Stainforth Kirton Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Stainforth Kirton Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Kirton Lane Primary School. They enjoy learning and playing in the inclusive environment that the staff have created. Pupils' work is celebrated in assemblies and displays.

Pupils learn about the local area and the rich mining heritage in the village that they live in. They are proud of what they achieve.

Children in the early years settle in very quickly.

They learn to take turns and share. Adults model new vocabulary and encourage pupils to use it themselves. Pupils concentrate on activities and persevere when facing difficulties.
<...br/>Pupils know what is expected of them. Behaviour is positive. There is a calm atmosphere throughout the school.

Pupils understand that some of their friends have different needs to themselves. Pupils are kind and caring. They know that adults will help them to resolve any issues or worries they might have.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take full advantage of the range of activities that the school offers, such as archery and arts and crafts. Pupils also have leadership opportunities in school. They can become school councillors and playground buddies.

Older pupils help younger pupils at lunchtime during the family service dining.

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

The school has a carefully designed, bespoke curriculum that is ambitious and progressive. New learning builds on what pupils already know.

Subject leaders and early years staff work together. This ensures that the curriculum builds from the early years to the end of key stage 2. There is a focus on vocabulary that increases in ambition over time.

Pupils with SEND successfully learn the same curriculum as their peers. The school adapts teaching and resources to support pupils with SEND well. All pupils access the intended learning.

Subject leaders support teachers well. This enables them to teach the broad curriculum with confidence. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge.

Their enthusiastic approach to teaching encourages pupils to want to learn. Pupils enjoy well-established learning routines and engage well in their learning. Staff use appropriate activities to deliver the curriculum.

This helps most pupils to remember the important knowledge that they have been taught. However, some pupils working at a higher level do not have the support they need to deepen their understanding. Although these pupils can access challenging activities, sometimes they do not understand how to complete them.

As a result, some pupils do not achieve at the levels they are capable of.

The school regularly checks pupils' knowledge and understanding of the curriculum in all subjects. Teachers use this information to address any gaps in learning.

Pupils have many opportunities to revisit and remember what they learned have before.

Reading is a high priority in this school. Children in the Nursery class enjoy stories.

Once in the Reception class, children follow the school's phonics programme. Staff are highly skilled at teaching early reading. They ensure that children become confident and fluent readers.

Staff ensure that children who need additional support receive it. The school shows parents how to help their children read at home.

Pupils say that they enjoy reading.

They have a library and can choose books they would like to take home to read. Pupils are rewarded for reading at home. Older pupils enjoy using the online reading programme.

The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Teaching is adapted to enable pupils to learn to become successful learners. The school uses specialist staff and adapted resources to ensure that pupils with SEND can follow the same curriculum as their classmates.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, some pupils still do not attend school often enough. The school works tirelessly to support families and to encourage attendance. Overall, attendance is improving slowly.

However, there are a number of pupils who are persistently absent from school.

The school ensures that pupils have lots of opportunities to develop their character. Trips, activities and events are planned carefully to give pupils a wide range of opportunities.

The 'Super Learning' days have a focus, such as learning about Shakespeare. Younger pupils have access to a Forest School every week. They learn about risk-taking and life skills.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel valued. Their workload and well-being are considered.

Governors use their knowledge and experience to contribute strongly to the school's development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils are absent from school too often.

These pupils miss out on learning and have gaps in their knowledge. The school should continue to support families to overcome barriers to pupils attending school. ? Some pupils are not able to access challenge effectively in lessons.

As a result, some pupils do not achieve at the higher standards that they are capable of. The school should ensure that the curriculum is challenging enough for the most able pupils.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2018.