to the school.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read from Years 1 and 2.
• Inspectors took account of the 35 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the views expressed by parents in discussions on the playground.
• The inspection team looked at the school’s evaluation of its own performance, its improvement plan, a range of school policies and the minutes of meetings of the governing body. They also considered a range of documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

Inspection team

Lindsay Hall, lead inspector Rob Cruise Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Stephen McMullan Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector