Stretton Handley Church of England Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 17–18 January 2012 Inspection number 378585 Stretton Handley Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 112859 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 378585 Inspection dates 17–18 January 2012 Lead inspector Andrew Stafford

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed

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Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Margaret Gill Headteacher Julie Dunbar Date of previous school inspection 9 December 2008 School address Beresford Lane Woolley Moor Alfreton DE55 6FH Telephone number 01246 590418 Fax number 01246 590418 Email address info@strettonhandley.derbyshire.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school

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must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspector observed seven lessons taught by five teachers. He held meetings with parents, groups of pupils, members of the governing body, staff and a representative from the local authority. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. He observed the school’s work, heard a sample of pupils read, and looked at the school’s tracking of pupils’ progress, the minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school’s self-evaluation and reports from the local authority. The inspector scrutinised 33 parental questionnaires and those completed by staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than average. Only a few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportions of disabled pupils and of those with special educational needs are above average. The school meets the current floor standard set by the government, which determines the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. A new headteacher was appointed in September 2011. There have been two other new members of the teaching staff appointed, a recently qualified teacher in September 2011 and a newly qualified teacher in November 2011.

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. The recently appointed headteacher has been instrumental in giving the school a sense of purpose and direction that has been welcomed by all parties.

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Key findings

 Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They are pleased with the quality of education being delivered and are rightly confident that pupils are well cared for and kept safe.

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Key findings

 By the end of Years 2 and 6, most pupils have made satisfactory progress and reach average standards. Pupils’ reading is in line with the national average.

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Key findings

 Teaching is satisfactory. Observations of lessons confirmed that some teaching is more effective at enabling pupils to learn. In these lessons, a purposeful learning atmosphere is evident and the pupils have a clear understanding of what they are learning. In other lessons, teachers do not take enough account of pupils’ prior learning and miss opportunities to get them to learn how to correct misconceptions and errors themselves.

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Key findings

 Behaviour is satisfactory. Pupils mostly behave well in lessons. They also behave sensibly around the school. Parents and carers are generally pleased with the quality of pupils’ behaviour. The few incidents of inappropriate behaviour are managed well. The recently introduced behaviour ‘ladder’, that clearly outlines consequences for inappropriate behaviour, is well understood and works successfully.

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Key findings

 The governing body has been successful in recruiting an able headteacher who leads from the front and has galvanised the school into taking action to raise the school’s overall effectiveness. There is a clear understanding of what needs to be done and appropriate improvement priorities are being set. Leadership responsibilities are not distributed equitably, so the level of involvement in leadership is too narrow.

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Key findings

Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ attainment so that, by July 2013, the majority exceed the national average by:  ensuring that pupils make consistently good progress each year, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good quality teaching by:  quickening the pace of learning, so as to maintain pupils’ concentration  making better use of assessment information to plan more accurately to meet pupils’ individual needs  using teaching assistants’ time more productively to ensure they are actively engaged in supporting pupils’ learning throughout lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of the school’s leadership by:  ensuring all leaders focus increasingly on holding teachers and support staff to account for pupils’ achievement  sharpening the governing body’s ability to act strategically in driving improvement.

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Achievement of pupils

Since the last inspection, the school has gone through a period of significant change, particularly of leadership and staff. As a result, attainment at Key Stage 1 declined and pupils’ progress was weak, particularly at Key Stage 2. There is now a sense of greater stability across the school; the current drive to bring about improvement is already showing signs of success. All parents and carers who returned the questionnaire agreed that their children are now making better progress.

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Achievement of pupils

The evidence from the inspection is that pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and improving. When children join the Reception class, most have skills that are in line with expectations for their age. Most show satisfactory progress in lessons and show good attitudes to learning. Behaviour is often good but, on occasion, the pace of the lesson drops and some pupils lose focus and concentration, which slows learning. This is one of the reasons why the rate at which pupils learn varies between classes and between year groups. As a consequence, pupils make inconsistent progress as they move through the school, so that, by the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is broadly in line with the national average. Although girls tend to slightly outperform boys in English, the picture reverses for mathematics. The attainment of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than for similar pupils nationally.

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Achievement of pupils

Even though these pupils receive appropriate levels of support, their individual learning needs are not always identified carefully enough. Changes being introduced are showing signs of having a positive impact. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 has started to improve and has reversed the declining trend. Similarly, the number of Year 6 pupils working at higher-than-average levels is increasing.

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Achievement of pupils

The Early Years Foundation Stage has a well-organised induction programme that helps children settle quickly into school routines. The setting provides a bright and stimulating learning environment. The outdoor area has been vastly improved since the last inspection and offers a good and safe working area for children to learn through experiencing a wide range of practical activities. Enterprising teaching, with a well-organised range of activities that capture pupils’ interest and imagination, helps children make satisfactory and, on occasions, good progress. The school’s assessment data show that the vast majority are on track to reach or exceed the levels expected by the time they move into Year1.

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Achievement of pupils

At the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils’ attainment in reading is satisfactory. Similarly, by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6, attainment in reading is in line with the national average.

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Quality of teaching

Parents feel that teaching is good across the school. Inspection evidence shows that the quality of teaching varies. The best lessons are planned carefully, often with differing levels of challenge. In those where pupils learn most, there is a purposeful working environment with pupils engaged actively in a range of tasks that are matched accurately to individual needs. This was particularly evident in a well- planned Year 3 and 4 design and technology lesson where pupils were given differing levels of guidance and prompts as they investigated cutting, chopping and grating salads and vegetables. The concept of using a garnish in the preparation of a healthy sandwich was investigated through an in-depth question and answer session. Pupils were required to give answers in full sentences or respond by giving fuller explanations to deepen their involvement. Discussion between pupils enabled them to compare the quality of their carved shapes, and to see which was more

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Quality of teaching

interesting. This contributed well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The chance to discuss their ideas helped them to be clear about what they wanted to write. The teaching assistant demonstrated to pupils making slower progress how to use kitchen tools and this contributed well to the lesson’s effectiveness. On other occasions, teachers do not deploy support staff effectively throughout the lesson, which reduces the time they are usefully engaged with those pupils who need most support. Long-term planning, especially for the wider curriculum, has a satisfactory focus on developing key skills. New initiatives are being introduced to make additional demands on pupils so that their rate of progress increases.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers assess and mark pupils’ work regularly. Praise is used to encourage pupils, and guidance is often given about how the work could be improved. Teachers focus on identifying pupils’ errors. However, on occasion, when marking work, teachers miss opportunities to give pupils the chance to work out for themselves where they have gone wrong. Also, teachers’ skills of using assessment information to plan different work for individuals in future lessons are not developed widely enough.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils enjoy school and have good attitudes to learning. They are well cared for and pupils’ well-being is given a high priority. Pupils are confident that any incidents of bullying that do arise are resolved successfully. There have been few incidents of inappropriate behaviour recorded by the school since September. Pupils say that, over time, the behaviour of some individuals has been unacceptable, but generally it is not a cause for concern. Behaviour in class is usually good, but occasionally lapses in terms of concentration and attention, so progress is only satisfactory. A large majority of the parent and carer responses indicate that they feel that behaviour is good in school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance is satisfactory and is improving. Planned teamwork and collaborative working are encouraged throughout the school, which has helped pupils develop useful life skills. Pupils often work together, showing consideration and compassion for each other. They are enthusiastic learners and have benefited from the different cultural experiences and opportunities provided by the school. The school’s strong links with the church play a key role in developing pupils’ ability to reflect on important issues and appreciate aspects of faith and religion. The pupils’ work on peace and reconciliation was supported well by a visit to Derby Cathedral where spiritual aspects of the building and its architecture were recognised. Whilst there, they also learnt about how the colours of vestments relate to Christian traditions and times of the year. This contrasts well with pupils’ study of Judaism, and with a visit

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

to a Sikh temple, both of which are broadening their understanding of a range of religions and cultures.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher is working closely with the senior staff and the governing body to establish a shared vision for the school’s future. She has quickly and accurately identified the school’s strengths and areas needing improvement. For example, the curriculum is now being developed to establish stronger links between subjects, plan for more opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and reflect more the interests of pupils.

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Leadership and management

Appropriate professional development has contributed to the positive morale that is palpable across the school. There is a strong sense of pride because the school is improving. The developments that have already taken place are encouraging further effort and creating a momentum for driving change. There is a consensus that the quality of teaching needs to improve. Actions already taken are showing signs of making a positive difference and delivering better outcomes for pupils. The careful monitoring of pupils’ progress and attainment is helping to promote equal opportunities; this is because the school is better informed about the performance of different groups and is well placed to address any gaps in attainment that are identified. These improvements exemplify the school’s satisfactory capacity to improve. The school is fully aware that much remains to be done.

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Leadership and management

The senior leadership team is devising how responsibilities are to be distributed equitably so as to avoid overloading individuals. The role of subject leaders has not been fully developed and there is increasing liaison with colleagues to drive improvement in specific areas of individual responsibility. The governing body is taking an increasingly active role in the school’s development. They are being provided with comprehensive information, via the headteacher’s reports, about the changes taking place. As yet, they are not fully demonstrating that they challenge the school’s leaders by holding them to account. Safeguarding procedures meet all the government’s current requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Alfreton, DE 55 6FH

You may remember that I recently inspected your school to see how well you are being helped to learn. I am writing to thank you for being so friendly and helpful. I thought you would like to know what I found out.

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Alfreton, DE 55 6FH

You go to a school that has had a lot of recent changes and is now improving. You go to a satisfactory school that is doing a number of things well.

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Alfreton, DE 55 6FH

 Most of you enjoy going to school and learning new things.  The staff do a satisfactory job helping you to learn.  Most of you say that behaviour is good, although there have been examples of unacceptable behaviour in the past, and that the school deals well with any incidents of bullying.  You get good support with learning to read.  The headteacher and staff take good care of you and are getting better at improving the school.

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Alfreton, DE 55 6FH

Your teachers know that you can make even more progress and attain higher standards. Therefore, I have asked them to help you to make good progress every year. I have asked them to increase the pace of lessons so that you are actively learning for more time and that they make better use of teaching assistants to support you. In addition, I have recommended that they use their assessment information to plan more accurately to help you overcome gaps in your knowledge. I have also asked the school’s leaders and the governing body to be more effective in planning and monitoring the school’s future development.

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Alfreton, DE 55 6FH

Remember, you can help to play a part by working hard and always doing your best. I wish you the very best for your future.

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Alfreton, DE 55 6FH

Andrew Stafford Lead Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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