Burton Pidsea Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to support the improvements in teaching so that more is outstanding and so that outcomes improve even further, especially in key stage 1 and for the most able pupils, by: ensuring that when pupils have demonstrated a strong understanding of their work, they are moved on quickly and not expected to work at the same level for extended periods of time ensuring that teaching in Years 1 and 2 takes full account of the pupils’ good levels of development as they arrive from Reception and that these pupils continue to make good progress.
• Continue to improve leadership by: embedding the recent improvements and initiatives in place to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of modern British values so that they have a clear and rich understanding of life beyond their own experience maintaining and further developing the work to reassure and engage parents as the school moves forward.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have worked effectively to move the school on from its last inspection by focusing on key areas for development identified at that time. They have been well supported by governors, as well as the local authority, who have also brokered strong support from a local school. The collaboration of these professionals has ensured that teaching has improved and that pupils’ outcomes are now good.
• Monitoring of teaching is accurate and done regularly to ensure that where training is needed it can be offered and is bespoke to the individual. As a result, teaching is now good.
• Appraisal of staff is done well and is structured to ensure that there are regular checks on an individual’s successes in terms of meeting targets and where more training or support may be required. This has meant that teachers have improved their practice and that they feel their professional development needs are met well by leaders.
• The work of leaders with responsibility for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities has had a positive impact on this group. These pupils are now well catered for because their needs are properly understood and activities are planned to support them and help them to make good progress.
• The pupil premium funding is used effectively and has provided extra support for disadvantaged pupils where required, as well as enabling them to take part in special events and extra-curricular activities with their peers. The outcome of this support is that these pupils achieve well.
• The PE and sport premium given to the school is used to enhance the quality of specialist teaching for pupils. This has led to teaching which ensures that there is a lot of physical activity in lessons, while also improving pupils’ understanding of the reasons to live an active lifestyle and how to succeed in sport. As a result, pupils have also increased their participation in a wider range of sports in extra-curricular times.
• Since the last inspection, there have been some temporary changes to leadership. Despite this, leaders in the school and from the authority have worked effectively to ensure that the school has improved since the last inspection. However, the lack of stability has understandably made parents nervous about the necessary changes that have come about over the past 12 months. Parents have recently become more confident about the impact of leadership on their children’s education, although as further leadership changes are made, they continue to need reassurance from the school. Leaders are aware of this and are making every effort to engage with parents and listen to their views.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and ensures that pupils have regular chances to use their reading, writing and mathematical skills across the curriculum. There is a wide variety of subjects within the curriculum and lots of events, visits and visitors to school which enhance the learning in the classroom, and which enthuse pupils about their learning, as they reported during the inspection.
• Until recently, there was not enough focus on planning activities which ensured that pupils had a comprehensive understanding of life beyond their own experiences. This included a lack of opportunity to understand different cultures and religions, as well as different lifestyle choices people can make. This need has now been recognised, however, and making improvements to this area is a clear priority for the school. This has meant that events such as visitors from Freetown in Sierra Leone (twinned with Hull) have been in school to speak with and teach the pupils. Furthermore, lessons around making positive choices, which have included supporting the pupils’ understanding of different sexual orientations and, for example, the different types of families that live in Britain, are now in place and are done well.
• The local authority has a very clear understanding of the school’s quality of provision. This is due to regular visits which have been used to thoroughly investigate the quality of teaching and the impact on pupils’ outcomes. They have also checked the broader provision, such as the curriculum and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. This has afforded the authority a very precise view of strengths and areas for development and has allowed them to advise the school accurately and broker strong support from another school.

The governance of the school

• Governance of the school is good. Governors are committed and effective partners to the school, who are able to support and challenge leaders. This is because they understand the information they are given, including published assessment information on the different groups of pupils.
• Using the information they are given, governors understand the school’s successes and where improvements have been made. Furthermore, they are realistic and clear about the improvements still needed at the school.
• Governors know how the funding for pupil premium pupils is spent and the impact on their outcomes. They also know how appraisal works in the school and take into account the assessment information of pupils when monitoring teachers’ pay awards.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school works with families and various agencies to ensure that the safeguarding of all groups of pupils is effective. There is regular training for all staff and governors, to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their role within this area. Policies are clearly communicated to parents via the school website.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is good. This represents an improvement since the last inspection. Improvements have come about through a strong commitment by teachers and leaders to ensure that there is accurate and regular monitoring of teaching. This has supported better training, which meets individuals’ needs well.
• Teachers use questioning well. They persist with pupils to ensure that they give full, articulate answers, which helps teachers to identify where pupils are clear in their understanding and where there are errors and misconceptions. This means that misconceptions can be addressed quickly so that pupils are ready to move on.
• Teachers also use regular marking of pupils’ work to ensure that they understand how well pupils are doing. They provide feedback for pupils to help identify errors which need addressing and understand how to further improve the work. Pupils use this feedback well because they are given the time to reflect and respond, because teachers’ instructions are clear and succinct.
• Teachers plan activities which are engaging and pupils are therefore on task in lessons. Books also show that pupils complete their work and do it to a good standard. Often, learning in the classroom relates to other events, visits and visitors to school, which further enhances pupils’ enthusiasm and understanding.
• At times, teachers do not move pupils on quickly enough. This occurs mainly in mathematics and can mean that even when pupils have demonstrated a thorough understanding of a mathematical skill, they are expected to complete all questions set in the task, rather than being moved on to more challenging work, as appropriate. This approach can slow progress and is mostly affecting the most able pupils.
• Historically, teaching in key stage 1 has not been as effective as in other phases and this has slowed the pace of progress for pupils. This is already showing signs of some improvement, but more is needed to ensure that Year 2 pupils fill in gaps from weaker teaching earlier in the key stage.
• The teaching of phonics is good and is improving, meaning that an increasing proportion of pupils are meeting the expected level in phonics by the end of Year 1 and Year 2. This is supporting pupils’ ability to read and to enjoy reading, as well as their capacity to write accurately.
• The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. These pupils’ needs are met effectively by strong support: leaders assess pupils’ needs accurately and teachers plan learning that promotes progress and increases levels of independence. In many ways, this is aided well by well-trained teaching assistants, who provide good support for these pupils. Teaching assistants know the pupils and are also good at questioning and guiding pupils.
• The teaching of the most able pupils is good overall, although at times there are missed opportunities to move them on to kore challenging activities. These pupils can demonstrate a good understanding of how to work independently and are good at using resources to aid their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils feel safe and understand why they feel safe. They believe that the adults take care of them well and that they really know them as individuals. Parents are also confident that their child is well cared for, happy and safe in school.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe on the internet and can talk about the potential risks in using different websites. They can identify websites which are not appropriate for their age group and what to do if they are on a website and something worries or upsets them. This is because they are taught about these matters in school in lessons and in special events. Parents also benefit from some of these events and so can support the safety of their child at home.
• Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including cyber bullying and prejudice-based bullying. They report that bullying is rare because there is little upset between pupils and generally pupils get along well. However, they can cite rare occasions when bullying has occurred and say that it has been dealt with effectively and quickly.
• Pupils are proud of their school. They believe they are fortunate to be at a school where everyone knows each other and where there are lots of opportunities to go on trips, welcome visitors and work with pupils from different age groups. They also believe that teaching is interesting and that there are very few interruptions to their learning because of poor behaviour.
• Pupils take pride in their own appearance and their work in books. They present their work neatly and follow teachers’ instructions in this regard. They make good use of teachers’ feedback to improve their work. The classrooms and other areas around the school are tidy and well organised.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves fit and healthy, which is helped by the specialist teaching in their physical education lessons and the opportunities to do sport after school. Pupils report that school dinners are tasty and healthy.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils conduct themselves well around school, including at social times and in assembly. During break and lunchtime, it is very evident that pupils from different classes and age groups get along and play together well. There is also an atmosphere of kindness as pupils take care of younger or new pupils.
• Pupils have positive attitudes to learning, seen by the effort they make in their books and in the good progress they are making across different subject areas.
• Behaviour records, parents’ views and pupils’ opinions all reinforce the fact that lessons are rarely disrupted because of poor behaviour. Clear expectations are communicated throughout the school and there is consistency within this. This means pupils understand the expectations of adults and the routines in place. This helps pupils to move about school and between activities well, without wasting time and with little adult intervention.
• Behaviour is good and this aspect of school is well managed. All incidents are recorded centrally and dealt with thoroughly. There have been no serious behaviour issues since the last inspection and minor incidents are very rare. This is also the case with bullying, which is also dealt with effectively and quickly.
• Pupils’ attendance is above the national average for different groups of pupils, and has improved consistently since the last inspection. Pupils enjoy coming to school and value their learning.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• From their starting points, pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This means that by the end of key stage 2, a higher than average proportion of pupils reach the expected standards in these areas and a number of pupils exceed these standards. As a result, pupils leave well prepared for learning in secondary school.
• Different groups of pupils achieve well, including disadvantaged pupils. There are only a few of these pupils in school, but they all make good progress from their starting points. This represents an improvement since the last inspection and also means that attainment differences between these pupils and others nationally are diminishing rapidly.
• Outcomes for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are good. Their needs are met well by teachers who plan lessons well, using the checks they make on pupils’ understanding and misconceptions, as well as teaching assistants, who also support pupils well. This means that the standards these pupils reach in reading, writing and mathematics are improving and the differences between these pupils and others are diminishing.
• The most able pupils make good progress overall. At times, in key stage 1, more could be done to ensure that an increasing proportion exceed the national standards in reading, writing and mathematics, including the pace at which these pupils are expected to work, to ensure that they are fully challenged. In key stage 2, these pupils are challenged well and consistently make good progress.
• Key stage 1 pupils make good progress in phonics. This is an improvement for the school and an increasing proportion are now meeting the standard by the end of Years 1 and 2. The school works successfully in identifying pupils who are struggling with this area and offers strong support for pupils to improve. This helps pupils to read fluently and well by the end of key stage 1.
• Reading is taught well across the school, supported by the phonics programme. Pupils read every day and are encouraged to choose their own books and to read for pleasure as well as for learning in the classroom. The school uses reading records to ensure that there is good communication with parents in this area, and to encourage parents to hear their children read at home. This work has led to pupils reaching and even exceeding the national standards in reading.
• Mathematics skills have improved in the school thanks to an intensive training programme for all staff. The school routinely gets the pupils to practise their operational skills before setting them challenges which tests pupils’ capacity to apply these skills through word problems and activities such as data handling and plotting graphs. Pupils are, therefore, learning how to apply mathematics to their everyday lives, which is also seen in such subjects as geography and science. This is helping pupils to regularly access and practise their mathematics and is increasing their enjoyment of the subject.

Early years provision Good

• Generally, children start school in Nursery or Reception with skills and knowledge which are typical for their age. It is also common for a high proportion of children to arrive with writing skills which are typically less developed for their age.
• From these starting points, a higher than average proportion of children leave Reception with a good level of development, and this proportion has increased year on year since the last inspection. This means children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teaching is planned well and ensures that where there are gaps in children’s learning, there are activities to enhance their development in this area. In addition, teachers and other adults use the very regular observations and assessments they make of children to gauge children’s interests so that these can be interwoven into the curriculum.
• Leaders work closely with teachers to improve the setting and work is being done to improve the outdoor area. However, while more apparatus is needed outside, the leaders and teachers in the provision are very creative in using what they have to generate enthusiasm and to give children the chance to develop all areas of learning on a regular basis.
• Children’s learning is also centred around preparing them for life in modern Britain by reinforcing key British values on a regular basis. For example, when children were doing an assault course with the teacher in one session of learning observed, they practised balancing and gross motor skills. They then discussed how they could change the course to make it easier as some children were struggling. Children listened to one another’s ideas and then decided to take a vote to see which of the ideas would suit the task best. As well as working well as a team, demonstrating sharing and turn-taking, they also demonstrated respect for each other’s ideas and relied on a democratic process to make an important decision.
• The setting inside and outside is also clearly focused on reinforcing children’s reading, writing and mathematics skills. This helps to ensure that children reach a good level of development across the learning areas and also supports children in their understanding of how important these skills are in all areas of their life.
• Thanks to a positive transition programme, where parents and the pre-school settings are involved, children settle well into the provision. In turn, this helps children quickly understand the expectations of the adults, as well as the routines in place. This means that they understand how to be good learners and move between activities calmly and purposefully.
• Because all adults understand the use of regular assessment and observations, there is a lot of information for adults about the children. This is used to plan activities which further enhance their development.
• Leaders and teachers from the setting have also engaged parents well. Parents speak very positively about the early years. They feel that their child is happy and safe and making good progress. They also feel well involved in their child’s learning and this helps them to support their child at home. This is the case for parents of children of all abilities and from different groups, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

School details

Unique reference number 117839 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10002135 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 62 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Fiona Good Jane Edmands 01964 670 518 www.burtonpidseaprimaryschool.co.uk burtonpidsea.primary@eastriding.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 October 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with DfE guidance on what academies should publish.
• This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school.
• The majority of pupils are White British.
• A lower than average proportion of pupils are disadvantaged. These pupils are supported through the pupil premium funding.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• Children enter the school in Nursery on a part-time basis and move into Reception on a full-time basis.
• The school is organised in mixed-year classes.
• During the time of the inspection, the school was led by an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher from Inmans Primary School, a local school which has been supporting the school since April 2016.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed a range of lessons.
• The inspector observed and spoke with pupils during lessons and at breaktime. She also met formally with groups of pupils from Year 2 to Year 6.
• The inspector heard pupils read from Year 2 and Year 6.
• The inspector also observed an assembly.
• Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders. Meetings also took place with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at pupils’ work and a range of documents, including the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, performance management procedures and pupils’ attendance data. Inspectors also looked at information about pupils’ progress and attainment.
• The inspector considered 19 parental responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View). They also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school during the inspection.

Inspection team

Fiona McNally, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector