Buckingham Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching so that it becomes consistently good or better, by:
  • ensuring that opportunities to develop pupils’ mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills are well embedded across the school to accelerate pupils’ progress and raise attainment to the levels which are found nationally by the end of Year 6
  • further improving the teaching of reading and phonics so that pupils’ progress accelerates
  • ensuring that disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities further accelerate their progress
  • continuing to share the strong practice that exists within the school.
• Embed the effective leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and evaluate the impact of funding to support the progress of these pupils.
• Improve the attendance levels of disadvantaged pupils and reduce their levels of persistent absence.
• Improve the progress of children, including disadvantaged children, in early years so that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development matches the proportion found nationally, by:
  • ensuring that disadvantaged children make good progress
  • providing the early years leader designate with relevant leadership development to ensure that this area of the school becomes good.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The principal has brought discernible improvements to the school since coming into post in September 2015. Along with support from the trust and governors, she has established an effective leadership team, raised staff aspirations for pupils, enhanced support for pupils’ personal development and welfare and taken action to improve the quality of teaching. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved and consequently pupils’ outcomes are starting to improve.
• Leaders accurately identify the school’s strengths and priorities for development through a range of self-evaluation approaches. Clear plans are in place to drive further school improvement. Staff understand the goals the school is aiming to achieve. This has resulted in leadership and staff that are well motivated and clear in their intentions to drive improvement.
• The leader for English has a good understanding of the priorities for improvement. The actions she has taken have brought about improvements in pupils’ progress and attainment. She checks carefully that the quality of teaching of English is improving. However, actions to improve pupils’ outcomes in reading have not resulted in the substantial improvements in attainment seen in writing. Leaders recognise that more needs to be done to improve pupils’ outcomes in reading.
• The leader for mathematics has received training which has enhanced her leadership skills. She has made effective use of this training to develop the quality of teaching of mathematics within the school and has worked with teachers from other schools within the trust. This is improving the quality of mathematics teaching particularly in reasoning and problem-solving. However, pupils’ attainment in mathematics by the end of Year 6 still lags behind that found nationally and therefore some further development of the teaching of this subject remains a priority.
• Leaders ensure that the curriculum meets pupils’ needs and interests effectively while ensuring coverage of the national curriculum. Topics linked to the Hull City of Culture set the pupils’ learning in the local context and at the same time broaden their horizons. Pupils benefit from specialist teaching in music and physical education. The school’s curriculum is helping to deepen pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural growth well. A wide range of extra-curricular activities enriches pupils’ learning.
• Leaders make effective use of the additional funding for sport and physical education (PE) in primary schools. Specialist PE teaching for pupils develops their skills and enhances teachers’ expertise. There are increased opportunities for pupils to enjoy a wider range of physical activities. As a result, opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sports and develop healthy lifestyles have improved. Some pupils have been particularly successful in sports such as table tennis, where they have reached national finals.
• Well-established systems to manage the performance of staff are in place. Governors ensure that pay progression links to teachers’ performance. Staff, including teachers new to the profession, benefit from a range of training to improve their teaching and leadership skills.
• The trust has provided relevant support to help leaders improve their approaches to checking the impact of school improvement and for improving the quality of teaching. The support for leaders has helped improve their self-evaluation skills and to plan effectively for improvement. Work to support the quality of teaching has developed a learning community of staff who research and seek out effective practice to improve pupils’ outcomes. However, there is further work to be done to secure good teaching across the school.
• The leader for provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has recently transferred to this role in school. She has taken steps to improve the provision for these pupils, including providing training for teaching assistants. However, the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is variable. Previously, leaders have not checked the effectiveness of the spending of the additional special educational needs funding carefully enough. Consequently, the additional funding has been used to variable effect. The current leader has taken prompt action to address this shortcoming, although it is too early to discern the impact upon pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders and governors regularly check the impact of pupil premium spending and respond appropriately to the findings. For example, they responded to the 2016 results by ensuring an increased focus on improving pupils’ reading outcomes. The 2017 provisional key stage 2 results show a small diminishing of the differences in attainment in reading and mathematics between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils. However, the school’s own progress information shows that there is further work needed to accelerate the progress of disadvantaged pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governors provide effective support and challenge to school leaders and staff. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses because they receive regular reports from leaders. Governors’ visits into school, working alongside leaders, assist their understanding of where the school needs to develop further. Consequently, they have an accurate and realistic view of the impact of the improvements that have taken place since the academy was established. Governors are also clear where further improvements are required. Effective links between governors and trustees ensure clear lines of accountability and identify where the trust can provide suitable support.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and staff have established a positive culture of safeguarding. Leaders complete careful safeguarding checks on all staff, governors and volunteers. A trustee regularly monitors the school’s records of safeguarding. As a result, records are well maintained. The safeguarding policy meets the current national requirements and staff understand the procedures and their own responsibilities. Staff and governors receive regular and appropriate training so they know how to keep pupils safe, including training about how to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism. Leaders and staff work effectively with other agencies and parents. This ensures that the needs of pupils and families who may be vulnerable are met effectively.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is inconsistent. As a result, over time the proportion of pupils who make good progress has not been high enough.
• The quality of phonics teaching is variable and pupils’ progress from early years through to the end of Year 2 is uneven. As a result, not enough pupils achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1.
• In mathematics, teachers are now using a wider range of approaches to improve pupils’ mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. However, over time teaching of mathematics has been variable. Consequently, there remain gaps in pupils’ learning in mathematics across the school and by the end of Year 6, not enough pupils are working at the expected standard for their age.
• In English, teachers use quality texts to motivate pupils’ engagement and to develop their understanding in reading and writing. This is having a positive impact upon pupils’ writing skills. However, while there is evidence of improving progress in reading in pupils’ books and the school’s progress information, the impact on pupils’ attainment has not been as positive in reading as it has in writing.
• An increased focus on developing pupils’ spelling skills has begun to improve their confidence and abilities. By the end of Year 6, there is evidence in the provisional 2017 results of improvement in pupils’ grammar, punctuation and spelling scores. However, pupils’ attainment in this aspect remains substantially below that found nationally.
• Leaders have taken steps to generate pupils’ interest in reading through the development of the library and reading areas in classrooms. Older pupils read with fluency, although sometimes their understanding of the text and vocabulary is not well developed. Pupils in Year 2 develop a love of reading and use their phonic skills to make sense of unknown words. They sometimes struggle with the meaning of words that are new to them.
• Regular checks of teachers’ assessments within school and in collaboration with other schools help teachers to make accurate judgements of pupils’ progress and to identify gaps in learning. Consequently, most teachers plan work that is well matched to pupils’ needs and leaders use the information to hold staff accountable for pupils’ progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils develop their self-confidence because staff encourage them to ‘have a go’, take risks and learn from mistakes. In lessons, pupils often deepen their learning through discussions with their peers. Opportunities for pupils to share their ideas with their peers during assemblies increase their confidence in presenting to a wider audience. For example, during the inspection younger children taught pupils from other classes a song. Similarly, older pupils developed their understanding of democracy through a lively debate.
• The welfare team provides good support that helps to nurture pupils’ social and emotional development effectively. Consequently, this has enabled some vulnerable pupils to improve their behaviour, social skills and self-esteem and, as a result, engage more positively with their learning.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms that bullying can take. Pupils identified that while bullying did take place, most pupils, although not all, believed that it would be dealt with well. Some parents raised concerns regarding how effectively staff addressed concerns regarding bullying. Leaders have recently improved the systems for recording bullying, including racist bullying. This system shows that staff now follow up recorded incidents of bullying carefully.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Overall attendance levels are similar to those found nationally. However, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is not high enough and some of these pupils have high levels of persistent absence. Actions by leaders, such as the provision of the breakfast club, are beginning to make improvements for individual pupils but there is still more to do to bring about overall improvement for these pupils.
• In the vast majority of lessons, pupils are well behaved and keen to learn. However, where teachers’ expectations are not clear enough or the work is not well matched to pupils’ needs, some pupils take too long to settle to their learning and teaching time is lost.
• During breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils are generally well behaved and they engage in lively games or quieter sociable activities. Pupils move around the school sensibly and listen attentively in assemblies.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because in key stages 1 and 2, pupils’ progress has been variable over the last three years. The quality of teaching has not been consistently good enough over time.
• By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is below that found nationally. The difference between the school’s results and the national averages is wide in reading and mathematics. As a result, some pupils are not academically well prepared for starting their next stage of education.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1 has been below the national average for the last three years. This is because the teaching of phonics is variable.
• By the end of Year 2, the proportion of pupils working at greater depth has been too low. Actions instigated by leaders are addressing this shortcoming. Consequently, the 2017 provisional key stage 1 results show substantial improvements in the proportion of pupils in Year 2 working at greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics.
• In 2016, disadvantaged pupils’ progress by the end of Year 6 was broadly in line with that found nationally in writing and mathematics but significantly below in reading. Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve pupils’ reading outcomes across the school. There is emerging evidence in pupils’ books and in the provisional 2017 key stage 2 results that the differences between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils compared to others nationally are beginning to diminish, particularly in writing. The school’s progress information shows that there is further work required to accelerate the progress of this group of pupils.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make variable progress and sometimes their progress is below that found nationally. The recently appointed leader for provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has started to take relevant action to address this shortcoming. However, it is too early to determine the impact upon outcomes for this group of pupils.
• By the end of Year 6, the most able pupils’ progress is in line with that found nationally. In Year 2, the proportions of pupils, including the most able, who are working at greater depth has recently improved.
• The 2017 provisional results show improvements in attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2. This reflects the focus of leaders and staff to improve the quality of teaching in these subjects. However, leaders recognise that there is more to do to bring pupils’ attainment closer to that found nationally.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Children start in the early years with skills and abilities that are generally below those typical for their age. In 2017, while many children made strong progress this was not the case for all children and the proportion of children achieving a good level of development fell. As a result, fewer children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Improvements in the progress of disadvantaged children have been inconsistent. The spending of additional funding for disadvantaged children has had a variable impact. Consequently, the differences between these children’s outcomes compared to others nationally do not show a clear diminishing pattern. As a result, early years provision requires improvement.
• At the time of the inspection, arrangements for leadership were at a transitional stage. A teacher in school will assume the role from September 2017. The early years leader designate has a clear understanding of the priorities which need to be addressed in early years and has appropriate plans for the actions required. However, it is too early to determine if these will provide the required improvements.
• The quality of teaching in the Nursery class is strong. However, the quality of the teaching in Reception classes is not always at the similar high quality as is found in the Nursery.
• Staff provide a good balance of adult-led teaching combined with provision where children choose activities for themselves. The learning opportunities in the inside classrooms and the outside areas support children’s learning effectively. The recent introduction of ‘challenge questions’ to stretch children’s learning is more evident in the Nursery learning areas than in Reception.
• Regular assessments of children’s progress are recorded well in children’s ‘learning journals’. While there are systems in place for parents to contribute to these assessments there is limited evidence of this in practice. Leaders are introducing an online system for recording assessments that aims to increase opportunities for sharing children’s achievements between home and school.
• Staff provide meetings to help parents understand how to support their child’s learning. Parents are very pleased about the support provided by early years staff and the quality of the provision in the early years.
• Early years staff work well with other agencies. This helps ensure that children are provided with additional support where required.
• Children feel safe and secure. Safeguarding is effective and all welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number 140847 Local authority Kingston upon Hull City of Culture Inspection number 10031930 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 344 Appropriate authority The Enquire Learning Trust Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Jack Harrison Paula Hillman 01482 328661 www.buckinghamprimaryacademy.net admin@buckingham.hull.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school converted to academy status in September 2014 and is part of The Enquire Learning Trust.
• The current headteacher came into post in September 2015.
• The vast majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from a Romany or Gypsy heritage is larger than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is well above that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above that found nationally.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in 23 lessons or part lessons. The headteacher joined the lead inspector for two of the observations in lessons.
• The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around school and reviewed the school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The inspectors observed pupils in the playgrounds, during lunchtime and in two assemblies.
• Meetings were held with the principal, vice principal and the leaders responsible for leading English and mathematics. Meetings were also held with the leader designate for the early years, as well as the leader for special educational needs. The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. He also met with the chief executive officer for the trust along with the school improvement officer.
• Two groups of pupils discussed their opinions about the school and their learning with the inspectors. The inspectors listened to four pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2 read.
• The inspectors held discussions with parents at the beginning of the school day and considered the 21 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. The lead inspector considered the 38 responses to the staff questionnaire and the findings from the school’s recent pupil survey.
• The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including minutes from meetings of the governing body, information about pupils’ achievement, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and its development plan. Behaviour and attendance records and information relating to safeguarding were also considered. The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work in their books.

Inspection team

Michael Reeves, lead inspector Chris Cook Simon Bissett

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector