Eyrescroft Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ outcomes by:
  • increasing the proportions of pupils who are working at the expected standard by the end of key stage 2
  • ensuring that greater proportions of the most able pupils achieve the standards of which they are capable
  • making sure pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make at least good progress.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • governors asking for and receiving accurate information about pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics, and using this information to hold leaders more clearly to account for the quality of education
  • equipping middle leaders with the skills and knowledge to become more effective in their roles and in checking pupils’ progress appropriately in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that:
  • teachers have higher expectations of what pupils, in particular those who are most able, can achieve in different subjects
  • teachers provide consistently well for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Improve the quality of pupils’ behaviour by:
  • ensuring that teachers plan learning that is well matched to pupils’ capabilities and captures their interest
  • further refining strategies to ensure that the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and of those who have SEN and/or disabilities rises.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders, including governors, have not ensured that the quality of provision has been good since 2016. The progress that pupils made by the end of key stage 2 in 2017 was not good enough. Nevertheless, leaders have a precise knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and correctly judge the quality of provision to require improvement. The executive principal and her team, supported well by the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust (The trust), are demonstrating the necessary capacity to bring about the required changes. They are successfully doing so. The pace of improvement is accelerating.
• On her appointment, the executive principal judged the quality of teaching, learning and assessment not to be good enough. She has correctly challenged poor practice. Several new teachers have joined the school. Staff value the training that they have access to, commenting how this ‘has opened up many ways to teach reading, writing and mathematics’. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is improving, in particular in English and mathematics. However, some teachers do not consistently put leaders’ high expectations into practice in the classroom, especially in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Leaders have put in place a curriculum that has breadth and balance. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy studying topics such as Mexico, water wonders and urban pioneers. This curriculum is enriched through a range of trips, clubs and themed days. The excellent artwork on display reflects pupils’ enthusiastic response to opportunities to practise their creative skills.
• Some teachers do not implement the curriculum consistently well. Topics within subjects are often taught in isolation of each other. Where this is the case, pupils do not build on the subject-specific knowledge and skills that they learn in a logical and coherent way. Leaders are rightly reviewing how the curriculum is implemented.
• Middle leaders, some of whom are new to their roles, are not as effective as they could be. The decisive leadership that has brought about improvements in the early years and in English is not consistently evident in other subjects. For example, subject leaders do not have a clear enough grasp of the progress that pupils make in science and most other foundation subjects.
• The provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is improving. Inspection evidence confirms parents’ views that pupils’ needs are quickly and accurately identified. Leaders put in place well-judged strategies to boost the social and emotional development of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities. That said, leaders are not ensuring that teachers meet these pupils’ academic needs consistently well.
• Leaders are ensuring that additional government funding is having progressively more impact on improving disadvantaged pupils’ attendance and achievement. Teachers are aware of the barriers to learning that pupils face and are using effective strategies to help pupils to overcome these. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils are making improved, albeit not yet good, progress, in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Leaders make skilful use of the physical education and sport premium funding. They carefully monitor the impact of this funding and make appropriate changes to their plans. Pupils have access to expert coaching, sports camps and, also, to activities at lunchtime and after school. Consequently, pupils enjoy sport and develop their team working skills.
• The trust has responded swiftly and well to the low pupil outcomes of 2017. Trust leaders have refined and improved the support that they provide for leaders and teachers. Additional resources in the form of the regional director, expert teachers and visiting senior leaders from other trust schools are helping staff to develop their knowledge and skills. The trust holds leaders, including governors, to account well and is making its full contribution to the improvements evident in the school.
• Leaders have ensured there are effective systems in place to monitor the attendance, achievement and behaviour of pupils who attend alternative provision.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective.
• Governors share leaders’ whole-hearted commitment to providing high-quality education and care for pupils.
• The local governing body has focused on monitoring and challenging leaders to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and pupil progress, in English and mathematics. In doing so, governors have held leaders to account for these aspects of provision often and robustly.
• Governors have not requested information on, nor held leaders to account sufficiently well for, pupils’ progress across the wider curriculum. Therefore, governors are not clear in which foundation subjects pupils are achieving well and in which they are not.
• Acting on the findings of a recent review of leaders’ use of pupil premium funding, governors understand the barriers to learning that disadvantaged pupils face. A governor visits the school to check the impact of the additional funding to support these pupils.
• The trust has ensured that the local governing body is working closely with a national leader of governance. This work is further refining governors’ practice and sharpening their focus when monitoring the quality of education provided.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have worked hard to create an environment in which pupils are safe. Pupils told inspectors that they felt safe at school and they trusted the adults who cared for them. Almost all parents agree that their children are safe and well cared for at Eyrescroft.
• Pupils act safely and, in discussions with inspectors, demonstrated an age-appropriate awareness of strategies to keep safe when using the internet.
• Leaders, supported well by the trust, have rightly put in place appropriate training for all staff, including recent training to update staff on pertinent safeguarding issues. Consequently, staff know what is expected of them and they are alert to any signs that may indicate a pupil is vulnerable or at risk.
• Staff expressed confidence that leaders act swiftly on any concerns that are reported to them. School records confirm this to be the case. Leaders work well with external agencies to provide the most appropriate support for pupils in need of additional help.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment, while improved, remains too uneven across both key stages. Pupils’ inconsistent progress across the curriculum reflects the variation in teachers’ expectations, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics. Therefore, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement.
• Some teachers do not consider pupils’ different starting points sufficiently well when devising and putting into practice learning activities, especially in subjects other than English and mathematics. Inspectors saw examples in exercise books of pupils of all abilities being given the same tasks in science with little amendment or apparent variation in explanation. Where this is the case, pupils’ progress over time is not good.
• Teachers do not routinely provide learning that demands enough from the most able pupils. In some cases, teachers provide resources that restrict the extent to which such pupils can demonstrate what they know and can do. The impact of this is evident in the small proportions of the most able pupils who are working at the higher standards or at greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teachers do not provide consistently well for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities in each key stage. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress in classes where their learning needs are carefully considered and accommodated. However, work in pupils’ books indicates this practice is not commonplace across different subjects.
• Teachers are not consistently effective in applying the school’s feedback policy. Guidance is sometimes too vague or not followed up by teachers or pupils. The precision evident in feedback on pupils’ work in English is not consistently replicated in other subjects.
• Teachers follow the school’s preferred approach to teaching mathematics. They plan logical sequences of learning and give pupils chances to practise their reasoning and problem-solving skills. However, some teachers are not skilful enough in adapting activities in lessons and moving pupils on to the next stage of their learning in a timely way.
• The teaching of writing is improved. Teachers typically make effective use of their good subject knowledge and skills developed in whole-school training to plan learning that is appropriate for pupils in their classes. Pupils are increasingly confident writers as a result.
• Because of the improved quality of the teaching of reading, pupils are gaining a well-developed understanding of the context of the texts that they study. They are assured and enthusiastic readers and speak in front of their classmates and teachers with confidence.
• Leaders have made changes to how phonics is taught. Teachers teach phonics confidently and well. Pupils make good use of the skills that they develop, and the impact is evident in their improved handwriting and spelling. Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders, including governors, have ensured that there are effective systems to support pupils well, including those with the highest level of need. Staff act swiftly where they observe that a pupil, or their family, needs additional help. Through the work of the dedicated learning mentor, the inclusion and welfare manager, and of the school’s nurture group, the attainment and attendance of pupils in receipt of support have improved. Several parents told inspectors how much they appreciated the support that they and their child had received in their time at Eyrescroft.
• Pupils know what bullying is and they explained that it is a rare event at their school. A very small number of parents expressed concern about how incidents of bullying are handled by leaders. Inspection evidence confirms that where incidents occur, they are dealt with well by leaders. All pupils spoken with by inspectors felt confident in talking with a member of staff if they had any concerns or anxieties.
• A higher number of pupils join school during the academic year than is typically the case. Some of these pupils have English as an additional language. Pupils told inspectors how they are helped to settle in and to develop their English language skills. The ease with which most pupils settle is due to the open, friendly approach of pupils and staff already in the school.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is provided for well. Pupils know and understand the importance of learning about democracy, diversity and different cultures and faiths. One pupil explained that this knowledge helps to make new pupils, ‘feel confident and safe’, while another explained, ‘No one is treated differently here. We are all the same.’ Pupils are being well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils develop their understanding of decision-making by taking on one of the many leadership roles on offer to them. For example, pupil digital leaders, peace ambassadors and school councillors make important contributions to school life and the strong sense of togetherness that exists in the school.
• The well-thought-out personal, social, health education programme helps pupils develop their sense of self-awareness, reflection and knowledge of healthy living.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Where teachers do not ensure that learning is well matched to pupils’ needs, a small proportion of pupils lose focus and their behaviour can distract others. Pupils, parents, staff and school records confirm that at times a minority of pupils’ behaviour disrupts learning in lessons.
• Because of leaders’ effective work, pupils’ attendance has risen and is in line with national averages. The proportion of pupils overall who are persistently absent has fallen dramatically. However, the proportions of disadvantaged pupils and of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities who are persistently absent, despite recent falls, remain too high.
• Most pupils are keen to learn and work well, collaboratively or independently, in the positive atmosphere generated in most classrooms.
• Pupils’ behaviour around the school site is reflective of the school’s values, and of the caring, considerate and good-humoured attitude of the overwhelming majority. Pupils of all ages look out for each other’s well-being. They make enthusiastic use of the extensive range of activities provided for them at lunchtime. In doing so, pupils develop their skills and awareness of teamwork and sharing.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2017, pupils’ achievement and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 were too low. Because of leaders’ effective action, pupils, including those for whom English is an alternative language, are making improved, but not yet good, progress in reading, writing and mathematics across this key stage. Pupils currently in school are being better prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Inspection evidence confirms leaders’ judgement that current pupils’ attainment in key stage 1 requires improvement. Pupils’ attainment by the end of key stage 1 was very low in 2016 in reading, writing and mathematics. There was a significant improvement in pupils’ attainment in 2017 across key stage 1, and this is being sustained this year.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check has varied over the previous two years and has been below national averages. Because of better teaching, pupils’, including those who are disadvantaged, achievement in phonics is improving, but is not yet good.
• Most-able pupils have not achieved as well as they should have in either key stage 1 or key stage 2 since 2016. While there are signs of the most able pupils making better progress, these improvements are patchy. Leaders have rightly made this an area for improvement.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities did not make good progress across each key stage in 2017. Where teachers are adapting learning activities appropriately and well, pupils with SEN and/or disabilities are now making good progress. However, this is not a consistent pattern across the key stages.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ achievement was low in 2017. Leaders have taken appropriate action and disadvantaged pupils are now making better progress. However, like their classmates across the school, their outcomes still require improvement.
• Pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics is too uneven. This reflects the inconsistency in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the curriculum.

Early years provision Good

• As part of their well-considered development of the school, the trust and school leaders have invested significant time and resources in rapidly improving the early years provision. The impact of this work can be seen in the good quality of education now provided in Reception.
• The leadership of early years is good. The knowledgeable and effective leader identified what needed to improve and has been successful in bringing about the necessary changes. Children enter the early years with a range of skills and abilities which are often below those expected. They make good progress from their individual starting points because of the good quality of teaching and care that they receive. Children are increasingly prepared well for key stage 1.
• Through effective work with families, the early years leader gains a quick understanding of what children can and cannot do. She works closely with her team to put in place appropriate strategies to support children well. For example, children who need to develop their fine motor skills are given precise activities to take part in and are carefully assessed when doing so.
• The inside and outside learning areas are well organised and provide children with many opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge across all the areas of learning. Well-chosen topics help generate children’s enthusiasm for learning. For example, children developed their number skills by counting pirate treasure, proudly explaining, ‘we estimated 12 and there are 12’.
• The quality of teaching is good. Adults plan activities that interest and enthuse children. The development of children’s speaking, listening and writing skills is woven into many activities. As a result, children quickly acquire important key skills and make good, and sometimes better, progress.
• Children are keen and willing learners. They enthusiastically take up the many opportunities to practise their drawing, writing and number skills. Children are proud of their work and were very keen to show inspectors the sentences that they had written about pirates. Children’s enthusiasm for learning was captured in the words of one child who told an inspector ‘my favourite thing in school is writing’.
• Children behave well. They respond well to adults’ clear instructions and move quickly and purposefully between activities. The calm, ordered way children queued for lunch and the sociable, happy atmosphere evident as they ate in the dinner hall reflected children’s mature and respectful attitudes.
• Leaders have ensured that children are safe and well cared for in the early years.

School details

Unique reference number 142397 Local authority Peterborough Inspection number 10052622 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 5 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 367 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Hugh Greenway Executive Principal Emma Ward Telephone number 01733 262 190 Website www.eyrescroft.peterborough.sch.uk Email address eyrescroftoffice@hefed.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Eyrescroft is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school joined the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust in December 2015.
• A considerably higher than average number of pupils join the school during the academic year.
• There is a higher proportion of pupils for whom English is an alternative language than in an average primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school has lower-than-average proportions of pupils with an education, health and care plan.
• In 2017, the school did not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school makes use of the City Learning Centre in Peterborough to provide education for a very small number of pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in each class. All these observations were carried out with senior leaders.
• The inspection team scrutinised the quality of pupils’ work in all classes. This scrutiny was carried out alongside senior leaders.
• Inspectors observed one assembly.
• Inspectors held meetings with four groups of pupils and spoke with many more pupils in classes and during break and lunchtimes.
• Meetings were held with: three representatives from the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust; four governors; the executive principal; other senior leaders; teachers; teaching assistants; and middle leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority on the phone.
• Inspectors considered information relating to: safeguarding; pupils’ attendance, attainment and achievement; leaders’ evaluation of the quality of education; leaders’ improvement planning; the curriculum; governance; the trust’s quality assurance of the school; and the reports from external agencies working with the school.
• Inspectors considered the views of 68 pupils and 38 staff who responded their online surveys.
• Inspectors also took into account the views of 23 parents who responded on Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. Inspectors considered 19 comments made on the free-text service alongside the views of parents spoken with over the course of the inspection. The views of 154 parents who replied to the school’s own survey were also considered.

Inspection team

John Lucas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Sam Stewart Ofsted Inspector Liz Hackett Ofsted Inspector