Filey Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve the progress and attainment in reading by:
  • addressing inconsistencies in the teaching of reading
  • ensuring that reading areas are inviting and all are of a high quality.
• Continue to embed the strong wider curriculum in lower key stage 2.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors are ambitious for the school. Leaders know the strengths of the school well and are successfully addressing issues they have identified in the school development plan. This includes outcomes for girls in reading, which are improving.
• The headteacher has established a positive ethos, which permeates the school. The school staff have embraced the headteacher’s vision of a curriculum with the pupils at the heart. The curriculum is planned to deepen pupils’ learning experiences. Pupils know that no academic subject exists in isolation. The school is beginning to ensure that quality of work is the focus, rather than curriculum coverage. However, the curriculum is not fully embedded in all year groups and is weaker in lower key stage 2.
• Leaders provide effective professional development and coaching support for staff, and these are linked to performance management. They are tailored both to their individual needs and the needs of the school. As a result of this support, teaching, learning and assessment are now good overall.
• Leaders’ evaluation of the school’s work is accurate. Improvement plans reflect a clear focus on the right priorities to make the school even better. Joint observations, undertaken with the headteacher, showed that leaders’ judgements are accurate. Feedback to teachers focuses on the ways in which they can improve their practice.
• Senior leaders relentlessly track pupils’ progress through robust systems. These allow leaders to closely examine the progress of groups of pupils. As a result, all leaders, including governors, have a very clear understanding of the current progress and attainment of groups of pupils and can identify where additional support may be needed.
• Middle leaders have developed their roles significantly. They have a deep understanding of their subjects and, as a result, they have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development. Leaders of all subjects model and plan innovative learning opportunities that develop a deeper understanding of their subject. For example, the French leader has planned a trip to France for Years 4 and 5.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school and embedded throughout the curriculum. An extensive range of educational visits and visitors to the school enriches pupils’ experience. Philosophical questions are used effectively to challenge pupils’ thinking and develop empathy and tolerance for other people. The school works hard to ensure that pupils improve their understanding of other cultures and beliefs. For example, they have visited and made strong links with a school in Leeds.
• The primary sports grant is used effectively to extend pupils’ opportunities for sport and physical development. The sports leader has a real passion for sport and wants to promote sporting opportunities throughout the town. Due to a lack of leisure facilities in Filey, the school considers innovative ways to engage parents in sport with their children. For example, it has organised an adult and child running club and pupil and parent boot camp.
• Pupil premium funding is well directed to provide disadvantaged pupils with additional support, particularly in literacy and numeracy. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make very strong progress from their starting points.
• Additional funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is used well to improve outcomes and provision. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly effective in identifying individual pupils’ needs and providing appropriate support. As a result, these pupils are now making strong progress. Any barriers to their learning are being successfully addressed. Very effective teaching assistants ably lead interventions that address any gaps in pupils’ learning.
• The local authority has provided appropriate guidance and support to the school since its previous inspection in 2016, which includes brokering support from Ebor Teaching Schools.

Governance of the school

• Governors work closely with school leaders to drive improvement. There have been changes to the governing body since the previous inspection. Governors said that they are now more focused on their role to both challenge and support leaders. They now work closely as a group and have a thorough knowledge of the strengths and areas for development for the school.
• Governors know the school and its community well. They are regular visitors to classrooms, and minutes from their meetings demonstrate a high level of understanding. They are well aware of school priorities and are wholly committed to school improvement. They understand that good-quality teaching, learning and assessment are key to the school’s success.
• Governors are trained well. They keep themselves abreast of developments in education. All have had ‘Prevent’ duty training, which is part of the government’s agenda to tackle radicalisation and extremism, and comprehensive safeguarding training.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• School leaders make safeguarding a high priority. There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school to ensure the welfare of pupils. All staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and ensure that policies are adhered to.
• The culture of safeguarding in the school is evident in the way that pupils feel safe and in the rigour with which adults pursue concerns.
• Pupils who talked to inspectors explained how teaching helps them to stay safe, for example from bullying. They said that bullying does not happen at the school as all pupils sign up to the ‘no bystanders’ agreement.
• Senior leaders and staff work with a wide range of agencies, including health and social services professionals, helping the school to have a comprehensive understanding of pupils’ needs.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders have identified relevant teaching, learning and assessment priorities and put plans in place to address these. These plans are already having an impact on pupils’ achievement. For example, a review of pupils’ work resulted in better provision for girls’ reading across the school. Girls’ progress and attainment are now in line with those of boys.
• The curriculum is well designed to inspire and motivate all pupils. All pupils have a personal laptop and use these effectively to access support in a variety of ways. In lessons observed, pupils used videos of their class teacher modelling solving problems. The pupils have very high levels of competency when using technology, and this enhances learning and promotes independent learning.
• Teachers have a good understanding of pupils’ capabilities and use information on pupils’ past performance to plan interesting and stimulating learning activities.
• Teaching assistants support pupils well. They are appropriately trained and use questioning skilfully to extend learning and make pupils think. They know the pupils very well and show great care for their well-being. Teachers and teaching assistants support each other and work flexibly, as a team, to provide varied teaching approaches that help pupils learn well.
• Adults have very secure subject knowledge. This enables them to adapt learning quickly and effectively to ensure that the work is well matched to the pupils’ needs.
• Pupils’ presentation in books is good. The pupils use an effective strategy to model their best handwriting in a piece of work. This ensures that the pupils are reminded that their handwriting should always be the best they can do.
• Teachers make learning interesting. They bring subjects to life, such as in geography, through visits to local and regional places of interest. In addition, teachers inspire pupils to want to learn outside of school hours. The pupils nearly always complete homework and they said that it is fun.
• The support provided for all groups of pupils has improved since the previous inspection. Different levels of challenge are provided for pupils with different starting points. Those falling behind are provided with support to catch up. This includes those pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils.
• The most able pupils are challenged well and are given work that supports them to achieve the higher standard.
• The teaching of reading has improved since September and, as a result, most pupils are making good progress. However, inconsistencies in the approach to the teaching of reading mean that a few pupils in some classes are not making as strong progress as they could. In addition, the reading areas in the classrooms are of variable quality. This has led to some pupils being less motivated to read than others.
• Teachers provide pupils with frequent opportunities to work collaboratively to develop their ideas. For example, in Year 4, pupils were successfully editing and improving each other’s work using computers. The pupils could see all of their peers’ ideas and could edit these.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They have an excellent knowledge of what they need to do to improve their learning. They are resilient and not averse to failure. This is because they are encouraged to take risks and experiment with innovative ideas.
• Pupils are polite and caring towards adults and each other. They feel valued and respected. They said that school is a safe place. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe from harm and benefit from visitors who talk to them about dangers and risks. Pupils know about the dangers of bullying in all its different forms. They are certain that there is no bullying in the school. If they have a problem, they are confident that staff will resolve it. They have a comprehensive understanding about how to keep safe online.
• Work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is highly effective. Pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values is exceptionally strong. Pupils have a strong understanding of racism, know this is wrong and said that it is not an issue in this school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ behaviour is a real strength of the school. In lessons, pupils do not waste time; they remain focused and want to learn.
• Playtimes and lunchtimes are designed to be happy and purposeful. At playtimes, pupils have access to a wide variety of motivating tasks and activities, which ensure that pupils are happy and stimulated. At lunchtimes, pupils are taught to ride bikes and are given opportunities to practise these skills. Pupils said that they have lots of equipment that they can play with, including a set of school bikes, a set of scooters, balls, hover-boards and skipping ropes. At lunchtime, teachers sit and have lunch with pupils; pupils said they ‘love it’. If some pupils do not want to play sports, they are given the opportunity to sit on large comfortable beanbags, help with gardening and even help to take care of the school chickens.
• No lessons were disrupted by poor behaviour during the inspection. School logs reinforce this view. Low-level disruption is rare, and pupils’ attitudes towards the learning activities provided for them are generally positive. Pupils conduct themselves well at all times.
• Attendance has improved. Attendance for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is at or close to the national average. Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2017, achievement at the end of key stage 2 was in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, and the proportion of pupils achieving greater depth was above the national average in writing and mathematics. Leaders’ actions to improve outcomes for pupils since the previous inspection have had a positive impact. The school’s information shows that current pupils are making good and improved progress, from their different starting points. Work in pupils’ books confirms that the progress of current pupils is typically good. This includes pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Inspection evidence shows that, throughout each year group, and across the majority of subjects, pupils make sustained and, often, substantial progress from their starting points. This is because they are taught effectively and are eager to learn.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress throughout the school. The school’s information shows that the differences in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils nationally are diminishing, and disadvantaged pupils often outperform their peers.
• The most able pupils, in the past, did not consistently achieve higher standards in all subjects. This has now been addressed through a rise in teachers’ expectations. Pupils are now working at greater depth because they have frequent opportunities to write at length, solve problems and apply their mathematical reasoning. As a consequence, the performance of most-able pupils is strong.
• Pupils are given work which is well matched to their starting points. Extra support is provided for those falling behind, and extra work is given to those working towards the higher standards.
• Pupils who read for inspectors did so fluently and with good expression. Those developing their reading skills used their phonic skills well to sound out and read unfamiliar words. Older pupils are familiar with the works of a wide range of authors. However, less-able readers often lack the motivation to read at length.
• Pupils write for different audiences and for a range of purposes in English and across other curriculum subjects. Good progress is evident in most books, particularly in the way that pupils structure their writing and in their use of language.
• Pupils are well prepared for life in secondary school. They had a recent visit to the local secondary school for ‘make a friend day’ and feel confident about the transition.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121459 North Yorkshire 10048217 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 258 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Rachel Jenkinson Harvey McCarthey Telephone number 01723 513076 Website Email address www.filey-jun.n-yorks.sch.uk admin@filey-jun.n-yorks.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 16−17 March 2016

Information about this school

• Since the previous inspection, several teachers have been appointed. The governing body has been reorganised to include several new members, including the chair of the governing body.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is a junior school catering for pupils between the ages of 7 and 11. It is equivalent in size to the average primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium funding is higher than average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children that are looked after by the local authority.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is slightly above average. The proportion of pupils who have education, health and care plans or a statement of special education needs is below the national average.
• Almost all pupils are of White British heritage, and there are no pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• Since the last inspection, the local authority brokered support from Ebor Teaching Schools Alliance.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors held meetings with: the headteacher, the assistant headteacher and other leaders, including the SENCo; a group of pupils; and governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors gathered a range of evidence to judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Inspectors observed learning across the school. Some observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher and SENCo.
• Together with leaders, inspectors looked in detail at a range of pupils’ books and work in different subjects. Inspectors heard four pupils read and spoke with pupils throughout the inspection about their learning.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s checks on the suitability of adults to work with children and other documentation regarding safer recruitment of staff.
• Leaders made available the school’s self-evaluation document, termly assessments, subject action plans, minutes of governing body meetings and documentation regarding child protection.

Inspection team

Eve Morris, lead inspector Angela Harper Linda Clay Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector