Frances Olive Anderson Church of England (Aided) Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership, including governance by:
  • immediately improving some aspects of the administration of safeguarding so that these arrangements are as high in quality as the culture of safeguarding found throughout the school
  • ensuring that governors unswervingly ask highly pertinent questions to hold leaders to account for all aspects of their work
  • sharpening subject leaders’ monitoring so that it takes account of the progress pupils are making
  • keeping a closer check on the allocation of pupil premium funding so that it accelerates the progress of the pupils it supports.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to accelerate the progress pupils make across key stage 2 by ensuring that:
  • teachers have consistently high expectations of what all pupils can achieve, and intervene quickly when pupils are ready to move on to work that is more difficult
  • teachers provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to write at length across a range of subjects to the same standard as they do in their English lessons
  • teachers provide work that is just right for the most able pupils, particularly in writing and mathematics, so that those who are capable of achieving a greater depth of understanding are enabled to do so
  • teachers insist on the highest levels of presentation in pupils’ work
  • staff have opportunities to learn from the best practices observed in several classes across the school
  • all staff adhere to school policies diligently. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The headteacher has implemented several strategies to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since she took up her post. Leaders have not checked thoroughly enough that teachers are consistently applying these strategies and so standards have not risen as rapidly as they should.
• The headteacher has made sure that leaders with responsibility for subject areas, including English and mathematics, have enough time to monitor the provision in their subjects. These leaders have a clear understanding of the provision across the school, but they do not have a clear view of the impact that the new strategies are making on standards.
• Leaders have not made effective use of the pupil premium funding. Until the arrival of the current headteacher, much of the funding went unspent. The headteacher has addressed this. She makes sure that the money is spent on the pupils who should benefit from it. Leaders and governors, however, are not evaluating in enough detail the impact that these funds have on raisings standards, including for the most able pupils.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. Each topic begins with a ‘wow’ day to capture pupils’ interests. For example, pupils arrived at school one day to find a giant ‘dinosaur egg’ on the playground. During the inspection, the fire service was safely setting fire to models of Tudor houses that pupils had made as part of the ‘Great Fire of London’ topic.
• Leaders make sure that pupils learn about different religions and cultures from around the world, for example through an African Art day. The school has forged very close links with a school in Lebanon. Pupils exchange work with children who attend a school in Beirut. This has included older pupils completing a joint project about human rights. The school has twice been shortlisted by a national newspaper for their ‘International School’ award. Pupils who spoke with an inspector are very proud of this link.
• Teachers make good use of homework to extend pupils’ learning. Teachers provide pupils with a choice of activities to carry out at home. During the inspection, the headteacher led an assembly which showcased some pupils’ homework. For example, one pupil had made bread from a Viking recipe and another had built a model of the solar system.
• The headteacher uses performance management effectively. Targets set for teachers reflect the school’s priorities. Governors are not afraid to withhold a pay rise if they believe it is not deserved.
• The additional government funding for primary sport enables teachers to receive training to teach PE more effectively and to provide additional sporting opportunities for pupils. Pupils say that they are proud to represent the school at sporting events, such as cross country, football tournaments and swimming galas.
• The leader with responsibility for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is scrupulous in his analysis of the interventions these pupils receive. He checks very carefully which support is raising standards. Currently, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress from their starting points.
• The local authority and school leaders have brokered support from a local headteacher and a mathematics consultant. This has provided effective support for the headteacher and leaders to begin to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
• Leaders promote British values alongside the school’s values, linking them closely to assembly themes. Pupils can vote for their peers to represent them on the school council. Some pupils recently entered into a debate with the headteacher about ‘tolerance’ and agreed that they preferred ‘acceptance’ as a value.

Governance of the school

• Since the arrival of the current headteacher, governors have a more accurate view of the strengths and areas for improvement in the school. Many governors visit school to speak with pupils and look at their work. Minutes of governors’ meetings show that they are beginning to ask more challenging questions. However, this key aspect of their role in holding leaders to account is not fully established.
• Governors are very committed. They have a broad range of skills and experiences to offer the leadership. They receive detailed reports from leaders about provision
• Governors have taken advantage of training to allow them to undertake their strategic roles effectively, for example training related to safeguarding and to understanding school performance data.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Over recent months, the headteacher has not ensured that the records she keeps relating to initial welfare have been methodically kept. Before the end of the inspection, the headteacher, alongside the governor with responsibility for safeguarding, had drawn up a plan to remedy this without delay. In cases where pupils have been receiving external support, records have been more thoroughly kept.
• There is a culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Leaders have provided staff with the most up-to-date training. Staff know the signs to look for and how to raise a concern if one should arise. All the appropriate vetting checks take place before an adult starts working at the school.
• Parents who spoke with inspectors are confident that their children are safe in school. They all said that they would feel able to speak with a member of staff if they had any concerns.
• Pupils say they are safe in school. The pupils who spoke with an inspector explained that they are taught how to keep themselves safe, such as when they cycle on the roads or when they use modern technology. They said that if they had any worries they could speak with a trusted adult, who would help them.
• At playtime and lunchtime, leaders have ensured that there is an appropriate level of supervision. First aid is readily available for any pupil who has a minor accident.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The headteacher, supported by external consultants, has improved several aspects of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since she took up her post. However, it requires improvement because the quality remains too variable across the school.
• Time is not well used in some lessons. Occasionally teachers continue with explanations or give additional examples when pupils are ready to tackle the work for themselves. When this happens, pupils begin to lose interest and become frustrated because they are keen to get on with the work that they are set.
• Teachers do not reliably plan learning that will challenge the most able pupils. They do not intervene quickly when these pupils are ready to move on to more difficult work, particularly in mathematics. This results in slow progress.
• Several exercise books show that teachers are not closely following the school’s policies, for example the policies relating to presentation of pupils’ work and to feedback from teachers. Teachers, particularly in key stage 2 classes, do not insist that pupils set their work out as neatly as they could. Nor do they establish that the feedback they provide to pupils leads to improvement. Occasionally, pupils repeat mistakes because they know that their teachers will not check.
• Books also show that teachers provide pupils with few opportunities to write across a range of subjects. When they do, teachers do not insist that pupils apply well the skills of grammar, punctuation and spelling that they have learned in English lessons.
• Where the quality of teaching is stronger, teachers use their good subject knowledge to explain new ideas clearly. They ask well-considered questions to check that pupils understand concepts thoroughly and provide work that builds upon what pupils already know and can do. Teachers and teaching assistants intervene effectively when they notice that pupils need additional support or if they are ready to move on to a more difficult task. When this happens, pupils make good progress.
• Teaching assistants provide useful support to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to allow them to access the learning at a level that is just right for them.

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 confident and articulate. They are keen learners and enjoy talking about their lessons. Almost all pupils take pride in their work.
• Pupils say that bullying and name-calling are rare events. They say that they would tell an adult in school if it did occur, safe in the knowledge that the adult would deal with it for them.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. In lessons, pupils cooperate and listen courteously to staff and to each other’s ideas and suggestions.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. They ensure that pupils learn about a range of different cultures and religions. Pupils speak with respect about people who have beliefs or lifestyles that are different to their own.
• Pupils enjoy taking responsibility for tasks that need to be completed around school. Some pupils take care of the school fish, or set the hall up in readiness for assembly. Others deliver fruit or registers to classrooms and some are monitors for the team points that their classmates earn. Pupils recognise that taking responsibility is preparing them well for being independent adults.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Leaders have instigated a system to reward good behaviour that is clearly understood by pupils and reliably applied by staff.
• Pupils are attentive in lessons, only occasionally becoming quietly distracted when teachers do not move the learning on quickly enough to retain their interest.
• In lessons, around school and on the playground, pupils behave well. They are polite towards each other, staff and visitors. The school is a calm and purposeful place in which to learn.
• Pupils’ levels of attendance have been above the national average for primary schools for three years, indicating that pupils enjoy coming to school.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• By the end of 2016, the proportion of pupils in Year 6 who achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics fell short of the national average. Additionally, pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics, by the end of key stage 2, was well below that seen nationally, indicating that not all pupils were well prepared for secondary school.
• By the end of Year 6 in 2016, disadvantaged pupils had made slow progress compared with other pupils nationally in writing and mathematics. Until the arrival of the current headteacher, leaders had not made effective use of the pupil premium funding to ensure that the progress of disadvantaged pupils was accelerated. The difference between these pupils and their peers was not diminished.
• School assessment information shows that while some current pupils are making good progress, this is not consistently the case across the school. This is because teachers, particularly in key stage 2, do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve.
• Since the current headteacher took up her post, the progress that pupils make across key stage 2 in reading has improved. It is now average compared to other schools. Similarly, there has been an improvement in the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard at the Year 1 phonics screening check. In 2016, almost every child achieved this milestone.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities currently make good progress from their starting points. The leader responsible for their progress checks very closely that the support they receive is having a positive impact.
• By the end of Year 2, in 2016, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in each of reading, writing and mathematics was above that seen nationally. The proportion reaching a greater depth of understanding was broadly in line with the national average in writing and mathematics and just above average in reading.
• In 2016, the proportion of pupils in Year 6 who achieved the expected standard in spelling, punctuation and grammar was just above that seen nationally.

Early years provision Good

• The teaching in the early years is good. Teachers plan learning that links well together so that learning makes sense for children. For example, during the topic of ‘transport’ children were rolling toy vehicles down ramps and marking how far they travelled. In a PE lesson, children were moving around the wooden hall floor as if it were a pirate ship.
• Both the indoor and outdoor learning environments are bright, welcoming and full of activities that promote learning for young children. Occasionally, the teacher has to remind the children more than once about the expectations for good behaviour. However, children generally behave well and share equipment and toys sensibly as they play and learn alongside each other.
• The headteacher leads the early years well. She has made sure that teaching assistants have time to plan and prepare with the teacher. This means that learning gets off to a quick start every day because the staff understand their roles in promoting learning for the children. Teaching assistants have received appropriate training to enable them to assess the progress that children are making. This information helps the teacher to plan learning that matches the children’s next steps well.
• Staff develop children’s independence, encouraging them to tidy up and have a go for themselves. Teachers gently encourage and guide children with their learning, avoiding interfering, but allowing children to find out things for themselves. Similarly, during the flurry of snow that occurred during the inspection, staff encouraged children to put their own wellingtons on before going outdoors.
• The teacher has forged effective links with the parents. Parents can inform the teacher of ‘wow’ moments that celebrate their children’s achievements at home. The teacher invites parents into school, for example to attend reading workshops, so they can find out about teaching in school and how to help their child at home.
• The teacher has also forged strong links with the pre-school settings locally. There is a nursery on site. The teacher has closer links with this nursery than other pre-school settings, but she visits all the settings to find out about the children that will be starting school. This, along with opportunities for children to visit the Reception class before they start school, helps the children to settle quickly into school life.
• Most children start in the Reception class with skills, knowledge and understanding that are typical for their age. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils in the early years is too low to report on their progress separately. Good-quality teaching means that by the end of the early years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has increased year on year for three years. It is above the national average and the children are well placed to begin Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120625 Lincolnshire 10023219 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 Voluntary aided 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 182 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address David Allsop Sarah Woolley 01427 612827 www.olive-anderson.lincs.sch.uk enquiries@olive-anderson.lincs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 6 7 November 2012

Information about this school

• This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.
• The current headteacher and deputy headteacher took up their posts in September 2015 and January 2017 respectively.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national average, as is the proportion of disadvantaged pupils.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much lower than seen nationally.
• The school meets the current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is currently receiving support from the headteacher of a local school and a mathematics consultant.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed 15 lessons, some of which were undertaken jointly with the headteacher. They examined pupils’ books from each year group and discussed the progress that pupils were making with the headteacher.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the governing body and leaders responsible for English, mathematics, science, PE, history and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They also scrutinised a range of school documentation, including that relating to the progress that pupils make and the safeguarding of pupils.
• Inspectors met with a representative of Lincolnshire Diocese and spoke with a representative of the local authority on the telephone.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils at playtime, lunchtime and around school and met formally with a small group of pupils. They listened to pupils reading. They observed an assembly and spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.
• The inspector took account of the views of parents and staff through their respective online surveys.

Inspection team

Di Mullan, lead inspector Karen Slack Phil Unsworth

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector