Fosse Way Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management by:
  • monitoring more closely the impact of the pupil premium funding for the middle- and higher-attaining disadvantaged pupils to enable more disadvantaged pupils to achieve highly
  • embedding the more recent challenge and support provided by the governing body to raise standards.
• Improve teaching and learning to raise pupils’ outcomes at the end of both key stages 1 and 2 by:
  • ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to answer questions requiring inference skills to improve their reading comprehension skills.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher, ably assisted by the deputy headteacher, lead the school well. They know all the pupils well. They have a very good understanding of the requirements of the national curriculum and monitor the pupils’ work closely. The current pupils in school are making good progress and are achieving well throughout the school.
• The subject leaders are very knowledgeable and lead their subjects well. The mathematics coordinator has planned extensive training to increase the staff’s knowledge of reasoning. As a result, pupils are becoming very adept at mathematical reasoning and are developing a deep understanding of mathematics.
• The key stage leaders are highly committed to raising standards. They have a good oversight of pupils in their department and ensure that any pupils at risk of underachievement are provided with extra support to improve their performance quickly. The leader for Years 3 and 4 has recognised that some pupils underachieved at the end of Year 2 last year. These pupils are closely monitored and, through good teaching, are making accelerated progress.
• The curriculum is imaginative and enthuses pupils to learn. The school has invited artists into school to develop the pupils printing and life drawing skills. Older pupils have researched their family tree. They have produced their own films of historical events that their family members had been involved in. In the school grounds, there is a meadow area for pupils to study the natural habitat and to develop their scientific skills. Each pupil in key stage 2 has an iPad and pupils are highly skilled in using them for research and to record their work. The pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders motivate their staff through offering high-quality training to enhance their practice. The training is linked to the school improvement plan and ensures that everyone is focused on the right priorities to improve the pupils’ outcomes, particularly in mathematics and reading. In addition, there is an expectation that teachers request training and support to improve their own performance. Staff morale is high and many talked positively of the professional development they have received this year, particularly in mathematics, to improve their practice.
• Leaders’ monitoring is of high quality. All leaders contribute to the monitoring of staff and the support given to them. Teachers receive good-quality feedback to improve their practice further. Only good performance is rewarded through the appraisal process.
• The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The curriculum enables pupils to learn about their local cultural heritage. Pupils visit Lincoln to learn how the Romans invaded Britain and the influence they have had on the town’s development. In addition, they grow crops in the school allotment as they learn about arable farming in Lincolnshire. Pupils cooperate well at school in their projects, for example running the school’s radio station at lunchtimes. There are a range of extra-curricular clubs, including choir, scrabble and science clubs, to promote the pupils’ learning. The school is a cohesive place where learning is fun.
• The school promotes fundamental British values well. The pupils learn about democracy through voting for their school council representatives. Pupils take on roles, such as junior police cadet school officers and road safety officers, and link up with the police to deliver assemblies and inform pupils about the rule of law. The school has links with many leaders of different faiths to enable pupils to learn about different religions. The pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding to employ a mixture of teachers and teaching assistants to provide one-to-one support, or small-group tuition, to accelerate the progress of disadvantaged pupils. This includes a breakfast club to support pupils’ development of mathematics. The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils do not miss the same lesson each week if they are taking part in an intervention group. However, leaders do not regularly check the provision for the middle- and higher-attaining disadvantaged pupils to see if it is meeting their needs. Not enough disadvantaged pupils achieved highly in the end of key stage outcomes in 2016. Nonetheless, most disadvantaged pupils are now making good progress.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly skilled and knowledgeable. She works closely with the teachers to quickly identify any pupils who have potential learning difficulties, and to put in place detailed plans to improve the pupils’ progress. The coordinator monitors the support given to all pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that it is of high quality and meets the needs of the pupils. The funding for special educational needs is used very effectively.
• The school uses the primary physical education and sport funding well to improve the quality of teaching and to increase pupils’ participation in sporting activities. The school employs sport coaches to deliver a variety of sports and teachers observe to improve their own knowledge. Arrangements are in place to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to engage in physical activity. There are a range of after-school clubs, for example street dance, to promote pupils being active. The school checks that disadvantaged pupils are also participating in clubs.

Governance of the school

• Members of the governing body are committed to ensuring that the school provides a rich curriculum. Governors attend whole-school events, including the recent parent evenings, to enable parents to access them. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.
• The governors compare the school’s performance to that of other schools nationally. They are well aware of the need to improve the outcomes of pupils in reading and mathematics. They have checked with leaders about the professional development being provided to improve the quality of teaching in these areas.
• More recently, the governors have questioned leaders about specific groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to check the current progress that they are making. These questions are very pertinent and are challenging leaders to raise standards. However, governors have not yet been able to follow up their questions in sufficient detail as this detailed scrutiny is a more recent development.
• The governors complete an annual audit of safeguarding procedures. They recommend improvements to leaders to ensure that procedures in school are as robust as they can be.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school’s safeguarding procedures are robust. The school takes swift action once a concern is raised. The school has good links with external agencies to support pupils and their families. The school’s record-keeping of concerns is of high quality.
• The school ensures that its staff receive regular training. This has included training to promote e-safety for pupils and to fulfil their ‘Prevent’ duty, in order to help protect pupils who are potentially at risk of radicalisation and extremism.
• The school’s recruitment procedures for new staff are rigorous. The school ensures that references are obtained before a person is interviewed, as well as carrying out all the other appropriate checks, before a new member of staff is allowed to start work.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The teachers have good subject knowledge, high expectations and assess pupils’ skills and knowledge accurately to plan the next steps of learning. This is enabling current pupils throughout the school to make good progress from their starting points, particularly in mathematics. For example, in Year 6, pupils were required to solve problems involving number sequences to learn algebra. They were taught successfully to use mathematical vocabulary to explain their reasoning for the answers they gave.
• Throughout the school, teachers skilfully adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils in mathematics to ensure that they understand and develop a deep understanding of mathematics. In Year 1, teachers provide pupils with challenges to prove or disprove mathematical statements to develop their reasoning skills. Teachers successfully use different strategies to explain mathematical concepts to enable pupils to understand the value of the numbers in their calculations.
• Pupils are given the opportunity to experience a wide variety of different genres in order to develop their writing skills, including newspaper reports, poetry and interviews. The pupils learn to create tension in their stories. One pupil in Year 4 wrote, ‘The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. It came closer and closer and subsequently jumped out of the water.’
• Teachers develop pupils’ knowledge of human geography well. Pupils in Year 5 have researched the water infrastructure in Niger and how poor sanitation can affect people’s health. They are able to use the technical vocabulary to explain their understanding of the problems associated with poor water supply. The pupils use their iPads efficiently to research their topics. However, they are acutely aware to put their research into their own words, because they say teachers would identify copied work.
• Pupils in Years 3 and 4 demonstrate good historical knowledge about the Roman invasion of Britain. Pupils used their knowledge well to think of why the Romans made their decision to invade Britain. Pupils have also written interviews of Roman soldiers and broadcast them on the school radio. In addition, the school has many historical resources on display which the pupils can handle. This further promotes their enjoyment of history.
• Science is promoted well throughout the school. Pupils have had the opportunity to investigate how different liquids affect tooth decay. Older pupils have created water gardens to investigate the best conditions to grow cress. Pupils are taught the correct scientific vocabulary and understand fair testing.
• Pupils’ artwork is of a high standard. There are many examples of pupils’ drawings, paintings and model making around school. The Year 2 pupils have used pastels and watercolours effectively to paint pictures of the Maasai warriors as part of their Africa topic.
• The quality of teaching of singing is of a high standard. Excellent teacher knowledge results in pupils singing enthusiastically, demonstrating good diction and tone.
• Teachers have promoted a love of reading. Pupils fundraised and chose new books for their class libraries. Most pupils are very fluent readers and read regularly at home. Teachers regularly check to find out how often pupils are reading at home. Although pupils are answering reading comprehension questions, both verbally and written, they are not being given enough opportunities to develop their inference skills.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The pupils are articulate and relish the many positions of responsibility that are provided. These include pupils being carbon ambassadors or digital leaders. Older pupils are reading buddies for younger pupils, to promote an enjoyment of reading. Pupils are proud of the positions they hold.
• In the classrooms, pupils work well together. They share their work and suggest improvements to each other. There are good relationships between adults and pupils. Teachers use humour well to engage pupils in their learning. There is a good level of respect shown to adults by the pupils.
• Most pupils do present their work neatly. However, there is a significant minority of pupils who do not always present their work as neatly as they should. On occasions, pupils do not always use rulers when it is appropriate to do so or label their diagrams accurately.
• The school promotes effectively the pupils’ physical well-being through providing a range of extra-curricular sporting activities, including separate girls’ and boys’ football clubs. The bike hub has been used to promote cycling and the school takes part in cycling competitions with other local schools.
• Pupils said bullying does happen but it is rare. They added that they are confident that if it did happen, the adults in school would resolve it quickly. The school records show only a few incidents of bullying and the school staff remain vigilant to ensure that incidents of bullying are not repeated.
• The pupils demonstrate a good understanding of staying safe when online.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ conduct around the school is good. Pupils walk in the corridors and behave well in the playground.
• At breaktimes, the older pupils organise games for the younger pupils to enjoy. The pupils are active and play cooperatively. Pupils respond quickly to the whistle which signals the end of breaktimes, reflecting the high expectations for behaviour.
• In classes, the vast majority of pupils are fully focused on their learning. The school’s records show very few incidents of poor behaviour.
• Pupils’ attendance is high overall. Historically, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils who have been persistently absent has been too high. The school has worked closely with the education welfare officer to improve pupils’ attendance. Consequently, more recently, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has improved greatly.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The current progress of all groups of pupils in all year groups is much stronger than it has been since the school’s previous inspection. Previously, the pupils have not made sufficient progress in reading and mathematics by the end of key stage 2. However, the current pupils’ written and mathematical work is of a good standard and demonstrates good progress since the start of the academic year. Most pupils are working at age-related expectations. The school’s monitoring of the quality of teaching and the tracking information of pupils’ progress also reflects this positive picture.
• The pupils’ ability to reason and problem solve in mathematics is good. The regular opportunities that are given to pupils to enhance their mathematical skills has enabled many to make strong progress and achieve highly. The proportion of pupils in Year 6 who are working to a high standard is higher than last year’s national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are working to a high standard in reading is higher in most current year groups than was achieved by all pupils nationally last year. Pupils read fluently but are not always demonstrating a good understanding of inference in their written answers to reading comprehension questions.
• Scrutiny of pupils’ written work shows that pupils throughout the school can organise their writing into paragraphs and use a range of punctuation well to demarcate their sentences. Pupils are becoming adept at editing and improving their own work, particularly using more ambitious vocabulary. In 2016, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected level or higher in writing at the end of key stage 2 was above the national average.
• Pupils are taught phonics well. They use their knowledge of sounds well to read unknown words. Books are well matched to the pupils’ reading abilities to enable them to grow in confidence and make good progress with their reading. The proportions of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics check have been consistently above the national averages for the past three years. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who achieved the required standard in the phonics check in 2016 was above the average for other pupils nationally.
• The progress made by disadvantaged pupils between key stages 1 and 2 in 2016 in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly average. However, very few disadvantaged pupils achieved highly at the end of both key stages 1 and 2 in 2016.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress from their starting points. The needs of the pupils are assessed and carefully planned targets and teaching strategies are put in place to accelerate their progress. As a result, this group of pupils are making good progress from their starting points.
• In 2016, pupils did not make sufficient progress by the time they reached the end of Year 2. However, scrutiny of current pupils’ work in key stage 1 shows that pupils are making good progress overall, and doing particularly well in Year 1.

Early years provision Good

• The relationships between adults and children are very positive and the children thrive. Adults use the children’s ideas and skilfully question the children to develop their learning. For example, children in the Nursery wanted to add powder paints to a puddle outside. The adult allowed them and asked the children to predict what new colours would be made. The children grew in confidence to complete the task.
• Children have a great start in the Nursery. They soon become independent learners. Children butter their own crackers and independently put on their wellingtons and waterproofs when required. Children learn to be safe. They ride the tricycles safely and are careful using scissors. The children are well prepared to start in the Reception Year.
• In the Reception Year, children continue to progress well. The children develop a love of books. They use their phonics well to read the words and enjoy telling each other what the stories are about. The most able are challenged well in mathematics. Children were using tape measures to measure each other for the fitting of a ball gown or suit for the fairy tale ball. The children concentrate well on their learning and their behaviour is very positive.
• The links with parents and carers are strong. Each Wednesday, parents are invited into the school to participate in activities with the children. Parents speak highly of this arrangement. This gives an opportunity for the school staff to suggest ideas for further learning at home. At parents’ evening, teachers gave out packs to parents to support their learning at home. Parents also have access to classroom blogs to see what their child has been learning at school.
• The leadership in the early years is good. The Nursery and Reception staff meet to moderate children’s work to ensure consistency of expectations. The assessments at the end of the Nursery are used to inform the planning in the Reception classes. Equally, there are good links between the Reception and Year 1 teachers. Teachers ensure that the curriculum enthuses the children by incorporating children’s own ideas to inspire them to learn in both key stages. The floor books used in both year groups capture the children’s views about their learning well. The children are well prepared for Year 1.
• The early years leader works closely with the school’s SENCo to identify any children who may require extra support. Leaders use the expertise of external agencies and put in programmes to support the children’ speech and language development when required.
• The school uses the early years pupil premium funding well to support disadvantaged children. The school has employed extra staff to support the children’s social skills. The proportion of disadvantaged children who achieved a good level of development in 2016 was above the national average for other groups of children.
• The children make good progress in the Nursery and in the Reception Year from their starting points. Consequently, the proportion of children who reach a good level of development is consistently above the national average.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136790 Lincolnshire 10023206 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 Academy converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 577 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Helen Pennington Robert Cowling 01522 682020 www.fosse-way-academy.org admin@fosse-way-academy.org Date of previous inspection 13–14 June 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• This is a larger than average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support is below the national average.
• Most pupils are White British.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan or a statement for their special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed lessons, some jointly with the headteacher.
• The inspectors looked at pupils’ work covering a range of subjects.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders, and the leaders of English, mathematics, physical education and the early years, the SENCo and two members from the governing body, including the chair of governors.
• The inspectors spoke informally to parents at the start of the school day. The inspectors also considered the 106 responses to the online Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, and the 82 responses to the free-text service to parents.
• The inspectors also considered the questionnaires completed by 44 members of the school staff.
• The inspectors spoke to a group of pupils from key stages 1 and 2, listened to pupils read and observed the pupils at breaktime and in assembly.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, the reading and mathematics action plans, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the headteacher’s reports to the governing body, the school’s most recent information on pupils’ achievement, and information relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

Inspection team

Martin Finch, lead inspector Heather Hawkes Jane Green Karen Slack Damien Turrell

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector