Eastover Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching to accelerate the progress of the most able pupils by ensuring that teachers consistently challenge pupils to work at a higher standard across the curriculum.
• Develop further and refine approaches to managing a very small minority of pupils with complex behavioural needs.
• Ensure that leaders’ monitoring of teaching is more precisely focused on different groups of pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors are resolute in their drive to provide pupils with a good-quality education. They are united by a strong ambition for continuing improvement, and so consistently set high expectations for pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. The school’s vision, ‘Discover and grow, together’, permeates school life, underpinning the actions of those who work and learn at the school.
• Leaders use assessment information and their own monitoring activities to identify and improve aspects of the school’s work that could be better. Their actions are decisive. Leaders select appropriate initiatives to address weaknesses in pupils’ academic performance. For example, the impact of leaders’ work can be seen in the improved achievement of pupils in mathematics.
• Leaders are highly successful in their drive to promote for all pupils an understanding of equality of opportunity and an awareness of diversity. The impact of their actions is clear in the excellent work around the school’s provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Leaders are skilled in meeting the individual needs of these pupils, enabling them to settle quickly into school routines and make strong progress.
• Leaders have reliable systems for managing teachers’ performance. Almost all staff who responded to the inspection survey agree that leaders use training to encourage, challenge and support their development. The valued culture of support that leaders have generated ensures that teachers are committed to improving their work in the classrooms.
• Middle leaders have a precise understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the subjects they lead. They speak very positively about the support they receive from senior leaders and undertake their monitoring roles effectively in order to raise standards.
• Leaders have been successful in their work to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Their views on the quality of teaching are accurate and well informed. Teachers are provided with clear guidance on how to improve their practice further. However, monitoring activities are not focused sharply enough on the impact teaching has on learning for different groups of pupils.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make strong progress from their individual starting points. This is because leaders select the most appropriate support to further their academic achievement and meet their individual needs. Leaders ensure that additional funding is spent wisely in order to improve achievement for disadvantaged pupils.
• The curriculum provides good breadth and balance, with an interesting variety of extra-curricular clubs and activities. Enrichment activities, such as visiting places of historic or scientific interest and other cultural events, help to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. As a result, pupils are successfully acquiring a wide range of age-appropriate skills.
• The sport premium is used effectively to promote pupils’ interest in and enjoyment of sporting activities. The school offers pupils many sporting activities and regularly participates in local sports festivals. There is a wide range of extra-curricular clubs that are very well attended. High-quality coaching enables pupils to attain well in physical education.
• Leaders have responded well to the external support and guidance that they have received from the local authority and other external agencies. They follow up recommendations with resolve. This support has been instrumental in furthering the positive impact that middle leaders have in raising standards across the school.
• Parental feedback is largely positive about the school’s work and the efforts staff make to ensure that their children are happy, safe and well looked after. All parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agree that their child is taught well. They say that staff are very approachable and understanding and really care about the pupils. For example, a comment written by one parent, typical of many, said, ‘Staff at the school could not be more helpful, friendly and caring.’

Governance of the school

• Governance at the school is effective. Governors have a realistic understanding of the school’s current performance. They speak knowledgeably about the impact that leaders’ actions have on raising standards. For example, governors talk with authority about the strong impact of the school’s work to improve pupils’ achievement in mathematics and reading.
• Governors are well informed and self-assured in their work. They understand the purpose of school improvement priorities. They use information effectively to check the impact of leaders’ actions on raising standards.
• Governors hold leaders to account for all aspects of the school’s work. They maintain a watchful overview of how additional funds are spent. Governors’ documentation shows that they provide appropriate challenge to ensure that leaders’ actions have the desired effect on improving outcomes for pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have established a consistent culture for looking after children and keeping them safe.
• Staff receive timely and appropriate training. They are alert to the potential signs of abuse. Staff follow the school’s policies and procedures quickly and effectively when they escalate concerns.
• Rigorous systems ensure that staff and other adults who are involved in the school are suitable to work with children. For example, safer recruitment practices explore candidates’ suitability to work with pupils when references are taken up.
• Leaders have a detailed and thorough knowledge and understanding of vulnerable pupils and the complexity of their individual needs. They pass on referrals swiftly to external agencies to ensure that pupils receive appropriate help and support.
• Pupils feel safe. They say they have a trusted adult whom they can go to with a worry or a concern. Safeguarding is rooted in the curriculum, ensuring that pupils learn the basic skills needed to keep themselves safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers consolidate and deepen pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills in lessons. As a result, pupils readily acquire the key learning associated with their different stages of development.
• Teachers and support staff use questioning skilfully to check pupils’ understanding and challenge their thinking. Their direct intervention in lessons ensures that misunderstandings are addressed, enabling pupils to progress well with their learning.
• Teachers have a precise view of the progress made by pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Careful planning ensures that these pupils receive the right support to ensure that they can make strong progress.
• Teachers meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils effectively. Support and extra resources are well targeted to enable these pupils to achieve well.
• Reading skills are taught well throughout the school. Pupils use their phonics knowledge to work out unfamiliar words successfully. The school’s focus on improving pupils’ reading comprehension skills has had a positive impact on raising standards. Pupils approach this area of learning with confidence and resilience.
• Staff use a wide range of teaching strategies to meet the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The success of such strategies is evident in the pupils’ strong progress.
• Teachers use a range of approaches to improve pupils’ writing so that pupils master writing devices and techniques quickly. They use these effectively to develop their ideas. Pupils’ presentation in writing is good across the wider curriculum. They take pride in their work and make strong progress.
• Teaching assistants are accomplished at providing pupils with well-targeted support. They have a detailed understanding of the individuals that they work with. For example, in key stage 1 mathematics, teaching assistants use a range of mathematical resources to engage fully and meet the needs of lower-attaining pupils. Consequently, pupils confidently grasp the concepts they are working on.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils interact positively with their peers in lessons, readily engaging in purposeful learning conversations. They listen attentively, showing respect for the views of others.
• Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. Their good levels of interest and engagement enable them to progress well in lessons.
• Pupils take care in the presentation of their work. They are proud of their achievements and feel valued by the school.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe online and are alert to the potential signs of bullying, including cyber bullying. They say that on the rare occasions when bullying happens, staff respond quickly in following up their concerns.
• Pupils speak confidently about how to keep themselves healthy. They recognise the importance of healthy eating and participating in regular exercise. Pupils say that a strength of the school is the wide range of sporting activities that encourage them to be active.

Behaviour

example, when participating in after-school activities, they listen carefully and respond quickly to adults’ requests and instructions.

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and at different points throughout the school day. For
• Leaders have put a range of effective measures in place to check and improve pupils’
• Leaders keep detailed logs of incidents of misbehaviour. They follow these up to attendance. They ensure that poor attendance is not allowed to go unchallenged. As a result, attendance across the school is improving for all groups. ensure that issues are dealt with and that the probability of recurrence is minimised. Leaders are proactive in seeking external support for pupils with individual behavioural needs. However, they need to further develop their approaches to managing a very small minority of pupils with complex behavioural needs.
• Parental views on behaviour at the school are largely positive.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The progress pupils make by the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics has improved. In the 2017 national tests, pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics was in line with the national average.
• The proportions of pupils attaining the expected standard in each of reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 are increasing. In 2017, pupils’ attainment in mathematics was in line with the national average.
• In 2017, the numbers of key stage 1 pupils reaching the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics were a substantial improvement on 2016 results. The numbers of pupils reaching the higher standards were also an improvement, particularly in reading. These results were in line with or close to national expectations.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils is good. Pupils’ work and the school’s records show that disadvantaged pupils currently in the school are making strong progress.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are benefiting from well-targeted support to meet their individual needs. This ensures that they make strong progress from their individual starting points.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been sustained around the national level for the last three consecutive years. This underpins pupils’ strong progress in reading.
• The proportion of pupils meeting age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics, throughout the school, is increasing in almost all year groups. Pupils’ work shows that they can use these skills successfully to support their learning across the wider curriculum.
• Pupils use apparatus and a range of resources in mathematics to make strong progress from their individual starting points. For example, pupils’ work shows their ability and confident mastery of number in mathematical reasoning.
• Leaders’ actions have been decisive in tackling weaknesses in reading in key stage 2. Consequently, pupils’ comprehension skills are improving. Pupils can use retrieval, inference and deduction to examine a text and explain their own views.
• Achievement of the most able pupils is improving across the school. However, pupils who grasp concepts quickly are not challenged enough and are not moved on at a sufficient pace. Leaders do not ensure that challenge across the curriculum is constant so that these pupils can make sustained progress and reach the higher standards.

Early years provision Good

• The quality of provision in the early years is strong. Leaders, teachers and other adults know children’s learning needs very well. Adults are alert to children who might need additional help. They respond swiftly, putting in place support to ensure that no child can fall behind.
• Leaders are passionate about their work in the early years. They demonstrate an accurate understanding of the strengths of the provision and what could be even better. Leaders articulate their aspirations for children’s learning with conviction, galvanising the support of the early years staff.
• Teachers hold high expectations for children’s achievement. They use accurate assessments to plan purposeful learning activities that engage and interest children. As a result, children make strong progress from often low starting points.
• Children make a good start to their education in the early years. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development has remained close to the national average since the previous inspection. Children are well prepared for the learning they experience in Year 1.
• Disadvantaged children make strong progress because teachers provide them with well-targeted support. The appropriate use of additional funding ensures that these children get off to a good start with their education.
• Children’s good behaviour in the early years shows that they feel safe. When participating in shared activities, they demonstrate the ability to take turns, showing a secure awareness of the feelings of others.
• Learning opportunities are generally well matched to meet the needs of different groups of children, including the disadvantaged and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. However, challenge for the most able is not always enough to ensure that these children can exceed expectations across the early years curriculum.
• A wide range of activities across the provision enables children to develop their skills further in language and communication. Consequently, children engage in productive and purposeful dialogue with their peers, demonstrating skills appropriate to their different stages of development.
• Staff are very vigilant in their supervision of children, ensuring that the school’s high expectations for safeguarding are upheld. Leaders ensure that all welfare requirements in the early years are met.
• Parents and carers are well informed about their child’s progress. They are actively involved in supporting the school and especially appreciate its accurate judgements regarding their child’s development.

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School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 123679 Somerset 10037863 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 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 419 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Alison Monteith Nicola Darby 01278 422 693 www.eastover-primary.eschools.co.uk office@eastover.somerset.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 16 17 January 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is just above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average.
• The school is much larger than the average primary school.
• The school met the floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress, in 2017.
• The school manages a breakfast club and after-school care.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons, sometimes jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, groups of pupils and representatives from the governing body.
• Inspectors scrutinised a number of documents, including minutes from governors’ meetings, school improvement plans, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work and observed their conduct at breaktimes, lunchtimes and the start and end of the school day. Inspectors also spoke to groups of pupils to seek their views about the school.
• The views of parents were considered by analysing the 19 responses to Parent View. Inspectors also met informally with parents during the inspection.
• The views of staff were gathered by considering the 37 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Neil Swait, lead inspector Non Davies Claire Mirams Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector