Queen Eleanor Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve aspects of the leadership and management by:
  • strengthening the performance management of staff by ensuring that the targets staff are set link closely to the school’s development priorities
  • sharpening evaluations of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that leaders give due regard to pupils’ progress over time in reaching their judgements
  • ensuring that the school website contains relevant and up-to-date information about the school’s performance, including the use of the pupil premium.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that it has a greater impact on the progress of pupils, including in the early years, by:
  • extending further the opportunities for the most able pupils by making sure that they are given work which is sufficiently challenging, particularly in writing
  • ensuring that staff ask questions of children in the early years that deepen their understanding and enable them to develop their thinking skills.
• Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by:
  • ensuring that pupils’ attendance improves to be at least in line with the national average.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The executive headteacher leads his staff with an energy and enthusiasm which have secured improvements to the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils. He has created a school culture that places a high priority on creating nurturing relationships. As a result, the school has a warm and friendly atmosphere where everyone feels valued. Staff take the time to understand pupils’ individual needs and liaise effectively with parents and carers.
• Since the last inspection, leaders have acted upon the improvements needed in teaching and learning to good effect. Leaders have identified the school’s next steps and have an ambitious staff to support them.
• In the absence of the executive headteacher, the assistant headteacher is providing strong and effective leadership.
• Leaders and teachers are knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and work together to meet challenges head-on. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They are enthusiastic and committed to raising standards for all pupils, using their expertise well.
• Middle leaders are passionate about their subject responsibilities and are keen to ensure that there is the best provision in place for all pupils. They support each other in their pursuit of rich learning opportunities for the pupils. For example, pupils enjoyed the Diwali day when they warmly welcomed a visitor who helped pupils to make decorative candles, Indian sweets and create intricate artwork.
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and balanced. They have included a range of topics that inspire and motivate pupils. This has enabled pupils to make good progress across the curriculum. Pupils appreciate the rich extra-curricular activities which develop their sporting, musical and academic skills.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of British values are promoted well by staff. Through the curriculum, special events and visitors to the school, pupils experience a wide range of opportunities to learn about different faiths, cultures and traditions. For example, pupils have recently visited the local church to look at Christian symbols and pupils said during the inspection that they are looking forward to their planned visit to the Buddhist temple.
• The effective leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength of the school. The inclusion manager has positive relationships with pupils and parents. She carefully monitors pupils’ progress and ensures that the provision is meeting their needs precisely. She supports staff well and shares her expertise so that pupils make good progress.
• The school celebrates the achievements of all pupils. Pupils are conscious of their role in supporting others and show mutual respect through caring relationships. For example, when pupils shared their work in front of the class, classmates erupted into spontaneous applause.
• Leaders and governors use the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. However, this is not reported on the school’s website. They monitor pupils’ progress carefully and find innovative ways to ensure that these pupils learn as effectively as their peers.
• Parents comment favourably about the school and value the positive partnership that they have with staff at the school. They feel reassured that staff take the time to understand their children’s needs. Parents feel listened to and valued.
• The local authority provides effective support to the school. For example, the local authority adviser has supported the school leaders well so that they have a more accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and learning.
• Leaders are well informed about school information and use it pertinently to improve teaching and learning. However, they do not check regularly the impact of teaching and learning on pupils’ progress. As a result, the monitoring leaders undertake is not sharp enough to pick up when teaching and learning are not as effective as they could be.
• Leaders are not precise enough when setting up performance-management objectives for school staff. Staff do not know the school’s development priorities as well as they should.

The governance of the school

• Governors understand their roles and responsibilities. They provide support and challenge to leaders to ensure that there is sustained school improvement.
• The governing body has an accurate overview of the school’s priorities and are developing their knowledge of pupils’ performance. Governors are proactive in seeking appropriate training so that they are able to execute their duties effectively.
• The governing body has a secure knowledge of the impact of additional funding for pupil premium and physical education and sport funding. They check the difference this funding is making to pupils’ achievement and to their social and emotional well-being.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school’s single central record of staff and visitor checks is kept in order and meets requirements.
• Staff and governors have a clear understanding of safeguarding and they value and have benefited from the training that has been delivered to support them. They understand their role and the procedures they must follow to keep pupils safe.
• Staff receive up-to-date training, which includes how to identify ways that pupils may be at risk from hearing extremist views. Staff are fluent with the procedures to report any concerns about a pupil’s welfare.
• Leaders respond promptly to concerns and ensure that there is early support in place for vulnerable pupils.
• Leaders work closely with external agencies to make sure that pupils are safe. Where there are concerns, leaders meet regularly with parents to discuss their child’s welfare and ways to support the family. Leaders are assertive on matters concerning pupils’ welfare and safety.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Pupils are enthusiastic learners and enjoy the practical and purposeful activities provided for them. Teachers carefully link writing activities to practical tasks so that pupils write for a purpose. For example, pupils spoke with eagerness about their recent science topic based on habitats. Through their learning, they could discuss the preferred habitat of a woodlouse in great detail.
• Phonics is taught well. Pupils enjoy the fun activities to help them practise their sounds. The teacher gives clear explanations about how sounds make up words which help pupils with reading. For example, pupils eagerly read out short sentences using the sounds they had learned in the lesson.
• Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and lower-ability pupils. Pupils are encouraged to persevere in their work and are well supported when they make mistakes. Teaching assistants provide effective support in class to pupils because they take the time to understand their specific needs.
• The small number of disadvantaged pupils make good progress in class. Teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support and understand how to meet the needs of these pupils through carefully matched activities.
• Pupils speak positively about their learning. Older pupils said that they enjoyed their recent English work based on emigration, using drama as a starting point to understand how people might feel in a new country. They understood how drama activities helped them to understand the story and this was evident in the pupils’ writing.
• The school has generated a positive reading culture. Pupils are challenged to read as often as possible and receive rewards for their efforts. Pupils understand the importance of reading and enjoy sharing their books. The most able pupils read widely and often. They are able to discuss the story in great detail and use their deduction and inference skills to predict what might happen next in the story. They are confident and capable readers. The lower-attaining pupils have books that are carefully matched to their reading ability. They use their phonics knowledge well. Adults hear them read regularly.
• Pupils’ workbooks are presented well in each class throughout the school. Pupils use a consistent and competent handwriting style. They take pride in and understand how to improve their work. Teachers have high expectations of presentation and pupils know how to achieve a good standard of presentation.
• Not all teachers provide enough opportunities to challenge the most able pupils, particularly in writing. Therefore, not enough of the most able pupils meet the higher standards in writing at the end of key stage 2.

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 given a range of opportunities to use their social skills to good effect. The older pupils are keen play leaders and execute their responsibilities well to support younger pupils. Older pupils understand that they have an important role in the school.
• The school’s values of tolerance and respect are clearly embedded in the pupils’ minds and they show their understanding through positive behaviours around the school. Pupils say they feel safe and that bullying is rare. They have total trust in their teachers to help them if they do have any concerns. Leaders have provided a range of assemblies and guest speakers to help pupils understand the importance of keeping themselves safe.
• Leaders have promoted a caring environment through organising theme days where pupils work in house teams that have a mix of age ranges from Year 1 to Year 6. This arrangement has added to the family atmosphere in the school. Pupils enjoy working together.
• The staff who work at the breakfast club make sure that pupils are well prepared for the start of the school day and ready to start their learning promptly. The school’s after-school club provides a range of fun craft activities, which pupils enjoy.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. There are few incidents of poor behaviour. However, when pupils do misbehave, leaders ensure that incidents are recorded and followed up. This is helping to ensure that pupils’ behaviour continues to improve
• Pupils’ conduct is positive in all aspects of school life. They play harmoniously at breaktimes and naturally mix with pupils confidently across the school’s age range.
• Older pupils take their responsibility as play leaders seriously. The role gives them the confidence to talk to other pupils and opportunities to get to know younger pupils well. This helps create the school’s strong sense of community. Play leaders are good ambassadors for the school and carry out their roles well to ensure that other pupils play well together.
• Pupils’ attendance is below the national average. Historically, leaders have not been prompt enough to support pupils who have been persistently absent from school. Current school information indicates that attendance rates are improving.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Children make good progress from their starting points during the Reception Year. The proportion of children who attain a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has been broadly in line with that seen nationally in each of the last two years.
• In 2015, the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was below the national average. However, school information for 2016 shows that the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has risen above the national average.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including those who are most able, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics because of the support that they receive. Pupils’ workbooks show that they are supported well in class.
• Lower-attaining pupils make good progress. They are supported well in lessons and teachers know how to meet their needs precisely.
• Outcomes for the most able pupils are improving in key stage 2 because teachers are providing tasks that are suitably challenging, especially in reading and mathematics. Nevertheless, not enough pupils attained the higher standard at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 given their starting points at the beginning of Year 3.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. Teachers and staff provide effective support for these pupils so that their learning and emotional needs are met well.
• School information for 2016 shows that pupils at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2 make good progress from their starting points in a range of subjects.
• Historically, pupils have made faster progress in reading than in writing at the end of key stage 2. In 2015, pupils’ progress in writing at the end of key stage 2 was not as high as in previous years and was significantly below average. However, the school has put actions in place and these are having an impact on improving the progress in writing across the school. Workbooks show a good standard of writing across the school and pupils have opportunities to practise their skills. However, the most able pupils are still not being challenged as well as they could be.

Early years provision Good

• The leadership and management of the early years are effective. Staff support children well through caring relationships and a thorough understanding of children’s individual needs. The majority of children attain a good level of development by the end of the early years. Therefore, they are well prepared to start Year 1.
• Children are motivated by the broad range of activities and the stimulating learning environment. They particularly enjoy learning outside, where they play cooperatively with each other. The outside area is well resourced and used daily as part of the children’s learning activities. The early years provision supports children to make good progress across all aspects of the early years curriculum.
• The children’s learning and progress are monitored closely. As a result, staff understand the children’s needs, particularly those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The staff team in the early years work together closely to discuss children’s learning needs and target resources effectively so that children make good progress.
• The early years leader has put into place effective ways to involve parents in their child’s learning. For example, parents are able to report on their child’s achievements at home. Children are also encouraged to tell their teachers about their achievements outside of school, for example, learning to swim or riding a bicycle. Therefore, teachers have a full record of children’s development in their early years.
• Children are confident and can play independently. They become absorbed in their activities and enjoy what they are learning. For example, two children enjoyed playing at the sensory table where they were touching hair mousse and rice. Both children reported how the materials felt and were able to compare them using simple language.
• Children understand how to keep themselves safe, irrespective of whether they are learning indoors or outside. They behave well and follow instructions given by adults.
• Parents value the positive relationships they have with the school. They appreciate the plentiful opportunities they have to talk to teachers. Parents praise the open communication with the school.
• Not all children deepen and develop their thinking skills. Staff do not ask follow-up questions as often as they could to extend the child’s understanding of the activity. Consequently, children’s understanding of the activity is not as fully developed as it could be.

School details

Unique reference number 122645 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 10003431 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 Maintained Age range of pupils 5 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 55 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Williams Executive Headteacher Jeremy Bingham Telephone number 01522 703 428 Website www.queeneleanor.notts.sch.uk Email address head@queeneleanor.notts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 14–15 June 2012

Information about this school

• The executive headteacher is currently on long-term absence and the assistant headteacher is leading the school in the interim.
• In this school, with such small numbers in each year group, government floor standards do not apply.
• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of the additional funding for pupils.
• Queen Eleanor Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average
• Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes, including the children in the early years who attend full-time.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed teaching in all year groups and observed the teaching of early reading skills. The inspector listened to pupils reading and talked to pupils about their school. Examples of pupils’ work were also reviewed during the inspection.
• The inspector held meetings with the assistant headteacher, subject leaders and representatives of the governing body.
• The inspector spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day. The inspector took account of views expressed in six parent responses using Ofsted’s free-text service, eight staff questionnaires and four pupils’ questionnaires.
• The inspector visited the school’s breakfast club.
• The inspector considered the school’s use of the primary physical education and sport funding and the pupil premium.
• Attendance information, school improvement planning, evidence and monitoring of teaching and documentation relating to safeguarding were also reviewed.

Inspection team

Emma Nuttall, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector