Ofsted conducted a monitoring inspection of Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School on October 6, 2023, following previous inspections that identified serious weaknesses. The purpose of this inspection was to assess the progress made by the school since the last graded inspection in June 2022. The inspection involved discussions with the headteacher, senior leaders, members of the interim executive board, a representative from the Diocese of York, and local authority officials. Observations included classroom visits, conversations with pupils, and meetings with staff responsible for safeguarding.
The findings indicate that while progress has been made, further work is required for the school to no longer be classified as having serious weaknesses. The headteacher has increased the frequency of meetings with the interim executive board, ensuring that the information provided is detailed enough to facilitate effective oversight and challenge regarding the quality of education. The school has implemented a personal, health, social, and economic education curriculum, which is helping pupils understand online safety, local safeguarding risks, and healthy relationships.
A clear safeguarding training pathway has been established for all staff, ensuring they receive regular and relevant training. The school is developing a strategic plan to keep this training up to date and relevant, while also ensuring staff are aware of local safeguarding risks. Systems are in place for identifying changes in these risks, and staff are clear on reporting procedures for concerns regarding pupils or families. The culture of safeguarding is being strengthened, with the school beginning to analyze safeguarding incidents and trends.
Leaders have also focused on improving the quality of education. A curriculum is now in place across all subjects, with a progression of knowledge that teachers are starting to utilize. However, the implementation of this curriculum in foundation subjects is still in its early stages. The school is working on mapping knowledge in these subjects to better meet the needs of current pupils. There is a recognized need for clear pedagogical approaches for foundation curriculum subjects.
The school has engaged with the local English Hub to provide training on phonics, leading to some emerging consistency in phonics teaching. Efforts are being made to promote a love of reading, but there are concerns regarding the assessment of phonics and mathematics. Some phonics lessons are not aligned with pupils' readiness, and assessments in mathematics do not fully identify gaps in prior knowledge, which limits access to the curriculum.
Staff have received training to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, but there is a need for a more targeted approach to phonics for these pupils. The interim executive board is providing robust challenge regarding the school's improvement actions and is aware of the leadership capacity challenges, particularly in curriculum subject leadership. Staff feel that the school is improving and are conscious of the work that remains.
The school has sought input from external agencies, including the English Hub and Mathematics Hub, to enhance curriculum leadership capacity. This work is in its early stages but is beginning to show positive effects. The school, local authority, and interim executive board recognize the importance of building leadership capacity to ensure quality implementation of the curriculum. Overall, while progress has been made, ongoing efforts are necessary to address the identified weaknesses and continue the path of improvement.
