Tibshelf Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ achievement further by ensuring that:
  • leaders continue to develop assessment systems for subjects other than English and mathematics, so that teaching in these subjects can build on what pupils can already do
  • teachers consistently plan lessons to provide appropriate challenge for all pupils, including the most able
  • pupils have the opportunity to apply their mathematical skills across a wide range of subjects
  • learning time in lessons is used well to allow pupils to make rapid progress.
• Improve leadership and management of governance by ensuring that governors continue to develop greater challenge and become more effective at holding leaders to account.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher provides focused and determined leadership. She recognised that standards had declined and has taken robust action to bring about change. Staff, parents and governors hold her in high regard and value the work she has done. Staff morale is high and this is evident in discussions with staff and from the responses to the school’s staff survey.
• Plans to improve the school are focused on key priorities and the actions needed to achieve success. They support improvements to the quality of teaching and learning and consequently standards are rising.
• The headteacher has created a culture that encourages staff to reflect on their practice and seek further training and support. As a result, staff have extremely positive attitudes to self-improvement and welcome the support and challenge provided by the senior leadership team.
• The headteacher has put clear procedures in place to address the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils are supported effectively and achieve well.
• The curriculum supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Consequently, pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and the behaviours of others. Relationships between adults and pupils are good.
• Leaders promote British values effectively. Pupils’ opportunities to learn about these are embedded into the curriculum. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. This is evidenced by work displayed around the school, in books and through discussions with pupils.
• The curriculum is broad and enriched by numerous activities. Consequently, pupils enjoy their learning and receive a balanced education. The school has a particular focus on the arts and has recently received the Artsmark. This is a quality standard for schools, awarded by the Arts Council. Theme days, such as a Year 2 African culture day, provide stimulation and creativity that motivate pupils to learn. In addition, pupils are regularly taken on visits to places such as Hardwick Park.
• Leaders make good use of the primary school physical education and sport funding. Staff receive weekly support and guidance from the physical education leader to help them plan lessons that meet the needs of pupils. The school also provides a range of after-school clubs such as archery and gymnastics. As a result, pupils’ physical development and understanding of the importance of keeping fit to stay healthy are good.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. Leaders provide support that ensures that these pupils catch up with their classmates and other pupils nationally.
• The role of subject leaders is still developing. Some subject leaders are not yet fully involved in making checks on the quality of teaching and the progress of pupils in all classes. Subject leaders for foundation subjects (subjects other than English and mathematics), have not yet securely developed systems for tracking and recording pupils’ progress. Governance

• The governing body are ambitious for the school. They are involved in school improvement planning and make regular, focused visits.
• Governors know what is happening in school, including how the pupil premium funding is being used, but they rely too heavily on the headteacher to evaluate the impact of actions to raise standards. They do not yet provide sufficient challenge and are too accepting of the information shared with them. However, the minutes of governor meetings and the records of monitoring visits provide evidence that governors are starting to carry out their role more effectively.

Safeguarding

• Governors are aware of their safeguarding duties and ensure that the school has rigorous policies and procedures in place that meet requirements. As a result, the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All staff understand their responsibilities and duty to keep pupils safe. Procedures for reporting and recording concerns about individual pupils are thorough. The designated safeguard leads ensure that concerns are followed up with an appropriate degree of rigour and urgency.
• All staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training that is detailed and in line with current safeguarding guidance. Newly appointed staff receive safeguarding training as part of their induction plan. Consequently, staff are attentive and remain vigilant.
• Leaders make appropriate checks to ensure that all staff employed to work in the school are suitable to work with children. A number of leaders and governors have undertaken safer recruitment training.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Observations of learning, work in pupils’ books and the school’s performance information show that teaching is typically good. As a result, the large majority of pupils are making good progress over time.
• Teachers plan lessons that capture pupils’ interests and motivate them to learn. In the majority of learning observed, pupils were engaged in their learning and sustained concentration throughout their task.
• Teachers check their assessments of pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics with other schools in the local area. Senior leaders ensure that systems are robust and because of this, they know that teachers’ assessments are largely accurate.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to promote good learning. Teaching assistants use questioning well to encourage pupils to think for themselves and work with independence. Furthermore, they provide timely intervention that gives helpful support and guidance.
• Teachers use questioning to refocus pupils’ learning and to assess their understanding during lessons. However, the use of questioning to deepen and extend pupils’ thinking is inconsistent across the school and across subjects.
• The teaching of mathematics is good because leaders have focused on developing the quality of teaching and learning in this subject. Leaders recognise that pupils do not yet have sufficient opportunities to develop and apply their mathematical skills in other subjects and have identified this as an area for development.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. For example, the teaching of phonics is accurate and consequently pupils use their phonic skills effectively to help them read and spell unfamiliar words. Pupils who read to inspectors were confident. The most able pupils read with fluency and understanding.
• There is some variation in the level of challenge for pupils. When lessons are well planned to meet the needs of the pupils, they make the most progress over time. Conversely, when lessons are too easy or too hard, pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable. This includes the most able pupils.
• Teachers do not always make effective use of time. In some cases, pupils are given too much time and their learning is not moved on rapidly enough. In other lessons, they are not given long enough to think about their learning and complete their task.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The school’s caring ethos is central to its work in promoting the welfare and safety of pupils. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. All parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, said that their child is happy and safe in school.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and that their teachers help them with any problems they might have. For example, inspectors observed an assembly on ‘A big bag of worries’. Pupils were encouraged to ask for help if they had any worries and were reassured that adults were there to help them.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils, whom inspectors spoke to, explained different ways to keep safe. This included staying safe when using the internet and how to safely cross the road.
• Pupils are aware of the different forms that bullying can take. They said that bullying sometimes happens, but they are confident that their teachers deal with this effectively.
• Pupils take appropriate pride in their work and in their school. They keep the school very clean and tidy, complete their work neatly and wear their uniform smartly.
• In most cases, pupils work hard, listen carefully and concentrate in lessons. They are good at working with each other and sharing their views and opinions. However, in some classes, pupils can occasionally lose concentration and become distracted. This is because teachers’ presentation of learning, at times, lacks challenge, or the pace of learning is not well matched to pupils’ needs.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Parents are unanimous in their opinion that pupils behave well in school.
• Pupils’ conduct in lessons and around the school is typically good. It is rare that lessons are disrupted by poor behaviour. Teachers expect pupils to behave well in lessons and have a consistent approach to managing behaviour.
• The school has a calm and happy atmosphere. Pupils are notably polite and well mannered to staff, each other and visitors.
• The attendance of those pupils who are disadvantaged has risen. This is largely due to the school’s excellent relationships with parents. Parents are supportive of the school and value the education the school provides.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Published information for the early years foundation stage shows that standards have declined over the last three years. At the end of 2016, the proportion of children reaching age-related expectations was lower than that found nationally. School information for current children shows an improving picture. Standards have improved this year.
• Standards of reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1 declined in the last school year. However, current school information shows that by the end of this academic year, pupils’ achievement in reading and mathematics has improved and is typical for pupils at this stage. Pupils’ outcomes in writing have also improved and the proportion of pupils reaching age-related expectations is expected to be close to the national average. This is because changes to teaching, learning and assessment have been effective.
• Due to the effective teaching of phonics, pupils reach national standards in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Published information shows that, last year, the school’s performance improved to be in line with the national average. Current school assessment information suggests that this year’s pupils are attaining at a similar level to pupils nationally.
• The large majority of pupils across the school make good progress in a wide range of subjects. They make more progress in English and mathematics than in foundation subjects, such as science and geography.
• At the end of 2016, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils reaching age-related expectations was lower than that found nationally. Work in pupils’ books shows that the learning of disadvantaged pupils currently is typically in line with other pupils in the school. Therefore, standards for these pupils have improved and are expected to be in line with the national average.
• Those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and lower-attaining pupils, are well supported. Consequently, they make good gains in their learning.
• In the majority of cases, different groups of pupils are well catered for. However, work set for the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, is not consistently demanding. Consequently, not all of these pupils make the progress of which they are capable.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the early years with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age. From this starting point, they make good progress and most children will leave Reception with a good level of development. Children are therefore well prepared for Year 1.
• Leaders have created an interesting environment to support children’s learning. Children make the most progress when teachers plan activities that encourage children to be curious and take an interest in their learning. When this happens, children concentrate on the tasks they have been asked to do and are keen to explore their environment. Children take responsibility for their own learning in purposeful play, building on the skills and knowledge taught to them by their teachers.
• Relationships between adults and children are good and, as a result, children are happy and behave well. They work and play happily together. They are proud of their work and are confident enough to show it to others. Children are kept safe and are well cared for.
• The quality of teaching is good. The teachers and teaching assistants work well together to assess children’s learning and plan lessons that typically meet children’s needs. Consequently, children make good gains in their learning.
• The early years leader provides numerous opportunities for parents to engage in their child’s learning in Reception. Information provided by parents contributes to children’s assessment information.
• Teaching assistants are deployed well. For example, when children are learning through play, their timely interventions and effective questioning moves learning on. As a result, children make good gains.
• The early years leader supports the development of her team. She is aspirational for the early years and has clear plans in place that focus on priorities for improvement.
• The number of disadvantaged children and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is too small to report on without the risk of identifying them.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 112640 Derbyshire 10031204 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 186 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Rebekah Jones Zoe Andrews 01773 872 571 www.tibshelf-inf.derbyshire.sch.uk info@tibshelf-inf.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 31 January 2007

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Tibshelf Infant School is smaller than most primary schools.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is much lower than the national average.
• The percentage of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is similar to other schools nationally.
• The overall percentage of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is around half the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 12 lessons. Three lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.
• The inspection team looked at pupils’ books and the school’s own performance information to evaluate the progress pupils are making in different subjects across the school.
• Inspectors undertook a range of other school activities, including observations of breaktimes and an assembly.
• Inspectors held discussions with pupils in meetings, during lessons and informally at breaktimes. They listened to a selection of pupils read.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body and the local authority link adviser.
• A wide range of documentation was scrutinised, including the school improvement plan, self-evaluation and the school’s report on its use of funding to support disadvantaged pupils. The school’s website was checked. Inspectors also considered information relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors looked at systems used to manage the performance of staff and minutes of governing body meetings.
• Inspectors took account of 51 responses to Parent View and considered the responses made through the Ofsted free-text service. Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. The lead inspector also took account of correspondence from parents received during the inspection. The lead inspector also considered the responses of staff to the school’s own staff survey.

Inspection team

Helen Richardson, lead inspector Janis Warren Sarah Fielding Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector