Bilsdale Midcable Chop Gate Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the overall consistency and quality of teaching to outstanding in order to further accelerate pupils’ progress by:
  • making sure that teachers consistently challenge most-able pupils
  • provide pupils with more opportunities to investigate, problem solve, reason, apply and deepen their mathematical understanding and skills.
• Continue to improve provision and outcomes in the early years and key stage 1 for all pupils by:
  • giving children more opportunities to develop and extend their communication, speaking and listening skills in all aspects of learning
  • ensuring that phonic skills are taught accurately and applied consistently by pupils.
• Further develop governance to ensure that recent improvements are embedded and school leaders are fully accountable.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher’s principled leadership ensures that outcomes for pupils have improved, and continue to improve, rapidly. She is determined and fully committed to improving teaching and learning so that standards rise further. This is because barriers to improvement have been addressed robustly, expectations have been raised and the whole school community is involved in helping to improve the school.
• Well-focused action taken by school leaders has seen improved rates of progress in all age groups, with standards improving across all subjects. The improved outcomes seen in 2016 have been maintained and further enhanced.
• The headteacher has high expectations of herself and others. Consequently, the development of subject leadership across the confederation of schools is beginning to make a difference in their areas of responsibility, especially in English.
• Leaders are incisive in identifying the essential priorities for the school’s improvement. The headteacher is perceptive in recognising effective practice and weaknesses in teaching. Her insight ensures accurate and precise evaluations of teaching and the impact it has on learning. Adults have clear targets set to improve their practice and share responsibility in ensuring that school priorities are met.
• Special educational needs provision is effective in ensuring that pupils have their needs met. The school has a detailed understanding of the needs and circumstances of individuals and works closely with parents to plan provision to meet the needs of their child. Information is scrutinised to ensure that these pupils are being supported well. Consequently, these pupils make swifter progress and sustain an enthusiasm for their learning.
• There are currently no pupils in receipt of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils in the school. School leaders, including governors, do, however, have a clear understanding of the principles that underpin the funding.
• The school’s curriculum is a strength of the school. It is broad, balanced and provides pupils with opportunities to explore and develop key skills and concepts in depth. Pupils are excited by their lessons and talk passionately and with some insight about their latest history topic. Homework is generally personalised to meet the needs of individual pupils and extra guidance is provided where necessary. Consequently, pupils achieve well across the curriculum and have a thirst for facts and information to inform their opinions. The assessments in foundation subjects are regularly collected but not analysed as rigorously as those in the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics.
• The pupils’ understanding of British values, equalities and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exemplary. Pupils maturely discuss and apply principles about tolerance, respect, democracy and cultural diversity in Britain today. They are knowledgeable about issues relating to the news and wider current affairs. Pupils value the weekly ‘news’ review and discussion work carried out alongside pupils from their confederation.
• Parents are highly complimentary about the leadership of the school. Those spoken with during the inspection believe that the school has been transformed and that the headteacher is approachable and acts with integrity when dealing with their issues.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a detailed knowledge of the needs of the school and what it needs to do to improve further. They have acted on the recommendations of the last inspection report, identified their own weaknesses and addressed them. They, along with support from the local authority and the diocese, have played an important role in securing the improvements seen in the school.
• Governors have undertaken a review of their own practices, recruited new governors with appropriate skills and knowledge and improved their own effectiveness. Consequently, they increasingly hold the headteacher to account and identify emerging issues effectively. Where concerns are emerging they support senior leaders in taking prompt action to address them. They increasingly ask challenging questions and ask for further information if they are not satisfied. For example, a recent dip in attendance rates was identified and governors supported the headteacher in strengthening policies and procedures. Some of this capacity has only recently been established and the benefits are yet to be fully realised.
• Governors have a good understanding of the use of additional funding for sports and the principles of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils. They track how the funding, when available, is spent and evaluate its impact.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• School leaders have ensured that a culture of safeguarding informs the work of all staff. Everyone recognises that safeguarding is their responsibility. Adults have a clear understanding and awareness of how children are kept safe. Training programmes and updates are a regular feature of school life. The curriculum is designed to help pupils know about how to keep themselves and others safe in a variety of situations, including when online. Thoughtfully planned work and key messages inform the personal, social and health education provided, with a strong focus on ensuring pupils’ understanding the importance of positive relationships

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection. The headteacher has focused on improving teaching and learning and taken effective action to resolve any issues. As a result, teaching is now good and sometimes outstanding across the school.
• Teaching is characterised by high expectations and positive relationships between pupils and staff. Achievements are celebrated, misconceptions addressed and, as a result, pupils have a positive attitude to their learning.
• Adults offer targeted advice and support on next steps for pupils consistently to enhance their work. Pupils respond well to time given to address any mistakes and follow up on the advice from teachers. Consequently, they are clear what they need to do to improve their work further.
• Reading is well taught. Pupils talk confidently about their favourite books, genres and authors and they enjoy reading. They read with expression and can talk about characters’ motives. The most able pupils enjoy more-complex texts to respond to.
• Phonics is taught systematically on a daily basis from the Reception class and across key stage 1. Adults do not always ensure that this is applied consistently in pupils’ reading and writing. On occasions, the teaching of phonics lacks accuracy.
• Pupils take pride in their written work. Staff’s expectations of pupils’ application and presentation of writing are high, including their work in subjects other than English. Pupils have opportunities to apply writing skills in a range of interesting contexts and subjects. They frequently write lengthy pieces and draft other work to show their planned thinking. Pupils would appreciate more opportunities to write their own stories.
• Pupils like mathematics. This is because adults ensure a good knowledge and recall of number facts which helps pupils manipulate their number work to answer questions. Where pupils get stuck, this is recognised quickly and appropriate support is given. Opportunities to pose questions that make pupils apply their understanding, reason and solve problems are limited. Consequently, pupils do not always deepen their understanding enough to move beyond that expected for their age.
• In lessons, adults plan stimulating lessons which build on the interests of pupils and engage them in their learning. Opportunities for pupils to apply basic skills in mathematics and English are identified in a variety of subjects.
• Adults have secure subject knowledge which helps them respond quickly to pupils’ next steps in learning and clarify any misunderstanding. On occasions, pupils’ inaccurate application of phonics to their reading and writing is missed.
• The planned curriculum ensures that pupils develop their skills in mathematics and English in a consistent sequence. Staff use their knowledge of what children can and cannot do to plan individualised learning pathways for pupils on a rolling programme of themes. Consequently, teaching equips pupils with the basic skills they require for their next stage of education and a thirst for learning.
• Assessments are used well to track individuals’ learning journeys and make sure that they are on track. Where pupils are falling behind, have gaps in their learning or could make faster progress, this is identified and addressed. Previous inconsistencies in teaching mean that some gaps in learning persist, but these are being systematically dealt with.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding
• Pupils’ written work shows they take pride in their learning. It exhibits precision and attention to detail.
• Systems to ensure that pupils are kept safe are exemplary. For example, risk assessments for activities in and beyond the school reflect the individual or group needs within specific classes. These are shared and signed off by all adults involved in the activities.
• Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe in a range of situations, both in school and beyond the school gate. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. The planned curriculum ensures that these themes are revisited regularly.
• Pupils say that bullying rarely, if ever, happens. They are aware of the steps they need to take should it happen. Pupils are confident that issues with bullying would be resolved effectively by staff.
• Pupils have a well-developed awareness and understanding of the different forms that bullying can take, including transgender, homophobic and racist bullying. They talk sensitively about individual rights and responsibility.
• Pupils talk confidently, express their views and reflect on issues beyond the school and the immediate community. Supported by a regular diet of ‘news’ reviews and discussions, pupils develop an insightful and measured understanding of life beyond the school gate.
• Adults and pupils have positive relationships built on trust and mutual respect. Pupils say when concerns are raised they are dealt with quickly and fairly.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about the importance of healthy eating and fitness. They are conversant with emotional well-being and talk maturely about keeping themselves safe in a variety of contexts.
• Parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and who spoke with the inspector confirm that their children feel safe in the school. They say that concerns raised are taken seriously and resolved quickly and with integrity.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding
• Pupils have a clear understanding of the boundaries and rules for their behaviour. Well-defined expectations of conduct coming from staff and fellow pupils ensure that high standards of behaviour are adhered to in lessons and at playtimes.
• Pupils move around the school in an orderly and respectful manner. They arrive in lessons ready to learn. Pupils are enthusiastic about their lessons and are keen to share their latest learning.
• Adults are skilled at supporting pupils’ emotional requirements and plan learning to meet their needs. Consequently, pupils concentrate well in lessons and have positive attitudes to their learning.
• Pupils have a good understanding of what is expected of them and are considerate, polite and courteous. They are reflective about the impact that their behaviour has on others and themselves.
• Pupils take responsibility for organising their learning and social spaces in the classroom. They act quickly, quietly and in an orderly fashion to ensure the smooth running of lessons and lunchtimes.
• Comprehensive action taken to address emerging issues with attendance, prompted by governors, has made a difference. As a result, attendance has improved rapidly and is now better than that seen nationally.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The improvement in teaching and learning in key stage 2 since the last inspection has resulted in improved outcomes for pupils.
• In 2017, pupils left Year 6 well equipped with the required skills in reading, writing and mathematics to access the next stage of their education.
• Pupils make progress broadly in line with that seen nationally in key stage 2 in reading, mathematics and writing. Additionally, pupils make increasingly rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics in all age groups in key stage 2.
• Pupils take pride and care in the presentation of their work. The quality of pupils’ writing is good.
• In key stage 1, pupils make good progress from their various starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. Furthermore, pupils are increasingly working at greater depth in mathematics and reading.
• Outcomes for Year 1 phonics continue to help pupils achieve well in their reading and writing by the end of key stage 1. Some opportunities to further enhance phonic skills are missed through a lack of rigour in teaching and applying these skills accurately.
• The most able pupils enjoy the harder work set in reading and writing. Sometimes, the work set in mathematics does not challenge enough pupils to work at a greater depth and achieve above that expected for their age.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. This is because they have their needs identified early and met well through timely intervention and support plans.
• Outcomes for children in the early years continue to improve. As a result, children are ready for the challenges of key stage 1.

Early years provision Good

• Children start in the Reception class with a range of abilities and skills and pre-school experiences. Staff are skilful at personalising learning and building on children’s interests and experiences. As a result, children make good progress, whatever their starting points.
• Children that need to catch up are beginning to do so. Consequently, by the end of the Reception Year, they are well prepared for their move into Year 1.
• Adults provide stimulating and exciting activities that take account of children’s needs and ensure that they access all areas of learning. Accurate day-to-day assessments inform the planning of next steps in learning.
• Staff are skilled at ensuring that children have their emotional needs identified and met. Some opportunities to encourage children to listen attentively and to respond to each other are missed.
• Effective teaching ensures that children develop the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics well. However, phonics skills are not always taught or used accurately.
• Interesting and engaging opportunities are provided to ensure that children apply their skills in their reading and writing in a variety of contexts.
• Children learn in an environment of mutual respect that promotes effective learning. They are well behaved and establish good relationships with adults and other children. Children increasingly understand the importance of taking turns and working together.
• Staff know the children very well and individual needs are well catered for. Arrangements for ensuring that children are safe are in place. Consequently, all welfare requirements are met.
• The partnership with parents is a strength of the provision. Parents make a significant contribution to the assessments of what children can and can’t do and are kept well informed about the progress that their children are making.

School details

Unique reference number 121480 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 10036536 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 14 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Jeremy Cundall Headteacher Kathryn McDonald Telephone number 01642 778202 Website bilsdalecarltonschools.co.uk Email address admin@bilsdalemidcable-chopgate.n-yorks.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 22–23 September 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Bilsdale Midcable Chop Gate Voluntary Controlled Primary School is much smaller than other primary schools, serving a wide, mainly rural, community.
• A permanent executive/shared headteacher has been appointed from March 2016.
• The number of children on roll is very low, and no disadvantaged pupils who are supported through the pupil premium have been on roll since 2016.
• The school is in a formal confederation with a slightly larger school operating on a different site. Each school currently has its own governing body.
• The schools share the same headteacher. Under this arrangement, pupils are taught in their own schools from Monday to Thursday, and on a Friday children from Bilsdale Midcable Chop Gate School are taught collectively with pupils on the other school site.
• 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.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is in line with the national average.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector held discussions with governors, the headteacher, senior leaders and with local authority and diocesan representatives.
• The inspector observed learning in all classrooms. Joint observations were carried out with the headteacher.
• The inspector listened to some pupils read, looked at pupils’ work and had discussions with pupils.
• The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour around the school, at playtimes and in lessons.
• The inspector looked at the responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, considered some written comments from parents and met with some parents at the parents’ evening.
• The inspector examined a wide range of documentation, including information about the performance of teachers and pupils, evidence of the school’s self-evaluation, reports to and by the governing body, as well as information on the curriculum, safeguarding and other key policies.

Inspection team

Jonathan Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector