Trowell CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the impact of leadership and management on school improvement by ensuring that:
  • the school development plan identifies precise actions and is effective in improving provision and outcomes
  • teachers have the highest aspirations for what pupils can do
  • leaders give effective support to those teachers whose teaching is not yet good, or whose skills in assessment are not precise enough, so that they can quickly improve
  • the school’s system of managing the performance of staff rigorously holds teachers to account for the performance of their pupils
  • pupils whom teachers identify as having potential special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are assessed quickly so that they receive any support they need as soon as possible.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that teachers consistently:
  • use the assessments of pupils’ learning to set work that challenges pupils, especially the most able
  • give pupils sufficient opportunities to write at length, including across the curriculum
  • plan lessons in science so pupils develop a good understanding of this subject.
• Improve pupils’ personal development by:
  • improving pupils’ knowledge of how to stay safe when using the internet
  • checking regularly that pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures so that pupils can articulate what they know.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Senior leaders are not sufficiently aware of the inconsistencies in teaching across the school. They are unclear about where teaching is best, where it needs to be improved, and why.
• Leaders’ use of performance management is not effective in holding all teachers to account for the progress their pupils need to make. When leaders set targets to improve aspects of teaching, they do not follow these up with sufficient rigour so that pupils’ progress accelerates. As a result, teachers do not challenge pupils, particularly the most able.
• Senior leaders do not have a clear focus on what the school needs to do to improve. For example, senior leaders do not discuss priorities for development between the early years and the rest of the school.
• Leaders do not always ensure that those pupils whom teachers think may have SEN and/or disabilities are assessed rapidly. As a result, these pupils do not always receive the support they may require quickly enough. However, leaders do spend the additional funding pupils for who have SEN and/or disabilities appropriately, once the needs of these pupils are established. Leaders ensure that pupils behave respectfully to others and understand the importance of following the school rules. They also ensure that there are good opportunities for pupils to reflect on, and express, their own beliefs. However, the curriculum does not ensure that pupils develop a sufficiently detailed understanding of other faiths and cultures.
• The curriculum is broad and interesting for pupils. For example, pupils who met with inspectors were particularly excited about studying the Second World War and could recall facts about the war. However, pupils’ workbooks show that, on occasions, there is insufficient time dedicated to teaching science.
• Leaders ensure that the curriculum is enhanced with a variety of extra-curricular clubs, such as netball and football. Pupils say that they greatly enjoy attending these clubs.
• Effective use of the sport premium has seen an increase in the proportion of pupils taking part in clubs. This funding is also used to enable disadvantaged pupils to attend these clubs.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding to ensure that disadvantaged pupils overall are supported well. As a result, these pupils make good progress and achieve well.
• Subject leaders for mathematics and English are relatively new. They are passionate for all pupils to make rapid progress. They have written clear action plans, and are committed to improving teaching so that pupils are challenged consistently. They have begun work to support those colleagues whose teaching is not yet good.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is committed to the school and its pupils. For example, governors ensure that all groups of pupils have equal access to sports clubs after school. However, governors are not able to hold leaders to account precisely for the improvements senior leaders are making because leaders are not providing them with a sufficiently clear idea of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching. Governors have a knowledge of national data but do not have a clear understanding of the rate of progress and quality of teaching within the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that they complete effective recruitment checks on all staff, governors and volunteers.

• Staff are trained in all aspects of safeguarding including areas of national concern, such as extremism. As a result, staff are vigilant for any signs that a pupil may be being harmed, and know the warning signs of potential abuse. The designated lead for safeguarding completes promptly any referrals the school makes to external agencies, including social care. Leaders are unafraid to chase up any concerns that they feel are not addressed by agencies with sufficient urgency.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning is inconsistent across the school. In some year groups, teachers ensure that pupils make brisk progress by giving them work that is well matched to their different abilities. In other year groups, however, pupils are not challenged sufficiently. In these classes, the pace of learning slows and pupils are required to repeat tasks that they have already covered.

• Too few teachers ensure that the assessment they make of pupils’ progress is accurate. As a result, they do not plan subsequent learning that builds on pupils’ existing knowledge and skills.
• Some teaching has insufficiently high expectations of pupils. Many pupils say the work they are given is too easy. One pupil summed up the experience of their classmates by saying that they always got the work right and hoped for it to get harder soon.
• Teaching does not consistently challenge the most able pupils. Too much of the work these pupils are given is undemanding. As a result, too few make sufficient progress.
• Too few teachers give pupils opportunities to write at length and across the curriculum, nor do they give pupils clear guidance and support as to how to do this.
• Teaching assistants work well with specific groups of pupils and provide valuable support. They have good relationships with pupils and ensure that the pupils make good progress.
• Where teaching is effective, learning moves on at a good pace because teachers know pupils’ abilities well and deal with any misconceptions the pupils have. Pupils who need to catch up receive good support to help them improve their confidence and skills.
• Teachers ensure that pupils develop a genuine love of reading. Pupils are keen to read to themselves and to visitors, and can read aloud confidently with good expression and understanding. Pupils read at home regularly.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.

• Pupils in key stage 1 and in Years 3 and 4 do not have a good understanding of how to stay safe on the internet.
• The school provides some opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and cultures. However, the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other faiths and cultures is too limited. Pupils were unable to provide any detail about other faiths.
• There are occasions where pupils do not focus as well as they should in lessons and this limits their progress.
• Pupils say they feel safe in school. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have a more secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe online.
• Most pupils said that if they were worried about something at school, then they would tell a parent.
• Pupils are given time in school to reflect on their own faith, and so value their faith.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Staff in the early years quickly help all children to know how to behave from the point when they begin school. The behaviour policy introduced last year has ensured that all adults in school take a consistent approach to pupils’ conduct. As a result, pupils know how to behave well and do so.

• Pupils are polite and well mannered around the school.
• In lessons, pupils are ready to learn and listen to adults well. This contributes significantly to the overall progress pupils make.
• Attendance is in line with the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school to learn each day. The overall proportion of pupils who were persistently absent in 2016 was higher than the national average. Leaders have worked effectively to reduce the proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are persistently absent, and continue to monitor attendance so that it is as high as possible.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ attainment is good. The attainment of pupils at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 was above average. The proportion of pupils who achieved both the expected and the higher levels in all subjects was much higher than the national average.
• In 2016 and 2017, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly similar to that of other pupils nationally at the end of key stage 1.
• In 2017, the proportions of pupils who attained highly at the end of key stage 1 rose sharply in reading and mathematics to be broadly in line with the national averages.
• Pupils attain well because they work hard and try their best, even when the tasks they are given to complete are not engaging and do not challenge them sufficiently.
• The proportion of pupils who pass the phonics screening check has risen for the past two years and is now much higher than the national average.
• Overall, pupils who are disadvantaged make good progress from their starting points. Leaders use the pupil premium effectively to ensure that these pupils make good gains in their learning. However, the most able disadvantaged pupils do not make sufficient progress in order to reach greater depth in writing and reading.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress overall.
• Pupils make broadly average progress in most subjects. However, their progress in science is not rapid because, in some year groups, teachers do not allot sufficient time to this subject.
• Progress is not strong in all year groups but, as a result of very strong teaching in Year 6, pupils are able to attain highly at the end of key stage 2.

Early years provision Good

• The early years is well led jointly by two teachers who have high expectations of children. They ensure that teaching is effective in the early years, and the proportion of children who leave the early years with a good level of development is rising. Children are well prepared for starting Year 1.
• Staff in the early years ensure that they quickly develop warm and caring relationships with children when they arrive in school. As a result, children settle in well and quickly become happy and confident. Children are keen to talk to staff and share with them what they are learning.
• Staff plan a range of engaging activities across all areas of learning that children can easily access.
• Children cooperate well with each other and concentrate for prolonged periods, despite their young age. Children make good progress because staff question them skilfully and provide engaging resources for them that enable children to use their imagination and creativity.
• Staff keep good, accurate records of what children learn, and provide tasks that consistently challenge them.
• Children understand and talk about how to keep themselves healthy and active.
• Leaders ensure that safeguarding in the early years is effective. Staff work successfully to provide a secure environment where children feel safe and behave safely.
• Parents who spoke with inspectors said that their child’s first year at school had been a positive experience. They explained how they felt included in, and well informed about, their child’s education.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority 122770 Nottinghamshire Inspection number 10031236 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 controlled 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 198 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs K Bicknell Mr D Goddard 01159 320 962 www.trowell.notts.sch.uk office@trowell.notts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 9–10 July 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.

• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is lower than average.
• The school meets the government’s current national floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in all classes. Two sessions were observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspectors also scrutinised many examples of pupils’ work.

• The inspection team held meetings with senior leaders, subject leaders, representatives of the governing body and pupils. They analysed 40 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and studied the free-text comments. Inspectors also met with parents at the start of the school day.
• The inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation including the school’s development plan and self-evaluation, policies and records related to safeguarding, records of pupils’ behaviour, the school’s information about pupils’ outcomes and attendance, and records of the governing body.

Inspection team

Gerry Crofts, lead inspector Rebecca King Dorothy Stenson

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector