The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 28 June 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2013.

This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Your strong and steadfast leadership is central to the continued improvement of the school.

You have a very comprehensive view of the school's strengths and weaknesses. You accurately identify the action needed to ...improve those areas of the school's effectiveness that fall below the high standards that you set. The school's improvement plan is detailed, precise and methodically monitored.

It supports you, the staff and the governing body in achieving the improvements identified. You have a dedicated team of staff and senior leaders support you well. They fulfil their roles and responsibilities with confidence and determination.

All staff who responded to Ofsted's staff survey said that they were proud to be a member of the school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and they behave well. Often, their behaviour is exemplary.

Pupils described other pupils as 'kind, caring and respectful'. Pupils are eager to join in discussions in class. They are keen to share their ideas and listen to the views of others.

Pupils explained their interest in learning about other cultures and religions in this Christian school. Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, including educational visits. They play an important role in their school community.

Pupils hold numerous positions of responsibility, for example as a librarian, a play leader, sports ambassadors or as a collective worship council member. Relationships between pupils and adults are strong. Parents and carers made particular reference to how teachers put 'joy and passion' into their children's learning.

They also explained how teachers go out of their way to personalise learning for their children. Since the last inspection, you have continued to improve the quality of teaching. Teachers provide pupils with motivating and relevant learning experiences.

In particular, teachers make strong use of questions to target individual pupils. Most pupils work on tasks that are well matched to their learning needs. The most able pupils are typically challenged and complete work that is more demanding.

Overall, pupils have continued to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics since the last inspection. Typically, by the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2, pupils reach similar standards to other pupils nationally. By the end of key stage 2, the proportion of pupils reaching a greater depth in their learning is above the national average.

In 2017, however, Year 6 pupils' progress in reading was below the national average. In addition, a smaller proportion of pupils achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check than in previous years. You acknowledge that although pupils' reading has improved this year, this has yet to be sustained.

You have taken effective action to improve the areas identified at the time of the last inspection. Teachers make regular checks on pupils' learning. They move pupils onto harder tasks when they are ready.

Pupils use teachers' feedback comments well to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding. They also work well together when reviewing each other's work. You were also asked to reduce the small achievement gap that remained between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils.

The action you took was successful. Disadvantaged pupils typically make similar progress to that of other pupils nationally. At times, their attainment has also been similar to other pupils nationally.

You recognise, however, that disadvantaged pupils' attainment in 2016 and 2017 has not consistently reached the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. You have a strong and very effective governing body. Members of the governing body are clear about their roles and responsibilities.

You provide them with high-quality information about the school's effectiveness. They verify the information that you provide through their own visits to the school. They also hold discussions with pupils and staff.

Members of the governing body make regular checks on the impact of leaders' actions in bringing about identified improvements. This ensures that the school continues to provide a good-quality education for its pupils. Safeguarding is effective.

Leaders have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Your employment procedures are thorough. You keep staff well informed about safeguarding matters and ensure that their training is relevant and timely.

Staff are vigilant and know the pupils well. They know how to proceed should they have any concerns. The designated teachers for child protection and safeguarding are conscientious in carrying out their duties.

They quickly follow up on any extra support that pupils may need. Records are detailed and securely maintained. Governors place a high importance on their responsibilities for safeguarding.

They have taken part in relevant training to help them understand and fulfil their roles. The designated safeguarding governor carries out regular monitoring activities to ensure that systems are effective in keeping children safe. Pupils spoken with during the inspection said that they feel very safe in school.

They explained to me how teachers were always there for them. Pupils could not recall any recent incidents of bullying or racism. They also confidently described to me how to stay safe when using technology.

Almost all parents who responded to Parent View agreed that their children were safe. Inspection findings ? During this short inspection, we agreed to focus on: how leaders are supporting children in the early years; the progress of current pupils in phonics and reading; and the progress of disadvantaged pupils. ? Leaders provide children in the Reception Year with a carefully planned, stimulating and well-resourced learning experience.

Teaching in the early years is effective. Adults question children skilfully to check their understanding and make them think hard. They make accurate assessments of children's learning.

Leaders use this information meticulously to identify and fill children's learning gaps. Children make good progress in the Reception Year. ? Some children, however, do not make sufficient progress to reach a good level of development by the time they leave the early years.

Leaders have recognised the need to identify children's additional learning needs earlier, especially for disadvantaged children. Leaders have expanded the assessments they undertake in the early years. This has enabled them to be more precise in targeting support where it is needed.

• Historically, pupils have achieved well in the Year 1 national phonics screening checks. In 2017, however, the proportion reaching the national standard fell below the national average. Leaders quickly identified the reason for this decline and have taken decisive action to remedy it.

They have refined the school's approaches to the teaching of phonics. Leaders have also increased the checks they make on the effectiveness of their actions to improve pupils' phonic skills. The 2018 Year 1 phonics screening check has been completed.

An increased proportion of pupils have reached higher standards again. ? In 2017, Year 6 pupils did not make the progress they should in reading. Leaders identified that pupils' comprehension skills were not developed well enough.

Improved guided-reading sessions and whole-class comprehension teaching is making a positive difference to pupils' reading. Current pupils are making good progress again; however, this has yet to be sustained. The pupils who read to me did so with confidence and fluency.

A few, however, did not understand fully what they read. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about reading. They were particularly keen to tell me about their use of the new library and the reading challenges they are set.

• The attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally have widened. Leaders are working successfully to support the growing number of disadvantaged pupils who attend the school. They scrutinise in great detail the information they collect on disadvantaged pupils' progress.

Leaders have identified, and are providing extra learning for, a targeted group of disadvantaged pupils who also have additional learning needs. This group of learners is making better progress than similar pupils have done in previous years. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that they: ? embed the new teaching approaches in reading and sustain the improvement seen in pupils' progress ? strengthen the progress of more disadvantaged pupils to reach the same standards as other pupils nationally, as they have done in previous years.

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Lincoln, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Lincolnshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Vondra Mays Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection, I held meetings with you, the head of school and the early years/key stage 1 leader.

I also met with the chair of the governing body. You and I, joined by other senior leaders, observed pupils' learning in several lessons. I observed pupils' behaviour during lessons and around the school.

I spoke with pupils informally and met formally with a group of pupils. I also listened to pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 4 read, and examined samples of pupils' work. In addition, I considered a range of documents.

These included the school's self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, the pupil premium strategy and records relating to pupils' progress and attainment. I considered the responses to Ofsted's online survey, Parent View, and reviewed the school's safeguarding practices. The school's website was also checked to confirm whether it met the requirements on the publication of statutory information.