Churchdown Parton Manor Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management so that it is at least good by ensuring that:
  • precise and timely monitoring of school improvement priorities results in pupils’ achievement that is securely good in mathematics, reading and writing
  • teachers’ knowledge of the requirements of the national curriculum for English and mathematics is strong, and results in pupils reaching national expectations
  • checks on teaching are robust and take account of the progress of groups of pupils from their different starting points
  • differences between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally diminish quickly so that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education
  • clear strategic leadership of the headteacher strengthens the partnership between Nursery and Reception classes, and secures robust and systematic record-keeping.
• Improve teaching, assessment and pupils’ outcomes by ensuring that:
  • pupils develop their skills by regularly writing for a range of purposes
  • pupils have sufficient opportunities to reason, problem-solve and apply their understanding of mathematics in a wide range of contexts
  • all teachers have the skills to adapt their teaching within lessons so that all groups of pupils learn well, including the most able
  • teachers develop pupils’ understanding of comprehension strategies when reading.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders have not acted quickly enough to tackle the weaknesses in pupils’ reading and mathematics outcomes. Consequently, academic standards in key stage 1 are not high enough. The school’s action plan focuses on the right aspects to secure improvement but its impact, to date, is too limited. Leaders need greater urgency in turning the school’s weaknesses around.
• Some pupils underachieved last year, particularly in mathematics and writing. Leaders have accurately identified pupils who need to catch up and have prioritised targeted, small-group teaching for these pupils. However, leaders’ actions are not ensuring that these pupils are making rapid enough progress. Consequently, too few pupils are on track to achieve the standards expected for their age.
• Leaders keep detailed information about pupils’ progress. However, they do not analyse work in pupils’ books regularly to know precisely how well pupils are doing. There is insufficient emphasis on measuring progress against the school’s improvement priorities and the standards of work expected nationally. Consequently, pupils’ books show that teachers’ expectations are not uniformly high and individual pupils’ progress is too variable.
• Leaders’ checks on teaching and learning do not have a sharp enough focus on improving outcomes for all groups of pupils from their different starting points. When leaders carry out checks on the quality of teaching and learning they do not pick up weaknesses quickly enough or communicate these to teachers in a timely way. Consequently, teachers do not have sufficient opportunity to adapt or change their practice so that pupils’ progress quickens.
• Leaders’ checks on teacher performance are regular and matched to pay progression. The headteacher holds teachers to account for meeting the targets set. However, targets are not consistently linked to whole-school improvement areas. This limits the speed at which whole-school issues are being tackled.
• Leaders have not ensured that the requirements of the national curriculum are fully taught and embraced by all staff. A well-thought-through programme of visits and visitors has strengthened the curriculum provision on offer. For example, visiting Gloucester airport and having a ‘wing walker’ visit the school provided a strong stimulus for the ‘Up, Up and Away’ topic. However, these opportunities are not fully maximised to deepen pupils’ understanding or to motivate them to write at length. Opportunities for pupils to write at length for a range of purposes are too limited.
• The school’s systems for teaching reading limit the scope for developing important home/school links that would further support pupils’ reading progress. Leaders have not secured reading assessments for pupils that are amply focused on developing reading comprehension skills, deepening the understanding of the texts they read.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted successfully. The school’s vision to ensure that ‘everyone shines’ underpins the nurturing and strong relationships that pupils and staff enjoy. The school’s work to promote fundamental British values is wide-ranging. For example, recently, the school council attended the Houses of Parliament to learn about the roles of ministers. Subsequently, they were able to deepen the whole school’s understanding of democracy through assemblies and by talking about their experience in lessons. Carefully planned lessons for all pupils ensure that they learn about liberty, respect and tolerance.
• The impact of local authority support in the last three years has resulted in whole-school improvement. However, in 2016, academic standards fell below those achieved nationally. Subject leaders attend local authority-led network meetings to keep up with new initiatives. However, opportunities for in-school staff training have been more limited. Leaders need to ensure that teachers are fully aware of, and understand, the implications of the higher expectations of the national curriculum. Staff need further training to support their practice.
• The sports premium funding information was out of date on the school’s website at the time of the inspection. Nevertheless, pupils benefit from a wide range of physical exercise. This is promoted well across the school, including whole-school events such as the Olympic sports day in the summer of 2016 and the sponsored skip for the Heart Foundation charity.
• Disadvantaged pupils benefit from a comprehensive menu of timely support. Meetings with teachers focus on pupils’ barriers to learning. Leaders rightly acknowledge that diminishing the differences in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and others remains a key focus for the school.

Governance of the school

• The governing body holds leaders to account robustly and has worked hard to get the balance of challenge and support just right. This is evidenced in the minutes of governors’ meetings. The safeguarding governor checks procedures and training and ensures that statutory duties are carried out.
• The external review of pupil premium funding has resulted in governors improving their strategic overview for how this funding is used. They now precisely track its impact.
• However, governors recognise that they have not ensured that the raised expectations of the national curriculum have had sufficient focus. Consequently, some aspects of the curriculum have not been taught effectively and this has impacted on pupils’ progress and academic standards overall.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are thorough in referring concerns to the designated safeguarding leaders. They take their duty to report concerns very seriously. Staff clearly articulated to inspectors the importance of following up and checking that everything is being done to support vulnerable pupils and their families in a timely way. However, some aspects of recording could be strengthened so that the evidence of initial concerns is better documented.
• The attendance of vulnerable pupils is tracked effectively.
• Staff have been trained to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism through the government’s ‘Prevent’ programme and articulate clearly how to spot concerns.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching does not result in consistently good outcomes for pupils. There is some strong teaching across the school but the quality remains too variable to be good overall. This is demonstrated in uneven progress and outcomes, with some pupils in some year groups making slower progress than expected.
• Those pupils who underachieved last year receive targeted work to fill the gaps in their learning. However, these lessons do not always build on what pupils already know, so progress from pupils’ different starting points remains too variable. Some pupils find it difficult to concentrate in lessons and this can hinder the progress that they make. Some pupils finish their work quickly. Subsequent tasks on offer do not challenge or extend pupils’ thinking. While individuals are supported in a timely way in lessons, the teaching for this group is not precise enough to enable them to progress rapidly to catch up. As a result, the difference between the attainment of these pupils and national age-related expectations remains wide.
• Where teaching is most effective, teachers make their expectations and explanations clear, ask questions to test pupils’ understanding and provide them with well-chosen tasks that make them think hard. However, too often the work on offer for pupils is either too easy or too hard. Teachers’ expectations are not consistently high.
• In mathematics, most pupils’ understanding of number is developing well. However, teachers’ questioning does not always probe and deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This hinders pupils’ ability to problem-solve and apply their skills to a range of contexts, and limits the quality and level of learning outcomes that pupils achieve. Work in pupils’ mathematics books shows that opportunities to reason and problem-solve are too limited.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not always provided with resources to support their understanding. This can hinder their progress in small group sessions, particularly when learning about place value in mathematics.
• Teachers’ planning ensures that lessons get off to an exciting start using key stimuli to hook pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. However, teachers’ expectations are not high enough and, as lessons evolve, the first draft of a piece of work is too readily accepted. Praise is too often awarded when pupils are not achieving what is required of the national curriculum expectations. The school has become too inwardly focused and has not raised standards at the same rate as other schools nationally.
• The teaching of phonics is systematic and regular. In some classes, it is helping pupils move on in their learning quickly. Inspectors saw pupils applying their understanding of phonics well in Year 1. However, for those pupils in Year 2 who need to catch up, the learning tasks are not sufficiently challenging. As a result, these pupils are not making rapid enough progress to meet the expected standards in writing.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare requires improvement. Leaders and managers have not acted with sufficient rigour to ensure that accurate records of pupils’ details are maintained. Therefore, some aspects of strategic leadership and management of pupils’ personal development and welfare lack precision, and are not yet good.
• Pupils say that they feel safe in school and know that adults care for them well. Responses to the online questionnaire ‘Parent View’ demonstrate that parents agree with this.
• Members of the school council are proud of their role as leaders. They have a high profile in the school and their work helps them to become responsible citizens.
• Pupils understand what bullying means. They were confident about telling inspectors what they would do should they have concerns. The school’s records show that any bullying reported to staff is dealt with effectively.
• Pupils benefit from a calm start to the day in the breakfast club and enjoy a healthy breakfast. They like the games and activities on offer. As a result, this positive start to the day means that they are ready to learn.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are not consistently good. This is because, when work is not matched to pupils’ needs, their concentration can wane. This can hinder the progress that pupils make.
• Lunchtimes and playtimes are well supervised. A wealth of outdoor games are available. These are social times for pupils to enjoy. As a result, there is a happy atmosphere and friendly relationships are actively encouraged.
• Incidents of challenging behaviour are usually managed well. School records provide a log of events. However, more could be done to track incidents of behaviour and to learn from the reasons why they occur.
• Pupils are polite and courteous to one another as they walk around the school. They demonstrate good manners.
• Overall, attendance is in line with the national average. A few pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Systems to track absence are robust. Leaders’ actions to improve attendance for this group are effective. Attendance for this group of pupils is gradually rising.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2014 and 2015, end of key stage 1 assessments showed considerable improvement on previous years. However, published performance information in 2016 shows that pupils’ outcomes are below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils also did considerably less well than other pupils nationally, particularly in mathematics.
• Internal school data confirms that some pupils underachieved last year. Leaders have accurately identified those pupils who have fallen behind and are providing specific intervention and targeted teaching. However, teaching is not yet bringing about the rapid progress needed so that pupils get back on track to meet the expected academic standards in writing and mathematics.
• Across Reception, children make typical progress from their different starting points. The proportion of pupils meeting expected standards at the end of early years has risen steeply and has been above the national average for the last two years. However, the difference between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally remains large. In addition, boys do considerably less well than girls, with less than half achieving a good level of development in 2016.
• In 2016, most pupils who left early years as high attainers achieved Year 2 higher outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics in 2016. However, no disadvantaged pupils achieved the highest standard by the end of Year 2. For current cohorts, most-able pupils do not always benefit from sufficiently challenging work. This results in progress for this group being uneven in mathematics and writing. There are too few opportunities available for pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.
• Overall, pupils do consistently well in the phonics screening check in Year 1. Published outcomes are well above that achieved nationally. The school’s own performance information also confirms that pupils who entered Year 1 with low reading and phonics skills catch up quickly. However, in Year 2, some pupils are falling further behind and this is impacting on their overall writing ability.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The very recent amalgamation of the Nursery with the school means that the school’s leadership is still establishing effective ways of working with the expanded age range. The headteacher and her senior team have not yet ensured that the Reception and Nursery teachers are working in close partnership. The Nursery and Reception leaders both make detailed assessments of pupils’ progress and show a determined commitment to lead early years provision in their phase successfully. However, robust strategic direction by senior leadership is not yet in place.
• Across Reception, children make expected rates of progress from their different starting points. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard at the end of early years is above the national average. However, the difference between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally remains large.
• Compared to girls, boys do considerably less well, with fewer than half achieving a good level of development in 2016.
• Teachers are persistent in their aim to raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and also reduce the differences between boys’ and girls’ achievement. As a result, considerable thought goes into teachers’ planning to ensure that it captures children’s interest and motivates them. For example, the current topic based on ‘The Man on the Moon’ has been a catalyst for an array of exciting and stimulating experiences across all areas of learning. Children benefit from well-resourced and stimulating learning zones in the classroom and in their outdoor learning areas.
• In Reception, children concentrate for sustained periods in teacher-led activities. However, the independent activities planned do not always provide sufficient opportunities for children to develop their sustained concentration and extend their play further. On occasions, some children, often boys, are not always sure what to do and this limits their learning development, particularly when in the outdoor learning classroom.
• Adult interactions with children vary in quality. Some are precise and timely and enable children to progress quickly or consolidate their learning. However, on occasions, adults do not re-engage children in purposeful activity effectively and this can limit the progress that children make.
• Adults consistently provide good models for children’s speech and language development and their understanding of number. For example, a daily visit to the Reception fruit shop enables all pupils to buy fruit with real money. They also learn the conventions of speaking in sentences and using good manners. Reception is a nurturing environment and staff build very strong relationships with children. This means that children form positive relationships with other children, helping them to feel safe and enjoy school.
• The Nursery setting is well resourced and there are a range of activities and equipment designed to enable children to develop key skills. Adults skilfully prompt and support children in their learning. As a result, children’s progress from their different starting points is good and their skills and understanding are developing well. Adults use their detailed assessments of each child to plan activities that capture the interests of boys and girls alike.
• The culture of safeguarding is secure in early years and all statutory duties are met. Consequently, children feel safe and enjoy their sessions in both Nursery and Reception.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 115511 Gloucestershire 10000750 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 Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 2 to 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 150 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Local authority Natasha Goode Carole Walmsley 01452 712 214 www.partonmanor-inf.gloucs.sch.uk/ admin@partonmanor-inf.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is slightly below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is in line with the national average.
• There is a Nursery on site, which is managed by the school. This arrangement came into place in September 2016.
• There is a breakfast club and an after-school club, which are managed by the school.
• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of primary PE and sports premium information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning across the school. Some lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the leaders of English, mathematics, Reception, Nursery, special educational needs and/or disabilities and the pupil premium champion.
• Meetings took place with four governors, and a telephone conversation took place with the governor responsible for pupil premium funding.
• Meetings took place with two teaching staff and the attendance officer.
• Inspectors scrutinised a number of school documents including the school action plan and the school’s self-evaluation document. Records relating to behaviour and safety, attendance and safeguarding were also reviewed.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, playtimes and lunchtimes.
• An inspector visited the breakfast club and the after-school club.
• An inspector conducted a walk around the school with pupils to look at curriculum displays, the promotion of British values and to find out how pupils feel about their learning and development.
• Inspectors looked at work in books to establish the current quality of pupils’ work and their progress over time.
• Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Parent View. The inspectors considered comments provided by parents’ text messages and also spoke to parents during the inspection.

Inspection team

Julie Carrington, lead inspector Sarah Foulkes Jon Dyer

Her Majesty's Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector