Nythe Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Build leadership and management capacity for sustainable, long-term development by ensuring that the governing body is up to strength by recruiting parents to fill the current parent-governor vacancies.
• Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes further by:
  • raising expectations of what the most able pupils can achieve
  • monitoring pupils’ attainment closely
  • ensuring that pupils make at least expected progress in the Year 1 phonics screening check
  • taking appropriate steps to ensure that the writing skills of children in the early years develop at least in line with their academic progress.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since taking up her position in September 2015, the headteacher has implemented an extensive programme of improvements. She has made sure that good standards of teaching and learning are in place throughout the school and has led a rigorous campaign to improve outcomes for pupils. She has established robust systems for reviewing provision and planning developments. Senior and middle leaders work well together as a strong and effective team.
• Leaders have strengthened teaching successfully by implementing whole-school strategies, such as the new behaviour system and a revised marking policy. This has raised teachers’ expectations and established consistency. By systematically reviewing the quality of teaching and learning, leaders have been able to identify weaker provision and provide appropriate targeted support. Teachers are positive about the impact of this, for example in enabling them to teach phonics more effectively in the early years.
• Pupil premium funding has been used well to employ additional teaching assistants. They provide targeted support for disadvantaged pupils, such as support for older pupils in learning English and mathematics. As a result, these pupils have made good progress and the difference between their attainment and that of other pupils nationally has diminished.
• The sport premium funding has been used to integrate physical activities into the pupils’ everyday lives. A specialist sports teacher has been successful in developing pupils’ sports skills. She has provided a programme of training to support teachers by increasing their skills and confidence in the teaching of sport. Pupils enjoy physical education lessons, and high participation rates are having a positive impact.
• Well-directed professional development has meant that there is a shared sense of purpose throughout the school. All staff work hard to help pupils make the best progress possible.
• There is a broad and balanced curriculum in place. The curriculum map has been carefully planned. Pupils receive their full curriculum entitlement. Extra-curricular activities include football, art, African drumming, ukulele playing, and singing.
• Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. The assistant headteacher is the special educational needs coordinator and knows the pupils’ individual needs well. They receive appropriate support. Results show that these pupils are making strong progress. Teaching assistants are sensibly deployed and well trained, and intervention groups are taught well.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted through the everyday life at school, including wider enrichment opportunities. For example, the school’s ‘value of the week’ is given good coverage in assemblies and classes. Pupils appreciate the core values of their own and wider communities. They learn about the importance of democracy when they carry out elections for the school council. They reflect on British values and their own beliefs when discussing their understanding of different religions.
• Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school leadership. They value the daily access to their children’s teachers, the weekly newsletter from the headteacher and the supply of regular information on their children’s progress. Comments on Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, such as, ‘The new headteacher has settled in really well, and has worked wonders with the school already,’ and, ‘This school always focuses on the positive things the children do in and out of school,’ are typical. A large majority would recommend the school to other parents.
• Inspectors considered 14 responses to the staff questionnaire as part of this inspection and the majority of staff believe the leadership of the school to be good or better.
• The local authority provides effective support for the school, visiting regularly to monitor progress. It provided guidance for governors and assisted in securing the appointment of the new headteacher following the last inspection.
• Over the past year, the headteacher has successfully brokered a good range of support for middle leaders and early years teachers through productive links with other schools. This has helped to accelerate school improvement.

Governance of the school

• There have been changes on the governing body since the last inspection and new governors have joined this year, including the newly appointed chair.
• Governors are effective because they are hard-working, well informed and organised. All governors understand their roles and have a good grasp of the aspects for which they are responsible, such as the use and impact of pupil premium and sport premium funding.
• Experienced governors have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in the school. They visit regularly and know about the quality of teaching in the school. They use information on the school’s performance to ask appropriate questions of the headteacher.
• An identified area for improvement is to increase the capacity of the governing body by recruiting parents to fill the parent-governor vacancies.
• The governing body takes its responsibility for safeguarding seriously and ensures that pupils are safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school has rigorous procedures that meet statutory guidance, including the safe recruitment of staff. All staff understand their responsibilities and are well trained. The work of the safeguarding team is meticulous and efficient. Issues are picked up and handled quickly because pupils are confident in referring any concerns that they have, even when these seem minor.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching has improved across the school since the last inspection. Improvements in teaching are reflected in the level of challenge evident in pupils’ work. The most significant improvement is in teachers’ expectations, particularly for pupils to achieve the higher standards in English and mathematics. In key stage 2 classes, pupils’ handwriting is neat and pupils take evident care in the presentation of their work, even when this does not come naturally.
• Teachers use questions to encourage pupils to think carefully about what they are learning. They promote high-level discussions.
• Reading and writing are taught skilfully in most classes. Pupils understand how to structure sentences in a range of writing tasks. Pupils are taught how to read and interpret meanings well and they develop skills in reading for pleasure. Pupils’ progress in reading is recorded every day.
• Mathematics and numeracy are taught well. Pupils are encouraged to reason and solve problems. The work in their books is neat and a high percentage is accurate.
• Assessment and feedback are notable strengths because teachers are conscientious in providing constructive guidance, for example when marking pupils’ work. This has led to pupils reflecting on their learning and reviewing their work, which has helped to accelerate their progress.
• Teaching assistants provide high standards of support and guidance. They offer dedicated help to individuals and groups of pupils, such as disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils make strong progress as a result. Each pupil’s learning needs are very well known and they receive appropriate guidance, which enables them to learn quickly.
• When teachers’ expectations are too low, they seek to keep most-able pupils occupied or engaged, rather than placing demands on their learning. Most-able pupils are commended for the thoroughness and accuracy of their work, rather than being challenged to apply their knowledge and understanding in achieving higher standards.
• Weaker teaching in classes that have had a lot of temporary cover in the past year has hindered leaders’ efforts to develop consistently good learning and progress. However, staff have worked hard to take on additional planning and assessment so that no pupils fall behind.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils display a clear understanding of their own safety and well-being. They talk openly and confidently about issues that might concern them and their friends because they are confident that staff will deal swiftly with them. Pupils share ideas about bullying and recognise the different forms it can take. They know about how to stay safe online.
• Nythe Primary School has a well-earned reputation for expertly meeting the individual welfare needs of its pupils including those who have difficult personal circumstances. Staff provide the appropriate balance of very good care and zero tolerance of unacceptable behaviour.
• Class teachers use a stimulating range of personal, social and health education resources to develop pupils’ understanding of relationships and responsibilities. The school values of ‘respect’ and ‘friendship’ are reinforced throughout the day in classes and assemblies. Younger pupils understand the appropriate way to relate to one another; they talk about their personal ‘bubble area’, which teachers use to help them understand how to respect personal space and to stay safe.
• Pupils readily take on responsibilities, such as being a school council representative, and their views are routinely canvassed as part of the school’s review process. Pupils can point to changes that they have influenced, such as the organisation of lunchtime routines and consequent improvements in mid-day supervision.
• Parents believe that their children’s personal development and welfare are very good. For example, a parent wrote, ‘The weekly assemblies are a heart-warming way to end the school week, celebrating the achievements and behaviour of the children.’

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Most pupils conduct themselves very well in lessons. They display very positive attitudes to their work; they are engaged and enthusiastic in their learning tasks.
• Pupils are happy in school. In class and assembly, they listen quietly and cooperate with one another.
• Behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes is particularly good. A large number of pupils take school lunches and the smooth routine shows their high levels of self-discipline and cooperation. Children are supported well by mid-day assistants at the start of their meal and they wait until other pupils have finished eating before tidying away.
• Pupils have a good understanding of different forms of poor behaviour. They know that name-calling, inappropriate language or any form of discrimination are wrong and that such behaviour is not acceptable. Pupils told inspectors that on the few occasions that low-level disruption happens in classrooms, they are confident that teachers will resolve any issues.
• Some pupils struggle to meet the school’s high expectations of behaviour, but they are well supported and learn how to cope. The school has created ‘Warm Woods’, an internal isolation space, which is part of the new behaviour policy. This space enables pupils to have time and support in understanding how their behaviour can be modified.
• The school maintains detailed records of the behavioural incidents that happen. Staff know each pupil very well and so are able to provide the guidance needed.
• Pupils attend well. Levels of attendance have improved markedly since the last inspection, rising to almost 96% in the past year. Strategies for reducing absence have had a positive impact, particularly for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders share case studies where support has been highly effective in reducing pupils’ persistent absence.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes have improved since the last inspection, with an increase in attainment in English at the end of key stage 2. In English, a sharper focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar has improved these aspects of pupils’ writing.
• All groups of pupils achieve well, including those identified previously as underperforming.
• Most pupils make consistent progress after entering this school with attainment levels that are broadly in line with national averages. In the 2016 national assessments at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2, a high proportion of pupils made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Higher standards have been achieved by establishing a good climate for learning.
• The most able disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Their learning is monitored and this has led to diminishing differences in outcomes for these pupils.
• In 2016, Year 6 disadvantaged pupils made good progress and exceeded national averages for other pupils in reading.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language, are given appropriate support. They make good progress. Inspection evidence shows that early support in Year 2 for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is ensuring rapid improvements in phonics.
• The number of pupils making expected progress in the Year 1 phonics screening check was below the national average in 2016. Leaders have taken decisive action to improve the quality of phonics teaching and, as a result, pupils are improving to meet the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
• The progress of individual pupils in reading, writing and mathematics is tracked every term to make sure that pupils cover all the required skills.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provision is well led by the headteacher and by an early years specialist who supports the class on a part-time basis. Staff make use of inside and outside areas to provide a broad and interesting range of activities. Professional development, for instance on teaching phonics and outdoor learning, develops the skills of staff and improves provision for children.
• Teachers establish positive relationships with parents and carers. This begins with an effective transition from the pre-school setting. The school continues to involve parents in their children’s learning by holding meetings and learning workshops in the first term of school. The special educational needs coordinator identifies needs early, and works with outside agencies so pupils make a good start.
• Phonics is taught in a creative way which captures pupils’ interest and promotes effective learning.
• In the early years, children’s personal development and welfare are particularly good. Teachers and teaching assistants encourage children to share and play together well.
• Early years children are focused, motivated and enthusiastic learners because of the exciting and stimulating teaching. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and attitudes to learning. Children behave well, engage in their learning and cooperate with each other in their play.
• The children start school at levels that are typically broadly average for their ages. Most children, including disadvantaged children, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress over the year. The number of children achieving early learning goals has been similar to national standards over the last three years. The children’s books and other recorded learning show clear chronological evidence of children making good progress in the current year.
• Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe. Children learn about personal, social and emotional well-being through the school’s values.
• A skilled and talented team of staff is in place. A much larger classroom has been created, and development of this space is well under way.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 126249 Swindon 10019960 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 Maintained 4–11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 165 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jonathon Savage Sally Clarke 01793 524024 www.nythe.swindon.sch.uk head@nythe.swindon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 26–27 November 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The headteacher has been in post since September 2015.
• The headteacher of Goddard Park Community Primary Academy works with the headteacher of Nythe Primary School to support improvements in teaching and learning as part of a working collaborative agreement.
• This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of children for whom the school receives the pupil premium is broadly in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities with education, health and care plans or statements of special educational needs is slightly above the national average.
• Children in the early years are taught in one class on a full-time basis.
• The early years specialist is seconded from Goddard Park Community Primary Academy on a part-time basis, as part of the joint schools’ collaboration.
• The school runs a breakfast club and a range of after-school clubs which were evaluated as part of the inspection.
• Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. There are fewer pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language than the national average.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.
• Inspectors observed learning in 14 lessons, or part-lessons, covering all classes including the early years provision. Some of these visits were conducted jointly with senior leaders.
• Discussions took place with the headteacher, three governors (including the chair of governors), senior and middle leaders, staff and pupils.
• The lead inspector had a meeting with the local authority primary adviser.
• Pupils’ work was examined during lessons and a more detailed scrutiny was made of samples of written work. Pupils read to inspectors and inspectors spoke with pupils throughout the inspection in order to gather their views.
• Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including policies and records about how the school keeps pupils safe, information about pupils’ behaviour and their learning, progress and achievement, and the school’s evaluation of its strengths and its priorities for improvement.
• Inspectors considered 15 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, together with 14 staff questionnaires which had also been returned. Discussions were held with parents as they collected or dropped off their children.

Inspection team

Sheila Crew, lead inspector Maddy Kent Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector