Fosse Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve attendance by sharpening the systems by which leaders monitor pupils’ absence, including those pupils who are regularly absent from school.
• Improve the quality of teaching and ensure that pupils’ behaviour is always good in key stage 1 by making sure that the work teachers set closely matches pupils’ abilities.
• Ensure that the new early years leader receives the appropriate support to improve the provision across the early years further, and to accelerate children’s progress in the nursery.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors are ambitious for the school. They have a thorough understanding of the school’s context and have put a clear plan in place to ensure continuous improvement. They have made sure that the school has improved considerably since its last inspection. Pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching have both improved and this is now a good school.
• Leaders and governors have been effective in seeking the advice of a range of partners such as external consultants and other schools. In particular, the local authority has worked closely with the school to draw up a detailed ‘single plan’ for school improvement, setting out clear actions to be followed and reviewed throughout the year. These actions have contributed well to the school’s improvement.
• Since the last inspection, governors, working closely with the headteacher, have successfully developed a strong leadership team by making some effective appointments at this level. This leadership team has made sure that all of the areas for improvement from the last inspection have been well addressed, showing good capacity for ongoing improvement.
• Teachers speak positively about the training and development they receive, confirming that this helps them to improve their skills. They also appreciate the programmes put in place for them to work with other agencies, such as the speech and language therapy service. Teachers use this external advice well, planning activities for pupils with language difficulties or those who speak English as an additional language so that these pupils are very well supported.
• The school has a positive, ‘can do’ ethos, as set out in its motto, ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted through activities such as assemblies and theme weeks. For example, during an assembly on the theme of mindfulness, pupils were completely absorbed in thinking about how they would cope with any difficulties the day might bring. The positive impact on pupils’ motivation and self-esteem was clear to see.
• Leaders and staff make sure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain by providing activities such as multicultural storytelling, Black History Week and International Week.
• Pupils can voice their opinions through the school council; they enjoy being able to choose their own representatives through a process of democratic elections.
• Leaders plan the curriculum carefully. They make sure that pupils progress well in a wide range of subjects such as science, history, religious education and design technology by making regular checks on their work and progress in lessons. Leaders have also ensured that the curriculum is supported by a wide range of after-school activities. Pupils say they enjoy these activities.
• Leaders spend the extra funding for disadvantaged pupils wisely and effectively. Leaders regularly evaluate the impact of this provision on pupils’ progress. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress compared to other pupils nationally, especially in mathematics and reading.
• The school makes very good use of its extra funding for sport. The highly effective sports coach gives lessons in a very wide range of sports, both within school time and as an after-school activity.
• Leaders ensure that the funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used effectively. These pupils make good progress from their starting points.

Governance of the school

• Governors have an accurate picture of the school and are fully involved in improvement activities alongside the leadership team. In particular, the highly experienced chair of governors has worked with determination and commitment to support and challenge school leaders. She has had a key role in bringing about school improvement.
• Governors are keen to listen to the views of parents and pupils. For example, they recently carried out a pupil attitude survey which was shared with school leaders.
• Through asking searching questions, governors hold school leaders to account. They have a sound understanding of the ways in which the pupil premium and sport premium grants are spent, and the impact on standards. Records show that governors make sound financial decisions.
• The governing body rigorously manages the performance of the headteacher, involving external advice as necessary. Governors make sure that the headteacher’s targets are challenging and strongly linked to school improvement. They also carefully consider the performance of teachers, in regard to teachers’ pay progression.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school’s systems for making sure that pupils are safe comply fully with government regulations. Records show that staff and governors receive regular training in all the required aspects of safeguarding.
• Leaders and staff take decisive and timely action to protect any children who are at risk. They communicate closely with parents and keep extremely thorough records when working with appropriate agencies.
• Staff are aware of the particular risks in their local community and make sure that targeted support is available for individuals as needed, for example through the school’s learning mentor, the family support worker or the school counsellor.
• There is a strong culture of care and concern for the safety of all pupils. This can be seen in the very sensitive and caring way in which the teaching assistants offer support and nurture for vulnerable pupils.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• There is strong teaching and learning in all key stages, notably in key stage 2. Where learning is most effective, teachers plan interesting activities which stimulate deeper thinking and are closely matched to pupils’ abilities. For example, in a science lesson, pupils gave eloquent and convincing explanations as to why we know the earth is not flat. One quoted from the work of Aristotle and another described what they see during an eclipse. This led into a writing activity in which pupils were able to use skills from their English lessons to write a persuasive letter on a science theme, with confidence and imagination.
• Teachers have high expectations of the quality of work they wish to see. For example, by the use of persistent questioning, a teacher encouraged pupils to choose ambitious vocabulary such as ‘glistening’, ‘sinister’ and ‘hideous’ in a writing lesson. All pupils, particularly the most able, benefit from this.
• Teachers give pupils time to check and improve their work. This means that they can learn from their mistakes and also from each other through discussions and peer marking.
• The work in pupils’ books across a range of subjects, such as English, science, history, religious education and design technology, is of a high standard. Pupils of all ages develop their writing well and make good progress across the year. Teachers mark pupils’ work using a consistent method and it is clear to see how pupils have used the feedback from their teachers to improve their work steadily.
• The work of teaching assistants is a significant strength of the school. Whether giving help to individual pupils or working alongside teachers leading group work, teaching assistants provide consistently skilled and sensitive support. This support is of clear benefit to pupils and helps them to make good progress in their learning.
• Pupils at this school say they love reading and take pride in their achievements. One pupil spoke with pride about her ability to read in both English and Polish, another in English and Russian.
• Older pupils are often clear and confident readers, using good expression to bring a text to life. In the case of weaker readers, the younger pupils use the methods they have learned in their phonics lessons to try new words. Older, weaker readers who are new to the school are still developing their reading skills to be less reliant on support.
• Occasionally, in key stage 1, some of the most able pupils can lose focus where teachers do not set work that is closely matched to their abilities.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils say they enjoy coming to school. They appreciate each other’s differences and say they love learning about other cultures. They also enjoy the extra-curricular activities provided for them.
• Pupils are clear about what to do if they have an accident or if they are worried about something. They say they feel safe and follow the ‘golden rules’. These are the school rules which set out clear guidance for behaviour and safety. Support staff have a caring attitude towards pupils who are unwell or upset. The level of care is good.
• Pupils feel confident in the school’s ability to deal with bullying and they are emphatically opposed to racism or homophobic bullying. They show good understanding of the different forms of bullying, including online. School records demonstrate that, on the rare occasions that bullying takes place, staff deal with it quickly and effectively.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is an orderly environment. Pupils are quiet and attentive in assemblies and they move around the school calmly and without fuss. Occasionally, in the younger part of the school, some pupils lose focus in lessons where teachers do not give clear instructions or where teachers set work that is too hard.
• School staff manage pupils’ behaviour in the dining hall well. They give clear guidance to pupils and this helps them to develop good habits of cooperation and politeness at lunchtime.
• All parents who met with the inspectors spoke highly of the way in which leaders and staff manage pupils’ behaviour.
• Historically, absence rates at this school have been high compared to national figures and are increasing over time. Overall absence, and the proportions of pupils who were regularly absent, were within the highest 10% of schools nationally in 2015. School attendance information shows that the absence rate fell in 2016. The school has strong systems for monitoring the attendance of individual pupils, working closely with the education welfare officer. However, leaders do not monitor this information regularly, or strategically, enough. Consequently, leaders cannot easily identify patterns of absence in order to take effective action.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Evidence from the work of current pupils shows that they typically make good progress over the year. For example, pupils of all abilities, and notably the more able, apply their skills in English consistently well across a range of other subjects.
• Attainment at the end of key stage 2 has historically been very low at this school. However, since the last inspection, outcomes have improved so that they are now at least broadly in line with national standards.
• Progress from key stage 1 to key stage 2 is strong. Progress has also improved in all subject areas so that it is now in line with national figures. Because many pupils join the school well below typically age-related levels, this represents good progress.
• The progress of pupils who speak languages other than English has improved in all subjects so that it is now at least in line with other pupils nationally and significantly above in reading.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils, including those who are more able, has improved in all subjects, so that it is now above or in line with other pupils nationally in reading and mathematics and improving in writing.
• Due to the effective support they receive from skilled staff, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points.
• At the end of key stage 1, there has been a trend of consistent improvement over time in all subjects. Although attainment is below national figures, it is drawing closer.
• The number of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check is now improving. The teaching of phonics is good and pupils are using the strategies they have been taught to read new words with accuracy and confidence.

Early years provision Good

• The leadership of the early years is good. Although new to role, the early years leader has been quick to evaluate correctly the quality of provision. Furthermore, she has accurately identified how the provision can be strengthened even further.
• The early years staff work effectively with other agencies such as the speech and language service to promote children’s early language skills. Many opportunities are taken to encourage children’s language skills in many areas of learning. For example, in a mathematics session the teacher did not accept nods or one-word responses, but encouraged children to speak in whole sentences.
• At the time of this inspection, the Reception Class children had only been in school for one or two weeks, depending on age. However, it is clear that they are already beginning to develop good learning habits.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Staff provide effective guidance for children so that they make a good start with their learning. Children were already seen to respond positively to praise for their ‘good listening’ and ‘good sitting’. For example, in a well-structured mathematics session, children in both classes were seen to participate well and they remained focused for a good period of time.
• At other times, children take part in a range of well-planned activities inside and outside to help them understand the world around them and help them form good relationships with each other. They play well together. These relationships encourage children to behave well and to develop respect for others.
• Teaching assistants work very effectively alongside teachers to reinforce learning and to offer care and reassurance for children. Their support is particularly effective for those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who speak English as an additional language.
• Children in the early years are safe and well cared for. All the necessary policies and procedures relating to safeguarding are in place. Adults in the early years have undergone the required training that all staff at the school receive.
• The early years and key stage 1 classes offer a short daily ‘family learning’ session. Many parents and grandparents were seen to take part in this. The children are very keen to show their parents examples of their work and to share reading with family members. Parents speak positively about the school and say that they value this chance to liaise with the staff, including the high proportion of parents who speak English as an additional language.
• A significant number of children enter the nursery and reception classes at a level which is well below that which is typical for their age. Many speak little or no English. Figures show that they make good and improving progress over the year. Because progress is good, and because the school provides extra support for those who need it, children are well placed to begin Year 1.
• A completely new approach to learning in the nursery has been put in place this year. Although the nursery children have settled well in these early days, it is too early to measure the impact of this new approach on children’s progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120089 Leicester 10019549 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 420 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Sandra Sutcliffe Richard Stone 01162519261 www.fosse-pri.leicester.sch.uk office@fosse-pri.leicester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 September 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is much larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ achievement at the end of key stage 2.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is much higher than average, as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language. Over 30 languages are spoken by pupils, many of whom come from Eastern European countries.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is much higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities is much higher than average.
• No pupils attend any alternative form of education away from the school site.
• The school’s published admission number has recently increased to 60 per year group. Demand for places is high and two new classrooms have recently been added to the school.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 25 lessons. Several lessons were observed jointly with members of the school’s leadership team. Senior leaders also joined the inspectors in reviewing samples of pupils’ written work.
• The inspectors held meetings with pupils, members of the senior leadership team, the headteacher, subject leaders, the early years leader, the special educational needs coordinator, the chair of the governing body and other governors, and the school’s local authority adviser.
• The inspectors took into account the 11 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke with parents at the start of the school day.
• Pupils were observed at break and lunchtimes.
• The inspectors observed the work of the school, including an act of collective worship.
• The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including: the school’s self-evaluation summary; the school improvement plan; assessment information; leaders’ reports on the quality of teaching and learning; a wide range of pupils’ work; minutes of governing body meetings; and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.
• The inspectors talked to pupils about their reading and listened to them read.

Inspection team

Christine Watkins, lead inspector Karen Slack Jennifer Digges Harkireet Sohel

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector