Bryning with Warton St Paul's Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching are used effectively to hold staff to account for the progress of their pupils
  • leaders work quickly to improve any teaching that is less than good.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in mathematics, by:
  • ensuring that expectations of what pupils can achieve are consistently high, particularly for the most able and disadvantaged pupils
  • teachers setting work that enables pupils to reach higher standards, particularly middle-attaining and the most able pupils
  • ensuring that teachers provide pupils with more opportunities to deepen their mathematical skills and to explain and justify their thinking
  • increasing opportunities for pupils to develop and apply key skills in writing and mathematics across a wide range of subjects.
• Improve the quality of teaching in history, geography, art and design technology to ensure that:
  • pupils deepen fully their knowledge of the topic they are studying and are able to apply confidently their new skills in a wide range of contexts
  • pupils learn about a wider range of British and world cultures.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leadership and management require improvement because leaders have been too slow to respond to the decline in pupils’ achievements since the previous inspection. School leaders have not ensured that teaching is consistently effective. This slows pupils’ learning and is in part due to staff absence. Leaders have successfully addressed issues of staff absence, and leaders now have the capacity to make further improvements to teaching and learning. The impact of recent work in this area is evident in current pupils’ progress, particularly in reading and mathematics.
• Leaders and governors now have a more accurate understanding of the quality of education at the school. They recognise that outcomes and teaching and learning require improvement. They have now received some additional support from the local authority to help with this. Together, leaders and governors are beginning to address the necessary improvements. The results of these changes can be seen in the improving picture of current pupils’ progress.
• Subject leaders have a good understanding of the expected content and attainment in their subjects, but their impact on teaching and learning is not effective enough. They do not check the quality of teaching closely enough to determine its influence on pupils’ progress. They do not always make sure that the curriculum has an impact on pupils’ achievement in their subjects or on wider outcomes, such as increasing pupils’ understanding of the wider world.
• Leaders of English and mathematics have a good understanding of the priorities for improvement in their subjects. They have carefully analysed the disappointing outcomes of the key stage 2 tests in 2017. They have identified key actions to improve pupils’ progress. As a result, leaders have ensured that their focus will make a difference to pupils’ learning. In mathematics, for example, there is a focus on deepening pupils’ understanding through problem solving. In reading, teachers give attention to building pupils’ resilience so that they are able to attempt more complex comprehension questions.
• Subject leaders in geography, history, art and design technology do not know what pupils know and understand in their subjects. As a result, improvement plans do not focus sufficiently well on improvements to pupils’ progress and attainment.
• In the past, leaders have made excuses for pupils’ outcomes because of their background or because they have joined the school during the year. They have also made excuses for the performance of some teachers. They have recognised that this does not set high enough expectations and have begun to remedy this. The impact can be seen in the recent improvements to the progress made by current pupils.
• Leaders have not managed the transition for pupils who come to the school mid-year carefully enough in the past. They do not give enough focus to rapidly securing improvements in outcomes for these pupils so that they can catch up with their peers. Recent developments to support these pupils emotionally are beginning to have a positive impact.
• The curriculum requires improvement. It does not have enough impact on raising pupils’ achievement, particularly for the most able and the older pupils in mixed-age classes. There is strength in several classes in curriculum coverage in science, but there is a lack of depth to geography and history. The focus on English and mathematics and booster classes in the afternoons means that pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 do not experience a broad and balanced curriculum.
• In addition, subjects do not give pupils understanding of the full range of diversity in modern Britain or in the wider world. The school’s assemblies, however, do provide pupils with a glimpse into other societies, languages and people from different countries and religions. There is a good range of trips and visits that add depth and breadth to pupils’ learning. Pupils develop well spiritually, morally and socially as demonstrated by their good, responsible, caring and respectful behaviour in class and around the school.
• Leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is strong. The leader works with teachers to identify additional needs quickly and puts appropriate support in place. She then checks to make sure that any additional support is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. This represents effective use of the school’s SEN funding.
• The local authority is taking an active and effective role in helping the headteacher to improve the school. It has been involved in training staff and in reviewing the quality of the school’s work, which has led to improvements in teaching and learning. The local authority is confident that the leadership team has the capacity to move the school forward again.

Governance of the school

• Recent appointments to the governing body, plus the local authority’s training, have helped governors develop improved oversight of pupils’ achievement and of the quality of teaching. Governors now have, thanks to detailed reports from the headteacher and first-hand evidence, an increased awareness of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching in English and mathematics. However, the changes to governance are not yet embedded and it is too early to see the impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties. Leaders are using the pupil premium funding increasingly effectively across the school. It is having a positive impact on pupils’ pastoral needs. However, the use of the funding is not having the effect that leaders wanted in terms of raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Although diminishing, the difference between the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and other pupils is not diminishing quickly enough in some classes.
• Leaders use the physical education and sports premium well to increase pupils’ participation in sporting activity. As a result, more pupils than previously take part in after-school sports. Leaders also use the premium effectively to train teachers as well as teaching assistants in how to teach and coach different sports.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The governing body ensures that the school meets all its statutory requirements for safeguarding. This includes the careful checking of the suitability of adults to work with children. Leaders make suitable checks on visitors to the school.
• The headteacher is vigilant in her approach to keeping children safe. She knows the families and the community well. Leaders are very aware of the specific issues relating to the school.
• Leaders record and manage any concerns, which they track through to a satisfactory conclusion. The headteacher demonstrates a high level of professionalism and a passion to ensure the safety and welfare of all pupils.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• There are inconsistencies in the effectiveness of teaching across key stages 1 and 2. As a result, pupils’ progress is inconsistent and not good enough overall. However, recent improvements to the quality of teaching and learning mean that there are signs of improved progress this year for current pupils in reading and mathematics.
• Leaders’ own lower expectations have translated into lower expectations from teachers that prevent extension and challenge in some classes. Leaders have only recently recognised the impact of these lower expectations and are working to improve this.
• Teaching in some mixed-age classes requires improvement. Too often, the older pupils are taught the same skills, concepts and knowledge as the younger pupils, which means that teachers do not challenge older pupils sufficiently. Older pupils in these classes confirm this view. In mathematics, for example, the older pupils often complete the same work as the younger pupils despite the fact that expectations should be much higher for them. Evidence in pupils’ books shows that, in the majority of classes, pupils do not deepen their understanding of mathematics through problem solving and investigation.
• Adults use good questioning in some classes to check understanding and deepen pupils’ thinking. This is especially evident in key stage 1 and in mathematics in some key stage 2 classes. For example, in a Year 1 and Year 2 class, pupils, despite the teacher’s clear explanations and modelling, struggled to subtract by counting on from the smallest number. The teacher quickly identified the problem through her ongoing monitoring. Additional teaching of this group enabled them to work out how to do it. However, teachers do not ensure that they use time productively in lessons for some groups of pupils.
• There is a consistent approach to writing. Teachers ensure that pupils know the conventions of writing and know how to structure different types of writing. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to practise and apply their writing in subjects other than English. This hampers progress, which is slow in writing overall.
• Teachers do not teach grammar, punctuation and spelling consistently well across the school. The subject leader for English has introduced a new approach to the teaching of these areas. However, not all teachers follow this approach. In several classes, teachers do not link this work to pupils’ writing. As a result, pupils make slow progress, particularly with spelling. However, teachers’ improved subject knowledge is beginning to be seen in the improving attainment of current pupils in key stage 2.
• Across the school, teaching in history and geography requires improvement. Teachers use the national curriculum aims for each subject to develop pupils’ skills and understanding. However, they do not know what pupils understand and can do in these subjects. They do not maximise chances to discuss the full range of diversity found in modern Britain. Pupils’ key historical skills and knowledge are underdeveloped.
• The quality of science teaching varies across the school. In key stage 1, pupils demonstrate a growing understanding of key scientific vocabulary. Adults engage with and enthuse pupils so that they want to learn more. They give pupils opportunities to work scientifically and to develop hypotheses and conclusions. For example, in a Year 1 and Year 2 lesson, pupils were trying to work out how much pretend mucus different types of tissue would absorb. They made a hypothesis, planned the work with the teacher, carried out their experiment and reached conclusions. This standard of science teaching is not continued through to key stage 2.
• Pupils read widely and often across different subjects. They read at an expected level for their age from Year 2 through to Year 6. By the end of Year 2, almost all pupils are able to decode words using phonics at the expected level. They are also able to understand what they have read. The progress of current pupils in reading continues through key stage 2, so that by the end of Year 6 they are able to explain in depth an author’s choice of vocabulary and how a plot develops. The most able can deduce meaning from different texts.
• Pupils want to learn and choose challenging tasks. For example, in a Year 5 and Year 6 mathematics lesson, pupils were eager to try the more difficult tasks about calculating the volume of a shape. Recent work on developing their resilience is beginning to have an impact on this.
• Teachers set homework regularly in line with the school’s policy. Pupils respond to this well and say that they know they have to do it in order to improve.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Across the school, relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Staff model appropriate ways to speak to others. Pupils emulate this and create positive relationships with each other. They demonstrate the school’s values of believing and belonging. They work well together and support one another, for example giving gentle reminders to younger pupils about how they should behave.
• Pupils are articulate and confident because of the consistent approaches to managing behaviour. They know what adults expect of them and work hard to meet these expectations. Pupils are very proud of their school.
• Pupils value the support teachers give them, saying: ‘Teachers will always help you. If you don’t understand something, they will help you work it out.’
• Pupils recognise that we are ‘all unique’. They said that they would respect anyone who is different and this is exemplified in the relatively few bullying, racist, homophobic or name-calling incidents. Pupils say that they feel safe, and, in fact, they are safe. They say that there is always someone to go to with concerns. They trust adults to support them with any difficulties they have.
• Adults promote British values well. Pupils demonstrate an understanding of how British values apply to their own lives. They live out these values, showing tolerance and respect for one another and for adults. They have opportunities to experience democracy in action when they vote for school council representatives and other holders of roles of responsibility.
• Leaders have ensured that pupils know how to stay safe, including when out in the community and when online. Regular visits from outside agencies, such as the police, add to pupils’ developing understanding of personal safety.
• Leaders plan the transition into school and to high school carefully. Pupils have a series of taster sessions before starting at St Paul’s and before starting high school. Pupils in Year 6 say that they feel ready to start high school and are excited at the prospect.
• In the past, leaders have not managed the transition for pupils starting at St Paul’s at times other than in Reception carefully. Recent developments to support these pupils emotionally are beginning to have an impact. However, leaders do not focus clearly on rapidly securing improvements in outcomes for these pupils so that they can catch up with their peers.
• Pupils do not always take pride in their work. In a few cases, presentation is careless and some pupils leave work unfinished.
• Pupils have a good understanding of religions other than Christianity but less understanding of British and wider world cultures. Leaders acknowledge that this is not a planned part of the curriculum.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Behaviour in and around the school is good and reflects effective and consistent strategies. The positive attitudes for learning demonstrated by the majority of pupils lead to a calm, purposeful environment. Teachers use effective strategies to manage pupils with challenging behaviour.
• Pupils want to do well and have high ambitions for their future, including wanting to be a vet, doctor or teacher. They recognise that they will need to work hard to achieve this.
• Some parents say that leaders do not deal with bullying effectively. This was not borne out by what inspectors saw during the inspection. School records of incidents show that leaders deal well with the rare cases of bullying. In addition, pupils say that bullying does happen but that ‘it is dealt with.’ Adults work with pupils so that they understand the consequences of bullying.
• Leaders use exclusion rarely and only as a last resort. They have excluded a small number of pupils since the last inspection for wholly appropriate reasons and in line with the school’s behaviour policy.
• Leaders work hard to ensure that parents and pupils understand the value of school and they take steps to deal with poor attendance. Although attendance so far this year has improved in comparison with previous years, absence rates remain stubbornly high. This is particularly true for disadvantaged pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement because pupils do not make sufficient progress, particularly in mathematics, writing and grammar and punctuation. Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 has been low for several years in writing. The attainment of disadvantaged pupils has been low for several years in reading and mathematics.
• In 2017, pupils’ progress in mathematics in key stage 2 was in the lowest 10% nationally. This had a negative impact on the proportion of pupils reaching expected standards in the combined measure of reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling in 2017 was also low.
• Although progress is improving, it is not improving rapidly enough to counteract previous underachievement in mathematics or grammar, punctuation and spelling. This lack of progress in grammar, punctuation and spelling hampers pupils’ progress in writing.
• Leaders monitor and track pupils’ attainment in each class during the year. They put in place additional support to help with pupils’ learning. The intervention teacher monitors the impact of interventions.
• Subject leaders in English and mathematics do not focus on pupils’ progress over time. Their focus on progress in a single academic year means that they do not have an accurate understanding of prior learning. As a result, teachers do not ensure that they build on pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding.
• A high number of pupils join the school at times other than in Reception. Leaders are too slow to assess accurately the knowledge and understanding of these pupils. In the past, leaders have been too ready to make excuses for their poor outcomes. As a result, expectations of these pupils are too low and they do not achieve as well as they should.
• A further reason why outcomes require improvement is that pupils’ work in history and geography is not of a high standard. There is little development in history, for example, of pupils’ different interpretations of first-hand sources or understanding of how events fit into chronological order, particularly in key stage 2. In science, pupils acquire good knowledge. However, their understanding of key features of investigation and experimentation varies across the school.
• Disadvantaged pupils make insufficient progress in key stage 2. Consequently, the difference between these pupils and others nationally is not diminishing quickly enough. The attainment of disadvantaged pupils in the school is low in all year groups in writing. It is better in mathematics in some year groups.
• In key stage 1, pupils’ outcomes are improving in reading and in mathematics. This is as a result of effective teaching and close checking of what pupils know and can do during the lesson. The attainment of pupils in key stage 1 in writing is not showing the same improvement. This is due to a lack of opportunity for pupils to practise and apply what they have learned.
• Outcomes in phonics are improving rapidly. An increasing proportion of pupils reach the expected standard in the phonics check at the end of Year 1.
• Low outcomes at the end of Year 6 mean that although pupils are prepared well socially and emotionally, they are underprepared academically for the demands of high school.
• Leaders monitor the progress and attainment of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities regularly. They put additional support in place to help pupils who are falling behind. As a result, these pupils make good progress from their starting points. The school is drawing increasingly on external support to improve further the outcomes for these pupils.

Early years provision Good

• The majority of children enter Reception with skills and abilities below those seen typically. All children make good progress from their different starting points. There has been an increase in the proportion of children reaching a good level of development over the last three years, although this proportion is still below national averages.
• Accurate baseline assessments that take account of the views of feeder providers and parents enable adults to pinpoint what children need to do next.
• Adults plan effectively for all areas of development, taking account of children’s previous learning. As a result, outcomes in the early years are improving rapidly. Where children, including disadvantaged pupils, start with skills and abilities below those typically seen, they are catching up quickly. Adults prepare children well for the demands of Year 1.
• The curriculum provides a range of interesting and demanding experiences. Leaders have recently improved the indoor environment. It is carefully designed to promote development in all areas of the curriculum and is accessible to all children. Leaders have planned additional work to bring the outdoor area up to the same high quality. Staff are skilled at using the children’s interests to further their learning.
• Adults work as a cohesive team to plan, organise and record children’s achievements. They use skilled questioning to develop children’s language. For example, when talking to children playing with fire engines, adults questioned them to extend their vocabulary relating to size.
• Children work well and behave sensibly within the carefully organised early years area. They enjoy learning and show a high degree of concentration. Typically, they are engrossed in their learning, for example playing with water and experimenting with different containers. Children work well together and adults lead by example, modelling good behaviour and correct language, including how to take turns and ask for equipment.
• Adults also support children’s developing resilience. For example, effective support and questioning enabled children to persevere in building three-dimensional shapes from large blocks.
• Leaders encourage parents to support learning at home through the school’s online system. Parents of children in Reception feel that teachers inform them well about their child’s progress.
• Staff keep children safe and care for them well in the early years. All of the statutory welfare requirements are met, and the school’s safeguarding practices and procedures are strictly followed.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119547 Lancashire 10042609 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 99 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Gerrie Byrne Elizabeth Morey 01772 632364 www.st-pauls-warton.lancs.sch.uk head@st-pauls-warton.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 4–5 February 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils with support for SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is around the national average.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language, is below that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who join the school at a point other than in the Reception class is much higher than seen nationally.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed a range of lessons or parts of lessons. Some of these observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. The inspector looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils reading and talked with pupils about their lessons and school life.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, representatives of the governing body and representatives of the local authority.
• The inspector observed the school’s work and scrutinised documentation relating to pupils’ progress and to the school’s management, including the arrangements to ensure that pupils are kept safe.
• The inspector considered the seven free-text responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke with parents at the start of the school day.

Inspection team

Tanya Hughes, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector