Spinney Hill Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and, thereby, increase the rates of progress and attainment by:
  • ensuring that the work set by teachers is consistently well-matched to pupils’ abilities, particularly the most able, so that they become less dependent on direct adult supervision and support
  • securing effective assessment practices that inform the next steps in pupils’ learning in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Further improve outcomes for children by the time they finish Reception by extending partnership work and sharing good practice seen in the early years with local pre-school providers.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The schools’ self-assessment provides an accurate account of strengths and areas to improve. Information about pupils’ outcomes and progress is strategically used to identify priorities and inform actions. Therefore, standards have risen significantly since the previous inspection.
• The headteacher and her deputy have the respect of staff, governors, parents and the local authority. Teachers believe that because of the senior leadership team’s clear and unwavering goals, ‘the culture in school has completely changed and learning is on everyone’s mind’. The vast majority of parents positively engage with the school and are regularly invited into assemblies, workshops and to help their children choose books in the new library.
• Since the last inspection, the headteacher has successfully restructured the school’s leadership model. Teachers and teaching assistants are encouraged to share good practice, and value highly the opportunities to do so. As a result, the school has empowered leaders, teachers and teaching assistants to take responsibility for improving the school.
• The school prides itself on being inclusive. This is clearly communicated throughout the school and its curriculum. This approach allows children to develop a good understanding of spiritual and cultural differences and breaks down stereotypical barriers. This ethos is preparing pupils for life in modern Britain.
• The schools’ monitoring system is robust and effective and all leaders, including governors, understand their role. Teaching and learning are regularly monitored, evaluated and reflected on to identify next steps for school improvement. This has been exemplified in the schools’ ability to improve the rate of progress for all pupils over the past three years.
• The leader for special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective because he knows the individual needs and backgrounds of pupils. This knowledge is strategically used to plan improvements, target support and monitor progress. In a Year 2 lesson, a pupil with additional needs was actively participating and making progress because the adults supported him well. Resources and additional funds are used effectively to improve outcomes for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Senior leaders have been proactive in seeking additional support to improve the school. The school has benefited from some professional development though the Affinity Teaching School Alliance. The local authority has provided effective support which has ensured that the school leaders will be able to continue to independently move forward.
• The school’s performance management systems and procedures are effective and in line with statutory requirements. Teachers benefit from opportunities to share best practice and specific support when there is an identified need. The headteacher reports to the governors on teachers’ performance, and salary increments are only awarded when they have been deserved.
• Leaders ensure that the additional government funding from the pupil premium has been effectively used. Progress and attainment of the disadvantaged pupils are tracked and leaders target support according to individual needs. As a result, standards have significantly improved for this group over the past three years.
• The curriculum offered is broad and balanced. Work in pupils’ books shows that they benefit from a wide variety of interesting topics which capture their interest, allowing them to learn about the world around them. The curriculum is extended through the number of extra-curricular activities which are well attended. The primary physical education and sport premium is used effectively to increase participation and pupils are improving their skills in a variety of sports.
• Support provided by the local authority has been effective in raising standards. Leaders are in a good position to continue developing the school with a much reduced level of support.

Governance of the school

• Governors are ambitious for the school and have effectively supported the headteacher in driving school improvements. All governors have a very good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They have recently completed an audit of skills which has helped them to identify areas of expertise needed to further improve their impact and have successfully recruited two new members.
• Governors are proactive in their approach to their responsibilities. They complete training which allows them to understand school data, for example, which in turn allows them to ask relevant and searching questions to confidently hold the school to account.
• Governors are diligent in their assigned curriculum area responsibilities. The working relationship between teachers and governors is positive, which allows critical yet friendly visits to take place. Their involvement in school development has been successful in supporting improvements since the last inspection.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The headteacher is tenacious in her approach to safeguarding and ensures that all statutory requirements with regard to recruitment and training are met. Records show that concerns are dealt with effectively and in a timely manner. This is because all staff not only understand their responsibility and the process to follow, but do so vigilantly.
• The vast majority of pupils and parents agree that this is a safe school. Pupils are taught how to stay safe in a variety of situations and feel they can easily talk with the adults in school if something is wrong. Leaders take particular care in respect to the roads directly outside the school at the start and end of each day, patrolling and ensuring that the pupils are safe while at the same time promoting safe parking.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers and teaching assistants have high aspirations for all pupils. This has improved significantly since the last inspection and has resulted in more pupils achieving the national expectation. Therefore, pupils now receive a good education which prepares them well for their next stage in life.
• The school has developed a collaborative ethos which is clearly visible throughout. Teachers and teaching assistants regularly plan together so that they all understand the learning sequences planned and the needs of the pupils. This allows all adults to support learning effectively and for pupils to make good progress.
• Teachers demonstrate particularly strong subject knowledge in English and mathematics lessons. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, the pupils learned to recognise and describe number patterns in 1s, 2s and 10s. The teacher’s confident delivery and clear explanations resulted in improvements in the pupils’ reasoning skills, allowing them to explain what they were doing and why. Pupils are given opportunities to write at length and across the curriculum, allowing them to further develop their spelling, grammar and punctuation skills.
• Teachers and teaching assistants in school model language effectively. They all speak clearly and in such a way that all pupils, but especially those who speak English as an additional language, are able to quickly improve their speaking, listening and writing skills. This allows all pupils to connect with and actively participate in all areas of the curriculum.
• Teachers’ feedback to pupils is consistently in line with the school’s policy. Pupils are given time to reflect on the teachers’ comments and improve their work. Consequently, pupils’ progress quickens over time, particularly in writing.
• Teachers encourage pupils to read regularly and pupils are excited about their new library. The vast majority of pupils use their developing phonics skills effectively when they read. On very rare occasions, pupils do not use pure sounds, but these are often addressed quickly by their teachers.
• Occasionally in lessons, pupils, and in particular the most able pupils, are too reliant on the direct supervision of teachers and teaching assistants to complete their work. On these occasions, learning time is lost and pupils do not make as much progress as they could.
• Teachers do not assess pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics well enough. They are not as clear as they need to be to ensure that the tasks they set are well enough matched to pupils’ abilities. As a result, pupils do not make as much progress as they could in lessons, regardless of 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.
• From the moment they walk through the front door, pupils are immersed in a respectful and welcoming environment. With adults acting as excellent role models, pupils demonstrate a good level of social awareness and skill. They work cooperatively, supporting one another’s learning both inside and outside the classroom.
• The school promotes teamwork and it is creatively connected to the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding through assembly themes and the curriculum. In a Year 1 physical education lesson, pupils needed to work cooperatively in teams to complete coordination and balance activities. As a result, pupils are naturally supportive of one another, creating a positive learning environment for all to succeed.
• Pupils feel safe at school and understand how to keep themselves safe in different situations, including when on the internet and using social media. A member of the road safety group discussed concerns about the traffic and parking problems outside the school building, as well as the measures the school is taking to keep them safe. The vast majority of pupils and parents trust the school to deal with any problems quickly and effectively, including rare incidents of bullying.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are well-mannered and friendly both inside the classroom and around the school. The vast majority of pupils respond quickly and appropriately to adults’ instructions, including during playtimes and lunchtimes. Consequently, very little learning time is lost.
• Pupils and staff are proud of their school and enjoy attending. Classrooms, corridors and the outdoors are tidy and the atmosphere is bright and welcoming. This learning culture is clearly valued by pupils, staff, governors and parents.
• The school has recently introduced a new behaviour system. Pupils were keen to share this with inspectors and say it is followed consistently by staff. As a result, it is having an overall positive impact on behaviour and low-level disruption is rare.
• Leaders have taken all reasonable steps to increase attendance, which has been slightly below the national average for the past three years.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Work in pupils’ books shows that the vast majority make good progress from their starting points, regardless of ability or background. Most pupils now attain at least the national expectation in reading, writing and mathematics, preparing them well for their next stage in education.
• Children enter the early years with levels of development below what is typical for their age. From these starting points, children make good progress and the vast majority enter Year 1 at a level of development which matches the national expectation. Historically, disadvantaged children have not made as much progress as other children in the early years; however, many of these children start school part-way through the year. School information shows that accelerated progress is made by this group of pupils in key stage 1 and they catch up with their peers.
• Published data for 2016 shows that the number of pupils achieving the expected standard in phonics has been rising for the past three years and has been above the national average.
• By the end of key stage 1 in 2016, pupils’ attainment at the expected standard was in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion attaining at levels higher than the expected was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. This was true for most groups, including the disadvantaged. School information for 2017 indicates further improvements. There is a historical gap between girls’ and boys’ attainment in reading and mathematics. However, these gaps are closing as a result of targeted intervention by school leaders.
• By the end of key stage 2 in 2016, pupils’ attainment was broadly in line with the national average in reading and writing and above for mathematics. The proportion attaining at levels higher than that expected was broadly in line with the national average in reading and writing and well above in mathematics. School information for 2017 shows further improvements.
• Disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress during their time in school and achieve well over time. In 2016, the number of disadvantaged pupils who achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average. School information shows a similar picture for 2017.
• Attainment for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is rising because their individual needs are quickly identified and support is put in place.
• The most able pupils, while attaining well, could progress more swiftly and attain at an even higher level. Opportunities are sometimes missed as tasks are not always well matched to their abilities. As a result, some more-able pupils have developed a reliance on adult support and direct supervision.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years get off to a good start in their education. Through a supportive transition system involving parents and setting consistent routines, children settle quickly into school life. The children respond well to the warm and caring environment created by the staff and are already beginning to show sustained concentration in their activities.
• Provision in the early years is good because the leader has high expectations and a solid understanding of the needs of the children. Staff are quick to accurately assess the needs and abilities of the children and provide early support where it is needed. Spoken language is rich and modelled extremely well to support children’s speaking, listening and communication skills across the early years.
• Adults use effective, probing questions to further engage and challenge children’s thinking to move their understanding and learning forward. Open questions such as ‘What might happen if we move the pipe up?’ encourage children to reason and solve problems. Children are given time to explore their thinking and make choices, developing their independent learning skills.
• All activities have a clear purpose and all areas of learning are catered for both indoors and out. The opportunity to follow instructions to make salt dough was very popular and the children worked collaboratively to produce it. Children are motivated and eager to join in activities, interacting with adults and each other well.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective and statutory duties are met. There is a high level of parental engagement which is actively promoted by the leader. Parents are invited to participate in ‘early bird’ activities which allow them to see what their children will be learning that day. Workshops for parents to explain the curriculum and how the children are taught were taking place during the inspection.
• Overall, children make good progress from their starting points. Children’s outcomes for the past three years have been improving and above the national average. Therefore, they are well prepared for entering Year 1. Early phonics, reading, writing and mathematics skills are taught well. Children’s work from last year shows good progress over time. One more-able disadvantaged child had independently written ‘A butterfly house in fairyland’.
• Transition into Nursery is good and relationships between the school and home are made before children start. Leaders have good relationships within the community of the school and this could be used to further improve transition through working collaboratively with the 0–3 early years providers in the area.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120084 Leicester 10036083 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 711 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Imtiaz Girach Catherine Stretton Telephone number 01162 737047 Website Email address www.spinneyhill.leicester.sch.uk office@spinneyhill.leicester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 30 September–1 October 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• There are four newly qualified teachers and two recently qualified teachers currently on staff.
• Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and there is a much higher than average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by pupil premium funding is in line with the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well below the national average.
• Children attending the early years are educated in their own classrooms. Children attend the Reception classes full time and children in the Nursery attend part time.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 32 lessons, some jointly with the deputy headteacher, across all classes, including the Nursery. They looked at pupils’ work in books covering a range of subjects, abilities and year groups.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle and subject leaders with responsibility for the early years, key stages 1 and 2, special educational needs and/or disabilities, English, mathematics and the sports premium, as well as a group of teaching assistants.
• Inspectors met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils, including a representative from the road safety group, and considered the views of pupils who responded to the pupils’ survey. They also spoke informally with pupils during lessons and during breaktimes and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors considered the responses from the parents’ online survey, Parent View, and spoke informally with parents at the start of the school day.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the leaders’ self-assessment of the school’s performance, the school improvement plan, governors’ minutes and notes of visits to the school, the school’s most recent information on pupils’ progress and achievement, and information relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

Inspection team

Heidi Malliff, lead inspector Linda Lyn-Cook Elizabeth Mace Paul Lowther Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector