Corby Glen Community 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 raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in mathematics, by ensuring that:
  • all teachers assess pupils’ learning accurately, have high expectations of what they can achieve and check on their learning regularly so all pupils make rapid progress and close the gaps in their learning
  • there are increased opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills and develop greater depth in their understanding
  • pupils’ writing skills are improved across the school so that they present their work at a consistently high standard, especially in lower key stage 2
  • all teachers have opportunities to learn from each other and receive the support they need to develop their skills, so that all teaching is as good as the best in the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas requiring improvement. She has ensured that clear priorities for improvement have been used to plan developments in the school and is aware that the school has more to do to improve.
• Leaders have created a culture of tolerance and respect. Adults and pupils understand the importance of listening to other people’s views. They work well together and staff promote the importance of British values well.
• The headteacher is alert to partnership opportunities with local schools. She is keen to promote the good practice from within Corby Glen Community Primary School. She is equally keen for staff and pupils to benefit from the good practice of others. Links with the local authority are effective.
• Teachers have benefited from effective training opportunities. For example, their skills and confidence in teaching phonics have improved because of the phonics training received by teaching staff. Pupils’ achievement in phonics has improved and is now at the national average.
• Pupils have good opportunities to study a wide range of subjects and topics. They also have the chance to take part in a good range of clubs and trips.
• The school has developed a wide range of additional sporting activities during the previous eighteen months. The physical education and sport premium funding is used effectively to provide these additional opportunities.
• Subject leaders have accurately identified areas for improvement. They have implemented a range of useful strategies to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Their leadership is effective and is helpfully building the confidence and the skills of the majority of teaching staff.
• Leaders ensure that the pupil premium funding is used effectively to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils. These pupils are increasingly making good progress across a range of subjects.
• The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to study spiritual, moral, social and cultural topics.
• Although the school has improved over the last two years, the quality of learning is not consistent across all classes. Some pupils are still not yet making good progress, especially in lower key stage 2 classes.

Governance of the school

• The governing body has become increasingly effective and confident in supporting and challenging school leaders.
  • The chair of governors has successfully reorganised the governing body and ensured that its members are skilled and well trained. She is working effectively with the headteacher to provide focused leadership for the school.
  • The governing body has checked regularly that additional funding received by the school is spent appropriately and is having a positive effect on learning and progress.
  • Governors receive regular information about the school’s performance and use this to check that decisions about pay progression are appropriate.
  • Governors are aware that, although the school is starting to improve, some aspects of teaching and learning are not consistently good yet.
  • The governing body has ensured that its members have appropriate training in the safeguarding of pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have created a culture where all staff understand that the safety and well-being of pupils is the highest priority.
• Pupils say they feel safe in school and have good opportunities to learn about the importance of using the internet safely and the importance of road safety.
• Staff receive regular training in order to raise their awareness and understanding of risks that may be faced by pupils. They are confident about how to report any concerns they might have.
• The school’s good links with support services ensure that if any concerns have been identified about pupils their welfare is monitored carefully.
• Thorough checks are used to ensure that visitors, staff and volunteers are all appropriately experienced or vetted.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Over time, some teaching has not enabled some pupils to make sufficient progress from their starting points, especially in mathematics. Some older key stage 2 pupils have not yet caught up with gaps in their previous learning. Some younger key stage 2 pupils are still not regularly challenged to do their best across a range of subjects.
• Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply their developing mathematical skills in unfamiliar and more challenging contexts. This means that across the school some of the most able pupils are not yet secure enough when tackling more complex problems.
• Teaching is not yet consistently strong across the school. Where it is most effective, teaching is skilful and supports pupils to make rapid progress. This is helping pupils to improve their understanding, especially in mathematical calculation.
• In all lessons, teachers expect pupils to behave well and follow the school’s rules. However, some work by pupils is not completed to a high enough standard and is not routinely presented well. This is because teachers’ expectations are not high enough, or gaps in pupils’ learning are not identified well. This leads to some pupils making more limited progress, especially in lower key stage 2 classes.
• Support and training have led to greater consistency in the teaching of phonics, an improved understanding of how to develop mathematical concepts and an improvement in the quality of pupils’ writing.
• Most teachers use the school’s systems for marking and feedback with a high level of consistency across the different classes.
• Teachers consistently create a climate in lessons where pupils feel supported and valued.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils have a range of opportunities to consider themes about the world around them through lessons in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.
• Pupils say they feel safe in school and they get on well with each other. They have no concerns about bullying. They learn how to stay safe in a range of situations, such as online, when cycling and near water. Such teaching enables them to manage risks confidently.
• Many pupils work well together in groups and are able to work hard on their own because they understand why this is important for their learning.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The very large majority of pupils behave consistently well in lessons. They are able to listen to each other, discuss ideas sensibly and treat each other with respect. Many, but not all, take pride in their work.
• Pupils behave well around the school. They understand the importance of lining up for assemblies, behaving well when eating lunch and ensuring they treat each other well during break and lunchtime.
• Pupils attend school regularly. The proportion who are absent is below similar schools.
• In a few lessons, some pupils are less focused on their learning because teachers are not quick enough at identifying gaps in pupils’ learning. Where expectations are not as high as they should be, pupils occasionally take the opportunity to work less hard and do not present their work as well as they could.

Outcomes for pupils

Requires improvement

• Over time, pupils have not made good progress from their different starting points, especially in key stage 2 classes. Some older pupils are still catching up with their learning because they have gaps in their knowledge and skills, especially in mathematics. Pupils in lower key stage 2 classes are currently not making consistently good progress across a range of subjects.
• The progress made by key stage 2 pupils in mathematics has been below average for two out of the last three years. Although older pupils are now starting to catch up, the most able pupils are still not achieving work at a greater depth.
• The proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check has improved. The additional training provided for staff has meant that pupils are becoming more skilled and confident in decoding unfamiliar words.
• Over the previous two years the progress made by pupils in reading and writing by the end of key stage 2 has been broadly average. The attainment of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 tests has been broadly average for the last three years.
• Pupils are starting to make good progress in writing across the school. Older key stage 2 pupils in particular are making rapid progress and are able to write in a range of styles with increasing fluency and confidence.
• Pupils are building on their increasing confidence in use of phonics by reading a range of texts. ‘Guided reading’ sessions are helping them to become more confident in understanding the meaning of more complex passages of literature.
• The small number of disadvantaged pupils are making similar progress to other pupils in each class.
• The large majority of the small number of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities in each class are making good progress from their starting points. They are benefiting from additional support in lessons and the activities they do in smaller groups.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development within the early years foundation stage. For example, the outdoor equipment and resources for learning have been upgraded and improved. This is providing children with a good range of interesting and relevant learning experiences. Children are able to explore the world and develop their social skills.
• The proportion of children in the Reception Year who have achieved a good level of development has risen over the last two years and is now broadly average. The majority of pupils are ready to move on to Year 1 activities towards the end of Reception.
• Keeping children safe is a high priority. Staff have attended training in safeguarding and first-aid training.
• Staff ensure that increasingly good links are made with nursery providers. This helps the children to settle quickly into the Reception Year and supports the different groups of children to make good progress.
• Children behave well as they move between activities and are able to listen well to explanations and discussions.
• Staff establish routines quickly and effectively develop children’s personal, social and emotional skills well. This means children are able to confidently work with their classmates as well as older pupils in Year 1.
• Teaching is planned carefully. The systems used to record and check the progress made by children have improved, especially over the last twelve months.
• Parents and carers have opportunities to find out about learning in the Reception class and to add their own comments about their child’s learning at home. This aspect of provision is still at an early stage of development.
• Additional funding is used well to improve the progress and attainment for disadvantaged children in the early years.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120374 Lincolnshire 10036036 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 Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 116 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Nicola Bentman Julia Waites 01476 550260 www.corbyglen.lincs.sch.uk enquiries@corbyglen.lincs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 28–29 November 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is a smaller than average primary school.
• The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.
• The proportion of pupils supported through pupil premium funding is below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is broadly average. The proportion with an education, health and care plan is below average.
• The early years foundation stage is taught as a Reception class, which includes some Year 1 pupils. The other classes in the school also have mixed ages.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• A breakfast and after-school club operates on the school site. This provision is inspected separately.
• The headteacher started at the school in January 2016. There have been some changes in class teachers over the last two years.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed 12 lessons, or part lessons, as well as some sessions designed to provide additional support for smaller groups of pupils. The headteacher joined the inspector during seven observations.
• Discussions took place with the headteacher, subject leaders, the coordinator for special educational needs and a member of staff with responsibility for early years. The inspector also met with a group of pupils, three members of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.
• The inspector heard pupils read and checked pupils’ work across all classes. He looked at a number of documents, including the school development plan, attendance data, safeguarding checks, minutes of the governing body meetings and the school’s records of pupils’ progress.
• The inspector took account of the 37 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), 32 responses to a pupils’ survey and nine responses to a staff survey.

Inspection team

David Bray, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector