Tupton Primary and Nursery 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 impact of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • leaders’ plans for school improvement identify precise actions and monitoring opportunities that will enable governors to hold leaders fully to account leaders more closely monitor the progress and attainment of pupils and make sure that their progress is accelerated and outcomes rapidly improve.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that outcomes for pupils improve by ensuring that:
  • teachers have high expectations for all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, so that all pupils make the progress of which they are capable, in all subjects
  • teachers consistently use pupils’ assessment information to plan activities that challenge pupils to make good progress from their various starting points
  • teachers deploy teaching assistants effectively in all classes, including in the early years
  • the emerging strengths in teaching in upper key stage 2 and Year 2 and recent improvements in the teaching of mathematics are shared with other year groups.
• Improve the quality of pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by ensuring that:
  • pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain by having more frequent opportunities to develop their understanding of British values, faiths and cultures different to their own
  • teachers deploy strategies that ensure that pupils’ conduct is consistently good in all classes.
• Improve the quality of the early years provision by ensuring that:
  • senior leaders and the early years leader have an accurate view of the strengths and areas for improvement in the early years classes and that this evaluation is shared with governors so that they can hold leaders more fully to account.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders’ school improvement plans do not outline precise enough actions or monitoring opportunities. As a result, governors have not been able to hold leaders fully to account for their areas of responsibility. For example, leaders have not fully evaluated all aspects of the early years provision to ensure that it is consistently good.
• Until recently, leaders’ evaluations of the work of the school have been too generous and inaccurate. For example, there has been too much emphasis on pupils’ attainment at the end of each key stage and not enough on the progress pupils make while in that key stage. Leaders’ current assessment information shows that pupils’ progress and attainment are not accelerating quickly enough over time.
• The new headteacher, recently appointed senior leadership team and reappointed chair of the governing body are having a positive impact on the school. For example, the more effective teaching in upper key stage 2 is beginning to secure improvements in mathematics, English and the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. However, these improvements are not secure enough to ensure that pupils’ outcomes across the school are better than inadequate.
• Leaders ensure that teachers receive clear guidance on how to improve their classroom practice. For example, during a recent classroom observation a teacher was correctly asked to increase the challenge for the most able pupils.
• Senior leaders now hold frequent pupil progress meetings with teachers. This is enabling leaders to hold teachers to account for the progress and attainment of each pupil. ‘Catch-up’ sessions are provided in the afternoons for those pupils who have not fully grasped a concept from the morning lessons. Any pupil who falls behind is now given the help they need more swiftly than was the case in the past.
• Leaders have ensured that there is a broad and balanced curriculum, appropriate to the needs of the pupils. Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks in subjects such as French, geography, history and art. The curriculum is enhanced through a number of educational visits. Recently, Year 4 visited The Deep aquarium to help develop their knowledge and understanding of science.
• The subject leader for mathematics has introduced a new mathematics curriculum in Years 2, 5 and 6. Pupils told inspectors they liked this new approach as they enjoyed solving problems and explaining their thinking. This new curriculum is to be introduced throughout the school in the autumn term.
• Strong links are established with the local cluster of schools and a regional mathematics hub. Here, teachers meet with colleagues from other schools to share good classroom practice and moderate pupils’ work. This helps to ensure that judgements made on pupils’ attainment are now increasingly accurate.
• The allocation and monitoring of the pupil premium funding are increasingly effective. The pupil premium leader has ensured that teachers produce a ‘pupil premium profile’ that explains who the pupils are, what barriers to learning they are experiencing and what support these pupils receive over the academic year. For example, gifted writers are part of a writing group and talented musicians have joined the ‘rock steady’ band. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are making better progress than has been the case in the past.
• The leader responsible for the extra funding received for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities has ensured that it is allocated and monitored regularly for effectiveness. There are frequent checks made on, for example, the quality of pupils’ work, the quality of the extra support these pupils receive and the progress they make. However, the coordinator of the provision for these pupils acknowledges that the quality of support provided by teaching assistants is inconsistent throughout the school.
• The vast majority of parents and staff hold positive views about the school. They agree that the school is led and managed well, and that pupils are happy and safe. One parent commented, ‘The staff are approachable with any concerns I have regarding my child.’
• The leader responsible for the allocation and monitoring of the PE and sport premium is effective. The funding has been used to purchase new sports equipment, train staff and update the PE curriculum. Pupils have experienced increased competition against other schools. Tupton are the current local basketball and netball champions.
• The local authority has not been effective in challenging leaders and governors for the decline in pupils’ outcomes. The local authority has provided helpful training and advice to the new headteacher but this has not identified that pupils’ outcomes are not rising quickly enough. The local authority adviser is now helping leaders to make increasingly accurate judgements on, for example, the standard of work in pupils’ books.

Governance of the school

• Following a period when governance was ineffective, the governing body is improving its work in monitoring the work of leaders. For example, a recent work scrutiny of pupils’ writing books informed governors that teachers were consistently using the school’s marking policy and the presentation of pupils’ work had improved during the year.

• The governing body is increasingly knowledgeable about the strengths and development areas of the school. They are aware, for example, that pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been too low. Minutes of recent governing body meetings show that governors are now becoming more effective in asking challenging questions and holding leaders to account.

• The governing body is dedicated and enthusiastic. Governors have a good mix of skills and experience that is now enabling them to discharge their duties to greater effect than in the past. They have received training in, for example, safeguarding, finance and analysing pupils’ attainment and progress information. They are therefore increasingly well placed to move the school forward.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that all relevant checks are made on adults before they are allowed to work or volunteer at the school. Recruitment files meet current requirements and are kept in good order.
• The designated safeguarding leads are well trained in areas such as spotting the signs of domestic violence and child sexual exploitation. The local authority provides safeguarding updates, which are frequently shared with all staff. Consequently, staff are knowledgeable and there is a strong safeguarding culture within the school.
• The headteacher and pastoral manager know pupils and their families well. They ensure that any outside agencies, such as the early help team, are contacted promptly, should extra support be required. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that pupils and families receive the support they need.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is improving, but is not steadily good across the whole school. Teaching is not sufficiently secure to ensure that pupils’ outcomes are better than inadequate. A legacy of poor teaching has left too many gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.
• Not all teachers have high enough expectations of what pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, can achieve. Consequently, too many pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• Teachers do not use assessment information effectively to plan activities that stretch and challenge pupils. As a result, some pupils complete work that is too easy for them and they make slow progress from their various starting points.
• Teachers do not deploy teaching assistants consistently well across the school. Sometimes, teaching assistants are too passive and do not intervene quickly enough to support pupils’ learning.
• The quality of teaching in Years 2, 5 and 6 is stronger than in other parts of the school. For example, in a Year 5 science lesson, pupils were actively exploring and developing their scientific knowledge of soluble and insoluble materials. They were engaged in debating their opinions on how to plan and undertake a fair test.
• Where teachers match work more closely to pupils’ abilities, the majority of pupils engage well in their learning, especially when it interests and motivates them. For example, pupils in Year 3 were thoroughly enjoying running a café for the day as part of their ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’ topic. Here, groups of pupils were taking orders from visiting parents, while another group was busy making jacket potatoes, omelettes and pizzas. The final group was calculating the bill and any required change. As a result, pupils were engaged in confidently improving their social, cooking and mathematical skills.
• Teachers ensure that pupils have frequent opportunities to write at length in subjects across the curriculum. Pupils use these opportunities to practise spelling, punctuation and grammar skills.
• Pupils enjoy reading and do so widely and often. Pupils use phonics skills effectively to decode unfamiliar words. Pupils told inspectors they change their books frequently in the well-stocked and welcoming library.
• The teaching of phonics is well matched to pupils’ abilities. For example, pupils in Year 1 were appropriately challenged when learning the ‘oo’ sound and when practising writing capital letters. Pupils are able to apply phonic knowledge when reading aloud and are becoming increasingly confident with writing new and unfamiliar words.
• Teachers provide pupils with appropriate homework opportunities. For example, pupils in Year 4 had deepened their understanding of the ‘Romans’ topic by designing a Roman shield and a Roman clock, and writing a diary entry as a Roman soldier. Pupils told inspectors they enjoyed these activities.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• Pupils’ knowledge of British values and of faiths and cultures different to their own is underdeveloped. For example, older pupils have a limited understanding of the different places of worship associated with different faiths. Pupils are not well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils are self-confident and keen to do well. Pupils spoke confidently and maturely about their learning and showed respect towards each other and the school environment.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. For example, Year 4 pupils learn about the potential dangers of smoking and alcohol. Pupils told inspectors they understood the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe when, for example, riding bikes and crossing roads. The ‘digital leaders’ help to ensure that other pupils are reminded about being safe when online, playing age-restricted console games and using phone applications.
• Pupils enjoy the extra responsibilities, including as members of the democratically elected school council. The ‘grounds team’ helps to keep the school tidy and free from litter, while ‘reading ambassadors’ frequently listen to younger pupils read. ‘Sports leaders’ help to set up PE equipment for use at break and lunchtimes. Such opportunities enable pupils to develop their social and leadership skills and increase their pride in their school.
• The support for pupils who have emotional difficulties is strong. For example, the ‘Magic’ and ‘Jigsaw’ rooms provide safe and appropriately resourced spaces for pupils to receive art therapy and counselling sessions. This support has a positive impact on their attendance and behaviour.
• Pupils enjoy a wide variety of after-school sports clubs, including football, netball, basketball and hockey. There are also opportunities for pupils to learn a musical instrument. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 have the opportunity to experience residential visits to develop knowledge and understanding of outdoor and adventurous activities.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Pupils’ conduct in lessons is not consistently good in all classes. When lessons do not meet their needs well enough, pupils become off-task and some low-level disruption occurs. This limits the progress they make.
• Pupils told inspectors that most of the time they behave well and that any rare incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly. Pupils enjoy the weekly award assemblies where ‘stars of the week’ are announced for particularly good pieces of work. The ‘Tupton Truly Trusted’ (TTT) badges are awarded to those pupils who show consistently good behaviour, a positive attitude to learning and good manners.
• Rates of pupils’ attendance are good. The pastoral manager engages with the parents of pupils whose attendance is causing concern and gains effective support from the educational welfare officer when required. Consequently, historic and current attendance rates are higher than the national average. This is also the case for disadvantaged pupils. Persistent absenteeism is below the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

• Over recent years, pupils, including the most able pupils, leaving key stage 2 have made inadequate progress from their various key stage 1 starting points. For example, in 2017, the progress pupils made in reading, writing and mathematics was in the bottom 10% of schools nationally.
• Historically, the progress made in reading, writing and mathematics by disadvantaged pupils and those pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, has been inadequate. For example, in 2017 the progress made by disadvantaged pupils in writing and mathematics was in the bottom 2% and 4%, respectively, of schools nationally.
• Over recent years, pupils leaving key stage 1 have made inadequate progress. For example, in 2016 half of the Year 2 pupils achieved the expected standard in writing, when nearly three-quarters of the same cohort had achieved the expected standard in writing when leaving Reception. In 2017, there was a small improvement to this but pupils’ attainment over time still declined.
• In 2016, the proportions of key stage 2 pupils who achieved the expected or higher standard in the spelling, punctuation and grammar test were well below the national average. The proportions increased in 2017 but were still below the national average.
• The proportions of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check have fluctuated over recent years. For example, in 2016 the proportion of pupils who achieved the standard was above the national average, whereas in 2015 and 2017 it was below the national average.
• The improved teaching in some subjects, and in some parts of the school, has led to some slight improvements to the progress that pupils make. However, this is not secure across the whole school to ensure that improvements to pupils’ progress are consistent, or to make up for a legacy of previously poor teaching.
• Inspection evidence and assessment information provided by the school indicate that the performance of current pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, is not yet improving quickly enough. The school’s own pupils’ performance information shows that from their starting points in the early years, pupils’ attainment in writing, mathematics, and in some year groups reading, is not rising quickly enough.
• Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are now making better progress than had previously been the case. The proportion who are back on track to achieve the standards expected for their age is increasing. However, the school’s assessment information shows an overall decline between their attainment at key stage 1, when both year groups had above average attainment, and their current attainment.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Leaders do not evaluate the strengths and development areas within the early years thoroughly. There are strengths in the early years provision, but leaders have not taken swift enough action to address the weaknesses.
• Teaching assistants are not deployed consistently well. They do not interact with the children well to develop key skills such as language and communication.
• Over recent years, the proportions of children achieving a good level of development when leaving the Reception Year have been broadly in line with national averages. The majority of children, including disadvantaged children, therefore make progress that is sometimes good from their starting points, some of which are low. The majority of children are therefore ready to start in Year 1.
• Relationships between adults and children, and between children and their peers, are positive. Well-established routines mean that children behave sensibly and, for example, line up responsibly when waiting to go for their lunch.
• Transition arrangements for children starting the Nursery and Reception classes are strong. For example, staff undertake home visits, there is a parent induction meeting and there are opportunities for parents and children to attend ‘stay and play’ sessions in school. Consequently, children are well used to their new environments before they start and this helps them to settle quickly.
• There are good links with outside agencies, including the school nurse, speech and language team and a health visitor. As a result, children who require extra support receive it promptly.
• Recent work to improve the outdoor learning environment has been successful. For example, during the inspection children were observed engaged in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world through finding ‘minibeasts’. Others were developing physically by climbing and balancing on play equipment.
• The school reinforces positive links between school and home by encouraging parents to share their children’s successes at home with school staff through the ‘proud cloud’. This enables staff to celebrate these achievements and to promote children’s self-esteem.
• Staff have received appropriate training in, for example, safeguarding and paediatric first aid. They are knowledgeable regarding the procedures to follow should they have concerns regarding a child’s welfare.
• Parents are as enthusiastic about the early years as they are about the rest of the school, with one commenting, ‘The progress my son has made in Nursery from January to April is astonishing! He has settled in so well and progressed far beyond my expectations in this short time.’

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 112641 Derbyshire 10047507 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Sarah Burton Katherine Richards Telephone number 01246 862191 Website Email address www.tupton.derbyshire.sch.uk headteacher@tupton.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 March 2014

Information about this school

• The headteacher was appointed in October 2016.
• The senior leadership team was newly appointed in September 2017.
• The chair of the governing body returned to the role in September 2017.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is in line with the national average.
• The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and pupils who speak English as an additional language are well below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below average.
• In 2017, the school did not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ progress in mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all year groups and classes. Some lessons were seen jointly with the deputy headteacher.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders and governors, including the chair and vice-chair. A telephone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors scrutinised in detail the work in a range of pupils’ books.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of the school’s documentation, including the evaluation of the school’s own performance and its development plan; information on pupils’ attainment and progress, and on behaviour and bullying; attendance records; safeguarding procedures; and minutes of meetings of the governing body.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school, including at break and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with a group of pupils from key stage 2 and informally with others around the school. Inspectors listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 6 read.
• Inspectors took account of the 14 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. Inspectors spoke with 20 parents before school and considered the 14 responses from parents to the Ofsted free-text service. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

Inspection team

Peter Stonier, lead inspector Jackie Stirland

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector