Mayplace Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that teachers:
  • always match work precisely to the needs of pupils’ different abilities, so that work is never too easy or too hard
  • tackle errors and misconceptions in pupils’ work as soon as they are identified.
• Improve leadership and management by ensuring that leaders at all levels build on recent changes to sustain high-quality teaching and learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, has a strong focus on school improvement, particularly in developing teaching, learning and assessment. She has ensured that progress is tracked carefully and ensured that there is greater challenge for all pupils. She is reflective and ambitious for every pupil and has created a strong culture of teamwork. Staff share her vision for the best-quality education for all pupils.
• Leaders and governors work together effectively. Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas that need development. They plan effectively for improvement, drawing on their good knowledge of the school, and check the impact of action taken regularly.
• The performance of staff is managed rigorously. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have an effective system to monitor quality, using information from lesson observations, talking to pupils, looking at work in books and tracking pupils’ progress. As a result, training and development are effective both from leaders in the school and also across the Primary First Academy Trust. Teachers feel very well supported to improve their skills further.
• The headteacher holds others to account effectively through professional performance reviews and appraisal. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good and weak teaching has been eradicated. Teachers and teaching assistants receive high-quality professional development. This training has helped bring about the improvement in quality of teaching and learning.
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is planned so that pupils study a range of subjects and are provided with a wide range of extra-curricular music and sports activities as well as language and cookery clubs.
• Middle leaders are relatively new to their roles, but are well supported by senior leaders. As a result, they can talk knowledgeably about their plans for setting targets and the tracking of pupils’ progress towards them.
• Leaders ensure that the physical education (PE) and sport grant is effectively spent. This contributes directly towards high-quality games and PE, including specialist coaches who lead sessions at lunchtimes and after school. Pupils demonstrate a strong positive attitude to the teaching of PE. Consequently, pupils say PE is one of their favourite subjects and participation in physical activity is high.
• Leaders ensure that funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used effectively. As a result, these pupils are well supported and make substantial progress relative to their starting points.
• The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development particularly well. For example, Year 5 pupils talk confidently about Jesus being inspirational when teaching people to ‘Treat others the way you want to be treated’ and can explain what the word ‘Peace’ means to them personally.
• Pupils are prepared very well for life in modern British society. They are taught to view all people as equals and not to judge others on their physical or other characteristics.
• Early years leadership is a strength in the school. Resources and activities are well matched to meeting the needs of all children and they are involved actively in their learning, with a rich and exciting environment both indoors and outside. Careful planning linked to progress ensures that all children make at least a good level of development from their starting points.
• Target-setting reflects the high expectations of the staff for pupils of all ages and abilities. Tracking arrangements and regular progress reviews are effective in preventing pupils from falling behind. As a result, the progress of pupils in all year groups is better than in the past. This is especially so for reading and mathematics, which have been key areas for improvement.
• The support of the trust has been effective. Trust leaders have provided a careful balance of support and challenge to school leaders. However, although systems recently implemented by school leadership have clearly had an impact on teaching and learning, they need to ensure that rapid success is sustained and developed further.
• Much work is taking place to include and involve parents in their children’s learning. Parent View results and discussions with parents indicate some concerns in this respect. Leaders are aware that there is a need to explore new communication strategies so that parents are fully informed of the improvements taking place in the school. For example, some parents commented about how beneficial the phonics and reading workshops had been.

Governance of the school

• Governors are committed and experienced and visit the school regularly. They know the school very well and have a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, they hold an accurate view of the school’s performance and any areas which require extra attention.
• They have clearly defined responsibilities and have a good grasp of the information that tracks the performance of pupils. Governors ask appropriate questions to ensure that pupils’ outcomes and attendance continue to improve. They check both the use and the impact of the pupil premium funding, and understand particularly issues that impede pupils’ learning.
• The governing body works effectively with the senior leaders and staff. Mutual respect and understanding serve the school well to tackle identified priorities. Governors make sure that school leaders support and challenge teaching through performance management and are fully aware of their responsibilities in keeping the pupils safe. They ensure that PE and sport funding is used appropriately.
• Primary First Trust has provided timely and appropriate support to the school, including the use of leading practitioners to work with staff to improve outcomes, as well as school lead practitioners supporting other trust schools. Governors monitor this support and evaluate the impact that it is having on improving outcomes for all pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff training about neglect, abuse, the risks of using communication technology, and radicalisation and extremism is thorough and kept up to date. All adults know what to do, how to act and whom to report to in the event of concerns or a disclosure. Staff know what signs to look for that may indicate that a child is at risk. Concerns are recorded carefully and are followed up by appropriate action. The designated safeguarding lead has a good understanding of local procedures and the importance of taking the right action in a timely fashion.
• Recruitment checks are carried out carefully and in line with national requirements. Assessments are carried out on all activities to identify potential risks.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff and leaders share a strong commitment to improving continually the quality of teaching in the school. They identify the right areas on which to focus and then work together to improve them.
• Strong subject knowledge enables teachers to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. For example, well-structured mathematics topics allow pupils to use calculations and explain their thinking when solving problems.
• Pupils’ extended writing includes well-taught aspects of punctuation and grammar, such as the effective use of apostrophes and speech marks, and the inclusion of fronted adverbials in their writing.
• Pupils engage in activities and collaborate readily on tasks that require them to work in groups or teams, for example, when using non-fiction texts to find out about caterpillars and other living organisms.
• Pupils develop their writing skills across the curriculum. Teachers look for opportunities for pupils to apply what they have learned in English lessons in subjects such as science and history. This is effective in helping pupils to improve their writing skills.
• Teaching assistants are well trained and make valuable contributions in lessons by enabling pupils to explore their own ideas before producing written work. Consequently, pupils develop a sense of achievement when teaching assistants help them with patience to help them achieve for themselves. They support lower attaining pupils effectively to catch up, as well as enabling those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make strong progress.
• Moderation of pupils’ written work is well established in key stages 1 and 2. The school moderates written work with other schools and, as a result, the accuracy of teacher assessment is good. Most parents say that they receive accurate information about the progress their children make.
• Although most teaching is effective, some assessments of pupils’ knowledge in lessons fail to pick up on repeated errors and misconceptions quickly enough, such as spelling, punctuation and the incorrect application of mathematical operations. In addition, there are examples where pupils do not understand the purpose of a particular task within a challenging activity and this fails to secure their knowledge thoroughly.
• The progress that pupils make is sometimes slowed by the tasks that they are given to do. In some instances, pupils are given work that is too easy or too hard.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and become very self-assured. They articulate with confidence and are keen to share their experiences of what it is like to be a pupil at Mayplace. School rules and the behaviour policy are implemented consistently. As a result, pupils are respectful, considerate and supportive of everyone in the school. Relationships between pupils are very positive.
• Staff demonstrate exceptional levels of high-quality support and guidance for pastoral care. Pupils say that staff are always available to help them, in lessons, around the school at breaktimes or before and after school. Very effective support is provided for pupils who struggle with their learning or have emotional difficulties.
• Pupils know how to stay safe and feel safe at school. They are knowledgeable about safety when using the internet and understand about different types of bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare and, that when it does happen, it is sorted out very quickly by staff. This matches the school’s records, which report no serious incidents in recent years.
• Pupils make healthy choices at lunchtimes and look after their physical health because of very well planned personal, social and health (PSH) education topics. They talk positively about the importance of tolerance and democracy and are prepared thoroughly for life in modern Britain.
• The head boy and girl are selected democratically after applying for their roles, which in turn allows them to reward other pupils. Many pupils take up positions of responsibility and leadership within the school willingly and become very effective school council members, house captains, prefects and assessment ambassadors. Ground and food squad pupils ensure that there is a good range of activities available for play at lunchtimes and that healthy food is provided at school.
• Absence rates are broadly average. Some long-term absences include pupils who have special medical needs. Systems used to follow up low levels of attendance and the very small number of exclusions are rigorous and include the use of external services. Leaders have highly effective strategies to promote attendance and support parents with their children’s attendance when necessary.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Leaders have high expectations and a common and consistent approach in relation to behaviour management. The school is an orderly environment because staff take time to establish and reinforce routines and expectations about how pupils should behave.
• Pupils say that the majority behave well in and out of lessons. However, when tasks are not challenging or engaging, there is some low-level disruptive behaviour. Children who have autistic spectrum disorder in Rainbow 1 and 2 are well managed by staff so that others are not distracted in their learning.
• Children are well behaved in assemblies or when moving around the school and are sensible when enjoying their games at breaktimes. New pupils and the very youngest are helped quickly to know what is expected.
• Pupils are polite and respectful around the school and relationships with adults are strong. They are interested in visitors and eager to talk about their school and interests.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Leaders check regularly their assessments of pupils’ achievements and moderate them with other schools within their trust. School records show that teachers’ assessments are accurate. Current school performance information, and the scrutiny of pupils’ books, show that the majority are making fast progress.
• In 2016, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check was above that found nationally. Current Year 1 pupils demonstrate a good knowledge of sounds and are able to apply these to reading and writing.
• Pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Where individuals’ progress is weaker, leaders have identified this and put in place effective support.
• Reading has been a priority and ‘Everyone reading in class’ time supports pupils developing their reading skills. Progress in reading is strong for girls and higher ability pupils. Most-able pupils read with fluency and make confident inferences using the information in texts. They have a good understanding of complex vocabulary. However, teachers do not always match texts carefully enough to pupils’ reading ability.
• Progress in mathematics is strong and the curriculum has been developed this year. The range of topics being taught is enabling pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, to make faster progress. Pupils stated that mathematics was one of their favourite subjects.
• All groups of pupils are achieving well. Disadvantaged pupils are making better progress because of the extra help the school has put in place to ensure that they do not fall behind. Most-able pupils, including the disadvantaged most able, use subject terminology with confidence and write with a high level of organisation and fluency, particularly in the way that they link paragraphs together.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. These pupils benefit from accurate and timely identification of their difficulties which means the provision is well matched to their individual needs. Partnership work with parents for children who have autistic spectrum disorder in Rainbow classes is strong. Parents are very appreciative of the support they receive and the opportunity to share ideas and views. One parent said, ‘It is good to realise that I am not alone’.
• Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of education. They are confident and develop the necessary skills and attitudes to equip them for later life. For example, the wide range of responsibilities that pupils undertake enables them to develop leadership skills that promote good teamwork.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Typically, children enter the early years with skills and knowledge appropriate for their age. From well-identified baseline starting points, the children make excellent progress and almost all leave Reception with a good level of development.
• Leaders have ensured that achievement is high by creating a stimulating and very well-organised environment in which children can thrive. This is because of a clear vision and sense of direction for the provision. Staff are quick to identify the different needs of the children and use timely and highly effective gap-filling processes for them to catch up. All adults make effective use of the ‘Gap-busting’ wall display to address gaps in learning more immediately. This has been particularly effective for disadvantaged children who are then able to catch up successfully with their classmates.
• Teachers and other adults know the children very well. Consequently, imaginative work is very well planned to meet the full range of children’s learning needs, because teachers use assessment information to pitch work at the right level.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of what children can do and how they should behave. As a result, they work well together as an effective team.
• The early years provision is well led, with excellent organisation of resources inside the classroom and outside across all areas of learning. This enables children to move freely and make creative and independent choices about their learning. Nursery children measuring toy fish with non-standard units used reasoning to decide why one fish is longer than another. In the Reception class, children helped each other to pronounce correctly the sounds ‘oo’ and ‘th’ for ‘tooth’, when some initially said ‘toof’, while others described the feel of stones and shells while listening to ‘The Bog Baby’ story.
• Early handwriting skills are taught well, with many opportunities to write in both Nursery and Reception settings. Consequently, the children can write first sentences with growing confidence and accuracy. Speech and language development is given high priority and there is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics in both Reception and Year 1. Children can count to 10 confidently and can manipulate problems by adding one and taking away one using the well-structured resources provided.
• Careful records are kept of children’s learning in their ‘learning journeys’, which are used well by adults to plan children’s next steps. Parents are encouraged to make a significant contribution to children’s learning by sharing experiences that the children have enjoyed at home. Parents said that they appreciate the regular drop-in sessions provided for them to find out about their child’s progress.
• Children learn to cooperate and help each other. They show perseverance and resilience, trying again when they find something difficult for the first time. Children work well together and behave extremely well in the early years.

School details

Unique reference number 141114 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10031680 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 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 467 Appropriate authority The Primary First Trust Chair Chris Rust Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Rachael Flaherty Telephone number 0132 2523256 Website www.mayplace.bexley.sch.uk Email address sbm@mayplace.bexley.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school became part of The Primary First Trust in September 2014.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website and complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• There have been a number of leadership changes over the last three years. The previous headteacher was promoted within the trust and the deputy headteacher was promoted to become the headteacher in September 2016.
• The school meets current floor standards. These are the minimum expectations set by the government for pupils’ progress and attainment.
• The school has specialist provision for 16 pupils who have autistic spectrum disorder.
• Early years provision is part time in Nursery and full time in Reception.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors gathered a range of information to judge the quality of teaching and learning over time. Inspectors observed parts of 36 lessons, some jointly with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and early years leader.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, other leaders, trust representatives, groups of pupils and the governing body.
• Inspectors observed an assembly and observed pupils at breaktimes and in the lunch hall.
• Inspectors looked closely at the work in pupils’ exercise books, listened to them read and talked to them about their work. The school’s records of pupils’ assessments and progress were also checked.
• Inspectors scrutinised the school’s assessment information, records of leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning in the school and a range of other documents.
• Inspectors spoke to parents on the playground as they brought their children to school. The views of the 61 parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, were taken into account alongside the school’s own surveys of parental opinions about the school.
• Inspectors took account of 20 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

Inspection team

Rebekah Iiyambo, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Shelley Davies Ofsted Inspector Carmen Rodney Her Majesty’s Inspector