Kingswood Primary School and Nursery Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Develop the quality of teaching and assessment and continue to raise pupils’ achievements by ensuring that teachers:
  • extend the learning of the most able pupils, especially in mathematics, so that more of them are working at greater depth
  • implement strategies to diminish the gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally.
• Strengthen leadership by ensuring that:
  • subject leaders evaluate the impact of teaching on learning for all groups of pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, across the school
  • the school development plan provides precise and measurable targets to show how effectively leaders are continuing to improve the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The acting headteacher has worked hard to develop and sustain a culture of high expectations and ambition for all pupils in the school. She has successfully reversed the decline in pupils’ performance at key stage 2 in 2017, quickly identifying what needed to be done and taking effective action to improve pupils’ outcomes. The acting headteacher has worked closely with governors and the executive headteacher to develop the role of subject leaders. As a result, subject leaders have made a good start in strengthening the curriculum and successfully implementing new assessment systems to accurately track the progress pupils are making within their subjects. However, they have yet to check the impact of teaching on learning for all groups of pupils, especially the disadvantaged pupils within their subjects across the school.
• Nevertheless, these developments have led to a marked improvement in the progress pupils are making from their starting points at key stage 2.
• The acting headteacher has restored staff morale, as reflected in their questionnaire returns; most staff are proud to work at the school. Staff share the same drive for improvement as leaders and have high aspirations for developing their practice to enable pupils, irrespective of their background, to achieve better outcomes.
• Leaders continually support and manage teaching effectively. Senior leaders regularly check the impact of teaching on learning across the school through direct observation and linking this to the quality of pupils’ work in their books and the information about the progress pupils are making over time. They use this information to recognise the strengths in teaching and provide support for any weaknesses by providing training where needed. They maintain close links with other schools through the Basildon Education Partnership to share good practice. In discussion, newly qualified teachers praised the support, training and guidance provided by leaders to develop their practice.
• Leaders have an accurate view of what they are doing well and what needs further improvement, based on close monitoring of the impact of teaching and assessment on pupils’ learning and progress. They use this to develop well-chosen priorities for improvement. However, their development plan does not set precise and measurable targets to demonstrate how effectively they are continuing to improve the quality of education in the school. Nevertheless, as a result of leaders’ actions, progress in reading and mathematics across the school has improved.
• Pupils benefit from a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which has a strong emphasis on developing their basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics. Their learning is supported through a wide range of well-conceived topics where pupils develop enjoyment of learning. Pupils’ learning is enriched through the wide range of popular clubs on offer, including for sporting activities and the school choir. They also benefit from the breakfast and after school clubs which promote learning and enjoyment of school.
• Leaders successfully promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain by promoting equality and diversity in all aspects of school life. Pupils comment on the friendliness of others from different backgrounds towards them and they greatly value the differences in cultural traditions and world religions. Teachers display pupils’ work on fundamental British values, such as democracy, the rule of law, respect and tolerance, in classrooms. Pupils take on responsibility as playground leaders, library assistants and classroom monitors.
• Leaders recognise that pupil premium funding was not used well enough in 2017 to reduce the gap in attainment and progress between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. They realised that support provided outside the classroom was not working and quickly changed this to support within the classroom. Leaders and governors are monitoring the impact of these new arrangements closely, which have resulted in good progress for this group. However, leaders rightly recognise that more needs to be done to reduce the gap further.
• The inclusion managers are ensuring that the additional funding to support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well spent. Pupils’ needs are identified quickly, and training is provided to teaching assistants to work alongside teachers in meeting these pupils’ needs in classrooms. The inclusion managers work closely with outside professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to maximise the progress that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make. As a result, these pupils are making at least good progress and sometimes outstanding progress towards the targets in their individual education plans.
• The primary physical education and sport premium is used well to employ sports coaches to develop staff and pupils’ skills in a wide range of sports. These include tag rugby, cricket, football, netball and gymnastics. Pupils successfully participate in inter-school competitions and are proud of their successes.
• The local authority has provided good support for the school to support leadership. It has carried out regular reviews of the school’s work and provided training where necessary. The local authority has also supported the governors in the recruitment of the new headteacher from September, who is already actively engaged in supporting the leadership of the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors know the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement well. They were instrumental in appointing a permanent headteacher for the school and enabling her to assume the role in supporting the acting headteacher by working as executive headteacher for one day per week in school.
• They take advantage of training provided by the local authority to support them in their role. Governors effectively challenge the work of leaders through their meetings and ensure that all statutory duties, especially in safeguarding and pupils’ safety, are met. They took effective action during the inspection to ensure that the website fully complied with requirements.
• Governors use data effectively to check the progress all pupils are making. They rightly focused on the poor performance of disadvantaged pupils relative to other pupils and visited classes to form a view. As a result, they ensured that diminishing the gap in attainment and progress between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally was incorporated into the performance management targets for the headteacher and staff.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have successfully developed a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Checks on the suitability of staff and visitors to work with children are rigorous and monitored closely. Staff benefit from regular safeguarding training and they know how to identify any pupils who are at risk of harm. Any potential risk to pupils when participating in activities in or out of school are carefully assessed with effective measures put in place to minimise any risk.
• Staff follow the school’s clear protocols for reporting any concerns, which are carefully recorded. Leaders ensure that child protection referrals are timely and well-considered. They work effectively with parents, carers and outside agencies to actively promote the welfare and safety of pupils.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Good teaching in the early years and across key stage 1 has been sustained over time. Teaching has improved significantly at key stage 2 during the current academic year and is now good as a result of the effective action taken by leaders to improve it.
• Teachers generally have high expectations for learning and, consequently, have developed a positive atmosphere in their classrooms, using displays of pupils’ work to support learning. They use questioning effectively to deepen pupils’ understanding, as seen in English lessons to support the development of grammar. Teachers are developing mastery in mathematics through problem-solving activities and encouraging pupils to apply their mathematics knowledge to real-life situations.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively as a team to support the learning of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils. They ensure that these pupils learn effectively by breaking tasks down into smaller, achievable steps and clarifying any misconceptions.
• Staff maintain good relationships with pupils and manage behaviour well. As a result, pupils show respect for others, follow instructions and are well motivated.
• The teaching of basic skills is good. The teaching of phonics is a particular strength, enabling year-on-year improvement in the proportion of pupils in Year 1 reaching the required standard in the phonics screening check. The teaching of reading has improved significantly as staff ensure that pupils who need support in reading, read every day. Staff promote good writing across a range of subjects. Pupils’ books show good improvements in presentation, handwriting and the use of punctuation, spelling and grammar.
• Teachers use assessment well to plan activities and develop good resources to help pupils build on prior learning. Pupils are aware of the progress they are making and often challenge themselves by choosing a more difficult task to extend their own learning. However, sometimes, teachers are not challenging the learning of the most able, especially in mathematics, by encouraging them to work at greater depth.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is good.
• Staff provide good pastoral care to develop pupils’ self-confidence and enable them to become successful learners. Pupils work well together and are eager to engage in their activities.
• Leaders work well with parents by providing a breakfast club and an after-school club for their children. They encourage parents to support their children’s learning and development, for example through the recent workshops about promoting good behaviour.
• Staff work hard to promote pupils’ physical and emotional well-being. Pupils are shown how to stay safe and healthy through topics such as using computers safely, the potential dangers of social media sites, friendships, and sex and relationships education. Pupils believe they are safe in school and most parents and staff agree. In discussion, pupils said that bullying is rare and, when it occurs, it is dealt with quickly. They said that they can go to any member of staff if they need help.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ conduct in lessons and their behaviour around the school are good. They have good attitudes to learning, as seen in the pride they take in presenting their work neatly and their good punctuality to lessons. They behave well at lunchtimes and breaktimes and move along corridors in an orderly manner. Pupils are respectful and courteous to others. They are well supervised at breaktimes and lunchtimes, sustaining good friendships and socialising well with one another.
• They treat property and the school environment with respect. There are very few incidents of disruption to learning over time and none were seen during this inspection.
• Pupils’ attendance is above average and has improved since 2017, when it was broadly average. Leaders are successfully promoting good attendance and reducing the rates of persistent absence through close work with parents. They use penalty notices if necessary and are ensuring that the rate of exclusions remains low.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Children join the Nursery with skills that are broadly typical for their ages, although a few have less-well-advanced in their physical, personal, social and emotional development. Teachers assess each child’s stage of development carefully to identify those children who need extra support. They use this information to plan learning activities to support progress. As a result, children make good progress throughout the early years in all areas of learning.
• The proportion of pupils achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year is typically above average but dipped slightly in 2017 to broadly average. The school’s accurate data shows that this proportion is now increasing to above average. This is also confirmed from evidence in children’s work and observations of learning over time.
• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been above average for the last three years. This is because the teaching of phonics is consistently good. The school’s accurate data shows that the proportion of pupils currently in Year 1 reaching the required standard in phonics is set to increase further this academic year.
• In 2017, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 1 was above the attainment of pupils with similar starting points nationally but slightly below at greater depth. Currently, pupils are on track to continue to make good progress, with more on course to achieve at greater depth in all subjects.
• Pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of key stage 2 have been variable in recent years and, in 2017, they dipped to below average attainment and broadly average progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils at the end of Year 6 reaching the expected standard and working at greater depth was below the national average. Although the proportion of most-able pupils reaching the expected standard was above the national average in writing and mathematics, too few achieved greater depth.
• The school quickly recognised the fall in standards in 2017 and strengthened teaching and assessment to reverse the decline. The school’s accurate tracking information about the progress pupils are making clearly demonstrates that current pupils in Year 6 are making good progress in all subjects. A much higher proportion are on course to reach the expected standard and greater depth in all subjects. Leaders rightly recognise the need to further increase the proportion of pupils achieving greater depth across the school, especially in mathematics.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress because their needs are carefully assessed and staff take full account of the provision specified in their individual education, health and care plans to develop specific and measurable targets. They include these in individual education plans and identify clear strategies to meet each target. Leaders carefully review the progress pupils make towards their targets with parents and adjust them accordingly. A few pupils with speech, language and communication needs are making outstanding progress because inclusion leaders and staff work closely with speech and language therapists to support learning.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils has rapidly improved this academic year from poor progress in 2017. The school’s accurate data and scrutiny of their books show that it is now consistently good. This is because leaders have successfully implemented new and more effective classroom support and interventions to reduce the gap in attainment and progress between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. Leaders rightly recognise the need to reduce this gap further.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language are making good progress from their starting points because effective strategies are in place to develop their English skills.
• The good progress current pupils are making across the school, especially in Year 6, is ensuring that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Early years provision Good

• The early years leader is providing good leadership in ensuring that children in the Nursery and Reception classes benefit from good teaching and a well-planned curriculum.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to support every aspect of each child’s development. They constantly speak to and listen to children and ask probing questions to develop their thinking and communication. This was seen when children in the Nursery were searching for letters of the alphabet in the sand tray and were encouraged to make the sound each letter made. In the Reception classes, some children were reading the names of animals, while others were writing simple sentences about the recent royal wedding.
• All staff ensure that there is a good balance between the activities initiated by children and learning directed by adults in both the indoor and outdoor learning environments.
• Good teaching and the well-planned learning opportunities ensure that children make good progress in the Reception class which builds on the good progress they make in the Nursery. As a result, in 2017, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development, from their broadly average starting points, is similar to other schools. Currently, the proportion of children on course to achieve a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year, is rising. The early years leader rightly recognises the need to increase the proportion of children working at greater depth.
• Children are making good progress in all areas of learning as a result of good leadership and teaching. In phonics, they are securely linking the letter names to the sounds they make and are using these to read and write simple words accurately. They can create and sequence their own pictures of the story of the Gruffalo. Children thoroughly enjoy dressing up and engaging in role play. They make good use of the outdoor play equipment to exercise vigorously and use scissors safely to cut out different shapes. Good teaching and learning are ensuring that they are well prepared for transfer to Year 1.
• The early years leader is making good use of the additional funding to provide extra support for disadvantaged children to ensure that they are making the same progress as other children.
• Staff also provide good support for children identified as having SEN and/or disabilities and those who are at an early stage of learning English to ensure that they make equally good progress form their different starting points.
• Early years staff maintain strong links with parents and outside agencies to support the welfare and safety of children. Children stay safe and their behaviour is good, which was confirmed in discussion with parents. Parents benefit from workshops to develop their children’s learning at home. As a result, they are beginning to use the new online assessment system to view the progress their child is making and to record any significant steps in learning which their child makes at home.
• The early years leader is ensuring that all legal requirements to promote the learning and welfare of children are met. Consequently, children enjoy their learning and rapidly build confidence. Staff celebrate children’s achievements by displaying their work. They provide children with an interesting range of activities to develop their imagination and curiosity.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 115268 Essex 10046486 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 Foundation 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 465 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Barry Underdown Emma Campkin 01268 520850 www.kingswoodprimaryschool.net office@kingswoodprimaryschool.net Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Since the previous inspection, the former Kingswood Junior School and Kingswood Infant School and Nursery amalgamated in September 2015 to become Kingswood Primary School and Nursery. The school is now larger than most primary schools. This is its first inspection.
• The deputy headteacher became the acting headteacher in September 2017 following the resignation of the previous headteacher. A new permanent headteacher has been appointed from September 2018 and is currently supporting the school as executive headteacher for one day per week. The school has formed close links with other local schools through the Basildon Education Partnership.
• Most pupils are White British. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is similar to other schools nationally. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is also similar to other schools.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and are supported through an education, health and care plan is higher than in other schools.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.
• The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors carried out visits to a variety of lessons and activities in every class, and the breakfast club. Most of these were made jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors also heard pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work in all year groups, including children’s work in the Nursery and Reception classes.
• They examined data and the school’s tracking information showing the progress pupils were making in every year group, including the early years.
• Inspectors held meetings with school leaders, three members of the governing body and two groups of pupils. The lead inspector also held a telephone discussion with the local authority representative.
• Inspectors also took account of parents’ views by looking at the 51 responses, including the free-text responses, to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also met some parents informally who were accompanying their children to school. Inspectors considered the views of staff in their 43 completed questionnaire returns and met with newly qualified teachers.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including: the school’s self-evaluation document and school development plan; safeguarding policies and procedures; records of behaviour and attendance figures; minutes of governing body meetings, and external reviews of the school’s work by the local authority.

Inspection team

Declan McCarthy, lead inspector Andrew Maher Henry Weir Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector