Barmby-on-the-Marsh Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen teaching and therefore further improve the attainment and progress of different groups of pupils, especially the most able pupils, by ensuring that: pupils are consistently well challenged across the curriculum, especially in mathematics and writing, so that all groups of pupils across all classes can acquire skills rapidly all teachers use assessment information accurately to plan activities across all areas of the curriculum which closely meet the needs of different groups of pupils

in mathematics, pupils have regular opportunities to use and apply their skills.

• Improve the behaviour of pupils further, by: continuing to work with pupils in key stage 2 so that they understand the importance of presenting their work neatly.
• Improve the leadership and management by: ensuring that issues that arise from checks made on teaching are followed through so that teaching improves further providing ongoing training and support for leaders who have new areas of responsibility.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and his leaders understand the school well. They accurately evaluate the impact of the work they do on the pupils. This also means that they know what the school needs to improve.
• The assessment system in school means leaders have a very close understanding of all pupils’ individual needs. As such, they identify underachievement early and provide useful and effective support which helps pupils make rapid progress over time.
• The accurate evaluation of the provision comes from the leaders’ regular checks on teaching and pupils’ progress. However, while they respond rapidly to pupils’ underachievement, they are not as quick to action necessary improvements to teaching where issues are identified.
• Appraisal is used well by leaders, supported by governors. The targets set are challenging and clear. They also link into the school’s key priorities for improving the school, and pupils’ progress. Staff are held to account against these objectives.
• Training is provided for all staff and this is of a high quality. Leaders organise training with another local school, and with the local authority, to ensure that staff get the chance to share best practice with colleagues in nearby schools.
• However, training and support for leaders with new areas of responsibility have not been strong enough, meaning that leadership of certain areas needs to improve. Specifically, issues identified in the teaching of mathematics are understood, but have not been improved quickly enough. This is because the leadership of this area has not been given enough guidance and has not responded rigorously.
• The funding attracted by disadvantaged pupils is used well. The school provides support in the classroom to support these pupils’ progress. They also use funding to ensure that these pupils can access the full curriculum, including after-school clubs and trips with their peers. This all helps these pupils achieve well, in line with their peers.
• The leadership of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is strong. These pupils’ needs are well understood by leaders, who liaise very closely with other teachers and teaching assistants. Leaders ensure that staff know how to meet these pupils’ needs and help them to make good progress. As a result, these pupils achieve well in terms of their academic progress, and the progress that they make in managing their feelings and behaviour.
• The curriculum is a particular strength of the school. It has been revised recently with close consideration of pupils’ interests and needs as they move into the wider world. As such, the curriculum is broad and balanced and there are regular opportunities for pupils to learn different topics in great depth, while also reinforcing their reading, writing and mathematics skills.
• The curriculum also provides pupils with the chance to learn about different faiths and cultures, as well as the different life choices people make. Consequently, it enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and their understanding of British values. This is also reflected in their strong conduct and positive attitudes to learning.
• The sports premium funding is spent wisely. This has been a focus for leaders and they have made astute decisions to ensure that pupils can play varied sports throughout the year, during the day in physical education lessons, and in after-school clubs. They have used specialist coaches to teach the pupils, and to train the adults so that their teaching improves. This has led to improved participation of pupils in sport across the school, as well as success in local sporting competitions.
• Parents are very pleased with the school. The very large majority speak positively about the school, in terms of their children’s happiness, safety and progress. They feel well informed and that the adults care for their children. Parents report that the headteacher is very approachable, as are his team of teachers. They listen to parents’ concerns and are quick to respond.
• The local authority has worked with the school to support improvements. Like leaders in school, they have not always acted upon their findings. However, their messages to the school have been clear and accurate and they have brokered support with other schools to ensure that the school is able to access strong training for teachers in school.

Governance of the school

• Governors understand the school well. They are committed to the school and, as such, they challenge and question leaders effectively, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of the pupils.
• Governors understand the school’s areas for improvement and recognise what it is doing well, and how it has improved since the last inspection.
• Governors take their responsibilities seriously, including making sure that funding, such as that for disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, is spent effectively and thus has a positive impact on these pupils.
• Governors work with the headteacher to ensure that adults are held accountable for their work and the impact they have on pupils, through the appraisal system.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There are detailed records of staff in terms of their identity and qualifications, as well as their suitability for working with children.
• Leaders ensure that staff are trained regularly and this training is refreshed periodically, so that everyone understands how to keep children safe. This also means that staff know how to respond if a child is at risk, or if they need further support from the school. Staff know who to go to if they believe that a child is unsafe.
• Leaders and governors regularly review policies and protocols so that they are up to date and fit for purpose to support pupils’ safety. These policies are readily available for pupils, parents and staff to access.
• The school works effectively with a range of external agencies, including the local authority, to support pupils who are vulnerable. The school uses these agencies to engage support for whole families to ensure that children are safe and well safeguarded.
• Pupils and parents also know what to do if they have a concern around pupils’ safety. There is a range of information available to parents and pupils, and there are identified people in school they know to go to if they are worried.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is good and meets the needs of pupils well. This leads to pupils making good progress and a very high proportion reaching the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teaching supports different groups of pupils well, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. However, at times, there is some lack of challenge, which means that the needs of the most able pupils are not met closely enough at times.
• Teaching is engaging as a result of the engaging curriculum, which leads to good conduct from pupils, who demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. This contributes to the strong progress they make. In key stage 1, pupils take pride in their learning and have developed good handwriting skills quickly. However, this is not the case in key stage 2, where handwriting and overall presentation is not neat enough.
• Teaching of writing has improved this year, following some disappointing outcomes last year. Teachers provide more opportunities for pupils to write regularly and at length. This helps pupils to develop a strong stamina for writing and to practise and improve their use of spelling, grammar and punctuation. At times, however, there is a lack of challenge from teachers. Teachers do not always take the chance to get pupils to improve their writing further, or to use more sophisticated language, for example.
• Reading is also well taught. Pupils read widely and often and this means that they are enthusiastic readers, who not only develop phonics skills very quickly and from an early age, but continue to develop more complex reading skills such as inference and deduction. This opens pupils up to a wide range of authors and genres in their reading and they develop a strong passion for reading.
• Mathematics is also well taught. Pupils regularly practise their skills so that their mental agility improves. At times, they also use and apply these skills to develop their mathematical understanding further. However, they do not get these opportunities often enough. Consequently, there is a lack of challenge in their learning, which especially inhibits the progress of the most able pupils.
• Assessment of pupils’ progress is accurate. Where teachers report on pupils’ progress throughout the year, leaders use the information well to identify underachievement and provide key support for pupils, as necessary. This leads to good progress over time.
• However, the day-to-day assessment that teachers undertake of pupils, for example when they question pupils or check their work in their books, is not always used well. Teachers do not always use the information precisely enough to identify pupils’ next steps in learning. Largely, this means that where most-able pupils have secured their learning quickly, teachers are sometimes slow to provide more challenging work to stretch these pupils further. This can slow progress for the most able pupils.

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 safe and feel safe. They can also describe why they feel safe. Parents agree with their children. All report that pupils are well cared for by adults. Pupils report that there is always someone they can talk to if they have a question or a worry.
• Bullying is rare, and pupils and parents report that any matters are dealt with quickly, so they do not persist. There are very few serious behaviour incidents and any minor incidents are taken seriously, so that few pupils repeat poor behaviour. All this helps pupils to feel safe. Many pupils and parents described the school community as a family, and the pupils’ positive relationships with adults and other pupils demonstrate this.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in various situations, thanks to regular events in school. There have been sessions held by the local police and fire brigade to help pupils keep themselves safe. There has also been a focus on showing pupils and parents the potential dangers of using the internet and how to avoid these, or what to do if they feel worried.
• Pupils have access to a strong curriculum which encourages them to take part in lots of sporting activities and helps their understanding of how to eat healthily and which foods they should not eat too often. This is further supported by the school dinners, which are healthy and tasty; the large majority of pupils choose to eat school dinners.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils conduct themselves well at all times of the day, during lessons and around school. They are always polite to one another and adults. Routines are well established, meaning that adults rarely need to remind pupils of their expectations. This creates a safe and happy environment, and also means that pupils do not waste learning time.
• In class, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They are very keen to take part in learning, answer questions and work in teams. This contributes to their positive outcomes. However, in key stage 2, some pupils do not take enough pride in their learning; their handwriting is particularly weak at times.
• Attendance is very high, and this is especially the case for disadvantaged pupils. A much lower than average proportion of pupils are absent persistently. Pupils want to come to school, thanks to the engaging curriculum and caring atmosphere in school. It is also because leaders work effectively with families where regular absence is more of an issue.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ outcomes are good. A very high proportion reach the expected standard for their age by the end of each key stage. The proportion of pupils who exceed this standard is improving. This is the case in reading, writing and mathematics, because of the strong teaching.
• The outcomes for different groups of pupils are good. This is the case for disadvantaged pupils and for those who have SEN and/or disabilities. Low- and middle-ability pupils also do well. At times, the most able pupils’ progress is less rapid than it could be, where work is not challenging enough.
• Outcomes in phonics are very strong. By the end of Year 1 a much higher than average proportion of pupils pass the phonics screening check. As a result of good teaching and strong systems, these pupils make rapid progress in securing their phonics knowledge. They then use their phonics in reading and writing from a young age, which supports rapid progress in reading and writing as well.
• In mathematics, outcomes are strong and improving. At times, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to use and apply the skills that they practise. In addition, some of the most able mathematicians do not make rapid progress like their peers, which can hinder them from reaching the higher standards. However, overall, pupils’ attainment and progress in mathematics is strong.
• Progress and attainment in writing have improved this year, following some slower progress in recent years. This is due to teachers providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length. This has led to an increased proportion reaching the expected standard for their age. Again, at times, some of the most able pupils are not pushed to improve their work, which can slow their progress over time.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the Reception class with levels of development which are typical for their age. From these starting points, children make good progress. A very high proportion reach a good level of development and a high proportion, compared to the national average, exceed this standard.
• There is strong provision in place to help children make good progress. The indoor and outdoor areas are well set out so that children can engage with activities which interest them, and which support key aspects of their development. This is the case for different groups of children, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• There is new leadership of the setting and more training and support is needed to ensure that the early years’ strengths and areas for improvement are clearly understood. However, despite this, the teaching and the curriculum are strong, and children are well served.
• Adults in the setting interact very well with children, ensuring that they are well guided and understand the activities provided for them. They also question children skilfully so that children’s oral communication development is also nurtured and improved. The relationships between adults and children are very positive, helping children to feel safe, and confident to learn.
• Activities are well planned because the assessment of children is regular, robust and accurate. Importantly, adults use this information well to plan children’s next steps in learning. This leads to the strong progress that children make, and, as a result, children are well prepared for their learning when they arrive in Year 1.
• Phonics is well taught, on a regular and systematic basis, ensuring that children acquire their phonics skills quickly and securely.
• Both indoors and outdoors, children can access activities to develop their reading, writing and mathematics skills. This includes the problem-solving areas, where children practise their reasoning and investigative skills. For example, in role play, children have a shop where they price items and have to use their mathematics skills to tell customers how much to pay for their shopping.
• Parents have very positive views of the early years. They report that support for their child to transition from pre-school settings to the Reception class are very strong. Their children settle quickly and enjoy coming to school. Equally, when they leave Reception, thanks to the regular visits they make to the key stage 1 classroom, children are confident to make the move to Year 1.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective and the legal welfare requirements are in place and met appropriately.

School details

Unique reference number 117824 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10047604 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils Gender of pupils 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 47 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Jonathan Longthorp Mr Liam Jackson Telephone number 01757 638336 Website Email address www.barmbyonthemarshprimary.co.uk barmbyonthemarsh.primary@eastriding.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 4 June 2014

Information about this school

• Most pupils are White British. The proportions of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language are well below average.
• A lower than average proportion of pupils is disadvantaged.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well below average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is well above average.
• Pupils start in the school in the Reception class on a full-time basis.
• In 2017, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed teaching and learning in a range of lessons and scrutinised work in some pupils’ books.
• The inspector observed and spoke with pupils during lessons and at breaktime. She also met formally with two groups of pupils from Year 1 to Year 6.
• The inspectors heard pupils read from Year 6.
• Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders. Meetings also took place with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body, and with a representative from the local authority.
• The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, performance management procedures, leaders’ monitoring documentation, leaders’ reports to governors and pupils’ attendance and behaviour information. They also looked at the school’s assessment information showing pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The inspector considered the views of parents through the 41 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. She also spoke to a range of parents as they brought their children to school.

Inspection team

Fiona McNally, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector