St Margaret's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and assessment in order to improve pupils’ progress by:
  • ensuring that accurate assessment information is shared with governors and is used to plan learning that meets pupils’ needs
  • raising teachers’ expectations so that they challenge most-able pupils to reach greater depth in their learning
  • providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length
  • developing pupils’ reasoning skills in mathematics
  • ensuring that pupils have regular opportunities to practise their reading skills
  • using pupil premium funding to make sure that the progress of disadvantaged pupils accelerates until the difference between their achievement and that of other pupils nationally diminishes.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • developing the role of middle leaders so that they are responsible for the difference their actions make to pupils’ progress
  • ensuring that leaders with responsibility for SEN and/or disabilities use additional funding appropriately to help pupils make strong progress
  • improving the balance of the curriculum in Years 5 and 6 to ensure that it increases pupils’ knowledge and progress in all national curriculum subjects.
• Improve the effectiveness of the early years by:
  • ensuring that leaders check the progress of children in the Nursery
  • accelerating children’s progress, particularly in literacy and numeracy, so that a greater proportion are well prepared for their learning in Year 1. An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Since the previous inspection, leaders have not brought about the rapid change needed. Pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching are inconsistent across the school. One of the reasons for this is high staff turnover, which has affected pupils’ learning in several year groups. There have been improvements in the school. Behaviour is now good. Attainment in all year groups is improving. However, leaders and governors acknowledge that there is more to do. They have created detailed plans for improvement. The school is now well placed to secure better outcomes in the future.
• Middle leaders are not held to account well enough for the difference their actions are making to pupils’ achievements. They often do not provide the support and challenge that teachers need. This was an area for improvement at the previous inspection.
• Leaders do not always use additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. There is limited information about the impact of the funding on disadvantaged pupils’ progress.
• Leaders with responsibility for SEN and/or disabilities do not use extra funding well enough. But recent changes in leadership have started to have a positive impact. For example, all pupils now have access to the support they need. Parents consider that the communication between home and school is now much stronger.
• The curriculum for those in Years 5 and 6 is weighted too heavily towards English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ books show that there are limited opportunities for pupils to learn about other subjects, such as design technology and geography. Some pupils in Years 5 and 6 expressed a wish to spend ‘more time on different subjects as it gets a bit boring’. Curriculum coverage in the other year groups is well balanced. For example, pupils enjoy learning the names of objects in Spanish. In information technology, pupils learn how to use search engines. They know they need to be discerning about whether the content on some websites is factual. They know the importance of cross-checking information.
• The school offers a broad range of extra-curricular activities. Many trips and visitors into school ensure that pupils have exciting experiences. The school has an impressive outdoor classroom. Pupils make full use of the large pond set in a well-fenced area. It is easily accessible for all pupils, including those with physical disabilities. They enjoy activities such as pond-dipping and insect identification.
• Pupils have a good understanding of British values. They learn about the importance of showing tolerance and respect to others. Pupils can talk knowledgeably about the importance of the democratic processes and the rule of law. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.
• The school uses the physical education and sport premium funding effectively. Pupils understand the importance of regular exercise and the need to adopt healthy lifestyles. Staff ensure that large proportions of pupils take part in additional sports, such as football, tennis and netball.
• Parents are supportive of the school. Of those who responded to the Ofsted survey, Parent View, 88% would recommend the school to another parent. Parents say that: ‘School staff are hardworking and approachable. They inform me of my child’s progress and any areas of concern.’ A few parents did express concerns, most of which relate to the areas for improvement identified in this report.

Governance of the school

• After the last inspection, and following the review of governance, there were a number of improvements. Recent changes in the membership of the governing body have ensured that this positive trend of improvement has continued. For example, governors have supported the headteacher in eradicating weak teaching.
• Governors are fully engaged in school life. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas to develop. They are actively involved in making sure that staffing is more stable in the future.
• Governors have a range of professional expertise. They have analysed meticulously the information leaders have provided about pupils’ learning. But some of the information provided is inaccurate. This affects governors’ ability to ensure that funding, such as for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEN and/or disabilities, is spent effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Almost all parents consider that their children are safe at this school. Pupils say that they feel safe. The site is secure, with doors and gates being kept locked where necessary.
• Staff help pupils to understand about how to stay safe in a range of different circumstances. For example, pupils learn how to cross the road carefully. Pupils also have a good understanding about staying safe when using the internet. They understand the importance of e-safety and know they must not divulge personal information when online.
• Staff are well trained in many aspects related to safeguarding. They work with a range of external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils receive the support they need.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is variable. In some year groups, such as Year 3 and Year 6, high staff turnover has led to disruption in pupils’ education. Staffing issues have also affected pupils’ learning in other year groups. For example, teachers assigned to Year 5 have had to spend too much time supporting Year 6 pupils.
• Leaders do not have a clear enough overview across the school of how pupils are learning. Teachers are not always accurate in using the new system of assessment. Sometimes, pupils are recorded as making exceptional progress when they are not.
• Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling, but do not provide enough chances for pupils to consolidate their learning by writing at greater length. This has an impact on the amount of progress pupils make.
• Teachers have worked hard this year to improve progress in mathematics. However, pupils’ skills in reasoning remain underdeveloped. Pupils make strong progress in developing their problem-solving skills. The impact of training in mathematics has resulted in teachers having better subject knowledge. Attainment is rising in this subject.
• New initiatives aimed at improving pupils’ engagement and attainment in reading are having a positive impact. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the books that they have read. Some pupils do not get enough chances to practise reading on a regular basis. This has an adverse impact on how rapidly these pupils become fluent readers.
• Behaviour in all year groups is well managed, and relationships are good. Teaching assistants support individuals or small groups of learners well.
• Some teachers, such as in Years 1 and 2, have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Progress in these classes is often strong because work is usually planned to meet pupils’ needs. However, too often, teaching across the school does not provide enough challenge for the most able pupils. As a result, these pupils do not make enough progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• At the time of the previous inspection, pupils’ personal development and behaviour required improvement. Leaders made it a priority to improve this area.
• Pupils’ welfare is important to staff. They ensure that pupils’ emotional needs are well met. All staff, including premises officers, help pupils to deal with their anxieties and concerns. Pupils like the school’s family atmosphere. They say there is always someone to talk to if they have any worries.
• Pupils know how to stay healthy. For example, they know that they should not eat too much sugar in their diet. Staff help pupils to understand about the importance of looking after themselves, such as when they are out in the hot sun.
• Pupils take their roles and responsibilities seriously. For example, they enjoy being prefects and librarians. Others enjoy running their own clubs or contributing their ideas to the school council. Older pupils say they like acting as buddies to those in the younger year groups.
• Pupils have a good understanding about the different forms of bullying. They say that any incidents of bullying are rare but are dealt with quickly by staff as and when they occur.
• Pupils who attend the special support centre are well provided for. Staff help them to fully integrate into lessons. The activities provided, such as visiting a local hydrotherapy pool, have a positive impact on pupils’ physical development.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Since the previous inspection, pupils’ behaviour has improved. In lessons, pupils work hard and listen carefully to their teachers. They apply themselves well to the task in hand. Most pupils persevere with their work even if they find their learning difficult. Books are neat, and pupils are proud of the work they produce.
• Pupils say that behaviour has improved. Those in Years 5 and 6 say it is ‘much better than it used to be’. Parents consider that behaviour is good. Of those who responded to the Ofsted survey, Parent View, 83% consider that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved.
• Pupils like the school’s system of rewards for good behaviour. One parent wrote, ‘It’s a brilliant behaviour system which my son has asked to have at home.’ School records show that the number of incidents of poor behaviour has reduced significantly.
• Staff who responded to the Ofsted survey consider that behaviour is well monitored. A few say that there are still occasional incidents of poor behaviour. Now, due to effective support, pupils with behaviour issues are often able to stay in class and continue with their learning.
• Attendance is around the national average. As behaviour has improved there has been a reduction in the number of fixed-term exclusions.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement because pupils make inconsistent progress from their starting points.
• Disadvantaged pupils often make variable progress. They are not closing the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils nationally.
• In all year groups too few pupils are working at a greater depth of understanding. Published results show that this has been the case for several years. Most-able pupils are often not given the challenging work that they need in order to make rapid progress.
• The progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is often variable. There are some examples, such as in Year 5, where pupils make strong progress.
• There are too few pupils in the specialist support centre to report on their progress without them being identified. Typically, because these pupils are integrated into classes, they tend to make the same variable progress as their peers.
• Leaders have been successful in improving pupils’ phonics skills. Staff have received training and have visited other schools. More pupils are now reaching the expected standard for their age.
• In 2017, at the end of key stages 1 and 2, the proportion of pupils who were attaining in line with the national average was low. Work in pupils’ books shows that attainment is now rising across the school.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Leaders have not ensured that the provision in the early years is consistently good.
• In the Nursery, children’s progress is not well monitored. Leaders are unsure about where progress is stronger and where it is the weakest. This has an impact on the quality of teaching because staff do not always know the areas of learning they need to focus on to help children do well.
• Children in the early years do not make enough progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills. This means that they are not well enough prepared for their learning in Year 1.
• Parents feel very welcome in the early years. Leaders ensure that there are regular opportunities for parents to talk about their children’s learning. Parents say that the early years provides ‘a warm, welcoming and safe environment’.
• Electronic learning journals enable parents to participate in their children’s learning. They say they like the opportunity to read about their children’s experiences.
• Both the inside and outside areas are hubs of activity. They are attractive and well organised. Children enjoy the various experiences that are provided.
• Adults develop children’s social skills well. They help children to listen carefully to instructions. Children behave well and share resources happily.
• The environment for two-year-olds has been well planned. Staff have been well trained to ensure that these children experience a range of age-appropriate activities. There are too few two-year-olds to report on their progress without them being identified.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 126043 West Sussex 10046542 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 Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 401 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Simon Newham Jill Hine Telephone number 01293 521 077 Website Email address st-margaretsifield.w-sussex.sch.uk office@st-margaretsifield.w-sussex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20−21 April 2016

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is similar to the national average. The school has a special support centre for pupils with physical disabilities. It is registered for eight pupils. Currently, there are four pupils on roll.
• The early years consists of a Nursery class, which has provision for two-year-olds. There are also two full-time Reception classes.
• The headteacher joined the school six months before the previous inspection. Since then, the school has been through a period of significant staff turnover: 71% of teaching staff and 52% of support staff are new. Since the previous inspection, several members of the governing body are new.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school uses no alternative provision.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed pupils’ learning across the school. Many of these observations were undertaken with senior leaders.
• There were discussions with two members from the local authority. There was also an interview with the head of school improvement from the Diocese of Chichester.
• The inspectors scrutinised work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. They met with two groups of pupils to gain their views of the school. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes and at the end of the school day, as well as in lessons.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, as well as other senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including assessments and records of pupils’ progress, the school’s checks and records relating to safeguarding, child protection and attendance, records of how teaching is monitored, and the school’s improvement plans.
• Inspectors took account of the 155 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also talked to parents at the end of the school day.
• Inspectors considered the 36 responses to the staff questionnaire and a letter from a member of staff.

Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector Clementina Aina Christopher Crouch

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector