Slater Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • leaders and governors monitor and evaluate closely the impact of additional funding received by the school for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND
  • senior leaders develop the skills of subject leaders, so they can continue to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards in their areas of responsibility
  • the assessment of pupils’ achievement focuses on their progress from different starting points.
• Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that:
  • all teachers have consistently high expectations of what all pupils can achieve
  • teachers provide all pupils, particularly the most able pupils, with an appropriate level of challenge in all aspects of their learning
  • teachers develop their questioning skills, so that they consistently check and deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding
  • additional adults are deployed effectively so they provide support to pupils of all abilities and make a strong contribution to pupils’ learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders know the provision well and have accurately identified its strengths and weaknesses. They have a ‘no excuses’ culture and recognise that improvements were required in response to the last inspection. Leaders have implemented precise and focused plans. As a result, pupils make good progress in almost all year groups.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ attendance is good, through rigorous monitoring systems. They are tenacious in following up those pupils who do not attend well, providing support to parents where necessary and seeking external guidance. Pupils’ attendance is now above the national average.
• Leaders ensure that the school’s behaviour policy is consistently applied. Pupils respond positively to staff expectations and behave very well. When pupils do misbehave, leaders provide them with close support and resolve any issues quickly. As a result, pupils are rarely excluded.
• The curriculum is a strength of the school. It is well conceived and designed, providing pupils with a broad and balanced diet, often based on real experiences within their local community.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is threaded successfully throughout all subject areas. Leaders provide pupils with valuable opportunities to visit places of worship and learn about other cultures, despite pressures from some parents. Pupils participate regularly in fundraising events, for example for local food banks. This results in pupils who are well prepared for life in modern Britain and who have respect and tolerance for others.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported. Leaders provide these pupils’ parents with regular opportunities to visit school. As a result, these pupils are fully integrated within school and lessons. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make better progress than their peers nationally.
• The quality of teaching has improved. Leaders have brought more coherence to the curriculum by implementing new approaches to teaching writing and reading. Teachers work together more closely and share their plans. Leaders scrutinise pupils’ work and visit lessons to see how well pupils learn. They evaluate the impact of the strategies on pupils’ outcomes. Improvements in teaching are not yet consistent across all year groups.
• Leaders have clear systems in place to monitor pupils’ outcomes. However, too often, leaders do not focus their attention on measuring pupils’ progress from their different starting points at the end of the last phase. As a result, leaders do not ensure that they have a clear picture of pupils’ progress over time.
• Subject leaders’ responsibilities are clearly defined. They have received support to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility and plan improvements. Subject leaders support each other well and their actions are beginning to have an impact. However, these actions are still in their early stages.
• Leaders do not ensure that their plans for the use of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils fully reflect the work that takes place to support the pupils. Not all the strategies are clearly focused on improving these pupils’ outcomes. Nevertheless, disadvantaged pupils make good progress with their learning.
• Pupils with SEND are accurately identified. Individual plans provide teachers with guidance on the strategies they should use to support these pupils. However, leaders do not have an overall strategic view of the impact of SEND funding on these pupils’ outcomes.

Governance of the school

• Governors are fully supportive of the senior leadership of the school. They make regular visits to different aspects of the school to ensure that they are confident in leaders’ judgements about the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Governors know how well pupils are progressing and are aware of areas of concern. However, governors are still not skilled enough to challenge leaders confidently regarding pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors do not hold leaders to account rigorously for the additional funding received by the school to support disadvantaged pupils or pupils with SEND. They do not know if the additional funding is having a positive impact.
• Governors understand their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding. They have a clear oversight of staff recruitment. Recent training for governors has ensured that they are familiar with the latest statutory guidance.
• Local authority representatives took too long to ensure that leaders had detailed plans in place to secure the necessary improvements, following the last inspection. External support sourced from local primary schools is now beginning to have a demonstrable impact.
• Uncertainty about the school’s closure and poor communication between those involved has, at times, detracted from leaders’ and governors’ work to bring about school improvements.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Pupils feel safe and categorically say they are safe in school. They talk confidently about ways they have been taught to reduce risks, including staying safe online and road safety.
• Leaders responsible for safeguarding know pupils well and understand the individual risks they may face. Pupils’ safeguarding records are detailed and accurate. Leaders seek timely support from external agencies where necessary for pupils and escalate their concerns to a higher level if required.
• Staff are well trained in safeguarding, including on the ‘Prevent’ duty and female genital mutilation. They recognise a wide range of warning signs that could indicate harm to a pupil. Staff understand their responsibilities to report any concerns to leaders. They are confident that leaders will respond appropriately.
• Leaders ensure that they follow appropriate systems and procedures when recruiting new staff. Records of checks carried out on new staff are secure.
• The school site is safe. Given its geographical location near to a busy road and at the heart of the city, leaders ensure that no one can access or leave the site without staff knowing, including at the start and end of the day. Staff and parents agree that the school is a safe place to learn.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• In almost all year groups, the quality of teaching is typically good. Teachers are enthusiastic and form good working relationships with the pupils. A calm and purposeful atmosphere in classrooms ensures that all pupils are encouraged to do well.
• Pupils adopt positive attitudes to learning and are proud of the work they produce. Their handwriting and presentation have improved. Pupils are keen to be involved in activities, sharing their ideas with their peers.
• Adults reinforce high expectations of behaviour and, as a result, inspectors observed very few pupils off task during learning observations. Pupils are positive about the support they receive from their teachers and enjoy being challenged.
• Where teaching is strongest, teachers have high expectations of pupils. Pupils understand the purpose of the lesson and what they are trying to achieve. If successful, pupils are then able to apply their learning independently to a related task.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally strong. They use effective questioning to elicit responses from pupils, giving them time to answer and praising their contributions.
• In many instances, teachers provide pupils with immediate feedback, clarifying skilfully any misconceptions. Pupils respond positively to feedback from teachers, making notable improvements to the quality of their work.
• Leaders have reviewed the way reading is taught. Teachers now build sequentially on what pupils already know, helping pupils to develop the skills necessary to comprehend a text. However, pupils do not always read for meaning, since their comprehension skills do not always match their word-reading skills. Pupils are beginning to make stronger progress in their reading, including in key stage 1.
• Teachers develop pupils’ mathematical skills across different areas of the curriculum, to reinforce their skills and understanding. Similarly, opportunities for pupils to practise their writing are more frequent, due to the well-planned curriculum, with a relentless emphasis on accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• In phonics, pupils focus well in lessons and respond positively to a range of different activities. Adults use different strategies effectively to model skills to segment and blend words. As a result, pupils develop accurate phonic language and reinforce their learning. Many Year 1 pupils are already demonstrating the necessary skills to pass the phonics screening check.
• The quality of teaching is not consistent across all year groups. Some teachers’ expectations of pupils are not high enough. They do not challenge all pupils consistently to do well. In these instances, teachers do not use questioning well enough to develop pupils’ ideas thoroughly and explore their understanding in detail.
• While teachers know their pupils well, they are not yet meeting their needs consistently well, so that all pupils are making the best possible progress, particularly most able pupils.
• Too often, teachers do not deploy additional adults effectively to support pupils’ learning. The good practice witnessed in some classrooms is not being shared to improve the overall consistency and quality of the support received by pupils.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are excited to be at school. They move around the school site sensibly, holding doors for others, and displaying courtesy and respect. Pupils greet visitors in a polite and enthusiastic manner. Typically, one pupil asked an inspector, ‘How are you?’ and went on to say, ‘I hope you’re having a nice day at our school.’
• Pupils are very tolerant of others. They have good opportunities to learn about the world around them, including different faiths and cultures. Pupils respect people from backgrounds different to their own and treat everyone equally. In the words of one pupil, ‘Everyone is unique.’
• Pupils understand different types of bullying, including bullying that takes place online. They say bullying rarely occurs at school. Pupils have positive relationships with their peers and with adults. They are confident that an adult would always resolve any issues should they arise.
• Pupils enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities, for instance as prefects. They recognise prefects as important role models, who should be listened to and who provide help to others.
• Pupils are encouraged to look after their mental health and well-being. Leaders provide pupils with lots of opportunities to take part in activities at lunchtime, to stay fit and healthy.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Leaders have high expectations of behaviour. They respond to any issues involving pupils’ behaviour swiftly to resolve them effectively. Incidents of poor behaviour are infrequent. Pupils, parents and staff are almost unanimous in their view that behaviour is a strength of the school.
• Pupils’ attendance has improved and is now above that seen nationally. The proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school has fallen below the national average.
• Pupils’ punctuality to school has dramatically improved. The vast majority of pupils now arrive at school on time each day and are ready to learn.
• Pupils’ positive attitudes to school and to learning mean that, in recent years, only a negligible proportion of them have been excluded for poor behaviour. Leaders are clear that exclusion is only ever used as a last resort.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2018, the proportion of Year 1 pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check was above the national average. This maintains the previous high levels of attainment in recent years.
• By the end of key stage 2, pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics has been at least broadly average over successive years. In 2018, pupils’ progress in reading notably improved well above the national average, according to provisional information.
• In 2018, Year 6 pupils’ attainment in reading and mathematics was above the national averages at both the expected and higher levels, including for pupils of average ability and the most able pupils. Pupils’ attainment in writing is in line with the national average, according to provisional information.
• Pupils achieve well in grammar, punctuation and spelling. For the past two years, the proportions of pupils gaining the higher standards have been well above the national averages. Current pupils’ books reveal that these standards are being maintained.
• Current pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are making good progress, across all areas of their studies. However, the progress of pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 is not as strong. Due to weaker teaching, these pupils have not maintained the good start they achieved in key stage 1.
• Pupils in key stage 1 achieve well. In 2018, Year 2 pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics remained above the national averages for the expected standard and for greater depth, according to provisional information. However, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading fell slightly below the national average.
• School information shows that most pupils currently in key stage 1 are making at least the progress that they should, and good proportions are making more than this, particularly in writing and mathematics. Work in pupils’ books confirms that these pupils are making good progress across different subjects.
• In key stage 2, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics improved in 2018, compared with national averages, according to provisional information. These pupils made good progress in all three subjects, compared with national averages. Disadvantaged pupils currently in Year 5 and Year 6 continue to do well.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language make strong progress from their starting points, outperforming their peers in school and pupils nationally.
• The number of pupils with SEND in each year group is too small to report on without the risk of their identification. However, many of these pupils make good progress from their individual starting points.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders of the early years are skilled and know the provision well. They create a purposeful learning environment that promotes children’s learning. Leaders have identified accurately the provision’s strengths and have precise plans in place to bring about continuous improvements.
• Children behave well. They cooperate effectively with their peers, learning to share the resources and take their turn. Children develop positive relationships, being respectful of each other and of adults in the provision. They respond promptly to adults’ requests, for example, to tidy up their resources in preparation for the next activity.
• Children engage in a range of well-structured activities, both indoors and in the outside area, that closely match their abilities. Adults are increasingly skilled at redirecting children, particularly boys, so they experience different learning opportunities. Due to their high levels of interest, children sustain their concentration on an activity, for example when designing constructions or participating in a role-play activity.
• Leaders accurately assess children’s progress and use this information to plan precisely the next steps in their learning. Current children are making good progress across all areas of the foundation stage. For example, evidence in the journals of most-able children confirms that they are already able to write in simple sentences.
• The teaching of phonics in the early years is not as strong as in Year 1. When leaders do not ensure that activities closely match children’s abilities or provide sufficient challenge, children’s learning and progress are limited.
• Relationships with parents are strong. Leaders work hard to develop more opportunities for parents to support their children’s learning. An increasing number of parents attend curriculum sessions and workshops on phonics. However, parents rarely contribute evidence of their children’s learning to their journals.
• Leaders work effectively with external agencies to support children who require additional help, for example children who speak English as an additional language or children with SEND. These children benefit from closer guidance to improve their speech, language and communication skills.
• The proportions of children achieving a good level of development have been above the national averages for the last two years. They are well prepared to start Year 1.
• Teachers in the early years work closely with colleagues in Year 1, so children move smoothly to the next phase of their education.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective. Appropriate procedures are in place, keeping children safe and ensuring that their welfare needs are being met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120101 Leicester 10053083 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 160 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Local authority Rob Kettle Cheryl Henderson Telephone number 0116 2624587 Website Email address www.slater.leicester.sch.uk chenderson@slater.leicester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20 February 2018

Information about this school

• The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The school has had stability of senior leadership over a number of years. The chair of governors took up his role in March 2016.
• The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is close to the national average.
• Pupils from White British backgrounds are in the minority. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is more than double the national average.
• The school runs its own daily breakfast club and an after-school club once a week.
• The school receives some support from two local primary schools: Barley Croft Primary School and Fosse Primary School.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 17 lessons. Some of these lessons were visited jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work covering a range of subjects, abilities and year groups, including the early years.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils and spoke informally with pupils during lessons, lunchtimes and breaktimes. An inspector also heard some pupils read.
• Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils at playtime and lunchtime and as pupils moved around the school.
• Inspectors held a range of meetings, including with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, leaders responsible for safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, the leader responsible for the early years, the coordinator for the provision for pupils with SEND, and recently qualified teachers.
• The lead inspector met with two representatives of the governing body, including the chair and the governor responsible for safeguarding. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They also took into account the 16 responses from Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including the two responses made through the free-text service.
• Inspectors considered the 21 responses from the pupil online survey and the five responses from the staff online survey.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents relating to the school’s provision, including: self-evaluation and improvement planning records; minutes of meetings of the governing body; safeguarding procedures and records; behaviour and attendance records; information about the progress and attainment of all pupils; plans related to additional government funding; and information on the school’s website. The lead inspector also checked the school’s single central record and the school’s system for recruiting staff.

Inspection team

Rachel Tordoff, lead inspector Steve Varnam

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector