Smawthorne Henry Moore Primary School, Castleford Ofsted Report

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Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Rapidly improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in order to improve outcomes in key stage 2, by:
  • raising expectations of what pupils can achieve
  • planning learning activities for reading that more closely match pupils’ needs
  • ensuring that pupils do not complete work in mathematics that adds little value to what they already know, particularly middle-ability pupils and the most able pupils
  • making sure that pupils take more care with the presentation of their work.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, by:
  • developing the role of subject leaders so that they have a greater impact on raising standards in their subjects
  • ensuring that plans to reduce the differences in achievement between disadvantaged pupils in the school and other pupils nationally are effective.
• Ensure that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 are encouraged to form letters and numbers correctly.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a clear vision for school improvement. They have a good understanding of the school’s weaknesses and are taking action to address them. This has had a significant impact in key stage 1; however, standards at key stage 2 remain too low.
• Subject leaders are taking some action to bring about improvements. However, they are new to their roles and, as yet, have not developed a stringent approach to improving teaching and learning.
• Over time, the quality of teaching has been too varied. Fluctuations in staffing in the past two years have limited leaders’ plans to improve teaching, especially at key stage 2. In some classes, teaching is much stronger than in others. Leaders have addressed some of the weak teaching in the school, but some remains.
• Leaders acknowledge that plans and funding for disadvantaged pupils have not had a positive enough impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in the school are low, and the significant differences between these pupils and other pupils nationally remain. Leaders have amended their plans on how the funding could be used more effectively following a recent external review.
• Leaders ensure that the additional funding to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used well. Dedicated staff provide these pupils with a high level of personalised support, individually or in small groups. Consequently, current pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are now making good progress in their learning.
• Leaders provide pupils with a curriculum that is well planned and covers a wide range of learning experiences. Teachers make cross-curricular links, which are helping pupils to make connections in their learning between subjects. Learning is enhanced by school visits, such as a trip to a museum to support pupils’ work on the Second World War.
• Over time, systems for managing staff performance have not focused sharply enough on improving pupils’ progress. Current targets are more challenging and are closely linked to school priorities. Teachers have had access to a range of professional development opportunities to improve their practice, but the impact has been too variable.
• Foundation subjects are taught through termly topics and are monitored by subject leaders for breadth and balance. However, leaders have not developed a secure system for tracking the progress that pupils make in these subjects.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well supported through special events, assemblies and the ‘Be Smart’ school rules. Events such as Diwali Day and visitors to the school from different faiths enable pupils to appreciate cultural diversity. School councillors are elected to their roles, and pupils have a well-developed understanding of their own rights and responsibilities. Pupils understand what it means to be a good citizen in modern British society.
• Leaders spend the physical education and sport premium funding appropriately. There is a high level of participation in sport, and pupils benefit from regular opportunities for physical development.
• The local authority has known for some time that standards have not been good enough at key stage 2. It has not visited the school regularly in the past as leaders have used a private consultant for school support. The local authority is now more involved and is giving leaders good support.

Governance of the school

• The governors are committed to the school and are keen to contribute their skills and experience. However, over time they have not held leaders to account rigorously for the standard of education the school provides. Following a recent review of governance, minutes of meetings show that governors now pose questions that are more challenging to leaders about the school’s performance.
• The governing body is relatively new and has changed significantly since the last inspection. New additions to the governing body bring specific skills that are now allowing them to effectively challenge and support leaders, for example on school finances.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and adults respond appropriately to any concerns they may have.
• Staff are appropriately trained and they understand the signs they would look for to keep children safe. They are clear about what to do if they are concerned. The school’s designated leads have been suitably trained to enable them to carry out their roles effectively.
• Those responsible for leading safeguarding work closely with external agencies and parents to minimise children’s risk from harm. School documentation confirms that concerns are followed up quickly and appropriate records kept. The single central record of the suitability of staff to work with children meets requirements.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Since the last inspection, the quality of teaching in key stage 2 has been inconsistent and not good. Teaching is much stronger in some year groups than in others. In some classes, staff do not have high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving. As a result, pupils make better progress in some classes than in others.
• Too often in key stage 2, teachers do not identify next steps in learning soon enough. Consequently, pupils have to revisit basic skills in mathematics when they should be learning in more depth. This is particularly noticeable for middle-ability pupils and the most able.
• The teaching of phonics is effective in the early years and key stage 1 and gives children a firm foundation on which to develop reading skills. However, the approach to reading in key stage 2 is not challenging pupils to make the rapid progress that they need to make. Too often, learning activities are not matched to pupils’ needs.
• Teachers’ expectations are variable and this leads to pupils’ presentation and handwriting being inconsistent across classes. This is mostly the case in key stage 2. Teachers in the early years and key stage 1 are not picking up errors that pupils sometimes make when forming letters and numbers.
• The determined effort by leaders to improve the quality of teaching of writing is paying dividends. Pupils’ skills in grammar are improving and they are using more sophisticated and interesting vocabulary in their writing. Pupils are given good opportunities to apply these skills in different subjects.
• Teaching assistants work effectively with individual pupils and with small groups of pupils. They are particularly successful in helping pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to take part in whole-class lessons along with their peers. Teaching assistants contribute effectively to the good progress that these pupils are currently making.
• Teaching in the early years and key stage 1 is good. Consequently, outcomes have rapidly improved. Turbulence in staffing in key stage 2 has had a detrimental effect on the quality of education for pupils. However, there are early signs that leaders are addressing this, and teaching in key stage 2 is improving.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Older pupils have a good sense of personal and social responsibility. They are keen to take on responsibility, such as head boy and head girl. School councillors are proud to represent their classmates and they take their roles seriously.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, such as when using the internet. They are well informed on road and rail safety.
• Pupils said that bullying is rare. They occasionally fall out with each other, and sometimes there are minor incidents of inappropriate behaviour on the playground. However, pupils are confident that adults will always sort these problems out.
• Pupils are taught to value and celebrate the similarities and differences they have with others. Specific faith days, visitors to the school, assemblies and the curriculum provide pupils with good opportunities to understand diversity.
• Leaders ensure that pupils have a wealth of opportunities to participate in after-school clubs and enrichment activities. Pupils take full advantage and enjoy activities such as archery and fencing.
• During lessons, pupils show good attitudes to learning most of the time. Just occasionally, pupils can lose interest in what they are doing, especially when the work is too easy.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Around the school, in the dining hall and on the playground, pupils are well behaved and courteous to each other and adults.
• Pupils are taught to be well mannered. Simple things such as asking permission to leave the table after their meals and greeting inspectors with a cheery ‘good morning’ show that good manners are instilled from an early age.
• Evidence collected from questionnaires and speaking with parents show, overwhelmingly, that parents regard behaviour in the school as good and their children are safe and well cared for.
• The majority of pupils take a pride in their work, which is neat and well presented most of the time. However, too often inspectors saw work which was untidy and lacking in care.
• Attendance is below average, although current evidence is showing an improvement. Overall, attendance of disadvantaged pupils has been below average. Further work is being done to make sure that they attend consistently well.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Unvalidated results from 2017 show that pupils in key stage 2 do not attain as highly as they should, or make the progress they should. Pupils’ progress and attainment in reading and mathematics remain below average. Consequently, these pupils are not prepared well for their next stage of education.
• Work is not challenging enough for most-able and middle-ability pupils, particularly in key stage 2. This is slowing the progress that these pupils make and, as a result, too few are attaining higher standards.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including disadvantaged pupils who are most able, are not catching up quickly enough or reaching the level of attainment of which they are capable. The differences in attainment between these pupils and other pupils are not reducing.
• Provisional 2017 key stage 2 results show no improvement on 2016 outcomes in reading and mathematics. However, writing has improved and pupils’ exercise books show clear evidence that standards are rising in this subject.
• Provisional key stage 1 results for 2017 show that the proportion of pupils achieving and exceeding the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics has improved and is now above average. Given their starting points, this represents good progress.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are currently making good progress. Some of these pupils have very complex needs, but a team of dedicated and well-trained teaching assistants ensures that they receive excellent support.
• The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check is below average. However, the teaching of phonics in early years and key stage 1 is strong, and the reading that inspectors listened to indicates that standards are improving.
• Outcomes at key stage 2 are not good, and published information shows limited improvement. This reflects the difficulty that leaders have faced in bringing stability and consistency to this part of the school. However, evidence seen in pupils’ books shows that for current pupils in this key stage there are early signs of improvements.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the early years with skills and abilities that are below those typically seen for their age. Good teaching and a well-planned learning environment support children to make good progress as they move through the setting. Consequently, the proportion of children who are ready for learning in Year 1 is similar to average.
• Disadvantaged children also achieve well. As a result of effective use of additional funding for disadvantaged children, differences in achievement between these children and other children are diminishing rapidly.
• Over time, leadership of the early years has been good. This has resulted in consistently good teaching and good outcomes since the last inspection. The leader has created a very strong early years team in which teachers and teaching assistants work well together. Consequently, children have access to wide-ranging experiences and good learning opportunities.
• Children enjoy their time in early years. They behave well, take turns, share resources and listen attentively. Children show resilience and sustain concentration.
• The teaching of phonics is good. Teachers and teaching assistants reinforce children’s understanding of known sounds and encourage them to tackle others that are not so familiar. However, opportunities are missed for children to develop their writing skills during these sessions and in particular to form letters correctly.
• Provision for two-year olds is good. Leaders have developed strong relationships with parents who feel that their children are well cared for. The learning environment is bright and cheerful, and children are able to access a range of stimulating activities. Adults are knowledgeable and their enthusiasm is infectious. As a result, children are happy and eager to participate. Adults ensure that developing children’s communication skills is given a high priority.
• Staff plan a good range of activities across all areas of the early years curriculum and have created a good-quality learning environment both indoors and outdoors. While this helps to accelerate children’s progress, there are not enough occasions for children to extend their writing through outdoor activities.
• The statutory welfare and safeguarding arrangements required for early years settings are in place. Staff are suitably trained and the site is secure.

School details

Unique reference number 133621 Local authority Inspection number Wakefield 10024040 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 Community 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 482 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Richard Forster Sophie Dixon 01977 558395 www.smawthorneprimary.wakefield.sch.uk headteacher@smawthorneprimary.org Date of previous inspection 9−10 January 2013

Information about this school

• The school is larger than an average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, who are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding, is above average.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards for 2016, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The early years includes provision for two-year-old children, a Nursery where children attend part time, and two Reception classes where children attend full time.
• The school provides a breakfast club each morning for pupils.
• Leaders are receiving support from the local authority.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes. Several lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher.
• Pupils’ work from all classes was scrutinised.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read. Pupils selected to read were from classes in key stage 1 and key stage 2.
• Meetings were held with pupils, the headteacher, other staff, three members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors observed pupils moving around the school outside lessons, including on the playgrounds, during breaks, in the dining hall and during an assembly.
• Inspectors scrutinised a number of documents, including the school’s view of its own performance, school improvement plans, attendance and safeguarding.
• Inspectors took account of the 24 free-text opinions from parents, the 53 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and a letter from a parent. The inspectors also took account of the three online questionnaires completed by pupils.
• Inspectors spoke informally with parents at the start of the school day.

Inspection team

Alan Chaffey, lead inspector Linda Clay Chris Cook Alison Ashworth Susan Twaits

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector