OFSTED REPORT - February 2020

Thank you for taking the time to come to this page.

I have included the main body of the report below and also a link to the full report.

Beyond those sections I have also included some of my thoughts about areas for improvement that were identified by Ofsted and other observations that they made.

Without a doubt; both on a personal level and a professional level, 2020 is turning out to be a challenging and unique year. However, regardless of these challenges, I continue to be committed to ensuring Mundella can provide a caring and responsive learning environment that nurtures individuals and sets them up, emotionally, socially and academically, for the next steps in their lives.

Frazer E. Westmorland - Headteacher

Information about this inspection

Ofsted carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Inspection dates: 26–27 February 2020

  • Inspectors met with Mr Westmorland (the headteacher), other senior leaders, teachers, governors and a local authority representative.
  • They carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics, science and history.
  • They met with staff responsible for leading these subjects, considered curriculum planning, visited lessons, spoke to pupils and staff and reviewed pupils’ work in books.
  • They considered the views of parents, 30 of whom had completed Ofsted’s confidential questionnaire, Parent View. They also talked to parents in the playground.
  • They met with six groups of pupils and five groups of staff to gather their views about the school.

OFSTED Report

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for at school. They told us they feel happy and safe. They like the responsibilities they have to help make their school better. Leaders have worked hard to ensure the school is a welcoming environment for all pupils. Pupils told us how much they enjoy coming to breakfast club. They particularly enjoy the bagels and fruit that are on offer to everyone.

Pupils behave well in lessons, around school and at play times. They are respectful to each other and to adults. Pupils told us there is no bullying in their school. If anyone says or does anything unkind, pupils know that a trusted adult will help make things better. Pupils know the importance of the school’s values. Their behaviour shows they understand these values. One parent commented that 'this is a school where every child has their voice heard'.

Leaders want all pupils to behave well and to study a creative and engaging curriculum. They have achieved this ambition. Leaders have more work to do to make sure that pupils learn well in all subjects. Leaders also need to make sure pupils attend regularly and on time.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Standards at all stages throughout the school have not been high enough. Leaders have recognised this and have worked, in particular, to improve pupils’ concentration and behaviour. This has been successful. Leaders are now rightly turning their attention to the improvement of the curriculum. Some subjects, like mathematics and science, are well structured. Here, pupils can explain what they have learned before and how they use this knowledge to extend their learning further. Pupils enjoy lessons and appreciate the way teachers make subjects interesting. For example, pupils told us how much they enjoy science experiments. Year 2 pupils were very keen to tell us about how they had made slime. They explained well how different materials have different characteristics. However, pupils are not able to increase their knowledge and skills in all subjects. In some subjects, the curriculum is not yet structured well enough to ensure pupils build on their previous learning.

Leaders have acted with urgency to stabilise staffing at the school. They have recruited and retained a keen and ambitious workforce who are improving the school. Governors are very supportive of the school and ensure they understand the work that leaders do. They spend time in school, meeting staff and pupils. This means that they are able to challenge leaders to continue their journey of improvement.

Leaders rightly prioritise reading. They have invested in high-quality texts to support each topic. Younger pupils have new books that match their reading ability. Teachers now read to their class every day and pupils say they enjoy listening to stories.

However, pupils are not always able to discuss the books they have read. Sometimes, they do not improve their vocabulary or understanding of different types of books effectively enough. Some pupils are not identified quickly enough when they fall behind in learning to read. This means that they do get the help they need to catch up. The proportion of pupils who met the phonics screening check in 2019 was below the national average.

This is a nurturing school. All staff know children and their families very well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the whole curriculum. Pupils’ personal development is a strength. The school’s values are seen throughout the curriculum. For example, pupils particularly enjoy demonstrating collaboration in their work and play. Leaders have focused on developing pupils’ confidence and resilience. Extra-curricular activities support these characteristics. For example, the new choir has recently performed in the town centre and pupils now take part in competitive sporting events.

Leaders have raised expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils rise to these demands. All adults reinforce the routines expected. However, too many pupils miss too much school. While leaders have tried hard to tackle this issue, improvements in pupils’ attendance have not been swift enough.

The early years curriculum does not meet the needs of all children effectively enough. As a result, not all children do as well as they could. Too few children reach expected standards by the time they move on to Year 1. The learning environment is not exciting or stimulating. Leaders have more to do to make sure that every child learns well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff receive regular safeguarding training. Updates are added throughout the year to respond to any new issues or changes in practice. Leaders have put clear procedures in place for staff to report concerns. Any concerns raised by staff are addressed swiftly. Safeguarding records are well maintained and detailed. Leaders work well with other agencies to support pupils and their families.

Staff know pupils and their families well. This detailed knowledge enables staff to offer support on a case-by-case basis. Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe. They feel confident that if they have any concerns, they can trust an adult in school to deal with it for them.

Mundella Primary School - Ofsted Report - February 2020

Headteacher Comments

My thoughts about the report

I am disappointed by the overall gradings of the inspection as they do not reflect the significant and sustained improvements that have been made across Mundella Primary School over the last three years. It is true to say that the new framework does not compare 'like for like' with the old framework and, although this may feel like a drop in grading, Ofsted would ask that you look at the content of the report and not the headline judgements in isolation.

I have also made formal complaints to Ofsted about aspects of the report and the methods used for coming to the 'Gradings' of some of their final judgements (shown below).

Overall Effectiveness

Requires Improvement

3

 

 

 

The Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

3

Behaviour and Attitudes

Requires Improvement

3

Personal Development

Good

2

Leadership and Management

Good

2

Early Years Provision

Requires Improvement

3

I am, however, going to comment here on a couple of the observations such that I might respond to some concerns, that may arise from the report, as I wish to maintain your faith, confidence and support in  myself, in the school and in our devoted and capable team.


OFSTED said

The sequence of learning in reading is not yet planned well enough.

Leaders should plan and implement a reading curriculum that enables the development of reading to be built upon year on year and prepares pupils for the next steps in their education.

What we were already doing

(but impact was not seen or not the appropriate data for Ofsted)

The Ofsted team struggled to see beyond their initial misunderstanding that the ‘hook’ story books, that were being used in the classes, were the only reading books that were being used in those year groups. They believed that there was a lack of progression in reading and did not accept the considerable evidence to the contrary. There is a clear progression of content, skills, expectation and assessment.

Some of what we propose to do 

Ensure that the reading progression has a clarity beyond question and fits within the expectations of the Ofsted observations without losing sight of our aims for the pupils of Mundella.


OFSTED said

Too many pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge. These gaps are not being filled quickly enough.

Leaders should review the delivery of their phonics programme so that children improve their reading and a greater proportion reach the required standard in the phonics screening check.

What we were already doing

(but impact was not seen or not the appropriate data for Ofsted)

We accept that there continues to be an issue around the acquisition of phonic capability however Ofsted would not consider the internal data from the school that indicates a significant improvement; with the pupils that we have, and that the training across the team and the introduction of two focussed team members is having a positive impact on phonics within Phase 1.

Some of what we propose to do 

Maintain the programmes that have been put in place and review the strategies that are being used to support pupils and engage families prior to starting school and throughout early years.


OFSTED said

Leaders have not planned learning in all subjects tightly enough.

Leaders should identify the knowledge and skills pupils need to learn in each subject, across each year group.

Leaders should ensure that the content of every subject is planned in a way that allows pupils to build on what they already know.

Whatwe  were already doing

(but impact was not seen or not the appropriate data for Ofsted)

There was a discrepancy between the planning and progression in Science and Maths and that of the foundation subjects. Intent was recognised as being appropriate, across all subjects, but the Ofsted team thought that there was a muddled strategy when it came to implementation.

Some of what we propose to do 

Topic themes and subject coverage and tracking sheets are being reviewed and improved in order to inject an additional level of consistency and progression across the school making them closer to the Maths and Science progressions.


OFSTED said

Levels of absence remain too high. Levels of persistent absence are stubbornly high. Disadvantaged pupils and those in the early years are particularly affected by lower attendance, meaning they are missing out on learning. Despite leaders’ ongoing work to reduce absences, there has not yet been enough impact.

Leaders should develop new systems to support and challenge parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly.

What we were already doing

(but impact was not seen or not the appropriate data for Ofsted)

I am thoroughly disappointed that this aspect has had such a damning effect upon the report however . . .

We have worked closely with families and with LA attendance team, including ESL, to try and find ways to improve this situation. Although the number remain static, the LA recognise the work that we have put in and reflect the notion that things would be much worse otherwise.

Some of what we propose to do 

We are looking at getting to our families sooner, tougher on expectations and also on the consequences of absence.

We are considering the use of the minibus for some families; other schools offer a pick up on some days on the proviso that pupils are in on time the other days.

We are going to continue to target our ESL families.


OFSTED said

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in the early years. Therefore, children are not well prepared for the start of Year 1. The curriculum is not sequenced well enough and does not lead in to the whole-school curriculum plan. The learning environment is not organised to enthuse children.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well sequenced and that the learning environment is stimulating.

What we were already doing

(but impact was not seen or not the appropriate data for Ofsted)

We have worked hard, with support from the LA and other settings, to improve the provision within EY but we recognise that this has not always been sustained.

Additional actions were already part of the plan in January and February but unfortunately these were not embedded enough to demonstrate sufficient improvements

Some of what we propose to do 

In addition to plans that were already in place, the EY team were given additional support and time such that they could concentrate on the classroom. Further improvements across the EY team have already been actioned that will see significant changes for September; including reassigning senior members of our team and recruiting an experienced EY specialist.


Furthermore, this particular inspection was undertaken under a new framework which was still working through a number of teething issues; mostly around interpretation of the framework and expectations of curriculum implementation, in addition, it may never return after Covid 19 and the Lockdown.