Lythe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness and impact of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that the evaluation of the school’s performance is accurate, enabling rapid identification of the issues that affect pupils’ outcomes and resulting in timely action to improve outcomes for all groups of pupils
  • monitoring all subjects more closely to maximise opportunities to bring about rapid improvement in the quality of teaching across the curriculum
  • improving the attendance of pupils by establishing more rigorous systems to tackle unauthorised absences
  • ensuring that parents receive timely and accurate reports about the school, and particularly on the progress of their children.
• Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that:
  • teachers use assessment information to accurately identify and address any gaps in pupils’ learning, especially in grammar, punctuation and spelling, by the end of Year 6
  • the most able pupils are given tasks which enable them to meet the highest standards expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave the school
  • teachers and their assistants enable pupils to understand what they need to do to improve, and have the resources they need to help themselves if they are stuck or unsure
  • pupils in key stage 1 are taught how to form their letters correctly in order to improve the quality of their handwriting and the accuracy of their spelling
  • older pupils have more opportunities to apply and improve their skills in writing and mathematics across the curriculum.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders and governors have previously been over-generous in their assessment of the quality of education provided by the school. As a result, weaknesses have not been effectively recognised and resolved and pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 has declined.
• Following the previous inspection, a number of leadership and staffing changes led to inconsistency in teaching and in expectations of pupils. Pupils’ progress dipped. There is now a full complement of staff in place and pupils are doing much better.
• Subject leaders in English and mathematics are new to post and are now beginning to check the quality of teaching and learning more robustly. While this is showing early signs of being effective, improvements are still not rapid enough for all groups of pupils to reach the standards they are capable of, particularly the most able pupils. The monitoring of other subjects across the curriculum is not sufficiently thorough or systematic enough to bring about rapid improvement.
• The revised system for performance management and the specialist training programme for teachers and teaching assistants are having a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching and raising standards. Pupils and parents recognise these improvements.
• The curriculum is broad, particularly in key stage 1. The forest school activities and the clubs available at lunchtime and after school widen pupils’ experience well. Pupils are very respectful of other people’s cultures and beliefs. Any undue discrimination is firmly tackled by staff. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Learning in religious education is very strong, clearly reflecting the Christian ethos of the school. Pupils have good opportunities to extend their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through this and the school assembly and collective worship programme.
• The recent review of homework has brought about an increased dialogue with parents. New arrangements are being finalised to ensure that homework makes a more useful contribution to pupils’ learning.
• The school uses its pupil premium funding well to make sure that the support that eligible pupils receive is closely matched to their needs. Leaders and teachers review the impact of this funding regularly to ensure that this small group of pupils makes more rapid progress.
• The leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is improving. Funding has been used effectively to provide specific interventions for individual pupils. These interventions enable pupils to develop their basic skills effectively, which is leading to greater achievement.
• School sports funding is spent well on providing specialist training for teachers and increasing opportunities for pupils to participate in an increasing number of sporting activities at lunchtime and after school.
• The school works successfully with parents and other agencies, such as the local authority welfare service, to protect vulnerable children and to effectively secure the personal development and well-being needs of all pupils.
• The local authority provides effective support to the school, through regular checks and visits. The school’s link local authority officer can already identify key improvements and is providing good support for the headteacher in identifying ways to strengthen the school’s development plan. The high-quality partnership support from other successful schools in the area is also effective. This is strengthening the collaborative working of staff and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.

Governance of the school

• The active involvement of governors in the work of the school has been recently strengthened. As a result, governors have an accurate and precise understanding of the quality of provision that the school offers its pupils.
• Governors are asking the right questions in relation to the school’s performance and the impact of the quality of teaching on outcomes for pupils.
• Governors have a clear understanding of the impact of additional funding on targeted pupils and are challenging the school appropriately.
• Governors provide valuable support to the headteacher and have played a key role in refining the school’s new policies and procedures to bring about more rapid improvement in pupils’ outcomes.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff and governors receive regular training and show a clear understanding of the safeguarding policies and procedures. They know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil’s safety and well-being. Concerns are acted on swiftly. When referrals are made, they are followed up to check that the right support is in place to protect pupils.
• Staff are recruited safely. Appropriate checks are in place for all adults working within the school to ensure the safety of the pupils.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not consistently good across all year groups and subjects over time. As a result, not all pupils achieve the standards of which they are capable by the end of Year 6.
• Re-organised classes, effective training and more robust monitoring by leaders are improving the quality of teaching. Teachers are working hard to eradicate the gaps in pupils’ prior learning in English and mathematics. However, too few of the most able pupils are currently reaching the higher standards expected of them.
• Although school policies are being implemented more consistently by staff, teachers still differ in how they follow the policy of giving feedback to pupils. Consequently, presentation in books varies across classes and too many pupils are unclear about what they need to do to move their learning forward quickly.
• Writing, including handwriting, has not always been taught effectively across the school. While this is improving, pupils in key stage 1 do not always form their letters accurately. This affects the quality of their handwriting and the accuracy of their spelling. Leaders have correctly identified the need for pupils to develop a more secure understanding of spelling, grammar and punctuation rules, particularly in Year 6.
• The schools’ new assessment system is robust. It is helping teachers build a more accurate picture of what pupils can achieve and how to plan work that meets their needs. The identification of targets and milestones for pupils is ensuring that teachers have higher expectations of pupils. This in turn is enabling staff to design inspiring learning activities which are more closely matched to the abilities of pupils.
• Teachers and their assistants work well collaboratively. They are enthusiastic, hardworking and promote pupils’ good attitudes to learning. Consequently, pupils are keen to answer questions and do well. Most pupils are given good opportunities to complete tasks which challenge them and extend their problem-solving skills in mathematics and science.
• As a result of intensive, specialist training and development, staff now have a more accurate understanding of the targets set for individuals and groups of pupils. Work in pupils’ books shows that more pupils are receiving timely, targeted support and a higher proportion are currently working at least at the standards expected of them.
• Good use is often made of resources to help pupils if they get stuck on a task, for example lists of phrases to prompt pupils’ use of grammar. This effective practice in English is not as evident in other subjects.
• Pupils enjoy reading. The teaching of reading is improving and a higher proportion of pupils is on target to make the progress expected of them. This reflects in part the effective teaching of phonics, particularly in the early years and in key stage 1. For example, skilful questioning by the teacher enabled Year 1 pupils to identify and combine ‘tricky’ and ‘non-tricky’ words to form a sentence. Pupils were able to identify words containing a soft ‘c’ such as ‘dice’ and ‘rice’.
• The vast majority of parents who completed Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, believe their children are taught well. Most parents who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire said their children enjoy learning at school and a large majority believed their teachers help them to do their best.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.

• Staff work hard to ensure that a range of effective support is in place to protect individual pupils, particularly the most vulnerable. Pupils say their teachers are ‘very caring’. The school works effectively with a range of outside agencies to support the emotional and welfare needs of pupils.
• The school is a happy, friendly place to be. One parent stated that it is ‘a lovely, welcoming school’. Pupils enjoy celebrating their successes and are proud to receive their rewards from staff.
• The school’s Christian ethos is evident in displays around the school and in the way that pupils, as well as staff, show consideration and kindness to others.
• Pupils are confident that staff take good care of them, listen carefully to their concerns and respond positively to any queries or requests they may have. Pupils have opportunities to play an active part in school life and they say that their suggestions are acted on by the headteacher.
• Leaders promote a culture where pupils feel safe. Pupils say that bullying is rare and they know who they can talk to should they have any worries. Pupils know how to keep safe and they are also aware of how to keep safe online.
• In lessons, pupils are respectful and thoughtful when giving peer support and making comments about each other’s work. They are encouraged to listen sensitively to others and consider the views and feelings of other people before responding.
• Leaders check carefully to ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain, including their understanding about other countries and cultures. Pupils were keen to explain how much they enjoyed learning about the Muslim religion through a visit from a local family who taught pupils about Islamic celebrations and festivals.
• Pupils can explain accurately and confidently how to keep themselves healthy through exercise and good eating habits. The breakfast and after-school clubs are well run and provide a wide range of activities for the pupils. Healthy snacks are provided and they are a positive social experience for the pupils.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school provides pupils with a calm atmosphere for learning. They are happy and polite and there is positive mutual respect between pupils and adults.
• From starting school, pupils are taught well how to carefully consider the feelings of others and that their actions have consequences.
• Parents and staff say that pupils are well behaved. Most pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy their lessons and are keen to participate.
• The school works hard to establish productive relationships with parents to enable them to gain a greater understanding about how they can help to improve their children’s learning. However, some parents feel that they do not receive enough information about the progress their children are making.
• Attendance is now tackled more robustly and absence rates are reducing. Attendance rates are affected by the medical history of a small number of pupils. Although leaders do not authorise absences for family holidays, attendance levels have still not reached national rates. Leaders accept that a more detailed analysis of unauthorised absences by different groups is needed to help them to identify patterns over time.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because progress at key stage 2 does not build well enough on achievement at the end of key stage 1, particularly in writing and mathematics. Overall, outcomes for pupils are improving; however, the progress of pupils remains variable across subjects, groups and classes.
• The attainment of pupils at the end of key stage 2 has declined since the previous inspection and, in 2016, was significantly below average in reading, writing and mathematics. Fewer pupils than seen nationally achieved the highest standards, particularly in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
• Published assessment information from 2014 and 2015 shows that by the end of key stage 2, too few pupils made more than expected progress in reading and mathematics. The current progress across key stage 2 is now improving faster than in the past.
• Although there is evidence of more secure progress, including in mathematics for older pupils, this is too inconsistent across key stage 2. Typically, the most able pupils at key stage 2 are not sufficiently well challenged and therefore do not routinely deepen their knowledge and skills in English, or in their mastery of mathematics.
• While standards of punctuation and grammar are improving, leaders recognise the need to improve outcomes further, especially in grammar, punctuation and spelling, across all classes.
• The school’s records show that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are currently making better progress than in the past because their needs are more clearly identified. The support provided for this group of pupils is now carefully planned to take sufficient account of their different needs.
• Year 1 pupils are on track to reach the required threshold in phonics because of effective teaching. The support given to pupils who fall behind in their reading is timely and effective so pupils soon catch up. The most able pupils are confident and fluent readers.
• The number of disadvantaged pupils in each year group is too small to make comparisons with other pupils nationally. The support provided for this current group of pupils, however, is very effective and is helping individual pupils, particularly the most able, to make rapid progress.
• Pupils in key stage 1 are making good progress in a range of subjects. Although leaders are rightly focusing on identifying and addressing the gaps in the basic skills of pupils in key stage 2, there are too few opportunities for pupils to apply these skills to other subjects in the curriculum.

Early years provision Good

• There is variation in the outcomes for children in the early years class year on year because of the very small cohorts. Overall, because of good provision, children in the early years are achieving well from broadly average starting points. This includes the small number of children entitled to pupil premium funding and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• The new leader of the early years has an accurate understanding of the quality of the provision. The progress of every child is closely monitored and the assessment of children’s learning and development is accurate. The system for recording and analysing the assessments of children is not sufficiently streamlined, however. Staff are not always able to quickly identify and take appropriate action to address any gaps in children’s skills. This delays the identification of individuals or groups of children who may be at risk of underachievement.
• Teaching is good and typically reflects the high expectations of staff. Children respond happily to the challenges set for them. Children are adept when selecting from a range of different activities and are confident about speaking to adults and their peers.
• There is very effective teaching and learning of phonics. This helps children to learn to read and write new words with ease. Staff help children to think carefully about how they shape their letters and provide plentiful opportunities for them to write for a purpose.
• Children behave very well in the early years and they are taught well to work cooperatively. This is due to the close relationship that children have with their teachers and other adults and the clear routines quickly established by teachers. For example, children routinely replace the tops on their pens, return paints to the shelf and dress themselves in outdoor clothes when working outside. Children quickly develop the good learning behaviours required for key stage 1.
• Teachers work closely with parents to support their children’s development. The leader of early years undertakes home visits and provides parents with information about what to expect when their children start school. This helps children to settle quickly and to make a good start when they begin school. Parents are encouraged to come into school to support their children, discuss their children’s progress and to play an active part in their children’s learning.
• Staff take children’s safety very seriously. Thorough risk assessments for outdoor activities are undertaken and staff are aware of the action they must take when they have a concern regarding children’s welfare.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121507 North Yorkshire 10000552 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary controlled 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 90 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Co-chairs: Mrs Claudia Unger-Bloor and Mrs Jo Stonehouse Headteacher Mrs Lisa Armstrong Telephone number 01947 893373 Website Email address

http://www.lythe.n-yorks.sch.uk headteacher@lythe.n-yorks.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection 28–29 May 2012

Information about this school

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

• This school is smaller than the average primary school.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average.
• Fewer pupils than average speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is below that seen across the country.
• The school met the government’s floor standards in 2016, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.
• There are four mixed-age classes in the school including the early years unit, which includes the children who attend the Nursery and Reception.
• The before- and after-school club, for pupils who attend the school, runs daily.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector visited all classes to observe lessons. All observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher.
• The inspector observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils reading.
• The inspector looked at examples of pupils’ work in all classes in order to obtain a view of teaching over time.
• The inspector took account of nine staff questionnaires and the responses from 59 pupils. There were 58 published responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View). The inspector also took account of the school’s own surveys of the views of parents and pupils.
• The inspector observed the behaviour of pupils in classrooms, in the playground, in the dining hall and around the school.
• The inspector examined a range of information and documentation for the school, including pupils’ progress and attainment information.
• The inspector visited the school’s breakfast club.
• The inspector met with representatives from the governing body. Meetings were also held with several other leaders in the school and the local authority.
• The inspector spoke with pupils about their work informally during lessons and met with groups of pupils to discuss their learning and listen to their views about their school.

Inspection team

Cathy Morgan, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector