Fountains Earth, Lofthouse Church of England Endowed Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the quality of teaching across the school, and therefore the outcomes of pupils, so that a higher proportion reach greater depth in their learning by: ensuring that checks on pupils’ written accuracy across the curriculum are sharp and regular and that teachers challenge pupils to correct spelling and grammar errors so that they do not become persistent errors ensuring that the most able pupils are provided with regular opportunities to access increasingly challenging work.
• Further improve leadership and the curriculum, by ensuring that pupils have the opportunity to learn about and understand the different life choices people make, particularly with regard to their sexuality, so that they are fully equipped to live in the modern world and to make choices of their own.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders, in particular the executive headteacher, have effectively supported improvements in teaching through rigorous and robust monitoring systems. This means leaders have identified where practice has not been strong enough, which has also informed more bespoke training to support teachers’ development. As a result, teachers’ subject knowledge is now strong and their capacity to plan and meet pupils’ needs closely has improved. This has all led to improved outcomes for pupils.
• Leaders have used the appraisal systems to provide all staff with challenging but realistic targets. This has helped, in particular, to shape the responsibilities and leadership roles of different members of staff, especially around subject leadership. This too has led to improved outcomes for pupils.
• The leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is good and has improved since the last inspection. The money has been used effectively to ensure that these pupils make good progress. There is much more expertise in this area, meaning pupils’ needs are identified quickly and understood by all staff to support them in school. It also means that parents and carers are well informed about how to support their children at home and beyond.
• The pupil premium funding received is used well and has a positive impact on the pupils for whom it is intended. Funding is used to support these pupils in the classroom and in the broader curriculum, so that these pupils can take equal advantage with others of the different enrichment opportunities.
• Phonics is well led with pupils making rapid progress in their development and knowledge of their letters and sounds, meaning they make rapid progress in learning to read.
• The sports premium funding is used well to ensure that pupils have increased opportunities to try different sports and to play these competitively in the local area. Pupils report that they particularly appreciate these improvements to the sports provision because, previously, the small size of the school really limited their choice of sports and their opportunities to compete with other schools.
• The school engages very well with its parents, who have a very positive view of the school. Parents of pupils from all year groups are very pleased with the very strong leadership of the new executive headteacher, who has worked very effectively to build strong relationships with parents and families. Parents recognise that she and her team are very approachable. Parents also report that staff in school know their children very well. In addition, they feel their children are progressing over time and feel well informed about how their children do at school.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and engaging for pupils. Pupils regularly reinforce their skills in reading, writing and mathematics throughout all aspects of the curriculum. This approach reinforces the skills they learn and helps pupils to make good progress. In addition, pupils have regular opportunities to understand different cultures and faiths. For example, all the pupils recently visited a mosque in Bradford, as well as visiting a school in the city where there is far more ethnic diversity. Such visits and experiences are always closely linked with learning in the classroom. This work demonstrates pupils’ understanding and celebration of life beyond their everyday experiences. Pupils also celebrate their local community, for example by inviting local farmers into school to talk to them about their work and by preparing to celebrate the Tour de Yorkshire event which was soon to pass through the village. This approach to the curriculum exemplifies how leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as their understanding of modern British values.
• Whilst pupils demonstrate positive views and tolerance of others, leaders have not provided enough opportunities for pupils to understand about some of the different life choices people make, especially around their sexuality. Whilst this needs more deliberate attention through the curriculum, it is clear that pupils are sensitive to people from all backgrounds and demonstrate no prejudice or intolerance of any kind. The local authority has worked effectively with the school to improve its provision. In particular, they have worked well with governors to support a strong appointment of a new executive headteacher, who also works in another local school, soon to be federated with this school. The appointment of this executive headteacher and the upcoming federation, as well as the strong support from the diocese, has built capacity around training and development in the school which in turn has improved teaching and outcomes for pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governance is a strength of the school and is good. Governors have worked hard to support and challenge leaders in school to promote a stronger provision so that pupils now make good progress.
• Governors are very committed and, as such, have an accurate understanding of what assessment information shows about how well pupils are doing. Governors also have a clear understanding of the appraisal system and have been part of this system’s success in supporting better subject leadership, as well as the training of teachers. Governors have worked with leaders since the last inspection to eradicate teaching which was not good enough and have been willing to make difficult decisions around staffing.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school ensures that all policies, protocols and systems are regularly reviewed and implemented when necessary. It also ensures that all staff and governors are provided with regular training. Leaders work closely with families, as well as external agencies, to make sure that pupils are safe. The school also provides clear guidance around safeguarding on their website for parents and carers to access.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is good and leads to pupils making good progress across the curriculum, including in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers have high expectations and teaching meets the needs of different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Teachers regularly assess pupils’ understanding and knowledge, and as such, assessment is accurate in school. They do this through strong questioning which guides and supports pupils and allows pupils to articulate themselves fully. Furthermore, they develop good communication skills. Teachers use the information from questioning to adjust learning; they move pupils on quickly or reinforce key learning points where misconceptions are apparent.
• Teachers also assess pupils regularly by checking the work in books. In addition, they provide pupils with feedback based on these checks to support pupils to improve their work independently.
• However, at times, teachers do not correct or identify errors in spelling and grammar in pupils’ work across the curriculum, including in writing books. As a result, these errors can persist for some and, in particular, the lack of accuracy inhibits the most able pupils from moving to a greater depth of learning in writing.
• Teaching assistants provide strong support for pupils. They know the pupils very well and have positive relationships with them. They take the initiative and are well directed by teachers to ensure that their support impacts well on pupils who need it most.
• The teaching of reading is good. Skills in phonics are taught well and this helps pupils to read from an early age and to develop a passion for reading. Pupils read widely and often and are increasingly skilled in the more complex aspects of reading. They are often self-directed in choosing books that interest and challenge them. As well as supporting pupils’ love of reading, this also prepares pupils well for their next stage of learning in reading.
• Teaching in mathematics is also strong. Pupils follow a coherent curriculum which offers them regular opportunities to learn and practise new skills, as well as to apply and use these skills in a variety of tasks. This helps pupils to work through word problems competently.
• At times, teachers do not provide the most able pupils with the chance to access the highest levels of learning. This means these pupils are not always able to reach a greater depth in their learning. These pupils work very hard and enthusiastically on the work they are given, but teachers do not always match their needs as closely as those of other pupils.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils are safe and report that they feel safe and understand why they feel safe. They say that adults care for them, are always around and would always take time to listen to their worries or, indeed, their successes.
• Thanks to a comprehensive programme of activities to promote road safety, as well as e-safety, pupils know how to keep themselves safe out of school as well. They know the potential dangers of using the internet, how to try to avoid these, and what to do if they have a concern.
• The school promotes very strong values of respect and tolerance, as well as friendship and kindness. These values underpin the work it does to prevent bullying, through anti-bullying events. As a result, pupils know about the different types of bullying, such as racist and homophobic bullying. Pupils report that bullying is very rare. Parents agree with this and the school’s own records concur. Pupils are very proud of their school. They believe that their school is special and that they are lucky to be in a school where everyone cares for each other and where adults support them to do well.
• Pupils take care of each other and this is very apparent in all aspects of school life. Older pupils automatically look after and nurture younger pupils. All age groups interact very well together in the playground, at lunchtime, during trips and in the classroom.
• Pupils take pride in their own appearance and the work in their books is well presented.
• Pupils know that all staff, led by the executive headteacher, have very high expectations of them. Pupils rise to these expectations and display excellent conduct, as well as kindly and mature attitudes in school.
• Around school, there is a calm and purposeful environment because pupils value their school and their learning. This means that pupils rarely need to be reminded about how to behave and they have a very positive attitude towards learning.
• Classrooms are well organised and tidy.
• The school emphasises the need to keep fit and healthy and the sports they can play support this. The pupils are very positive about the school meals they get, which they describe as healthy and delicious; thus, the very large majority opt to eat a school meal.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils’ conduct is exemplary and they are self-disciplined in their approach to all aspects of school life, whether that be responding to teachers’ feedback, returning inside from play time, or demonstrating kindness and respect to everyone.
• There are very few serious incidents and there have been no exclusions since the last inspection. Where even minor incidents have occurred, they are dealt with well, meaning pupils do not repeat such behaviour. In lessons, disruption is very rare, as seen in the school’s records, and pupils’ views around behaviour. Parents share pupils’ very positive views on behaviour. Attendance is above average and this has been the case since the last inspection. There is a very small proportion of pupils who are frequently absent. The school works very positively with the families of these pupils and, as such, the attendance of these pupils is improving.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• From their starting points, pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This means the standards pupils reach in these subjects have improved since the last inspection, are now in line with or above the national average, and pupils are now better prepared for their next stage of learning.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress due to their needs being understood well and the use of the pupil premium funding to provide them with an exciting and enriching curriculum.
• The needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well understood and a bespoke approach to supporting their needs is in place. As a result, they are confident learners, who engage well in all aspects of the curriculum, and so they make good progress. This is an improvement in recent years.
• The most able pupils in school do not always make good progress. Despite their very strong attitudes to learning, at times these pupils are not pushed enough and are not provided with activities that challenge them appropriately.
• Reading outcomes have improved and are now good. Pupils make a positive start in gaining skills in phonics. Outcomes in the Year 1 screening check are much better than those seen nationally. Pupils are engaged in the activities teachers plan because learning is personalised, especially for the low- and middle-ability pupils, and so they make good progress.
• Writing outcomes are good. Pupils regularly write at length in various styles and are influenced by a variety of topics and authors. While pupils’ writing is often imaginative, varied and informative, it is not consistently accurate. This is because teachers do not always pay enough attention to errors in spelling and grammar and therefore do not challenge pupils to make the necessary corrections.
• Outcomes in mathematics are also good. This is another area which has improved since the last inspection. Pupils are again engaged well in their learning due to a varied and relevant curriculum. Teaching largely meets pupils’ needs closely although, at times, the most able pupils do not receive work which challenges them sufficiently.

Early years provision Good

• Overall, children start school in Reception with skills and knowledge generally in line with what is typical for their age. However, due to the very small numbers of children arriving each year, this can change significantly between each cohort. Children’s development in speech and language when they arrive is sometimes below what is typical for their age.
• From these starting points, a higher than average proportion of children leave Reception with a good level of development. Some children move beyond this standard in certain areas of learning. Different groups of children make good progress, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and disadvantaged pupils. At times, the challenge for the most able children is not strong enough. Even so, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning as they move into Year 1.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Assessment of their needs and development is regular and it is used well to plan activities which meet the children’s needs and interests well. The planning for children is personalised. It is done skilfully so that children are also encouraged to work as a team, learning essential skills of turn-taking, listening, sharing and being confident to offer an opinion. This means that the children’s personal, social and emotional development is particularly strong.
• Leaders ensure that all adults are well engaged with the children at all times. Adults know the children well and are skilled in both observing children’s learning and play, but also in their interaction with children. This supports children’s development in many ways. In particular it encourages children to speak and express their views, thus supporting improvements in their speech and language skills.
• The school engages well with parents in the early years. Parents are very happy with what the school provides for their children and in their children’s development. Parents report that they feel very well informed by staff, and that staff are very approachable. They also report that the closeness of the school community, for example the older pupils’ willingness to care for the younger children, also helps their children to settle well and look forward to going to school every day.
• Teachers’ and leaders’ close consideration of children’s needs and interests also supports a well-planned curriculum and setting. The setting is varied, giving children the opportunity to learn in various ways and to advance important skills. Leaders and teachers also adjust the indoor and outdoor provision on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to meet children’s needs, and continues to excite and engage them. This serves to ensure that children have very positive attitudes towards school and behave very well.
• Safeguarding arrangements in the early years setting are effective and so children are kept safe. There are clear routines which children quickly learn and understand and so there is an orderly environment and children feel confident to ‘have a go’ and learn well.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121561 North Yorkshire 10031949 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 Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 22 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Sue Fry Lynette Brammah 01423 755 289

www.fountains-earth.n-yorks.sch.uk admin@fountains-earth.n-yorks.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection 25–26 March 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

• The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• A much lower than average proportion of pupils is disadvantaged.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well below average.
• Children enter the school in Reception on a full-time basis.
• The school is organised into two mixed-aged classes.
• 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 learning in a range of lessons and through a scrutiny of work in pupils’ books.
• The inspector observed and spoke with pupils during lessons and at breaktime. She also met formally with groups of pupils from Year 1 to Year 6. In addition, she considered the responses from 19 pupils to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.
• The inspector listened to some pupils read from Year 2 and Year 6.
• Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders. Meetings also took place with some parents and members of the governing body. Telephone conversations were held with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.
• 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. Information about pupils’ progress and attainment was also examined.
• The inspector considered 13 parental responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.

Inspection team

Fiona McNally, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector