Gisburn Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • further strengthening the quality of action planning in the early years ensuring that the impact of actions is measured with greater precision in relation to sustaining children’s outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The headteacher, ably supported by senior and middle leaders, has created a culture of high expectations among the staff and pupils. Exceptional leadership and detailed planning have enabled her to quickly identify where improvements have been needed and where to target support. The impact of these actions has led to continued improvements in pupils’ outcomes. This school is outstanding in all areas.
• Parents and carers are very proud of the school and would recommend it to others. They are very appreciative of the high standards and excellent curriculum offered.
• Pupils achieve extremely well across the curriculum. Pupils in all year groups make outstanding progress in English and mathematics. The quality of pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics is outstanding. Pupils take exceptional care to produce their best work. Outcomes for pupils in other subjects are outstanding. Strong leadership and carefully monitored support ensure that pupils with SEND make excellent and sustained progress in relation to their individual needs. The extra funding for this group of pupils is used extremely well.
• Subject leadership is a strength across the school. Improvements to the roles of subject leaders have been a key focus for the school over the past year. Subject leaders have received training from the local authority to enhance their impact on school improvement and raise the profile of their subject areas. They make continued and frequent checks on the quality of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and the accuracy of assessments.
• The leaders for mathematics and English have not been idle since the previous inspection. A new calculation policy has been carefully written. Following consultation with the staff and governors, it has been implemented successfully. As a result, there is even greater consistency in the excellent teaching of mathematics. The English leader has been instrumental in ensuring that all staff are now thoroughly trained in the effective teaching of phonics. Phonics teaching continues to be a strength of the school. The knowledge and skills of pupils are further developed through the outstanding teaching of spelling and reading in key stage 2.
• Leaders have carefully planned opportunities to develop and embed pupils’ phonics skills. Parents are well informed about how they can effectively continue to promote strong reading habits at home.
• The school curriculum is exciting and interesting. Pupils’ learning through the curriculum enables them to deepen their knowledge of a wide range of topics, while developing subject-specific skills. In science, investigative work is fun and engaging. For example, scientific skills are tested as pupils explore the effects of fizzy drinks on teeth by experimenting on the shells of hard-boiled eggs.
• The curriculum prepares pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain. The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils are knowledgeable about the wide range of religions in Britain; they have visited many different places of worship. They have an excellent understanding of equality and diversity. Pupils learn to care for others. For example, as part of the school’s harvest celebration, they collected food for a local food bank.
• The primary physical education and sports funding is used effectively. Teachers and pupils benefit from working alongside a range of professional sports coaches. Frequent visits to the school from professional athletes inspire the next generation. Pupils engage in a wide range of sporting activities and competitions.
• The profile of sport is very high. For example, approximately half of the pupils in key stage 2 attend the weekly running club. Participation in external sporting competitions is very high. The many sports trophies adorning the display cabinet are a testament to the school’s sporting achievements.

Governance of the school

• Governors are highly committed to the continued success of this school. They expect the highest standards and hold school leaders effectively to account in relation to all aspects of the school’s work. Governors develop their understanding of school systems by working systematically alongside teachers and subject leaders. They are fully involved in the school development planning process.
• Governors are kept well informed about the progress of pupils through regular meetings. They use pupils’ performance information astutely to question and challenge school leaders about progress and attainment. Governors meet regularly with the staff to engage in monitoring and evaluation activities, including looking at pupils’ books. This enables governors to have a first-hand understanding of the standards of pupils’ work.
• Governors have strong oversight of how additional funding is used to support pupils with SEND. They are very knowledgeable about the impact that the sports premium funding has had on staff development and pupils’ participation in sport.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that a strong safeguarding culture permeates the school. The school site is secure.
• Leaders have worked with parents to ensure that pupils arrive at and leave school safely. Meticulous planning from leaders ensures that pupils are safe while crossing the busy road on which the school is located, both before and after school.
• All checks on the suitability of staff to work in school have been carried out thoroughly. Staff have received safeguarding basic awareness training and ‘Prevent’ training, to help them spot dangers, including potential radicalisation. Staff are very aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. As a result, they remain alert and vigilant in their duties.
• The headteacher and the chair of the governing body are trained in safer recruitment. As the designated lead for safeguarding, the headteacher has forged close links with several partner agencies to ensure that safeguarding remains a high priority. These include children’s social care, school health and the child and family team. Records in relation to safeguarding concerns are detailed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Classrooms are vibrant, focused learning environments. Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent and staff know pupils extremely well. Across all year groups, pupils receive support and challenge appropriate to their needs. Colourful interactive displays around the classrooms encourage pupils to explore and further deepen their knowledge.
• Pupils across the school are active participants in their lessons. Teachers plan lessons carefully ensuring that little learning time is ever lost. Well-established routines enable pupils to discuss their work with their peers. They have highly developed skills which enable them to work in groups, pairs or individually, as needed. Pupils are determined, motivated and resilient in their learning habits.
• Teachers challenge and question pupils very effectively. Precise explanations and questioning and very helpful demonstrations help pupils to achieve very well. Teachers empower pupils to take time to reflect on their learning. For example, at the start of each lesson, pupils edit and refine work from previous lessons. Pupils said that this really helps them to think about how to improve their work. Teachers provide support to pupils in a timely and supportive manner when needed, moving learning on and dealing with any misconceptions which may arise.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils. As a result, pupils take immense care and pride in their work. Teachers model effective handwriting, ensuring that the standard of pupils’ written work remains of the highest quality. From Year 1 onwards, pupils begin to develop applied and sustained consistency in their handwriting style.
• The teaching of mathematics is highly effective. Staff have embraced the changes in the school’s new calculation policy. Pupils enjoy the practical aspects of their learning in mathematics. They apply their basic skills exceptionally well across different mathematical topics and in other subject areas. For example, in science they create Carroll and Venn diagrams to sort and classify; they create tables and charts to graphically display different types of information.
• The teaching of writing is highly effective. Pupils apply accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling exceptionally well in their writing across different curriculum subjects. Teachers build upon pupils’ prior learning when planning lessons. For example, the oldest pupils develop their understanding of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ through the creation of play scripts, which develop into well-punctuated narratives. Pupils use their impressive vocabulary to choose old English words to add dramatic effect.
• The teaching of phonics is outstanding. Staff have benefited from enhanced training in this area. As a result, standards in phonics remain high.
• Reading is given a high priority across the school. Teachers have worked successfully to provide pupils with a range of opportunities to develop their reading skills. Carefully planned activities in key stage 1 build upon the outstanding start children receive in the early years. Pupils read exceptionally well across the school.
• Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. They work in close partnership with the teachers to plan and provide effective bespoke support to identified pupils, including those with SEND.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Strong relationships between pupils and staff are evident. Pupils treat each other respectfully and interact with adults exceptionally well. Pupils know that their teachers are there to help them when they are feeling worried or anxious.
• Pupils were very pleased to be involved in the process of selecting the new core values for the school that were recently introduced by the headteacher. Pupils in all year groups confidently discussed the meaning of each value and how it is present in their work. For example, when they were talking about determination, pupils in Year 1 were able to clearly explain that they must stick at difficult tasks and not give up.
• Staff teach pupils to be self-confident and resilient learners from an early age. Pupils work diligently in their lessons to complete work with minimal support from teachers. As part of their curriculum, pupils have identified personal milestones that they would like to work towards. For example, they have given due consideration to the qualifications they might need to achieve their aspirational goals.
• Pupils have a comprehensive grasp of how to keep themselves physically and mentally fit and active. They relish the wide range of sporting opportunities the school offers them. Pupils have a detailed understanding of the effects of diet on their bodies, and the many dangers associated with drugs and alcohol.
• Pupils have an exceptional understanding of diversity and equality. They have explored many themes within the curriculum. A recent ‘Odd Socks’ day enabled pupils to celebrate differences and explore different types of bullying, as part of their anti-bullying work. Pupils say bullying and name-calling are extremely rare in their school.
• Pupils are very ‘savvy’ when using the internet. They know it is dangerous to share personal information or talk to strangers online. Well-established routines over many years have instilled a strong sense of road safety in the pupils. They know the school is situated on a busy road and are aware of the associated risks.
• Pupils have an excellent understanding of British values. They are knowledgeable about democracy and the rule of law. Pupils have studied a wide range of cultures and religions as part of their wide curriculum. Visits to places of worship and other cities add enrichment to the curriculum and give pupils valuable experiences. For example, pupils have visited a Sikh gurdwara, a local church and a Hindu temple, as part of their religious education curriculum.
• Pupils relish the wide range of extra responsibilities they undertake. For example, pupils can put themselves forward for election to the school council, as librarian or a lunchtime helper.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are very proud of their school. They enjoy coming to school and are rarely absent. School leaders have worked hard for several years to ensure that attendance remains well above the national average. Instances of persistent absence remain well below the national average.
• Pupils have an outstanding understanding of the school’s behaviour policy. They are particularly pleased with the changes the headteacher has introduced. Pupils enjoy earning ‘shining stars’ for exceptional effort and demonstrating the school’s values in their work.
• Pupils’ behaviour during lessons is exemplary. Excellent teaching and challenging work motivate pupils to achieve their best. Incidents of low-level disruption are very rare. Pupils said that little learning time is ever lost due to the poor behaviour of others.
• Well-established routines in classes ensure that pupils have developed the necessary skills to be able to work with a high level of independence. Pupils cooperate well together and provide support for one another in paired or group work, as appropriate. For example, pupils said they enjoy self-correcting and routinely editing their work and the work of their peers.
• Pupils’ behaviour while moving around the school is exceptionally strong. They show courtesy to others. At lunch and breaktimes pupils play very well together. Older pupils lead play for the younger pupils and help them clear away their trays in the hall after lunch. Pupils consistently demonstrate empathy and care towards one another.
• Pupils take full advantage of what the school has to offer. They enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular activities the school provides.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils’ outcomes have been consistently high across the school for several years. In 2018, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard for age in reading, writing and mathematics was well above the national average in key stage 1 and key stage 2.
• The progress that pupils make in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 has been much higher than the national average for several years, both at the expected level and at the higher standards.
• The proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard in the national phonics screening check has been well above the national average for the past four years. Pupils’ knowledge of phonics is applied well to develop their spelling and reading as they move through the school.
• Pupils read exceptionally well. Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 have books that are well matched to their ability and provide them with strong challenge. The promotion of reading is a high priority across the school. The ongoing creation of a new library in the school helps to maintain strong reading habits across the school.
• Work seen in pupils’ books and from observing teaching and learning indicates that teachers’ assessment information is accurate. Pupils across the school make excellent progress towards their challenging targets. Where any pupils’ attainment is lower, teachers plan bespoke support to enable them to catch up quickly. The quality of pupils’ work across the different curriculum areas is exceptionally strong. The quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation is outstanding.
• Work in pupils’ geography and history books shows that their knowledge and skills progress strongly across the different year groups. For example, while learning about the Great Plague in history, pupils applied their research skills well to find out detailed information. In art and design, pupils created wonderful ‘plague doctor’ masks. This learning was further enriched through a trip to Edinburgh, during which pupils had first-hand experience of walking the narrow streets where the plague struck.
• Work in pupils’ science books indicates strong application of scientific enquiry skills over time. Pupils develop a rich body of knowledge which enables them to achieve outstanding outcomes. As they progress through the school, pupils apply their skills to find things out for themselves. For example, by the end of key stage 2, pupils investigate the nutritional differences in the diet of an average person in comparison to that of a sumo wrestler. Pupils use their mathematics skills exceptionally well to create pie charts to illustrate their findings.
• Pupils with SEND make strong progress across the curriculum. Carefully planned support ensures that they do not fall behind their peers. Where needed, work is adapted to meet their individual needs.
• Pupils’ exceptionally high-quality art work and exemplars of their written work adorn the corridors. They apply many techniques across a range of different mediums through the study of established artists, for example detailed watercolour paintings in the style of Lowry.
• Pupils’ outstanding skills in English and mathematics ensure that they are extremely well prepared for the next stages of their education. Across different areas of the curriculum, pupils’ drive and resilience enable them to make very strong progress.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children in the Reception class make outstanding progress. For several years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has been well above the national average. In 2018, all children in the Reception class achieved a good level of development.
• Children currently in the Reception class do exceptionally well as a result of highly effective teaching across a well-planned curriculum. The early years learning environment has been designed carefully, enabling children to access a range of child- initiated and adult-led activities. Highly effective teaching inspires and encourages children to explore and create, both in the classroom and in the outside provision.
• Children have enquiring minds. They explore the early years environment and engage in activities which develop their mathematics and English skills exceptionally well. For example, children engage in independent writing using a range of non-fiction books to provide stimulus for their writing about types of bears.
• The teaching of phonics is highly effective in the early years. This is followed up well with clear communication with parents and established routines for practising phonics and reading at home.
• Children apply their developing phonics knowledge well to carefully planned reading prompts and instructions at different activities. For example, a group of children read an instruction that asked them to sort coloured figures. After reading the instruction, they decided among themselves the best way of sorting the objects and completed the learning task. Children were able to explain how they had sorted the figures.
• Children’s writing develops quickly during their time in the Reception class. Evidence in children’s learning journals shows that basic mark marking in September has quickly progressed. Children write their names with care. They recognise an ever-increasing number of initial letter sounds and apply these to their work. The most able children write sentences paying attention to basic punctuation.
• Children communicate exceptionally well with one another. They listen carefully to what others have to say. For example, children engage purposefully in role play activities. During the inspection, children took on the characters from the story of Goldilocks and discussed parts of the story with each other. They used mathematical language, without adult support, in relation to the quantities of porridge they wanted to make. They used the terms of ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ as they poured porridge oats into different bowls.
• Children’s behaviour in the early years is exemplary. They manage their learning well. Children do not run about or shout out, and they happily share resources, both inside and outside. Children manage risk well. They move up and down the steps with care.
• Teachers keep detailed records of children’s achievements. Parents are actively involved in proving evidence of ‘wow’ moments from home. These are used very effectively by the staff as part of their thorough assessments. Teachers measure the progress of each child very carefully. Work in children’s learning journals and evidence seen in teachers’ assessments indicate that children make outstanding progress. Children leave the early years well prepared for the transition into key stage 1.
• The headteacher, in partnership with the early years leader, has created a clear set of actions to sustain and further improve the provision in the early years. However, as part of their drive to sustain improvement in the early years, they do not measure the impact of their actions with the same high level of sharpness that they apply to other areas of the school improvement plans.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119270 Lancashire 10057976 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 Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 139 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mrs Kate Sherry Mrs Lisa McCloskey Telephone number 01200 445406 Website Email address www.gisburn.lancsngfl.ac.uk/ head@gisburn.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018

Information about this school

• This school is smaller than the average primary school.
• There are no disadvantaged pupils in the school.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is lower than average.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

Information about this inspection

• Together with the headteacher, the inspector observed teaching and learning in every class. The inspector viewed samples of work in the lessons visited and spoke with pupils about their learning.
• The inspector scrutinised a wide range of work in pupils’ books from across the curriculum.
• The inspector met with the headteacher, members of the senior and middle leadership teams and four members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. The inspector met with a representative from the local authority.
• The inspector viewed a wide range of school documentation. This included minutes of the governing body meetings, records of school monitoring activities, examples of teachers’ assessments, the school development plan and self-evaluation. The inspector considered records of support and records of work relating to pupils with SEND.
• The inspector heard pupils read formally and informally in the classes he visited. The inspector spoke with pupils throughout the inspection and met formally with a group of pupils about their learning.
• The inspector spoke with parents at the start of the inspection. He considered the 103 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the 26 free-text responses. The inspector considered the eight responses to the pupils’ survey and the nine responses to the staff survey.
• The inspector reviewed safeguarding documentation including the school single central record for checks on the suitability of adults to work in school.

Inspection team

John Donald, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector