Malton Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • raising leaders’ expectations of what pupils ought to be able to achieve
  • more accurately evaluating the quality of teaching, emphasising the impact of teaching on what pupils are learning, as well as how they are learning
  • simplifying systems and processes for checking and evaluating teaching and pupils’ outcomes so that they become sharper and more effective.
• Raise attainment for all groups of pupils by the end of key stage 2, in all subjects, by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils of all abilities should be able to achieve
  • securing greater consistency in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • making sure teachers make better use of assessment information to plan work that is neither too hard, nor too easy
  • making sure teachers more carefully check pupils’ learning in lessons and adapt work to suit pupils’ needs
  • improving the balance of the curriculum to increase pupils’ knowledge and progress in all national curriculum subjects
  • giving pupils more opportunities to attempt challenging mathematics problems in subjects such as geography and science
  • more effectively teaching the least able pupils and those pupils with genuine SEN and/or disabilities.
• Improve pupils’ understanding of different cultures, faiths and gender, so they are better prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Increase the demands made on children in their independent play and exploration in the early years. Ensure that the most able children consistently exceed the early learning goals in the prime and specific areas.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Considerable turbulence in staffing has had a negative effect on the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes over time. Senior leaders did not manage to arrest, early enough, the sharp decline in pupils’ progress in key stage 2.
• Teaching, learning and assessment have improved slowly. However, leaders have not managed to ensure that teachers make the best use of assessment information to match work accurately to pupils’ needs. Leaders have not successfully addressed the variability in the quality of teaching to bring about consistently good progress for groups of pupils, including the most able.
• Leaders are overly positive in their evaluations of the quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning and progress. Leaders’ and teachers’ expectations of what pupils ought to be able to achieve are not high enough. Leaders do not identify sharply enough the specific impact of teaching on what pupils are learning. Leaders work hard, but tend to overcomplicate processes, carrying out too much ineffective and unnecessarily time-consuming work.
• Pupils do not progressively acquire knowledge in the humanities, in art, and in design and technology. This is because leaders have not checked that teachers teach these subjects often enough and methodically enough. The design of the curriculum does not identify how knowledge in one subject supports the acquisition of knowledge in other subjects. Consequently, pupils’ achievement in a wide range of subjects is not good enough.
• The curriculum does not help pupils to develop a knowledge and understanding about people of different cultures. Insufficient teaching of RE means pupils have limited knowledge of people’s beliefs and faith. Pupils have not learned, in an age-appropriate way, about gender issues. This means leaders are not preparing pupils, who live in a largely white, monocultural community, well enough for life in modern Britain. However, pupils are open-minded and demonstrate respect for each other.
• The impact of the spending of the pupil premium has been variable. Over time, some disadvantaged pupils have made good progress. However, this is inconsistent and there remains too much difference between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of others nationally. Nevertheless, leaders have used some funding well to raise the attendance and reduce the persistent absence of some disadvantaged pupils.
• The sports and physical education leader has ensured the effective spending of additional government sports funding. Consequently, a large proportion of pupils participate regularly in sports, improving their physical fitness and developing positive attitudes to health and fitness, as well as developing such attributes as teamwork.
• Middle leaders, particularly leaders of English and mathematics, are conscientious in their responsibilities. They have strong subject knowledge. They have accurately identified what needs to improve. Senior and middle leaders have ensured that teachers have received substantial training. This has brought about some improvements in the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics.
• A minority of parents are dissatisfied with the quality of education their children receive. A small, but significant, minority would not recommend the school to another parent. About a quarter do not agree that the school is well led and managed or that the school responds well to their concerns.
• The local authority, rightly, gave the school the highest level of support and challenge. It put in place a suitable plan and ample resources. Leaders have not always made the most effective use of this support and challenge, but representatives of the local authority have kept a close eye on progress. They continue to provide appropriate support.

Governance of the school

• Under the leadership of a very able chair of governors, the governing body has improved its effectiveness. The governing body has identified its weaknesses and taken action to improve the knowledge and skills of governors. Individual governors have a range of experience and skills that equip them well for governance.
• Governors have become increasingly challenging of school leaders and hold them to account with growing tenacity. They request information that helps them to evaluate progress. They make no excuses.
• The governing body has pursued the possible academisation of the school with appropriate caution and rigour. They are seeking out the most suitable multi-academy trust and making decisions in the best interests of the pupils.
• The governing body is exceptionally well organised and carries out all of its statutory duties.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders make sure that all the required checks are carried out to ensure that adults recruited are suitable to work with children. They keep an accurate record of these checks. However, the way the record is organised makes it difficult for responsible persons to check its accuracy.
• Staff undertake suitable training so that they know their duties. They report their concerns to the right people. The designated safeguarding leaders take timely action to protect pupils who may be at risk of harm. They keep detailed records and are taking action to better organise these records. Leaders ensure that children get the help they need. They persevere where they believe more action from external agencies is needed.
• The building and site are safe and secure from potential intruders. Pupils feel safe and the vast majority of parents agree that their children are safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teachers, largely, do not offer pupils sufficient challenge to secure consistently good progress. They do not consider, carefully enough, what pupils already know and can do when they plan activities for them. Consequently, work can sometimes be too hard and is often too easy.
• Teachers do not always notice in lessons when pupils are not working as hard as they can. Nor do they adapt work in lessons so that it better matches the needs of pupils. Too much time is wasted in lessons on unnecessary tasks that do not promote learning.
• Too many lessons are uninspiring. There is a lack of challenge, and pupils occasionally become disinterested and inattentive. This means that teachers have to control pupils’ behaviour. However, teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well so disruption is minimal.
• The afternoon ‘enquiry’ lessons provide ample opportunity for pupils to practise their writing but, apart from in Year 6, pupils generally do not have enough opportunities to write at greater length to develop stamina in their writing. Nor do pupils have many opportunities to practise and apply their mathematics knowledge in other subjects.
• Teachers do not teach a wide range of subjects in a methodical way or teach some subjects often enough. This means pupils do not build up their knowledge in subjects such as geography, history, art and design and technology.
• Some teaching is more effective, notably in Year 6, because it inspires pupils more and offers greater challenge. This encourages stronger pupil concentration and better learning. It is the inconsistency in the quality of teaching across the school that results in the variable progress of pupils.
• The teaching of mathematics is becoming more and more effective, throughout the school, as teachers make use of the training and resources leaders have made available. The quality of the teaching of reading remains more variable, especially at key stage 2.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders broaden pupils’ horizons through such activities as travelling on a train or a visit to the theatre. Pupils are encouraged to keep fit. They benefit from an extensive programme of sports activities.
• Though there are weaknesses in the way leaders promote pupils’ social and cultural education, and despite pupils’ limited understanding of diversity, pupils do show tolerance, respect and open-minded attitudes. Pupils understand right and wrong. They are well mannered, considerate and welcoming.
• When lessons are inspiring, pupils challenge themselves, concentrate and collaborate well. Where lessons are less interesting or teaching is less challenging, pupils’ engagement tends to wane. Nevertheless, most pupils generally get on with their work.
• Adults teach pupils how to stay safe. For example, pupils understand basic online safety rules and how to cross the road safely. Pupils are happy that adults deal well with rare incidents of bullying.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils largely conduct themselves well around the school building and in the playground.
• Pupils value the rewards they receive for good work and behaviour. They diligently follow the instructions of adults.
• Leaders make effective use of the specialist team on site to help pupils with more challenging behaviour to improve and engage in lessons. In the few instances where the headteacher has excluded pupils from school, the reason has been justified.
• Positive work with identified families has brought about a marked improvement in attendance. Leaders have been successful in reducing the absence of some disadvantaged pupils, who previously missed too many sessions.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Progress by the end of key stage 2 in 2015, and in 2016, was in the bottom 10% of schools nationally in reading and in mathematics. This improved in 2017 so that progress in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly average. However, only just over half the pupils reached the expected standard in these three subjects combined.
• The progress of pupils generally continues to be broadly average and insufficient to raise attainment substantially. A few pupils currently in the school make faster progress, including some of the most able pupils. However, too often, teachers do not challenge these pupils well enough. As a result, this group does not make consistently good progress.
• The least able pupils do not make enough progress for them to begin to catch up with their peers. This is the case for pupils who have fallen behind in their learning due to previously much weaker teaching. Too often, leaders add these pupils to the list of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities when they do not genuinely require provision that is additional to, or different from, that which they should receive in whole class lessons.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils continues to be variable. At key stage 2, in 2017, this improved so it was broadly in line with that of other pupils in the school. However, this was insufficient to diminish significantly the difference in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school or nationally. Too big a difference remains between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in the school and others nationally at key stage 1.
• At key stage 1, over time, pupils have generally attained as well as pupils nationally. The proportion of pupils attaining greater depth in their learning last year was above average in reading, average in writing, but considerably below average in mathematics. These outcomes are characteristic of the varying outcomes for pupils currently across the school.
• The proportion of Year 1 pupils meeting the expected standard in phonics has risen from below average to above average in the last two years. This is because leaders have introduced and implemented a more effective early reading scheme and reading books that are well matched to pupils’ developing phonics knowledge.
• Pupils’ attainment in reading is slowly improving. However, too many pupils have little interest in reading because leaders and teachers do not instil in them an appreciation for, and love of, reading. Those pupils who do read more widely and often generally rely on the availability of quality literature from home rather than from school.

Early years provision Good

• The proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the end of the early years, over the last three years, has been a little above the national average. The few children eligible for free school meals have largely kept pace with other children. Most children are sufficiently prepared for learning in Year 1.
• Provision for two-year-olds is particularly effective. Adults constantly talk to, and question, the children, building up their experience of a broad and rich vocabulary. They recognise that the large majority of children currently in the Nursery joined with communication and language skills below those which are typical for their age. Adults play alongside the children, giving them challenges and encouraging them to make choices.
• Adults comprehensively assess children’s development and use the information to plan teaching which meets the children’s needs. For example, adults know where children are up to in their learning of phonics and help them to learn the letters and sounds they do not know.
• Adults give parents opportunities to contribute to their children’s assessment when they enter the early years and regularly throughout Nursery and Reception. Therefore, adults know the children well.
• The proportion of children exceeding the early learning goals in reading and writing by the end of the early years has varied year on year. Despite the effective teaching of basic knowledge and skills, when children choose activities for themselves, their play and exploration generally does not challenge them well enough, especially the most able children. Adults, too often, do not notice when children are not fully engaged, or when the resources they are using do not make enough of a demand on them.
• Leaders have accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses in children’s outcomes and have identified improvement priorities. For example, leaders recognise that no children in the last two years exceeded the early learning goal in mathematics. They are beginning to take effective action to address this.
• The early years is a friendly, nurturing place. The early years welfare requirements are met; children are safe. Children follow instructions and learn to behave well.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121305 North Yorkshire 10042220 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 Community 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 289 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Diana Wetherell-Terry Kelly Wilkinson 01653 692582 www.maltonprimary.org/ headteacher@maltonprimary.org Date of previous inspection 2–3 July 2014

Information about this school

• Malton Community Primary School is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and receive support from the pupil premium is broadly in line with the national average.
• The proportion of pupils identified as having SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The local authority identified the school as requiring the highest level of support and challenge. In October, the local authority reduced this support, but it continues to prioritise its limited resources in favour of the school.
• The school is one of nine primary schools in the North Yorkshire local authority that has a specialist team to meet the needs of children experiencing social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Currently, just one of the pupils in the school is accessing this provision.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 28 part lessons. Some of these observations took place with school leaders. Inspectors asked pupils about their learning and looked in a sample of pupils’ workbooks. One inspector listened to a few pupils reading.
• Discussions were held with senior and middle leaders about the actions they have taken to improve the school and a number of staff were questioned about their safeguarding duties.
• Inspectors listened to many pupils’ views about what it is like to be a pupil at the school. They observed pupils’ behaviour as they moved around the school site, ate their lunch and played outside.
• A range of documents were scrutinised, including the school self-evaluation document and school improvement plan. Inspectors examined leaders’ notes of the checks they make on teaching and learning and scrutinised assessment information. They looked at safeguarding documents, governing body minutes and notes from representatives of the local authority and external consultants
• Inspectors met with a group of governors, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors considered the responses of 33 members of staff to the online staff survey, 57 responses to the online parent survey, Parent View, and 13 written responses from parents.

Inspection team

Philip Riozzi, lead inspector Sara Roe Gillian Nimer Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector