Yorkley Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment in the early years by ensuring that:
  • activities provided for children meet their needs, especially for boys
  • challenge is provided so that a greater proportion of children are able to achieve well in all areas of their learning by the end of Reception
  • effective steps are taken so that the accuracy of entry assessments are more precise.
• Make sure that attendance of disadvantaged pupils is as good as other pupils.
• Strengthen the teaching of mathematics so that all pupils, including the most able, make better progress by ensuring that:
  • teachers use opportunities in class to check what pupils understand, and quickly identify when pupils can move on rapidly
  • pupils are consistently set challenging tasks to deepen their learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has been unwavering in her determination to secure an excellent standard of education for pupils in the school. She has maintained a clear focus on what needs to be done to ensure that pupils make good progress. She has driven through necessary changes to make this happen, even when faced with significant recruitment challenges.
• The headteacher and governors are highly ambitious for the pupils and the staff. Staff are proud to be members of the school and are united behind a clear vision of continuous improvement. Morale is very high in the school.
• The school’s development plan is detailed and sets out a clear path to further improvement with ambitious but realistic targets for pupil achievement. Suitable actions are identified to bring about the changes that are needed to continue to raise pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of what the school does well and what it needs to do to become even more successful. Systems to check and evaluate the quality of the school’s performance, including checking the quality of teaching, are incisive and detailed.
• Staff benefit from well-targeted training that helps them to fulfil their roles better. Working together in school and using the school’s strong links with other local schools have enabled them to develop their skills further.
• Leaders and managers ensure that pupils’ progress is precisely tracked in key stages 1 and 2. Senior leaders and staff carry out regular checks on pupils’ progress to ensure that pupils who are not doing as well as they should are quickly identified, and appropriate remedial measures taken. Effective additional support is put in place swiftly, to help these pupils make better progress. As a result, different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress. This demonstrates leaders’ relentless commitment to promoting equality of opportunity for all pupils.
• Work to develop the qualities essential for pupils to be active citizens in modern Britain is interwoven successfully across the curriculum, assemblies and class time. Vibrant displays across the school showcase pupils’ understanding of themes such as supporting others who are less fortunate. A recent letter from the Queen demonstrates an understanding of the monarchy and rule of law.
• The curriculum is supported by regular visits from members of the school community, for example the local postman, and a visit to the doctor’s surgery, which underpin the curriculum well. Pupils reported, ‘Visits bring the learning alive’. Themed weeks, for example around European languages, broaden pupils’ horizons and global awareness. They told the inspector that, ‘The themed weeks help us understand our learning’.
• The school has worked effectively to improve the progress of disadvantaged pupils. The money received for these pupils is used well to provide additional teaching support, including through the breakfast club, external visits and the school’s nurture base. The impact of this work is that almost all disadvantaged pupils are making good progress.
• The physical education and sport funding for schools has been used very well. A specialist physical education (PE) teacher is employed by the school specifically to raise and improve the standards in the quality of PE and sport across the school. As a result, teaching staff report, ‘We are much more confident in the teaching of PE.’ The school recently received national recognition for its participation in sport, and in 2015 was awarded the highest level of achievement in its category.
• Parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were extremely positive about the changes that have taken place over recent years. They describe the school as one that is ‘simply superb’. Another typical comment from parents is that ‘Yorkley is a wonderful school with excellent teachers.’
• Improvement in mathematics has been slow because too little is expected of some pupils, particularly of the most able pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governors have successfully steered the school through a time of considerable change, and maintained the confidence of parents. They make themselves available to parents on a weekly basis to discuss any school concerns and act upon them swiftly. They have been tenacious and determined in securing positive change for pupils.
• Governors make frequent visits to school to monitor the school’s work for themselves. They are well informed about the achievement of the different groups of pupils and how well this compares to national figures. They have a clear view of the quality of teaching and how the performance of staff is managed to reward effective practice.
• Governors have a good understanding of how the pupil premium and school sports funding are used. Governors’ minutes show how governors challenge leaders to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported to achieve.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Training, provided for staff and governors together, is up to date.
• Staff across the school know the signs that could indicate pupils are subject to abuse from adults or other pupils. They know how to report, and act upon, any concern raised.
• Pupils are taught how to stay safe in a variety of situations and this teaching is often backed up in other ways, such as displays on staying safe when using the internet or visits from external agencies, such as the fire service.
• The school’s ethos of safeguarding pervades all aspects of school life. Consequently, pupils feel safe and are very confident that staff respond quickly to any concerns raised.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• School leaders placed raising the quality of teaching, learning and assessment at the heart of the school improvement plan. As a result, teachers’ performance has been checked rigorously and teaching is now typically strong across nearly all areas in key stages 1 and 2.
• Teaching is now good, representing an improvement since the school’s last inspection. As a result, a high proportion of pupils reach the national standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave Year 6 and some exceed these standards.
• Teaching is characterised by well-prepared and well-organised lessons that have a strong sense of purpose. Staff have high aspirations for pupils and expect them to work hard and behave well. Pupils say that teachers ‘make learning fun’ and that teachers help them develop their ideas.
• Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent and this view is echoed by parents who spoke to the inspector; one parent reported, ‘My son has nothing but praise for the teachers.’ Lessons proceed in a relaxed and friendly, but purposeful, atmosphere. The pupils are very keen to learn and respond well to teachers and teaching assistants.
• Teachers and teaching assistants are very skilled in providing precise support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, they make at least as much progress as other pupils nationally.
• Disadvantaged pupils benefit from carefully targeted support either individually or in small groups. They catch up with their classmates and achieve well.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Teachers’ subject knowledge in this area is strong and they use this to reinforce these skills across the curriculum.
• Writing is taught well. Staff encourage pupils to use their writing skills at every opportunity. The quality of pupils’ writing is consistently good across a range of subjects.
• Pupils read with confidence and comprehension, particularly the most able. They access a rich array of reading books that whets their appetites for more. Pupils told the inspector ‘We have many opportunities to read in a wide range of subjects’.
• Teachers have high expectations of presentation in all subject areas and, as a result, pupils present their work neatly and take pride in their books.
• As in reading and writing, there is a consistent and systematic approach to the teaching of mathematics. However, teachers do not always ensure that pupils are given opportunities to develop their mathematical skills at a deeper level once the basics are understood.
• The most able pupils are not routinely challenged in mathematics. Teachers do not provide some pupils with work that will challenge them and enable them to think and learn with a deeper level of understanding.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are confident, friendly and articulate youngsters who care about their school, their teachers and each other. Relationships between staff and pupils are very caring and supportive.
• The school has a calm and harmonious atmosphere where pupils play and mix happily with each other. Pupils are polite and well mannered, holding doors open for adults and being considerate of one another.
• Pupils feel safe in school because bullying rarely happens and name-calling is not tolerated. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when outside of the school gates, especially when using the internet. A range of visitors help pupils develop their understanding of keeping safe. For example, during the inspection the school had a visit from the fire service to teach pupils how to stay safe during bonfire night.
• Pupils spoken to during the inspection made strong reference to the fact that it is ‘okay to be different’. They can explain clearly that tolerance and mutual respect are important in society regardless of the views of other people. They demonstrated a particularly strong understanding of racism and why it should not be accepted.
• Pupils who attend the nurture provision have well-planned and effective support that ensures that they develop their skills. The nurture group embodies the ethos of the school and is highly effective in supporting pupils to manage their feelings and extend their social skills alongside their peers.
• A very large majority of the parents who responded to Parent View say that the school keeps pupils safe and happy. Parents the inspector spoke to during the inspection confirmed this.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite, well-mannered and show high levels of responsibility for managing their own behaviour. Pupils’ conduct and manners are impeccable.
• Disruptions in lessons are very rare. Pupils enjoy their learning and persevere when they find work challenging. If pupils do become distracted, teachers and support staff are quick to motivate them to concentrate on their tasks. Records show that incidents of poor behaviour are extremely rare.
• The well-run breakfast club contributes to pupils’ well-being and helps promote a healthy lifestyle. School leaders ensure that all pupils are able to attend if they want to and provide free places for any families who would otherwise be unable to afford the sessions.
• Although faced with many challenges outside of the school’s control, attendance has improved over the last three years and is continuing to improve. Leaders effectively work well with families of pupils who are persistently absent to improve their attendance. However, disadvantaged pupils’ attendance remains low and is not improving fast enough.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2016, by the end of key stage 2, pupils reached standards that were at least in line with those seen nationally in mathematics and English. In some cases, standards were above the national average. Therefore, pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education and are on track to have the academic and personal skills required to thrive in secondary school.
• Over the same period, disadvantaged pupils including the most able disadvantaged have performed equally well. The difference between attainment of these pupils and other pupils nationally by the end of key stage 2 has diminished in English and there is a rapidly improving picture for mathematics.
• The proportion of children who have reached a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year has historically been below the national average.
• Pupils’ awareness of phonics is good and they apply their skills well across the curriculum. They know how to decode unfamiliar and difficult words. The proportion of pupils who have passed the phonics screening check in Year 1 has typically been above the national average.
• Pupils enjoy reading, and read regularly and enthusiastically. They can select from a range of books in the regularly updated library, with books that meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils reported to the inspector, ‘We like to challenge ourselves to read more difficult books and we read all the time in school.’
• By the end of key stage 1 in 2016, pupils’ attainment was broadly in line with the standard expected for their age for nearly all subjects. Although mathematics was below this standard there is a positive trend of improvement over time.
• Outcomes for pupils currently in the school are continuing to improve rapidly in key stages 1 and 2. The vast majority of current pupils across the school are working at age-related expectations and are making no less than expected progress from their starting points. This is the case across all subjects.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, together with low attaining pupils, are well supported. Their outcomes are good and they make very positive progress in line with other pupils nationally.
• Pupils are given many opportunities to apply their mathematical and English learning in a range of subjects. For example, in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education pupils are challenged to use their knowledge of writing composition to create an effect on emotions.
• Occasionally, in some mathematics lessons, work provided does not challenge or help deepen pupils’ understanding sufficiently. This means that they do not always meet their full potential.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Teaching is not consistently effective. When children are engaged in choosing their own activities, adults do not always guide children, particularly boys, well enough to ensure that learning meets their needs.
• Senior leaders have not been rigorous enough in their monitoring of children’s progress from their starting points to ensure children achieve well across all areas of learning.
• The teaching of early reading through phonics is effective. Children are accurately taught how to recognise the sounds that letters make and to blend these together to make words. They are encouraged by adults to develop an appreciation of reading, through various approaches. The inspector observed several children dressing up as witches and reciting their class story ‘Room on a Broom’. Teachers do not, however, assess children’s progress as well across all areas of the curriculum.
• The Reception class is a friendly and welcoming place, and relationships with children are extremely positive. As a result, children quickly settle and are keen to learn.
• Children enjoy coming to school. Parents appreciate the early years provision and one comment reflects many similar views: ‘My child is very happy at school, they run up the hill to school in the morning.’
• The school works hard to engage parents in their children’s learning. Effective transition arrangements ensure that children and parents are well supported for their entry into school. One parent reported to the inspector that transition is ‘seamless’.
• Procedures to keep children safe are well managed and effective. Children behave well because early social skills are developed and reinforced through the high expectations of all adults.
• Historically, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has been below average. However, disadvantaged children make the quick gains in their learning as a result of the good use of additional funding. By the end of Reception Year the small group of these pupils who are ready for school have made the progress they should and most achieve a good level of development.
• Children are generally purposefully engaged. They enjoy imaginative play. However, the quality of engagement and learning is not always directed effectively to meet the needs of some groups of children.
• Safeguarding is effective. Staff training is up to date and staff assess the risks to children continually.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 115555 Gloucestershire 10012361 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 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 132 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Peter Taylor Kate Burke 01594 562201 www.yorkleyschool.co.uk head@yorkley.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 May 2014

Information about this school

• This is a smaller than average-sized primary school and pupils attend the Reception Year full time.
• The proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language and the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds are below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The proportions of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are above average.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning in lessons with the headteacher. He reviewed pupils’ work, talked to pupils in lessons and analysed samples of work across a range of subjects.
• Meetings were held with different groups of pupils to discuss their views about the school and to listen to pupils with a range of abilities read.
• The inspector held discussions with parents, senior leaders, middle leaders and three governors, including the chair of governors.
• The inspector viewed a range of documents, including information on pupils’ achievement, the school’s current assessment information, its self-evaluation report and its pupil premium report. He also looked at the school’s development plan, documents relating to safeguarding, and records of behaviour and attendance.
• The inspector took account of the 41 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and 15 responses to the staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Matt Middlemore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector