Ingham Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and governance by ensuring that:
  • targets for school improvement are precise and measurable and actions are monitored and evaluated for their impact so as to hold staff to account for pupils’ progress
  • systems for the assessment of and checking on pupils’ progress ensure accuracy
  • members of the governing body develop their understanding of how to more effectively hold school leaders to account for the impact their spending of extra funding has on pupils’ progress.
• Improve teaching and learning by ensuring that:
  • expectations are consistently high for what all pupils should achieve
  • work set by teachers is consistently well matched to pupils’ abilities so that all pupils are challenged, motivated and fully engaged with their learning
  • misconceptions of basic spelling, grammar and punctuation are consistently addressed
  • pupils have regular opportunities to apply their knowledge to develop their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills in mathematics.
• Improve provision for writing in the early years by ensuring that opportunities to independently practise and apply writing skills are motivating for all pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The headteacher and governors have not acted quickly enough to stem the decline in pupils’ progress. Published data in 2018 places the school in the bottom 10% of all schools nationally in writing and mathematics. At the start of the inspection, some parts of the school’s evaluation of the work that it does were too generous.
• Plans for improvement do not have clear success criteria by which to measure and precisely evaluate the impact of actions taken. Consequently, these plans do not fully support leaders and governors in holding staff to account for the impact of their work.
• Leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching is consistently good for all pupils throughout the school. However, through requested support from the local authority and the Kyra Teaching School Alliance, this is now being addressed. As a result of this support, the quality of teaching in some areas has shown improvements.
• Leaders have not systematically monitored pupils’ attainment and, as a result, the accuracy of past teacher assessments is variable. Therefore, leaders are unable to accurately monitor pupils’ progress from their starting points. The headteacher is aware of this and has begun to put measures in place to address the situation. The focused scrutiny of pupils’ work and the moderation of judgements made alongside colleagues from other schools are beginning to ensure that more recent assessments are accurate. These plans are in their infancy and it is too soon to see the impact on pupils’ progress across the school.
• Pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is well developed in school through the school curriculum. However, pupils’ spiritual development is patchy. Pupils spoken to had a limited understanding of different world religions. In September 2018, leaders introduced a new religious education curriculum throughout the school in response to this previously identified need. Work in pupils’ books shows that a wider variety of religions are now being taught, including Islam and Hinduism.
• Spending of the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils has been planned for and targeted to improve pupils’ outcomes. However, the impact of this spending is not adequately reported. The number of pupils in school eligible for this funding is too small to allow further comment here without identifying individual pupils.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and pupils enjoy a range of subjects. When speaking with pupils, a wide variety of subjects were listed as favourites, including art, music and physical education (PE). British values are embedded throughout the curriculum and assembly themes. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of these, which is preparing them well for life in modern Britain.
• There are a variety of extra-curricular activities available to pupils after school. Many of the pupils spoken to attend and enjoy these activities, which include drama and hockey.
• Additional funding for primary PE has been used effectively. Coaches have been brought in to teach various aspects of the curriculum, such as gymnastics and dance. These have been popular with boys and girls alike. Pupils visited a gymnastics centre, allowing them to use specialist equipment – such as parallel bars – in a safe environment. Pupils then entered a competition in which the under-nine team won a gold medal.
• Leaders actively promote equality and diversity through the school’s participation with the Mintridge Foundation. Paralympians and other disabled athletes have visited the school to deliver workshops and coaching sessions with pupils. Targeted pupils have completed mentoring sessions with the athletes to support the pupils in achieving their goals. This has been particularly successful in supporting pupils in raising their self-confidence.
• The vast majority of parents who responded to the online survey – Parent View – and the free-text service or who spoke to the inspector during the inspection were keen to praise the work of the school. Several parents mentioned their appreciation of the nurturing and inclusive atmosphere of the school. Parents also commented on the strong links the school has with the local community, which echo the school’s motto, ‘At the heart of the community, with the community at its heart’.

Governance of the school

• Governors are very supportive of the school. They are keen to improve their skills and knowledge so that they can fully support the headteacher to bring about improvements and raise standards at the school. However, they do not robustly enough hold the headteacher to account for school improvement.
• Members of the governing body are aware of the plan for how the pupil premium funding is spent. However, they are less aware of the rationale behind the plan or its impact on pupils and, therefore, they are unable to hold the headteacher to account for the success or otherwise of this spending.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that all statutory requirements with regard to recruitment are met. Records show that concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare are dealt with effectively and in a timely manner. They are thorough and illustrate the steps taken to secure pupils’ safety and welfare. Not only do all staff understand their responsibility and the process to follow, but they do so vigilantly.
• Teachers, teaching assistants and other staff undertake regular training. They know what they should look for when considering the well-being of pupils. Pupils and the vast majority of their parents agreed that the school is a safe place to learn.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inconsistent across the school.
• Teachers do not consistently use their knowledge of pupils’ prior learning to plan effectively for all pupils to progress sufficiently well. Work in pupils’ books and observations of lessons show that pupils are not consistently given work which matches their ability or their needs. Teachers’ expectations are not consistently high for all pupils. When this is the case, some off-task behaviours are observed.
• Misconceptions in spelling, grammar and punctuation are not consistently addressed by teachers, hindering pupils’ progress in writing. Work in pupils’ books shows that, while the content of most pupils’ writing is improving steadily, spelling, grammar and punctuation are slow to improve. Pupils are not applying their phonics knowledge to support their spelling well enough.
• Due to the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Consequently, teachers are finding it necessary to repeat the teaching of some concepts and skills which should already have been embedded. Work in current pupils’ books shows that – at times – pupils are working on curriculum content which is below expectations for their age.
• School leaders and teachers have been slow to fully implement the revised mathematics curriculum. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts have not been high enough. Pupils do not have regular opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to solve a variety of problems in order to deepen their understanding.
• When questioning is used effectively in lessons and pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking, this results in pupils’ deeper understanding of key concepts and skills. However, this is not consistently achieved across the school.
• Teachers across the school are supporting pupils to develop their vocabulary skills. This was evident in all lessons observed and in pupils’ books. Pupils are encouraged to use more advanced vocabulary when speaking, as well as in their writing.
• Most children enjoy reading – both at home and at school – and enjoy using the school library. The ‘reading chair’ – which was designed by pupils and crafted by a member of the community – is a popular place to sit and read. Many pupils are able to apply their phonics skills effectively to read unfamiliar words.
• Teachers provide pupils with enriched experiences across the wider curriculum which allow them to learn in a fun and exciting way. Pupils enjoy learning in a variety of ways and they are becoming more confident in making links between these experiences and their learning inside the classroom. Pupils in the Year 3/4 class were using the knowledge gained from a recent trip to support their writing on King Henry VIII.
• Classrooms and corridors are neat and tidy and contain stimulating displays which celebrate pupils’ work. Pupils’ books are neatly presented, which shows that they take pride in their work. They are keen to show their books to visitors and to discuss their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Relationships between adults and pupils in the school are positive and, as a result, pupils demonstrate a good level of social awareness and skill. The school’s nurturing environment supports pupils’ physical and emotional well-being. Typically, parents, pupils and staff alike describe the school as ‘a little family’.
• Pupils feel safe at school and understand how to keep themselves safe in different situations, including when on the internet and using social media. At the time of the inspection, ‘Safety Week’ was in progress, which included workshops for each class led by the police.
• The vast majority of pupils and parents who spoke to inspectors or responded to Parent View trust the school to deal with any problems effectively, including the rare incidents of bullying. Pupils have a secure understanding of the difference between general falling-out and bullying, and say that the adults in school help them to solve any problems they have.

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 are proud of their school and enjoy attending. Attendance is in line with the national average. Pupils arrive punctually and are ready to learn. Classrooms, corridors and the outdoors are tidy and the atmosphere is bright and welcoming. Pupils, staff, governors and the vast majority of parents say they value this learning culture highly.
• Behaviour in lessons is generally good. Pupils consider the views of others and support one another in their learning. Occasionally, when tasks are not well matched to pupils’ abilities, some pupils drift into off-task behaviour or become complacent in their learning. Teachers tackle any signs of misbehaviour promptly and pupils are quick to respond because relationships are so positive. Pupils take pride in their appearance.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Progress for the majority of pupils is weak in writing and mathematics. Pupils’ progress in writing has been insufficient for the past three years. In 2018, the school dropped from being in the bottom 20% of schools to the bottom 10%. For the past two years, pupils have also made insufficient progress in mathematics, placing the school in the bottom 10% of schools nationally.
• Progress for the most able pupils is inconsistent across the school. Not all make the progress they are capable of. Teachers’ expectations are not consistently high enough across the curriculum, slowing pupils’ progress.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils across the school is too small to report on their progress without the risk of identifying them.
• The school’s own assessment information and work in current pupils’ books indicate that the majority of current pupils – including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) – are making progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is involved in moderation activities within the Centurion Partnership of schools, supporting the accuracy of current assessment judgements and more accurate tracking of pupils’ progress.
• By the end of key stage 2 in 2018, pupils’ attainment at the expected standard was broadly in line with the national averages in reading, spelling, punctuation and grammar, and also in mathematics. It was below average in writing. The proportion exceeding the expected standard was also broadly in line with the national average in all areas apart from mathematics, where it was below.
• By the end of key stage 1 in 2018, pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics was broadly in line with the national average at both the expected and the higher standard, but below in reading.
• Published data for 2018 shows that the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check has been above the national average for the past three years. Currently, pupils are making good progress with their phonics to decode words when reading.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years get off to a good start in their education. The early years leader is effective in securing good practice. She uses children’s assessment information to identify and plan for the areas in need of further improvement. She has ensured that parents are an integral part of their child’s development. Most parents add additional information about their child’s learning outside of school, which supports the teachers’ judgements. The impact of this is evident in children’s development records.
• Relationships between school staff and family members are made before children start school. Transition into school is supported through Nursery visits and meetings with families before children start school. These are well attended by parents. Through this supportive transition system, children settle quickly into school life. The parents spoken to are appreciative of staff’s support and encouragement. Children interact with adults and each other well and demonstrate sustained concentration in their learning.
• The children positively respond to the warm and caring environment created by the staff and demonstrate sustained concentration in their activities. Children benefit from the positive relationships they have with their older classmates. Although this is a mixed-age class, the leader sets tasks to meet early years development expectations, and plans well for the children’s needs and interests.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective and statutory duties are met. Children generally work well together and support each other’s learning. Relationships are strong between adults and children, allowing children to feel safe and secure.
• Children enter the early years at levels of development that are broadly typical for their age. By the time they leave the early years, the proportion attaining a good level of development is usually in line with – or above – that seen nationally.
• Early phonics is taught well and children are making good progress. In a phonics lesson observed, children successfully used their phonics skills to read and identify real and nonsense words accurately. When children struggled to recall a sound, the teacher revisited it to reinforce the learning.
• When adults use effective, probing questions to further engage and challenge children’s thinking, they deepen their understanding of key concepts. Children’s vocabulary development is well supported and encouraged. During a whole-class story, the teacher encouraged the children to think of alternative words for ‘cold’ and adjectives to describe the sound of tall grass.
• Staff monitor children’s progress closely and ensure that judgements are secure through regular discussions and reviews of their work. The school moderates its assessments within a local cluster group and was externally moderated last year.
• Most activities have a clear purpose and all areas of learning are catered for, both indoors and out. Children usually understand what is expected of them as a result of clear explanations and considered targeting by adults. However, occasionally, activities designed to encourage children to independently practise and apply their writing skills are not as freely chosen as other activities by children and do not consistently motivate them to write. This is particularly true for the children who struggle with early writing skills.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120454 Lincolnshire 10057672 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 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 104 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Andy Hutchinson Ian Tyas 01522 730 244 www.ingham.lincs.sch.uk ian.tyas@ingham.lincs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15 December 2015

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school and children are taught in four mixed-age classes.
• The school is a member of the Centurion Partnership and the Kyra Teaching School Alliance.
• Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes in teaching staff and the leadership team, including the leader responsible for pupils with SEND and the leaders of English and mathematics.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by pupil premium funding is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

• Since the previous inspection, the school has received support from the local authority.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning in eight lessons across all classes. A learning walk across the early years and key stage 1 was completed jointly with the headteacher. Work in pupils’ books – covering a range of subjects, abilities and year groups – was looked at together with the headteacher.
• The inspector met with the headteacher and with leaders responsible for pupils with SEND and for English and mathematics, as well as members of the governing body. The inspector held a telephone discussion with the chair of governors. She also met with a representative from the local authority who has been supporting the school.
• The inspector met with a group of pupils formally to consider their views of their school. She also spoke informally with pupils during lessons and breaktimes.
• The inspector considered the 45 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and written comments from parents, and spoke informally with seven parents at the start of the school day.
• The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including the leaders’ self-assessment of the school’s performance, the school improvement plan, governing body minutes and reports, the school’s most recent information on pupils’ progress, and information relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

Inspection team

Heidi Malliff, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector