Kingsway Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve outcomes for pupils in Nursery, Reception and key stage 2 by ensuring that a higher proportion of pupils, particularly boys, reach higher standards in reading and writing.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that leaders:
  • make effective use of information about pupils’ progress and attainment to set priorities for improvement
  • use what they learn from monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to plan improvements through timely guidance, challenge and support
  • target additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively to ensure that they make strong and rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that teachers:
  • use a consistent approach to teach writing across the school
  • use assessment information accurately to plan appropriate learning activities to help pupils make good progress from their starting points
  • raise expectations of what pupils can achieve, particularly middle-attaining disadvantaged pupils and the most able. An external review of the use of the 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

• Leaders’ self-evaluation of the school is overgenerous. Leaders do not make good use of assessment information to set improvement priorities so that pupils’ outcomes improve quickly enough. Pupils’ progress is uneven from year to year and some pupils, particularly boys and the disadvantaged, underachieve.
• Leaders and governors have been slow to develop a strategic approach to improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, these pupils do not make the rapid progress they need to in English and mathematics.
• New appointments to the governing body have strengthened governance. Governors are more robust in challenging leaders and holding them to account for pupils’ outcomes. However, leaders do not provide governors with the information they need to evaluate the school’s effectiveness accurately.
• Senior leaders have not adopted a cohesive approach to planning school improvement from Nursery to Year 6. Subject leaders do not yet have enough impact on improving the quality of provision. They do not have a full understanding of the standards achieved in their subjects across the school. This hinders their ability to support and develop teaching precisely and have an impact on raising outcomes.
• Leaders have not monitored how well pupils use basic skills across the curriculum. Pupils are not using these skills to the same standards in other subjects as they do in English and mathematics.
• Teaching assistants are not as effective as they could be. Some do not support and challenge pupils academically. Recent changes in performance management ensure that all staff, including teaching assistants, are fully involved in evaluating their performance and targeting appropriate training and professional development for themselves.
• Leaders have created a school community which nurtures pupils to be responsible citizens. A range of curriculum opportunities enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents value the pastoral provision for their children. One parental comment, which was similar to that of others, was: ‘The pastoral care is invaluable and offered freely. There is an obvious sense of pride in the school and the children are encouraged to see themselves as part of a community.’
• Leaders make effective use of the additional sport premium funding. Spending is monitored well and leaders have been successful in encouraging pupils to take part in a variety of sporting activities, both competitive and non-competitive.
• The curriculum contributes well to pupils’ behaviour and welfare, including their physical, mental and personal well-being. The content of the curriculum is engaging. It ensures wider experiences for pupils to improve their skills in a variety of artistic, creative and sporting activities. By involving parents and pupils in curriculum development, leaders ensure that it is relevant to pupils’ needs and interests. The school provides a variety of interesting extra-curricular opportunities, including residential visits.
• Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Older pupils understand fundamental British values. They respect others who may have different views to their own. Leaders promote equality of opportunity and diversity for all pupils. Leaders, staff and pupils do not tolerate prejudicial behaviour.

Governance of the school

• Governance has recently strengthened. The skills of new governors have the potential to support the school in its strategic planning.
• Governors have not monitored the impact of pupil premium funding in a systematic way. Expectations are not high enough to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make strong progress, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Governors, however, are aware of this and have plans to monitor this spending more closely.
• Governors are committed to improving the school and wish to deepen their level of knowledge and monitor more closely. School self-evaluation, however, is not wholly accurate and therefore governors do not have a full understanding of the quality of education being provided.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Senior leaders and governors ensure that training is up to date and reviewed regularly so a clear safeguarding culture pervades the school. Staff show a good understanding of their responsibilities and are vigilant in making referrals if they suspect that pupils are at risk from harm.
• Leaders ensure that the necessary checks on the suitability of staff, volunteers and visitors to school are detailed and thorough. Governors understand their role in safeguarding and provide effective challenge to leaders. They have a good understanding of the school’s processes.
• Almost all parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, said that they felt that their children are safe in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning varies too much across the school. Teachers do not routinely meet the needs of different groups of pupils. Teaching does not sufficiently build on what pupils already know, can do and understand.
• In too many classes, teachers’ expectations are not high enough. Work is not appropriately matched to pupils’ need. Consequently, progress slows. Disadvantaged pupils do not receive the support they require to make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teachers do not use assessment information of what pupils can and cannot do well enough to plan work at the right level. The most able and middle-attaining pupils are regularly given work that is too easy. Planned activities do not enable pupils to apply and deepen their learning. Consequently, some pupils coast in their learning and do not make enough progress.
• A significant number of boys do not make the progress they are capable of because planned activities do not develop their knowledge, understanding and skills at the correct level.
• The teaching of writing is too inconsistent. There are few opportunities for pupils to write for a sustained period of time in key stage 2 and to practise using their skills independently across the curriculum. Expectations are not high enough. Teachers do not adapt tasks to meet the needs of pupils of a variety of abilities. As a result, learning slows for some pupils and is limited for others.
• In mathematics, teachers develop pupils’ reasoning skills in order for them to articulate their understanding and use their knowledge in other contexts. However, more-able pupils are not challenged sufficiently. Lower-ability pupils are not provided with planned activities that will develop their knowledge, understanding and skills sufficiently.
• Teachers ensure high expectations of conduct in lessons. Pupils typically focus well on their learning. However, where work is not personalised to need, focus is lost and progress slows.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Teachers use questioning effectively and tackle misconceptions. When given the opportunity, pupils develop the capacity to learn from mistakes and are keen to find out more.
• Recent initiatives to develop pupils’ writing skills and interests are beginning to have an impact in early years and key stage 1. Pupils are excited about writing through planned opportunities to write independently. The impact of this, however, is yet to be seen in pupils’ outcomes.
• Pupils enjoy reading. The teaching of phonics is improving due to recent organisational changes. This is beginning to have an impact on current outcomes.
• In key stage 2, pupils use feedback well in order to improve their learning. Staff set homework in line with school policy which is appropriate and consolidates previous learning.
• The teaching of physical education is effective. Staff training and links with sports coaches enable teachers to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to support pupils to make good progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school provides strong pastoral care for pupils and they feel safe and secure. Parents speak highly of the care that both they and their children receive.
• Pupils are respectful of adults and their peers and support each other in their learning. They have confidence in the adults who look after them and know that concerns will be dealt with. They say that bullying is rare and that if it occurs, it is dealt with quickly.
• Pupils understand how to keep themselves healthy. They are confident in knowing how to stay safe online. Digital leaders support learning by ensuring that resources are available to younger pupils and promote key messages about how to stay safe online.
• The school’s strong pastoral support has a positive impact on developing pupils’ emotional health, well-being and social skills. Pupils with emotional needs are confident and engage more fully in provided activities, not only in the classroom but also outside at lunchtimes. These activities are available to all pupils, and not just for specific individuals.
• Leaders place a strong importance on partnership with parents. The school holds the ‘Leading Parent Partnership Award’ for parental engagement for the work they do alongside parents in supporting their children. Parents are grateful for the way that the school engages with them through the provision of family sessions.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well in lessons, in the dining hall, around the school and in the playground. Their conduct throughout the day is very positive. Pupils say that behaviour is mostly good and if there are minor issues, these are resolved quickly.
• Current attendance rates are improving and are at the national average. Persistent absence remains above the national average and this has a negative impact on the progress that pupils make. However, the school knows its vulnerable pupils well and staff take steps to support attendance at school. Improving attendance rates for these pupils is a high priority for the school.
• Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are generally positive across the school. Where teachers’ expectations of presentation are particularly high in some classes, pupils take great pride in their work.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Current pupils do not make consistently strong progress in English and mathematics. Boys and disadvantaged pupils, in particular, do not develop secure knowledge, understanding and skills from their starting points.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the combined expected standard at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics remains below the national average. Boys, in particular, make less progress than they should.
• The most able pupils do not achieve as well as they could by the end of key stage 2, especially in writing. The proportion of pupils working at greater depth in writing at the end of Year 6 is below the national average. Teachers do not plan learning that ensures that the most able pupils receive enough challenge.
• Key stage 2 pupils have made inconsistent progress over time. The quality of teaching is too variable and this affects the rates of progress from year to year.
• Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are improving; however, progress is not improving rapidly enough.
• Phonics outcomes are improving over time and work in current pupils’ books suggests that they are set to improve further. The majority of pupils who did not meet the standard set in the phonics screening check in Year 1 are on track to achieve the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
• In key stage 1, pupils are making stronger progress than they have in the past in English and mathematics. Consequently, key stage 1 outcomes are now in line with national averages. However, the most able pupils in key stage 1 are not making the rapid progress of which they are capable.
• Currently, pupils’ progress in writing is not as strong as it needs to be. At key stage 2, in writing, progress last year was well below national averages, particularly for boys and disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported pastorally. However, they do not make enough progress, particularly in writing and mathematics. Leaders do not check the impact of the support for these pupils in a systematic way.
• Progress for children in the early years has been inconsistent. Currently, not enough children, particularly boys, reach a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. In 2017, boys underachieved considerably in writing compared with girls, and figures were well below the national average.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The proportion of children achieving a good level of development, the standard expected at the end of early years, declined in 2017.
• Although there are a range of opportunities for writing and number on offer both inside and outside the classroom, teachers’ expectations are not high enough to ensure that children make the progress that they are capable of. This is particularly the case for the most able children.
• Children do not make strong enough progress that across the early years. Planning from the Nursery setting into Reception is not yet cohesive enough to have an impact on standards. This means that children’s readiness for Year 1 is reduced.
• Leaders’ self-evaluation of the early years is not sufficiently accurate. As a result, the impact of provision is not reviewed systematically and progress is not as rapid as it should be, particularly in the Nursery.
• The curriculum does not meet the needs of all groups of learners, in particular the boys and disadvantaged pupils.
• Early years staff, including leaders, have a secure knowledge of individual pupils’ welfare needs and offer strong pastoral support.
• Strong parental partnerships and engagement leads to parents being able to take part in their child’s learning. Staff assessments are accessible through the use of an online tool where children’s achievements can be shared.
• Children show respect and positive behaviour, supporting independence and self-confidence. Staff have established effective routines and children respond well to teachers’ expectations of conduct. There is a positive climate for learning.
• Statutory welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 135353 Gloucestershire 10037842 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 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 423 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Tracy Thurgood Paula Needham 01452 881800 www.kingsway.gloucs.sch.uk admin@kingsway.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 October 2012

Information about this school

• Kingsway Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in separate year groups.
• The school opened in 2008. It has a nursery on site, which opened in September 2015.
• There is a breakfast and after-school club which are managed by the school. The school also provides a wide range of extra-curricular clubs.
• The school has continued to grow since the last inspection, from 338 pupils to 423 pupils, which makes it larger than average.
• The ethnic background of pupils is mainly White British. The service population now accounts for 7% of the school numbers.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is higher than the national average.
• The school is part of the Quedgeley Learning Community.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team visited classrooms to observe learning. Some of these visits were made jointly with the headteacher and other senior members of staff. Inspectors observed learning across the school and in the Nursery provision.
• Discussions took place with school leaders, staff and members of the governing body. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors carried out a joint scrutiny of the quality of pupils’ work in books with middle leaders.
• Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils to seek their views about the school. The views of other pupils were gathered during lessons and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, in an assembly, during lunchtimes, during breaktimes and around the school.
• The inspection team looked at the school’s evaluation of its own performance, its improvement plan, records relating to behaviour and the minutes of meetings of the governing body. They also considered a range of documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding and attendance.
• The inspectors listened to a selection of pupils read.
• The inspectors took account of 73 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View as well as 36 free-text responses. The inspectors also spoke to a number of parents during the inspection. Questionnaire responses from 48 members of staff were also analysed.

Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector Tracy French Wendy Hanrahan

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector