Clyst Hydon Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that leaders and governors:
  • continue to drive improvement to raise standards across the curriculum but particularly in English, mathematics and science
  • support and enable subject leaders to improve the quality of teaching in their subjects so that pupils make faster progress and achieve higher standards.
• Improve the outcomes for pupils by providing a curriculum that:
  • is better balanced, so that more emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ English, mathematical and scientific skills in all year groups
  • ensures pupils’ knowledge and understanding can be steadily built upon, year by year, during their time in school.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by making sure that teachers:
  • set work for the most able pupils that is sufficiently challenging
  • make better use of resources, including the learning environment and staff, to support pupils’ learning, particularly to develop pupils’ information and technology skills
  • build effectively upon pupils’ early phonic skills so that they are able to spell and read unfamiliar words correctly
  • set tasks that build upon what pupils have already demonstrated they know, understand and can do. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management should be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The quality of leadership and management in evidence at the time of the previous inspection has not been sustained or built upon. Pupils’ progress has slowed and standards have declined. Teachers have not had opportunities to learn from best practice. They have not received the training or support needed to develop their teaching to meet new curriculum requirements.
• The curriculum is not planned well enough to enable pupils to make good progress in a wide range of subjects. Not enough emphasis is given to English, mathematics and science. In addition, the planned schemes of work, along with the tasks set, do not provide a coherent path to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. For example, too much of the science curriculum is taught in Years 5 and 6. This limits pupils’ development of understanding, and leaves too much to be covered in the final two years of study before secondary school.
• Subject leaders have not been provided with the training they need to carry out their responsibilities effectively. As a result, the quality of teaching is not yet good. Standards over time have slipped and pupils have not made good progress in a range of subjects.
• The acting headteacher and other leaders seconded from the partnership are making significant changes to the direction of the school. It has turned a corner. Staff are now well trained, supported and held to account for their work. They now have a much clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities. In addition, they are being held to account by leaders to ensure that pupils make better progress. Staff morale is high. Pupils and families are generally highly supportive of the school and are happy with the new school arrangements.
• The school benefits from an experienced special educational needs coordinator who works within the partnership. Best practice is now shared which is helping teachers develop the skills they need to correctly assess and identify pupils’ needs. As a result, leaders and staff ensure that the pupils are provided with the support they require to remove any barriers to their learning.
• Leaders have implemented more robust systems to ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive targeted and focused support to meet their needs. As a result, the differences in achievement between pupils who receive the pupil premium funding and their peers are diminishing.
• Extra-curricular activities and the good use of the physical education and sports fund enable pupils to develop healthy attitudes and to keep fit. Pupils regularly take part in external events in which, particularly given the small size of the school, they are extremely successful. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development well.

Governance of the school

• Members of the governing body know that the school was not providing a high-quality education but have been slow to challenge leaders to make the improvements needed. Governors have recently developed a partnership with Cullompton Community College (CCC), which is providing the school with the required expertise and support it needs to get back on track. They now have a greater understanding of the strengths and areas that still need to be improved. With the strength of the partnership work and support from the local authority, they have the capacity to help the school to continue to improve.
• The governing body keeps a close eye on the school’s accounts. Governors are aware that resources need to be reviewed. They ensure that the money available for disadvantaged pupils is appropriately spent. They have improved the way that teachers’ performance management is conducted. Consequently, the quality of teaching is improving and pupils are beginning to make faster progress. Nonetheless, it is too soon to see the full impact of their work.
• The school’s website does not meet statutory requirements. In addition, it is not easy for families to find some information. Some of the required information is missing. It does not help families to understand how they can support the school with their child’s learning.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The security of the school site has improved. Leaders have been proactive to ensure that pupils are kept safe and secure.

• Leaders ensure that the school’s culture of safeguarding is strong. Processes, policies and procedures are robust and fit for purpose. Staff are well trained and have kept up to date with statutory guidance and best practice. They know and understand what to do when they identify concerns and act swiftly. As a result, pupils feel safe and are kept safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Too often, teachers plan activities for pupils to do, rather than considering what they need to learn. As a result, on occasion, pupils repeat work that they have done in previous years, particularly in science. In addition, tasks set for the most able pupils are not challenging enough. As a result, they do not make enough progress, particularly in their writing.
• Pupils’ misconceptions are not always picked up by adults. Consequently, teachers do not correct pupils’ misunderstandings. This slows the pace of learning.
• Teachers sometimes provide support to pupils too readily. Pupils are over-reliant on seeking help from adults instead of having a go at working things out for themselves first.
• Teachers have recently implemented a thorough check of what pupils know, understand and can do. As a result, they have a much better understanding of the gaps that pupils have in their learning. However, these assessments are still not used well enough by teachers to plan for pupils’ next steps.
• Teachers do not make good enough use of the learning environment or resources to maximise the impact on pupils’ learning. In addition, teaching does not ensure that pupils develop good information technology skills and knowledge.
• The teaching of reading is not effective enough. Pupils are not able to use their phonics knowledge well enough to read unfamiliar words. They are not making the progress they should in this aspect of their learning.
• Teachers are working hard to develop their skills, with the effective support of leaders in the partnership. They have embraced the changes made by the acting headteacher and are working in closer partnership with each other, and other schools, to share and develop best practice.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Pupils do not have a good understanding about how to be a successful learner. This is not supporting them to make good progress in their work.
• Pupils are not as well prepared for their next stage of education as they should be. The curriculum is too imbalanced and does not enable pupils to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in English, mathematics and science.
• Pupils raise money for charities and care for those who are less fortunate than themselves. They learn about different faiths and countries and this promotes their understanding of cultures other than their own.
• Pupils learn how to be safe when using the internet. They know how to keep themselves safe, for example when using social media.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Pupils are typically keen to do their very best. However, teachers do not support pupils effectively to develop sufficient resilience to complete their work for themselves.
• Pupils behave well around the school and in their lessons. They are self-confident and willingly share their learning and thoughts with visitors. They readily read out loud in class when asked to by an adult.
• Pupils feel safe and are kept safe.
• Any occurrence of bullying is unusual. According to the pupils, and the school records, any unkindness or unfriendliness is quickly sorted out.
• Attendance is average. A few pupils do not attend school as often as they should. The school leaders are working with the families and the appropriate authorities to increase these pupils’ attendance and some improvement is now evident.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• The number of pupils in each year group varies from year to year. Due to small numbers within the school it makes it difficult to compare cohorts. Nevertheless, the Year 6 statutory test results over the last three years show that pupils’ progress has declined since the previous inspection. The quality of pupils’ writing was significantly below that seen nationally.
• The most able pupils have not been challenged to reach the highest standards they are capable of, especially in writing. As a result, these pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are not effectively prepared to meet the demands of the secondary school curriculum.
• Historically, there has been a decline in achievement for those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Current leaders are tackling this with urgency. They have assessed pupils’ needs accurately and implemented focused support to help pupils make better progress from their starting points. Nonetheless, it is too soon to see the impact of this work on improved learning and progress.
• Pupils achieve standards above the national average in the phonics screening check at the end of Years 1 and 2. However, as they get older pupils do not use the phonic skills they developed as young children to help them improve their spelling and reading of unfamiliar words.
• Pupils do not build upon their science skills year by year. As a result, pupils’ knowledge, understanding and experiences in science are limited.
• Disadvantaged pupils have not made sufficient progress from their starting points over time. Although they now make faster progress, some pupils continue to have ground to make up to match the achievement of their peers.
• The progress of pupils currently in the school is improving as a result of the recent improvements to the quality of teaching. In addition, pupils benefit from visits to Cullompton College to use the more extensive facilities to extend the quality of their learning experiences in a range of subjects. As a result, pupils are more engaged in their learning and making faster progress.
• Teachers now expect pupils to write at greater length and depth. As a result, pupils’ work is of a higher quality. Nonetheless, the school leaders are fully aware that pupils in all year groups need to make faster progress in their mastery of English, mathematics and science. They need to catch up with where they should be from their starting points.
• Pupils throughout the school continue to be successful in sports and music.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 113065 Devon 10025598 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 Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 53 Appropriate authority The governing body Co-Chairs of the Governing Body

Clive Nicholas, Kerron Allen

Acting Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Amanda Duffy 01884 277255 www.clyst-hydon-primary.devon.sch.uk admin@clyst-hydon-primary.devon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection June 2013

Information about this school

• Clyst Hydon is a small rural school of three classes. Reception children, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils are taught in one class, Year 3 and Year 4 pupils are taught together, with Year 5 and Year 6 pupils also being taught together. The number of children in the early years provision has been below five since the last inspection.
• The school does not meet requirements for the publication of information on its website.
• In 2016, the school did not meet the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school has undergone considerable change since the previous inspection and since September 2016. The new acting headteacher took up her role in September 2016, as part of a partnership agreement with Cullompton Community College.
• The vast majority of pupils are White British.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is average.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning, scrutinised pupils’ work and reviewed their school records.
• She scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s safeguarding, health and safety procedures. Further evidence was gathered from the school’s information on pupils’ current progress, behaviour and attendance. The minutes of the meetings of governors and the notes of visits from the local authority were reviewed.
• The inspector observed the behaviour of pupils as they arrived at the school, during break and lunchtimes, and at the end of the day, as well as in lessons. Discussions were held informally with pupils during the course of the inspection. The inspector met with representatives from the school council.
• The inspector listened to pupils read from each class.
• Meetings and discussions were held with the acting headteacher, other school leaders, and support staff. Further discussions were held with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority. The inspector also met with members of the partnership team and reviewed the impact of their work.
• The 39 responses to Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire) were considered.

Inspection team

Steffi Penny, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector