Quay Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least good in order to raise standards for all groups of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, by: ensuring that the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics are taught consistently well in key stage 1 making sure that the recently adopted system for teaching phonics is effectively taught by all staff ensuring that all staff have high expectations of what pupils can do improving the impact of teaching provided by teaching assistants using the school’s recently developed assessment information to match work accurately to the abilities of pupils and ensure that gaps in learning are eliminated improving the timeliness of feedback to pupils and correcting pupils’ misconceptions swiftly.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management at all levels by: increasing the accuracy of evaluation of the performance of the school making sure that governors have a precise picture of the school’s effectiveness so they can hold leaders rigorously to account fully implementing the school’s recently created action plan to improve the quality of teaching, learning, assessment and pupils’ outcomes developing the skills of middle leaders to be able to check on and influence improvements in teaching ensuring that all staff are fully conversant with safeguarding policy and procedure.
• Improve the personal development, behaviour and well-being of pupils by: fostering good behaviours for learning through the consistent use of the behaviour policy improving behaviour during lunch and playtimes reducing the frequency of more serious incidents caused by a few pupils struggling to maintain acceptable behaviours and in turn reducing exclusions improving communication with the families of pupils who are misbehaving supporting those pupils who are persistently absent to attend school regularly. An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The new principal, working closely with the academy trust, is determined to deliver a ‘world-class’ education for all pupils in school. She strongly promotes an ethos of ‘no excuses’. Senior leaders have set in motion many changes to teaching, assessment and to the curriculum. At the time of the inspection, many of these initiatives were newly implemented and it was not possible for leaders to demonstrate the effect on pupils’ achievement.
• Regular checks on the performance of teachers closely link the work in pupils’ books and pupils’ progress. Senior leaders are frequently in classes, identifying and successfully tackling weaknesses in teaching. However, some teaching remains less effective because some staff are unclear about the reasons for change and have been less willing to adopt new practices.
• Although keen to make improvements, some middle leaders are new to their roles and have not been able to influence the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress. Stronger leadership in English has led to a common approach and rigour in the teaching of reading so that pupils, particularly in key stage 2, are making improved progress this year.
• Pupil premium funding has been spent on providing additional resources and staffing to support disadvantaged pupils. However, disadvantaged pupils continue to make less progress than other pupils nationally. Leaders are aware of the need to make sure that all resources improve the learning of disadvantaged pupils, but it is difficult to see the effect of spending on pupils’ progress and attainment.
• Leaders are carefully monitoring the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and ensuring that funding is appropriately spent. Individual pupil records show that effective work with external agencies and pupils’ families is underpinning the care and guidance given to pupils. Parents value the regular contact and support from the leader for special educational needs and the home liaison worker.
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum provides a broad range of subjects and experiences for pupils. Pupils participate in arts events put on by the academy trust. For example, older pupils particularly enjoy regular visits to the theatre in Scarborough where they are taking part in a Shakespeare project.
• Leaders use the primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding well to increase pupils’ participation in a range of sports. A specialist coach is employed to provide gymnastic coaching and multi-skills, for example. Regular sports competitions are facilitated by the trust: pupils spoke enthusiastically about meeting inspirational athletes such as Sir Steve Redgrave and Colin Jackson during these events.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well supported through class lessons and through the school’s ‘values of the month’. Pupils’ understanding of what it means to live in modern Britain is well developed.

Governance of the school

• Minutes of meetings show that governors provide challenge to school leaders, but the impact of this is reliant upon the quality of information provided by senior leaders. For example, governors were unable to challenge over-generous assertions about the effectiveness of the school given to them by senior leaders.
• The governing body was without an official chair of governors at the time of the inspection, but the chair elect has attended many training courses provided by the academy trust in order to carry out his role effectively. The trust is currently recruiting new governors to provide additional capacity to the governing body.
• Members of the ‘junior leadership team’, elected pupils, have given presentations to governors to help them form an understanding of the effectiveness of the school from the perspective of pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Safeguarding is underpinned by risk assessments, procedures, policy and training for all staff. All staff have undertaken online or face-to-face training to enable them to spot signs of radicalisation. However, some additional adults require additional support to fully understand their duties regarding safeguarding.
• Once the school is aware of potential risks to pupils, staff are not afraid to hold difficult conversations with parents or carers to ensure that pupils stay safe. The vice-principal is effective in her liaison with external agencies and records are carefully maintained.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• There is a lack of consistency in the quality of teaching, leading to varied rates of progress across classes and subjects. Some teachers have high expectations of what pupils will learn, but this is not evident in all classes. Teaching in early years is more consistently effective.
• While some additional adults are effective in teaching small groups and individual pupils, this is not always the case. Some additional adults are having minimal influence on pupils’ learning because they are ‘minding’ pupils who are struggling to behave appropriately.
• In some classes, teaching provided for low-prior-attaining pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is not sufficiently planned to meet their needs and to ensure rapid progress.
• Teaching in mathematics is helping most pupils to secure basic skills. However, not all staff are able to correct misconceptions in learning as they arise and this is preventing the rapid progress of some less confident pupils. Teachers have not developed sequences of learning sufficiently to ensure that pupils are able to develop mastery of mathematics. For example, in a small sample of books, pupils were working on easier tasks later in the year.
• In response to low outcomes in phonics, leaders have recently introduced a new method of teaching the sounds that letters represent. Teachers’ subject knowledge and that of additional adults require further development to ensure that phonics teaching is fully effective. Less-able readers are unable to draw effectively on their phonic knowledge to help them read new words, and pupils’ progress in reading and writing in key stage 1 is not as swift as it should be.
• Teachers have planned sequences of lessons that are developing pupils’ use of grammar and spelling, helping pupils make connections by aligning writing with the reading of good-quality texts. In some classes, this is proving successful. Year 5 spoke excitedly about reading and writing linked to ‘War Horse’, for example. However, in some key stage 1 classes, pupils are making less progress in writing because they are struggling to sound out new words and to form letters correctly.
• Staff in key stage 2, supported by the leader for English, have developed a more rigorous approach to the teaching of reading. Teachers plan activities, using carefully chosen, challenging texts that enable pupils to deepen their understanding and develop their higher order reading skills.
• Teachers’ expectations of handwriting and presentation are becoming more consistent. This is helping pupils to value the work they do in school. Some pupils have earned ‘pen licences’ so they can use a pen in all of their written work.
• Some teachers are providing highly stimulating, imaginative lessons that are engaging pupils. Pupils enjoy mastering artistic skills, drawing and painting. Pupils are unanimous in their love of music lessons, in which they learn to sing to a high standard and use a wide range of instruments.
• Teachers are successfully using the local environment, including trips to the beach, local museums and a nearby stately home and farm, to enhance learning in science and to develop pupils’ understanding of their local area.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is good.
• Pupils talked confidently about how to keep safe, including dealing with online bullying. They are very aware of how to notify an adult using ‘Hector the dolphin’ when encountering issues through the school website. Pupils say that staff manage the poor behaviour of a few boys well and, as a result, they feel safe in school.
• The vast majority of pupils demonstrate appropriate behaviour for learning, trying hard in class and taking pride in their work. They want to answer questions and take part in lessons. Pupils spoke excitedly about completing six questions in mathematics for example, before moving swiftly on to do something more challenging.
• Pupils’ understanding of diversity is developed well through religious education lessons and assemblies. Pupils who met inspectors were keen to share their wisdom: ‘we’re all the same’, ‘we should treat everyone equally’, and, ‘we’re all unique in our different ways’.
• Personal, social, health and citizenship lessons include visits from the dental nurse, known also as the ‘tooth fairy,’ who helps to reinforce messages about good health. A wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities are helping pupils to develop wider life skills or fitness, including gardening, hockey, badminton and netball. A particular favourite for pupils was taking part in the ‘Bridlington Winter Games’, leading a pupil to reflect: ‘the school gives me everything I need’.
• Teachers have successfully helped pupils to develop confidence and self-esteem in a variety of ways. Pupils are proud of their participation in music events such as Rock Challenge, where they have been national finalists for the last three years. The 60-strong school choir has been very successful in local and national events, taking part in the Young Voices competition, for example.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Although the vast majority of pupils behave well around school and in lessons, the behaviour of a significant number of boys is spoiling learning and social times for others. Plans are put into place to help pupils to manage their behaviour, but in some cases, leaders have responded by excluding pupils who are repeatedly misbehaving. Parents of some of these pupils report feeling unsupported by the school when this has happened.
• Pupils say that a small number of pupils use derogatory, sometimes homophobic, language, although adults check this when they hear it. Pupils are certain that bullying is now uncommon.
• When teachers use school methods for promoting positive behaviour, pupils respond well. Pupils enjoy receiving online rewards, working towards getting a certificate or prize. Pupils look forward to taking part in Friday ‘golden time’ when they can choose what they will do. Pupils understand the Quay ‘keys’, encouraging them to ‘be responsible, to be respectful and to be safe’.
• Leaders’ efforts to improve attendance are paying off. Attendance is now broadly in line with national figures. Despite this, too many pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, are persistently absent.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2016, the attainment and progress of pupils at the end of key stage 2 were broadly in line with national averages in reading and above in writing and mathematics. The progress of disadvantaged pupils was well below that of other pupils nationally. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined was above national figures.
• Provisional results in 2017 show that pupils achieved less well than in 2016 at the end of both key stage 1 and key stage 2. These show that 56% of Year 6 pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, 60% in writing and 70% in mathematics, but the progress of pupils was below national figures. Very few pupils attained higher standards. Disadvantaged pupils and low-prior-attaining pupils did less well than others nationally. Under half of Year 6 pupils overall and under one third of disadvantaged pupils attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, rendering them unprepared for the demands of secondary school.
• Pupils at the end of key stage 1 in 2016 attained outcomes that were broadly in line with national outcomes in reading and mathematics, but below in writing. Provisional results in 2017 show that pupils attained standards well below national figures in all three subjects.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the Year 1 phonics check declined from 2016 to 2017 to 10% below the national average.
• The school’s own assessment information shows that the progress of current pupils is varied. Disadvantaged pupils are making less secure progress than other pupils. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make similarly erratic progress across the school.
• Overall, the proportion of pupils working at standards expected for their age is below average in every class. At the end of key stages, fewer of the most able pupils are working at higher levels than seen nationally. Boys are outperforming girls in most classes and disadvantaged pupils are doing less well than others in all classes and all subjects.
• Some ‘green shoots’ of improvement can be seen in pupils’ books this year, as pupils are learning through tasks and activities that are better matched to their needs and are beginning to respond to feedback from their teachers. Standards of work in pupils’ books are of a higher quality, relative to pupils’ age, at the top of key stage 2.

Early years provision Good

• Most children enter Reception with skills and knowledge below those typically seen for their age. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development in 2017 was 45%, but only 20% of this cohort of children started Reception with typical levels of development. This year, 60% of children entered Reception with skills below those typically seen. Baseline information has been checked by the school and academy trust, and leaders are confident that assessment is now accurate.
• The vice-principal has a very clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of the early years provision. She has supported early years staff to improve the setting so that it is bright, stimulating and inviting for children, both indoors and outdoors.
• Staff meet regularly to discuss the progress of individual children. Staff have a well-developed understanding of children’s needs and regular observations are aiding them to plan the next steps in learning for individual children. Activities are provided to challenge children, particularly those who are most able. Staff provide sensitive support to less-able children to enable them to take part in activities, allowing them to develop their skills and independence in a safe environment.
• Teaching is effective in supporting children to develop knowledge and understanding in number and to develop their use of language. All staff engage children in learning conversations that help children to understand and acquire new vocabulary swiftly. Although inspectors visited early in the year, all children were very settled. Many children were sustaining concentration for long periods of time, showing that they are happy and interested in the activities.
• Safeguarding is effective. Staff are vigilant about the safety of children using the outdoor area and understand the risks associated with using equipment across the setting. Appropriate records are kept for the intimate care of children and the statutory welfare requirements are met.
• Staff work effectively to involve parents in their child’s education. Regular opportunities are provided for parents to come into school. Assessment information on individual children is kept online and is accessible to parents, enabling them to keep an eye on their child’s progress. The parent–teacher association is helping to break down barriers, distributing flyers to invite parents to school events even before their child starts school.

School details

Unique reference number 140551 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10037176 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 Academy sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 398 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Acting Chair Principal Andrew Garvey Kimberley Lawton Telephone number 01262 673219 Website Email address www.quayacademy.co.uk office@quayacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Quay Academy is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school is part of the David Ross Education Trust.
• At the time of the inspection, the principal had been in post for only two terms and the vice-principal fewer than two terms. The chair of governors had recently resigned and a chair elect was in place.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds, while 3% of pupils have Eastern European heritage. Languages spoken by pupils include Polish, Bulgarian, Romanian and Lithuanian.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards for 2016, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics.
• Children in the Reception class attend full time.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of information about attainment and progress and information about the curriculum.

Information about this inspection

• Together with the principal and vice-principal, inspectors looked at pupils’ progress data, information about the performance of teachers, and documents relating to behaviour and safeguarding.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 20 parts of lessons, some alongside the head of school.
• Inspectors listened to Year 2 and Year 6 pupils read, and observed pupils’ learning in small groups. They spoke with pupils in meetings, in lessons, at lunchtime and at playtimes.
• Meetings were held with the principal, vice-principal and middle leaders. Telephone conversations were held with the incoming chair of governors and the school improvement partner.
• The inspector considered the opinion of 10 parents through Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents). Telephone conversations were held with three parents.
• The views of 41 staff were taken into account through the school’s own questionnaire.

Inspection team

Lesley Butcher, lead inspector Christopher Pearce Helen Hussey

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector