The Edward Richardson Primary School, Tetford Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, thereby improving pupils’ rates of progress, by:
  • providing more high-quality opportunities for all pupils, especially the most able pupils, to apply their mathematical learning and improve their reasoning skills
  • ensuring that teachers use assessment information to set tasks, activities and targets for improvement that are consistently challenging in all subjects, particularly for the most able.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that the monitoring and evaluation undertaken by middle leaders of all subjects are sufficiently rigorous, and their expectations are high enough, so that they have a greater impact on outcomes for pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher provides strong and determined leadership, ably supported by her leadership team and governors. She has made a significant and positive difference since joining the school in 2017. As a result, current pupils are receiving a good and improving standard of education.
• Many parents commented positively about the strong leadership provided by the headteacher. An example of the comments parents made is, ‘The new headteacher has skilfully brought welcome changes to the school.’
• The headteacher has taken many effective actions to improve teaching. For example, she has enabled staff to invigorate and update the curriculum to successfully improve the teaching of English and mathematics, providing many different learning opportunities that excite pupils to learn effectively.
• The headteacher has rightly concentrated on raising the achievement of all pupils in English and mathematics, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. As a result, pupils’ outcomes in these subjects are improving this year.
• The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils’ understanding of equality and diversity is promoted well through the school’s programme of assemblies. The school’s values are underpinned by seven key themes. The many visitors to school, and the opportunities to celebrate special occasions, support pupils’ learning in interesting ways.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. It has been effectively developed to promote the ‘three E’s’ of ‘enquiry, engagement and enterprise’. This means that as pupils move through the school, they know more and remember more because the curriculum builds on their prior knowledge. The curriculum is brought to life with regular special events and activities for children and pupils to develop their skills.
• Leaders ensure that the physical education (PE) and sport premium is spent well. Teachers receive training from visiting sports coaches, which improves the quality of their PE teaching. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of clubs, including football, yoga, mindfulness and the daily mile.
• Pupils are well educated about the importance of fundamental British values. They apply their learning to their everyday life both at school and outside of it. Pupils show respect for different cultures and traditions. They also understand the importance of democracy and can explain how their views contribute to the improvement of the school.
• Leaders have taken on board the effective input and support from the local authority. Visits from advisers have helped to develop the skills of the newer leaders, for example of mathematics and the early years.
• Parents value and support the school. Several parents told the inspector that the headteacher has brought about rapid improvements since her appointment. The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, would recommend the school to others. They feel that their children make good progress and are well looked after.
• Leaders of subjects do not use the school’s monitoring system well enough. They have not had sufficient training to provide them with the skills they need to use the system effectively. As a result, these leaders do not have sufficient impact on improving the progress pupils make, especially the most able pupils, in the subjects they are responsible for.

Governance of the school

• Governors provide support for leaders but they are also holding them to account for the progress pupils make. For example, they ask probing questions of leaders to make sure that the new approach to the teaching of mathematics is having a positive effect on pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors make regular visits to the school to monitor their areas of responsibility. There is a range of expertise among members of the governing body, and governors attend regular training to ensure that their knowledge is up to date.
• Governors know that the effective spending of additional funding has ensured that pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are making good progress and the PE and sport provision has improved.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a culture of vigilance and all staff are aware of the action to take if they have a concern about a child. The designated safeguarding leaders keep meticulous records and quickly follow up concerns with external agencies. Staff at all levels are well trained.
• The single central record of the suitability of staff is comprehensive, and pre-employment checks on staff are carried out thoroughly.
• Pupils say that they are safe in school and their parents agree. A typical comment from parents to the inspector was, ‘My son trusts the school and feels very safe and looked after.’ Pupils know who to speak to if they have a problem in school and are confident that the adults will help them.
• Governors make regular visits to the school to check the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements. They know the school is meeting its statutory requirements.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The headteacher has worked successfully with middle leaders to improve the quality of teaching since she arrived at the school. Learning is characterised by very strong relationships between pupils and adults in the classroom. Most teachers have high expectations for the pupils and set work that builds effectively on what they can already do. Pupils, in turn, are enthusiastic and willing to work hard.
• Teachers plan carefully for the different abilities of pupils. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to explain new ideas clearly, with a clear focus on developing pupils’ subject-specific vocabulary. Teachers check on pupils’ progress and provide tailored support to pupils as they need it. Teachers encourage pupils to explain their thoughts, reflect on their work and learn from their mistakes.
• Teaching assistants make positive contributions to learning because they support groups of pupils appropriately. Consequently, pupils, especially those with SEND, make good progress.
• Phonics teaching is highly effective. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong and lessons are well resourced, enabling pupils to make good progress in learning the sounds that letters make.
• The teaching of reading is effective across the whole school. Pupils are provided with texts to read that are well matched to their reading abilities. Parental support for reading is high. Pupils read confidently and fluently. They enjoy reading and speak about their reading books, demonstrating a clear understanding of what they have read.
• Pupils’ achievement in writing is improving this year. This is because teachers’ expectations of the quantity and quality of pupils’ writing have increased. The broadening of the curriculum lends itself to many more opportunities for pupils to write in other subjects. Pupils’ books show that they are applying their skills more effectively when completing their extended writing, although teachers could demand even more of the most able pupils.
• The quality of mathematics teaching is improving. Pupils are well supported to deepen their conceptual understanding, using a range of appropriate mathematical apparatus and equipment. Nevertheless, the new strategies introduced to improve the quality of teaching and to improve pupils’ interest and outcomes in mathematics are not fully established in all classes. Teachers do not reliably provide pupils with work that is consistently demanding enough, particularly for the most able. Too little attention is given to some aspects of mathematics, such as the development of pupils’ reasoning skills or their ability to apply their mathematical learning across the curriculum.
• Leaders are aware that they need to monitor closely the quality of teaching and learning across the school, and act swiftly on their findings, to ensure that the achievement of pupils’, particularly at the higher standard in mathematics, continues to improve.

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 proud of ‘The Edward Richardson 7Rs’ values that are woven throughout the ethos of the school. Pupils are taught to be kind to each other and show respect for different lifestyles and opinions.
• Through a well-planned programme of personal, social and health education, pupils develop a good understanding of how to stay safe in a variety of situations, including when they use the internet. Pupils are well aware of potential online dangers, such as accessing restricted internet sites. Pupils say that there is very little bullying in school but if it did happen, they are confident that the adults would listen and resolve any issues.
• Leaders ensure that pupils develop a sense of responsibility, for example by joining the school council or becoming a junior online or road safety officer. Pupils have also learned about the prevention of, and appropriate action to take against, bullying from an anti-bullying day. They complete enterprise projects by planning and running a school quiz for the community to raise funds for charity, for example.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite and helpful. They readily engage in conversations with adults.
• Leaders have taken effective action to improve pupils’ rates of attendance and reduce the small levels of persistent absence. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and this is confirmed by their better-than-average attendance rates.
• Pupils’ conduct at breaktimes and lunchtime is good because they are provided with a range of equipment and activities. Pupils relish the opportunity to use the school field. They use the play equipment safely and with care for the other pupils around them.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2018, published results from national tests showed that the attainment and progress of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 6 were below average. Not enough pupils reached the expected standard in these subjects by the end of key stage 2.
• Leaders have taken action to address the underperformance in reading and writing in 2018. Currently, pupils are making better progress in reading and writing across the school. School assessment information indicates that standards have risen overall and are continuing to do so.
• Most disadvantaged pupils make good progress from their starting points. The difference in attainment between this group of pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils is closing rapidly. This is because of the effective individual support that is in place for these pupils.
• In 2018, the attainment of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 was above average. Current pupils in key stage 1 are making good progress in these subjects.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress across the school. This is because of the carefully planned provision they receive, which is tailored to their specific needs. Many of these pupils are also disadvantaged.
• The achievement of the most able pupils is on a trajectory of improvement. They make good and improving progress in English and mathematics but have still to achieve the consistently high standards that they are capable of, in particular by developing their reasoning skills in mathematics.
• Pupils in Year 1 achieve highly in the phonics screening check. Pupils in key stage 1 apply their secure phonic knowledge when they are reading.

Early years provision Good

• From starting points which are broadly typical for their age, children go on to make good progress in the early years because of the good teaching and a rich curriculum.
• The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of Reception is equivalent to the national average.
• Children are independent in their learning and have access to resources that support them to be independent. Parents are encouraged to support their children’s learning at home and are well informed about their children’s progress.
• Children behave exceptionally well and there is a nurturing culture across the early years. Children are well cared for and safe.
• Children with SEND make good progress because their needs are well met by adults.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They rigorously evaluate their work. Their plans for development show that they are taking the correct action to further improve the provision, for example in the redevelopment of the outside area to provide even more high-quality opportunities to challenge the most able children further.
• Phonics is taught well in the early years. Children can apply their growing phonic knowledge both when working with adults and in their independent activities.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120481 Lincolnshire 10086759 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 105 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Emma Middleton Helen Wines 01507 533686 www.edward-richardson.lincs.sch.uk enquiries@edward-richardson.lincs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The Edward Richardson Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium grant is below the national average.
• The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and of pupils who speak English as an additional language are below those seen nationally.

Information about this inspection

• I visited several classrooms, many with the headteacher, to observe teaching and learning and to talk with pupils about their work.
• I met formally with the headteacher and other leaders, including the SEND coordinator and the leader of the early years. Meetings were held with two governors, including the chair of the governing body, and with a group of eight pupils. I spoke with a representative of the local authority on the telephone.
• I looked at a wide variety of pupils’ work from this academic year. Pupils’ work on walls was also scrutinised.
• I listened to pupils read and spoke with pupils in lessons about their reading.
• I checked the school’s documentation on safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and the quality of teaching. I also considered the school’s evaluation of its own work, its plans for improvement, information about pupils’ progress and minutes of governors’ meetings.
• I took into consideration the 17 responses from parents to the online survey, Parent View.

Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector