St Andrew's Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Raise attainment by the end of Year 2 by teachers using accurate assessment information to ensure that teaching secures a strong start and rapid progress through key stage 1.
• Embed the new curriculum so that learning activities enable more pupils to exceed the standards expected across the range of subjects by the time they leave the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher, ably supported by other senior leaders in the school and across the academy trust, is driving this school forward in a determined and effective manner. They all share the same commitment and have a clear vision about what they need to do to bring further improvement.
• Senior leaders within the school and across the trust have worked effectively to improve teaching and the way pupils’ progress is checked and recorded. They have provided training for staff to ensure the accuracy of these assessments, including good support for newly qualified teachers. As a result, leaders now have a secure understanding of where improvement is need. This is evident in the school’s well-focused self-evaluation and school improvement plans.
• The school’s strong capacity to bring about further improvement is evident in the raised standards of pupils’ attainment at the end of early years and key stage 2. It is also seen in the much higher proportion of pupils passing the Year 1 phonics screening check this year.
• Leaders are taking determined action to increase the proportion of pupils attaining expected standards at the end of Year 2. They are developing teaching and the curriculum further in order for more pupils across the school to develop higher levels of skill. This work has not yet been sustained long enough to achieve this.
• Middle leaders have been recruited carefully and trained well to carry out their roles. They understand their specific responsibilities and are increasingly collaborating with colleagues to widen their understanding of strengths and weaknesses across the school. Some are new to their posts and have not yet fully embedded recent improvements in their areas of responsibility, for example the newly planned curriculum.
• Leaders promote equality of opportunity effectively. For example, they liaise closely with outside specialists to ensure that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are supported effectively. This ensures that additional funding is targeted effectively to meet pupils’ different needs and secures their good personal and academic development.
• Leaders focus well on ensuring that the additional funding provides effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those who have English as an additional language. As a result, these pupils are making progress that at least matches and sometimes exceeds that of their classmates.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is enriched by visits, such as to Becky Falls and topics such as ‘Extreme Earth’ that enthuse pupils’ interest in learning. Art and sports receive a strong focus both in lessons and various clubs. The school has introduced a newly planned curriculum designed to widen pupils’ skills and deepen their understanding across the range of subjects. This has not been embedded with equal success in all classes and does not yet enable those pupils with the potential to attain high standards.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is skilfully woven through the everyday life of the school. For example, assembly themes such as ‘Forgiveness’ enrich their awareness of the views of others. Topics and discussions about suffragettes, the rule of law and Brexit advance their understanding of British values.
• The school makes very efficient use of the additional funding for physical education and sport. It has had a profound effect in recent years in improving pupils’ behaviour and enjoyment of school. Funding is used effectively in a variety of ways, including the employment of specialist coaches. Pupils have good opportunities to compete and have a chance to shine in sport. This has encouraged more of them to join sports clubs out of school.
• The large majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, would recommend St Andrew’s to other parents. Some are very appreciative of the way staff care for them and their children, ’especially when we need it most’. Parents’ views were typified by one parent, who wrote to say, ‘We’re happy with St Andrews and thank them for educating our children and preparing them for the next stage of their education.’ The inspectors noted the much-increased number of parents attending parents’ evenings. They observed the warm relationships between staff and parents as they brought their children to school each day. However, a small minority of parents indicated that they would value closer lines of communication with staff.

Governance of the school

• Leaders of the multi-academy trust and members of the local governing body are ambitious for the school, its staff and its pupils. Since assuming responsibility for the school following conversion to academy status in 2015, trust leaders have sustained a determined and effective commitment to improving the school.
• Minutes, and records of governors’ questioning of staff leaders, show that they hold them to account effectively. Consequently, they gain a secure knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas in need of improvement. Recent actions, such as updating and enriching resources for learning in the early years classes, have aided staff leaders in bringing about improvement. This is acknowledged by parents; as one typically wrote, ‘I have had the pleasure in seeing St Andrew’s School grow from strength to strength within the last two years.’
• Governors’ and trust leaders’ checks on the use of additional funding are comprehensive and well founded. Governors with specific responsibilities visit the school regularly and consult with staff and pupils to examine the degree to which these funds help pupils to progress. By these means governors and trust leaders ensure that funds are used well to support disadvantaged pupils, those who have English as an additional language and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders across the trust and in the school ensure that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. These include high-quality records and checks of all adults who spend time in the school in support of the pupils. When questioned about safeguarding procedures teachers and support staff referred to regular training and showed good understanding of their responsibilities. For example, staff training in the ‘Prevent’ duty has ensured that they know how to keep pupils safe from radicalisation and extremism.
• The school works well with parents to create a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are vigilant in monitoring and supporting vulnerable pupils and their families. Staff know the pupils well, how to react and who to contact if they have any concerns.
• Pupils stated that they feel safe at school. This view is also evident in pupils’ and their parents’ responses to the Ofsted questionnaire. Parents’ responses typically included, ‘St Andrew’s Primary School have consistently gone above and beyond in their duty of care for both our children, and us as parents.’

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders across the trust and within the school have utilised the breadth of teaching expertise available to provide additional training for teachers and teaching assistants. As a result, teaching is good and is continuing to improve across the school.
• Teaching in early years and across key stage 2 is successfully moving pupils’ learning forward quickly. This stems from the teachers’ accurate checks of pupils’ skills and effective use of the information gathered to meet the needs of different groups of pupils. This is not as effective across key stage 1, and recent improvements have not been sustained long enough to bridge all gaps in previous learning.
• The teaching of phonics across early years and key stage 1 classes is strong. This academic year it has substantially increased the proportion of pupils deepening their phonic understanding and developing the skills expected for their age. Not all current pupils in key stages 1 and 2 have had a good grounding in phonics in the past and this led to difficulties in some pupils being able to spell words correctly. Nevertheless, teachers across key stage 2 have taught reading well and helped pupils to sustain good progress in developing reading skills. Pupils’ improved understanding of phonics means that they are better placed to improve their spelling and to achieve their full potential in writing and reading in the future.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have detailed knowledge of the different needs of individual pupils. This enables them to support pupils across the range of ability effectively. Provision for pupils who have English as an additional language is particularly effective. It is underpinned by specialist additional teaching and support from skilled staff. Teachers and caring teaching assistants are similarly successful in supporting pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, especially those have more complex needs.
• Teachers have improved their support for disadvantaged pupils. They have raised their expectations of what pupils should achieve and challenge pupils through well-targeted questioning. This is particularly evident across key stage 2, where focused additional adult support is helping to close previous gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills more rapidly. For example, during mathematics in Year 6, pupils across the range of ability responded well to the teacher’s questions and deepened their knowledge of the area and perimeter of shapes.
• Teachers across key stage 2 involve pupils effectively in checking their own work and empower them to become effective learners. Teachers are increasingly challenging the most able to think deeply about their work. This is especially the case in mathematics, where pupils are making good progress in developing their reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Deepening pupils’ thinking is not yet as effective in some classes in key stage 1. Similarly, the teachers’ use of the new curriculum to enrich pupils’ learning, especially in writing, is not yet fully embedded across the school. As a result, it is not yet accomplishing the intended influence of helping pupils achieve higher levels of skills than those expected for their age.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders’ monitoring to ensure that procedures are followed is robust and boosts pupils’ well-being and confidence in learning.
• Pupils respond well to a variety of stimulating curriculum topics such as ‘Fly Me to the Moon’. They enjoy investigating and sharing ideas and show good attitudes towards learning. Most pupils in all classes respond eagerly to teachers’ questions and respect each other’s ideas and suggestions. Pupils accept various leadership roles in a mature manner. For example, pupils contribute well to the daily life of the school as monitors and take responsibility for checking house points each week.
• Relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils are strong and enrich learning across the school. This is noticed and appreciated by parents, one of whom wrote, ‘My son has commented on how he has noticed that the children respect the teachers.’ At times, a small number of pupils still need, and receive, close guidance from adults to stay focused and fully engaged in learning.
• Pupils report that they feel safe in school and would quickly tell an adult if they had any worries or concerns. Almost all the parents who responded to the online questionnaire fully support this view. Pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of how to stay safe and help each other to keep safe, including when using social media and computers.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils enjoy school. They are courteous and polite to visitors and move around the school sensibly and considerately. The vast majority of pupils behave well and care deeply about how their behaviour affects others. Behaviour is much better now than it has been at times in the past. However, a small number of pupils still need the support of sanctions and support from staff to secure appropriate behaviour.
• When questioned about bullying, pupils told inspectors that ‘it very rarely happens’ and indicate that their teachers quickly sort out any issues. When asked what they would change at school, pupils firmly replied, ‘We would keep it the same.’ The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire support this view.
• Pupils’ rate of attendance is slightly below average but is improving. This reflects leaders’ strong action to overcome persistent absence. Although there is still persistent absence, it is by a much-reduced number of pupils. Pupils’ increased enjoyment in learning and the school’s closer support of families in recent years are reflected in pupils’ improved punctuality.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Sustained improvements in teaching and pupils’ learning in recent years, especially across key stage 2, have ensured that pupils make significantly better progress than in the past. Pupils, more recently across key stage 1, are responding well to the teachers’ raised expectations of behaviour and effort and are also beginning to make better progress.
• In the past, the results of the Year 1 phonics screening checks have been consistently lower than the national average. Currently, in response to strengthened teaching of phonics across early years and Year 1, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard is well above average. Pupils heard reading, in particular those in Years 3 and 6, read confidently with fluency and expression. When questioned, they showed that they can infer meaning from the text they are reading, describe main characters and make sensible predictions about how the story might develop.
• Pupils in most year groups are currently making at least good progress in English and mathematics from their different starting points. Pupils currently in Year 2 are now also making faster progress as a result of improved teaching. Attainment at the end of Year 2 remain below average, especially in writing. However, a high proportion of these pupils have SEN and/or disabilities or have English as an additional language. They are making stronger progress but are not yet reaching the standard expected for their age.
• Parents identify and express appreciation of the substantial improvements made to pupils’ achievements. One parent commented, ‘School has drastically improved over the past few years.’
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities learn well. Like their classmates, they are making faster progress than in the past because of improvements in teaching and the support they receive.
• Pupils who have English as an additional language make at least good progress. Some of these pupils have made significant gains in their learning. This is because they have received strong support to develop their ability to speak and write in English and access the additional learning that this brings.
• Pupils regularly practise calculation skills in mathematics and, in most classes, apply these to solve problems. On occasion, in some classes, pupils are not provided with mathematics work that challenges them to think deeply. As a result, some most-able and previously middle-attaining pupils, including some who are disadvantaged, do not attain at a high standard in mathematics. Due to past weakness in learning phonics, pupils’ writing, most often spelling, is not well developed, particularly at the end of key stage 1.
• Pupils participate and achieve well in sports. They learn well in art, history and geography and, for example, discuss and write about life today compared to life in Ancient Egypt.
• Disadvantaged pupils are making good progress. This is as a result of effective monitoring by leaders and improved assessment of their needs by teachers. Teaching assistants are also adapting the support they provide for these pupils to secure effective learning.

Early years provision Good

• Children get off to a good start in the early years. They respond well to effective teaching and assessment and make good progress.
• Staff ensure that children are stimulated by an exciting range of experiences and are taking full advantage of the much-improved and now spacious learning facilities. This is evident in the year-on-year increase in the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception. It also reflects the beneficial impact of the academy’s investment and commitment to improving the school.
• Leadership of early years is effective and ensures that children behave and learn well in a nurturing environment. The leader is well supported by senior leaders in the school and across the academy. They make sure that staff are well trained in welfare and that safeguarding requirements are fully implemented to keep children safe and secure.
• Leaders have strengthened the way that teachers assess children’s skills and progress. Consequently, teachers now have a secure understanding of areas that need developing. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to assess children’s needs and plan activities that help children to make good progress. The improved teaching of phonics, for example, keeps pupils engaged and motivated to learn. The children’s ability to sound out letters accurately is supporting their early reading. The much higher scores of pupils in the Year 1 phonics screening check this year also reflect improved teaching and learning in the Reception class.
• Staff cultivate productive and supportive links with parents, for example a well-organised induction session welcoming new children and their parents to the school that took place during the inspection. Parents appreciate the staff’s efforts to support their children, with one typical comment being, ‘My child gets all the help he needs.’
• Teachers and teaching assistants use questioning effectively to keep children purposefully engaged in learning and to develop their independence. All children, including the disadvantaged, those who have English as an additional language and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, enjoy learning. They are well equipped for a confident transition into Year 1. Most children make good progress across the areas of learning. Although improving, a small number of the most able are not yet reaching the high standards of which they are capable.
• Teachers provide a good range of opportunities to help children develop personal and social skills. For example, stimulated by their topic of ‘Pirates’, children enjoyed role play and shared ideas in the ‘Pirates Lair’. Staff use the children’s interest in topics to develop their physical and coordination skills. For example, children ‘walked the plank’ enthusiastically and, guided by the teacher, showed good agility and balance when landing.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142183 Devon 10048395 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 Academy sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 308 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Wayne Baker Leanne Arrowsmith Telephone number 01884 32206 Website Email address www.standrewsprimary.school standrews@ventrus.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• St Andrew’s School became an academy and was sponsored by the Primary Academies Trust, now named the Ventrus Multi-Academy Trust, in September 2015.
• Governance is undertaken at local level by a governing body and at multi-academy level by a board of trust directors.
• St Andrew’s is above average in size.
• The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is broadly average.
• Children experience early years provision in two Reception classes.
• An after-school club is managed by an outside provider and was not part of this inspection.
• This is the school’s first inspection since the predecessor school, St Andrew’s Primary School, was identified as requiring improvement in March 2014.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in 24 lessons and saw the work of all teachers.
• The headteacher and deputy headteacher accompanied the inspectors during most of these visits to lessons.
• A wide range of documents were scrutinised, including records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s self-evaluation.
• The inspectors examined the school’s systems for checking progress and records of checks on the quality of teaching.
• The inspectors talked to individual pupils during lessons and breaktimes about the school and their work. They listened to individual pupils reading to teachers and teaching assistants and attended assemblies. The inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes.
• The lead inspector met with a representative of the local governing body and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust.
• The inspectors held meetings with senior school leaders and the director of standards of the trust. Inspectors spoke informally with teaching assistants and support staff. They also met with specialist staff of the multi-academy trust.
• The inspectors examined the views expressed in 51 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and in 50 parents’ additional comments. The inspectors also considered the views expressed in 38 staff questionnaires and took note of 18 pupils’ responses to questionnaires. A team inspector gathered the views of several parents during informal meetings at the school.

Inspection team

Alexander Baxter, lead inspector Katherine Powell Jane Johns

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector