Maylandsea Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, including in the early years, by:
  • ensuring that all teachers plan suitably challenging activities that engage and interest all pupils
  • refining assessment processes in subjects other than English and mathematics so that teachers know what pupils have achieved already and can plan their next steps in learning
  • checking that teachers use the agreed approaches to teaching, learning and assessment consistently and that they are having the intended impact on pupils’ learning.
• Establish and strengthen current actions to improve pupils’ outcomes further by ensuring that more pupils make the progress needed to attain the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The executive headteacher and head of school have the highest expectations of both staff and pupils. They have established an aspirational, yet nurturing, culture in the school. Staff share their view that academic success and high-quality pastoral care go hand-in-hand. As a result, pupils are happy and most make good progress in a range of subjects. As one parent commented, ‘The school lives up to its motto for pupils to enjoy and achieve.’
• Senior leaders have an accurate view of the school’s many strengths and of where there is scope for further improvement. They have set ambitious targets for pupils’ academic achievement and have identified key priorities for improving further the quality of education. Their determination for pupils to achieve as much as they can ensures that most pupils make good progress in a range of subjects and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Subject leaders are fully involved in checking the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. They share senior leaders’ vision and ambition for the school. Subject leaders have the freedom to implement the actions that they feel will bring about further improvement. They know how their actions contribute to achieving whole-school priorities, and they work effectively as a team.
• Leaders provide training and development opportunities for all staff. This includes working with schools in the multi-academy trust and other local schools to check the accuracy of teachers’ assessments. Subject leaders, teachers and learning support assistants appreciate the training and development opportunities, which address whole-school priorities and the specific needs of individuals. Staff feel valued and are fully supportive of school leaders.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) leads her area of responsibility very well. The SENCo ensures that pupils’ barriers to learning are identified accurately and that teachers meet pupils’ individual needs. Leaders ensure that learning support assistants have regular training and updates so that they can provide effective support to the pupils they work alongside. As a result, pupils with SEND typically make progress that is at least as good as that of other pupils with similar starting points, and they develop independence.
• Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils are provided for well. Staff identify pupils’ barriers to learning and leaders use additional funding effectively to support pupils’ learning. This enables disadvantaged pupils to have access to the full range of activities offered by the school. Leaders’ focus on this group and their high expectations are shared by teachers. This results in disadvantaged pupils making strong progress and achieving at least as well as other pupils nationally.
• The sport premium is used well. Leaders have used the funding to ensure that pupils have access to a range of sporting activities and to provide development opportunities for teaching staff. Pupils appreciate the opportunities that they have to be physically active, and they have had the opportunity to participate in competitive sport.
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is appropriately challenging and that it provides opportunities to experience learning in a broad range of subjects. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about learning in science, art, computing and physical education (PE). However, leaders are still in the process of developing assessment procedures in subjects other than English and mathematics. At present, some teachers are less clear about pupils’ achievement in subjects other than English and mathematics. This means they are less confident in identifying the next steps needed for pupils to deepen their learning and understanding.
• Leaders have ensured that a comprehensive personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme, assemblies, extra-curricular trips and visits contribute strongly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern British society.
• Through their regular checks on teaching, learning and assessment, leaders have identified that a few teachers do not consistently make best use of assessment information to plan or adapt activities so that they provide the right levels of challenge for all pupils. As a result, some pupils do not always make progress as strongly as they do at other times. Some pupils also lose focus on their learning. Leaders are taking actions to remove inconsistencies but acknowledge that they have not yet done so.
• Leaders have changed the way that reading is taught and have increased the focus on pupils developing reasoning skills in mathematics. They recognise that these actions are needed to improve pupils’ outcomes, particularly by the end of key stage 2. However, while there are signs of early impact, these changes have not yet had sufficient time to become established and have a sustained impact on improving pupils’ achievement, particularly in the numbers reaching the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Governance of the school

• The Eveleigh LINK Academy trust has provided a good balance of support and challenge to the school’s leaders. Trustees are knowledgeable and have the experience and expertise needed to be effective in their oversight of the school.
• Teachers and subject leaders have development opportunities provided by the trust. For example, they can share ideas and discuss what works well through working with others in the trust. The trust has also benefited from the expertise of the executive headteacher and head of school. The executive headteacher leads another school within the trust. The head of school acts as ‘Pupil premium champion’ for the trust and leads on provision for disadvantaged pupils across the trust.
• The members of the local governing body (LGB) have a clear understanding of their role within the trust’s governance structure. Members of the LGB make regular visits to the school to gain an independent view of its work. They contribute effectively to self-evaluation and improvement planning and check on progress towards achieving priorities. Members of the LGB have an accurate view of the quality of education provided and ensure that they have the training needed to fulfil their roles effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders and governors have established a culture where safeguarding is at the forefront of the school’s work. Procedures to check that adults are suitable to work in school are thorough. The records of the checks carried out are accurately maintained and regularly checked by the highly knowledgeable link governor and representatives of the trust. The child protection policy reflects the latest published guidance and is updated annually. Trustees and governors ensure that other policies related to safeguarding are kept up to date to reflect changes in published guidance or legal requirements.
• Leaders provide staff with annual training and regular updates so that they can recognise signs and risks of harm and keep children safe. This includes training so that staff are aware of the signs of extremism and radicalisation. Adults working in the school are confident about when and how they should refer any concerns.
• Leaders maintain accurate and appropriately detailed records of concerns, which include details of actions taken. They monitor the impact of actions and support on the pupil’s welfare and well-being. Leaders ensure that pupils and families receive the help that they need. When necessary, they make referrals to other agencies promptly and follow up concerns tenaciously.
• Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. Staff and almost all parents agree that pupils are safe in school. Pupils learn how to stay safe in a variety of situations in ways that are appropriate for their age. For example, pupils confidently told inspectors about how they know how to stay safe when working online or using social media.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching across the school is effective and supports most pupils to make good progress in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge and know their pupils well. Teachers know individual pupils’ barriers to learning and they adapt activities and provide help to overcome them. Learning support assistants are skilled and typically provide effective support for the pupils they work with. This helps disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND to achieve well. They typically make progress that is in line with, or better than, that of other pupils with similar starting points.
• Teachers have established positive relationships in their classrooms. Pupils grow into confident learners. They work with others collaboratively when asked to do so but also develop skills independently. As a result, pupils are willing to contribute ideas, and they respond well to teachers’ directions.
• Good subject knowledge contributes to teachers’ effective use of questioning to check and probe pupils’ understanding. Teachers typically identify and address pupils’ misconceptions quickly.
• Almost all parents who submitted responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, indicated that pupils are taught well and that they receive useful information on pupils’ progress.
• The teaching of writing is effective. Pupils learn to write for different audiences and purposes and learn the technical aspects of grammar and punctuation. Teachers ensure that pupils have the opportunity to practise and apply their writing skills in subjects other than English. Pupils do so confidently and demonstrate similar standards in their written work to that seen in their English books.
• Reading is promoted well throughout the school. Pupils learn and apply their knowledge of phonics to help them when they come across unfamiliar words. Pupils who read to inspectors did so with fluency and understanding appropriate to their current levels of attainment.
• Leaders have recently introduced changes to the way pupils learn how to understand the texts they are reading. Inspection evidence shows that these are having a positive impact on the development of pupils’ comprehension and inference skills. However, the changes are not yet fully embedded across the school. They have not yet had time to show a sustained impact on pupils’ learning and progress.
• Teachers ensure that in mathematics pupils have the opportunity to develop and practise calculation skills and develop their understanding of shape, space and measure. Pupils confidently apply their mathematics skills in science by carrying out calculations and presenting results of experiments in graphs and tables. Teachers have increased opportunities for pupils to develop and apply their reasoning skills. However, this is not yet consistent across all classes, nor is the impact on pupils’ achievement.
• Pupils enjoy developing their knowledge, skills and understanding in a broad range of other subjects. Subject leaders ensure that the content of lessons is at the right depth for pupils’ ages. Assessment systems in subjects other than English and mathematics are developing. At present, some teachers are less secure in their assessment in some subjects. These teachers do not consistently identify what pupils need to do in order to deepen their understanding or develop skills further.
• Almost all teachers routinely use their knowledge of pupils and assessment information to plan activities that are well matched to pupils’ capabilities and interests. As a result, most pupils make strong progress. Occasionally, activities set by a small number of teachers are too easy for some pupils. They do not challenge pupils to achieve the standards or make the progress that they could. On these rare occasions, some pupils lose interest in the activity when it is too easy and talk to other pupils, which disturbs the flow of learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ well-being and personal development are as high a priority for teachers as academic achievement. Many of the free-text responses to Parent View and all of the parents who spoke to inspectors were extremely positive about the support and care provided by school. Pupils say that there is always an adult that they can go to if they are sad or are worried. They are confident that teachers and other adults will help them.
• The school is an inclusive community that supports pupils well, including pupils who join from other schools. Pupils show an excellent understanding of why they should learn about and respect others’ cultures and beliefs. They show a very good understanding of tolerance and equality. In PSHE lessons, pupils learn about and discuss issues such as racism and gender stereotypes in ways appropriate for their age. Instances of racist or derogatory language are extremely rare.
• Teachers know their pupils well. They ensure that individuals get help tailored to their needs in times of difficulty. Several free-text comments gave specific examples of how the school has supported families and pupils who were facing problems. Leaders ensure that the school can offer counselling and other programmes of support for pupils’ social and emotional well-being, including from external agencies when necessary.
• Pupils have opportunities to show responsibility, for example through being members of the school council, sports leaders or raising funds for charities. Pupils’ learning about democracy in history and PSHE is reinforced through elections for members of the school council.
• Trips and residential visits, the wide variety of clubs and activities provided and the range of physical and sporting activities, including the ‘Daily Mile’, also contribute to pupils’ health and social development. Pupils value and understand the importance of education. For example, in an assembly, pupils, including the youngest, showed that they understood why reading was such an important skill to develop.
• Pupils show a very good understanding of bullying in all of its forms and of the harm it causes. Pupils say that bullying is rare, and they are confident that teachers deal with it well when it does occur. Staff and almost all parents agree that this is the case.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is typically good. Pupils settle quickly and respond well to teachers’ directions. Movement in lessons and around the school is calm and orderly. At breaktime and lunchtime, pupils play and socialise sensibly. They are typically polite, helpful and respectful to one another and to adults and visitors.
• There are very few incidents of a serious nature. Leaders have used fixed-term exclusions appropriately for a small number of pupils who have not met the very high expectations of behaviour. None of the pupils involved in the past two years has received a further exclusion. This reflects that pupils learn to make the right choices about their behaviour.
• Adults have high expectations of behaviour and model these well, including to the youngest children in the early years. Adults use the school’s rewards and behaviour systems well to reward good and improved behaviour and reinforce expectations.
• Pupils enjoy school and rarely miss a day. Teachers closely monitor pupils’ attendance. Leaders’ systems for following up attendance concerns are rigorous and have resulted in improved attendance for a number of pupils. No groups of pupils are disadvantaged by low attendance.
• On the few occasions where teachers have planned activities that are not appropriately challenging, some pupils lose focus on their learning and need to be directed back to learning by the teacher. This is why behaviour is not outstanding.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Most pupils currently in the school, including the most able pupils and those with low prior attainment, are making strong progress across different subjects and year groups. This is because teaching is effective, and activities are often well matched to pupils’ capabilities.
• Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 has increased each year since 2016. Attainment is now typically in line with or above the national average. This is also the case for the proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve well. At the end of key stage 1, their attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science is in line with, or above, that of other pupils nationally. By the end of key stage 2, disadvantaged pupils make progress in reading, writing and mathematics that is in line with that of other pupils nationally. Scrutiny of pupils’ work and assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils currently in the school make strong and sometimes outstanding progress. This is because teachers accurately identify their barriers to learning and provide the help that pupils need to overcome them.
• Pupils with SEND typically make good and, sometimes, better progress. Teachers and learning support assistants work well to identify what help they need, and they help them to develop independence in their learning. Leaders evaluate carefully the impact of the support provided on the progress of individual pupils.
• Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has varied. Although pupils make progress in line with that of all pupils nationally, some have not made strong enough progress to attain the higher standards in these subjects by the end of Year 6.
• Very often, teachers use assessment information to provide tasks that are appropriately challenging. This helps the large majority of the most able pupils and those with attainment lower than that expected for their age to make good progress. Occasionally, some teachers set tasks that are not appropriately challenging. In these cases, pupils’ progress is less consistently strong.
• Pupils use and apply their writing and mathematical skills confidently in other subjects. Pupils’ enjoyment of reading is evident, and they are encouraged to read for pleasure. They develop the skills needed in these key subjects to prepare them for the next stage in their education.
• Pupils demonstrate good understanding in a range of subjects other than English and mathematics. For example, pupils show that they have developed the ability to carry out scientific investigations and draw correct conclusions in science. Assessment systems in subjects other than English and mathematics are being developed. However, at present some teachers’ assessments are not helping pupils to progress as quickly as they could. This is because teachers are not consistent in their identification of what pupils have achieved and of what knowledge and skills pupils need to develop further.

Early years provision Good

• The early years leader took on the role in September 2018. She quickly identified areas for improvement and put in place actions to improve further the already highly effective provision.
• Children are confident learners who are able to involve themselves deeply in imaginative play. They play alongside and with each other, typically showing kindness and collaboration. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is supported well. A carefully considered induction programme helps children to settle quickly in to the early years classes. Parents appreciate the care shown by adults and have appreciation for opportunities to know how to support their children’s learning, such as through a recent phonics workshop.
• Adults model behaviour well and encourage children to be polite and cooperative. This develops children’s communication skills and contributes effectively to children’s personal, social and emotional development.
• In the past, children have joined the school with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. They have made strong progress, so that the proportion attaining a good level of development and achieving what is expected in different areas of learning at the end of the early years has been at, or above, the national average. Children currently in Reception joined the school with skills and abilities typical for their age. They are on track to achieve what is expected for their age at the end of the year and are making good progress.
• The early years curriculum provides children with activities that cover all areas of learning. The outside area is used well to support pupils’ learning. There are a variety of activities that support children’s development of number and shape and their early writing skills. The focus on reading and teaching phonics contributes well to this. Children enjoy books and reading. The curriculum and teaching prepare children well for key stage 1.
• Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All expected requirements are met. Children say that they feel safe in school and know who to talk to if someone is unkind to them.
• Adults use their observations and assessments to track children’s progress carefully. Leaders have made good use of opportunities provided by the trust to check the accuracy of adults’ assessments. Leaders check the progress made by disadvantaged children and children with SEND carefully. They ensure that any extra help provided is supporting these children to make good progress.
• Usually, adults plan activities carefully and consider how they can best support children’s learning. Occasionally, the planning and sequencing of activities lack this precision. When this happens, activities lack challenge and some children do not make the progress they could. As in other classes, when activities are not appropriately challenging, some children’s concentration wavers and they are not as eager to join in as they usually are.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142254 Essex 10081091 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 Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 280 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Sara Kightley Nicholas Rudman 01621 742 251 www.maylandsea.essex.sch.uk admin@maylandsea.essex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10 July 2018

Information about this school

• Maylandsea Primary School is an average-sized primary school. The school converted to become an academy on 1 October 2015. It is part of the Eveleigh LINK Academy Trust. The executive headteacher is also headteacher of Maltese Road Primary School.
• The trust board has overall responsibility for the school and a local governing body carries out certain duties and responsibilities delegated to it by the trust. The trust provides training and development opportunities for staff. Maylandsea Primary School works collaboratively with schools in the trust and with a group of other local schools.
• The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with SEND who have an education, health and care plan is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium is lower than that in most primary schools.
• At its full inspection in May 2013, the overall effectiveness of predecessor school was judged to be good.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning across all year groups. Some of these observations were carried out with school leaders. Inspectors also scrutinised pupils’ work in a range of subjects, listened to a group of pupils read and reviewed the school’s assessment information.
• The inspection team reviewed a range of school documents and policies, including behaviour and attendance information, information about governance arrangements, minutes of the local governing body meetings and documentation relating to the safeguarding of pupils.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils in lessons, met with a group of pupils and spoke to pupils when observing them at informal times, such as playtime and lunchtime, to gather their views on the school.
• The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust, members of the local governing body and senior leaders. Members of the inspection team held meetings with middle leaders and a group of staff. Inspectors considered the 27 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.
• Inspectors spoke with parents before school and also reviewed the responses and free-text responses submitted to Parent View.

Inspection team

Paul Wilson, lead inspector Ahson Mohammed Heather Hann

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector