Queniborough Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Queniborough Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

The executive headteacher of this school is Hannah Roddy. This school is part of the Learn Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jane Jones, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jeremy Benson.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in this welcoming school.

The school's values lay a firm foundation for pupils to flourish.

Pupils enjoy being at school. They are respectful and courteous to teachers and one another. Pupils have a cle...ar understanding of the school's values.

They link these values to life in modern Britain. A pupil, whose comments were typical of many, described the 'nice atmosphere' in the school and the positive impact that the values have on pupils and the wider community.

The school is ambitious for all pupils.

It has high expectations of what pupils can learn and achieve. Pupils are nurtured to be confident and motivated learners. They have positive attitudes to their learning.

Pupils are articulate when they discuss what they have learned. They use rich vocabulary well. They achieve well.

Parents and carers value the care and support given by the school. A parent, expressing the views of many, commented, 'Children feel safe and are offered a wide variety of activities that support them to develop both academically, socially and emotionally.' Pupils value the care they receive.

They are confident that staff listen to them and provide help when needed.

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

The school has a coherent overview of what pupils will learn and when. Subject curriculums have been developed in recent months.

Curriculum plans specify the knowledge pupils must learn. These curriculums are suitably ambitious. For example, in history, pupils gain key learning about different periods of time and deepen their understanding of concepts such as monarchy and chronology.

Resources are appropriate and are used well. Pupils gain from opportunities to revisit previous learning. This is helping pupils to remember what they have learned.

However, there is inconsistency in how well pupils' learning is checked, including in lessons. On occasions, errors and misconceptions are not quickly identified.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well to learn well.

For example, in mathematics, staff provide these pupils with additional guidance to help them to complete tasks and learn new concepts. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

The school ensures that reading is a high priority.

The reading curriculum is carefully sequenced to build pupils' reading knowledge and skills over time. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in the early years. Books are matched to sounds that pupils are learning.

Additional support is provided for pupils who need it to help them become confident readers. Pupils enjoy reading a broad range of books and poems.

The foundations of learning are firmly laid in the early years provision.

Adults select appropriate stories to make new learning relevant for children. For example, through skilful questioning and discussion about a picture book, adults helped children to deepen their understanding of changes over time. Children learn from varied and well-thought-out indoors and outdoors activities.

The school promotes children's curiosity and independence well.

The school successfully ensures that pupils attend school well. Parents and pupils receive the support they need to maintain regular attendance.

Attendance is managed well.

Pupils conduct themselves well when learning. They behave well at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

They chatter happily in the dinner hall with their friends. The school has high expectations of behaviour. These expectations are consistently met.

Pupils know and understand routines well. They are polite and well-mannered.

The school provides a diverse range of opportunities beyond the taught curriculum.

Pupils enjoy being leaders in school. For example, some act as ambassadors or school councillors. They develop wider interests in clubs such as baking, football and multi-sports.

The opportunities to sing in a choir and perform are popular. Pupils happily recall residential trips and a visit to the space centre. Pastoral care is a strength.

Staff support pupils to become thoughtful and reflective. Pupils learn the importance of diversity, equality and respect. They learn about different faiths and religions.

Leaders, including those with responsibility for governance, know the school well. They fulfil their legal responsibilities and duties well. They monitor the school's improvement priorities.

Leaders are mindful of staff workload and well-being. The school has a supportive staff with a strong team ethos. Staff benefit from high-quality training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is an inconsistent approach to the use of assessment across the different subjects. This can lead to errors or misconceptions in pupils' learning not being identified and resolved quickly enough.

Furthermore, it can prevent the school from knowing, with confidence, how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. The school should ensure that assessment is used consistently and precisely so that there is an accurate understanding of how secure pupils are in their learning, and what they need to learn next.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the third ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.