Grewelthorpe Church of England Primary School

Grewelthorpe Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 5–11 Inspection date(s) 23–24 January 2012 Inspection number 380270 Unique Reference Number 121565 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 380270 Inspection dates 23–24 January 2012 Lead inspector Alison Thomson

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 50 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Geoff Rhodes Headteacher Karen Butler Date of previous school inspection 4 July 2007 School address Cross Hills Grewelthorpe Ripon HG4 3BH Telephone number 01765 658287 Fax number 01765 658928 Email address admin@grewelthorpe.n-yorks.sch.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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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.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. There were no responses to the on- line questionnaire (Parent View) to use in planning the inspection. The inspector observed three teachers teaching nine lessons, of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. Meetings were held with members of the governing body and the school staff. The inspector observed the school’s work, including analyses of the pupils’ work, and looked at a number of documents, including those relating to development planning, safeguarding and child protection, the monitoring of the quality of teaching, external views of the school and minutes of the governing body meetings. The inspector also analysed 41 parental and carers’ questionnaires, 48 pupils’ questionnaires and eight completed by the staff.

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Information about the school

This school is much smaller than average for a school of this type. The proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. Most pupils are White British and all speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs, including those who have a statement of special educational needs, is lower than average. The school has many awards, including Healthy School status and Activemark for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The school has exceeded the government’s floor standards for pupils’ attainment and for progress for a number of years. Since the previous inspection there have been significant changes in staff. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

 Grewelthorpe is a good school where pupils’ behaviour and safety are outstanding. Pupils, staff, parents and carers are very positive about all aspects of the school’s work. This comment is typical of many, ‘Our child is happy, confident and learning well at this school’. Pupils’ attainment is above average and they make good progress from skills that are typical for their age. The effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage is good.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is good and there is a very calm and purposeful learning environment. Teachers’ skilful questioning makes pupils think but there are sometimes missed opportunities to challenge them further. Pupils’ work is regularly assessed and the next steps in their learning are made clear. However, teachers do not always give clear enough success criteria so pupils can judge for themselves how well they are doing.

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Key Findings

 Pupils behave extremely well and say that they feel very safe. They are very polite and welcoming and look after each other well, particularly in practical activities. Pupils cooperate in a very mature way in lessons and this has a very positive effect on their learning. Parents, carers and staff agree strongly that behaviour is good and that the school keeps the children safe.

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Key Findings

 The headteacher and staff know the school’s strengths and areas for development very well. Monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ progress are rigorous and any potential underachievement addressed quickly. The outstanding curriculum is adapted extremely well to meet the needs of the pupils. Many excellent positive experiences ensure the pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The quality of teaching has improved, although there is not always a close enough focus on pupils’ learning when carrying out lesson observations. The governing body supports the school effectively, but is not sufficiently involved in evaluating pupils’ achievement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise achievement through ensuring that more teaching is outstanding by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 always giving work that stretches and challenges all pupils appropriately  in lessons, providing clear criteria for success so that pupils can tell more easily how well they are learning  making sure that the focus of all lesson observations is on the learning that is taking place  increasing the governing body’s involvement in the school’s self-evaluation, particularly in relation to the quality of learning and teaching.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start in Reception with a range of skills, generally around those typically found for their age. Excellent induction procedures with parents and carers help the children to settle quickly and get a confident start. Children play together well and are very well behaved. They make good progress and typically enter Year 1 having exceeded the levels expected for their age in all areas of learning. Progress throughout the school is good and pupils consistently leave school at the end of Year 6 with attainment that is above average.

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Achievement of pupils

Consistently, attainment in reading by the end of Year 2 has been above average and sometimes high. This is helped greatly by the school’s very effective daily phonic sessions. During the inspection, children in Reception and pupils in Year 1 were eagerly sounding out words and then using these skills well to help them to read. Listening to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read confirmed their above-average attainment. Their reading journals are completed very regularly, both by the teacher and by parents and carers. They show good evidence that progress in reading is good.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers strongly agree that their children are achieving well. This was exemplified well in lessons observed during the inspection. The learning and progress seen were usually good and they were sometimes outstanding. The progress of the highest- attaining pupils is improving strongly as they become more independent learners. This was seen to very good effect in a Years 2 and 3 mathematics lesson on estimation and partition where they made outstanding progress. The school’s data and lesson observations show that boys’ progress has improved and is now as good as that of girls. Throughout the school, pupils with disabilities and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is helped greatly by very sensitive and well-focused support from the teaching assistants.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching is good and some lessons are outstanding. Lessons proceed at a good pace with a wide range of interesting activities to engage children, including many opportunities for them to practise their basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 made good progress during an English lesson where they acted as journalists to prepare and present a report about the author Dick King Smith. This lesson also exemplified their good ICT research skills. Pupils are confident users of the interactive whiteboard and love opportunities to demonstrate their skills to their peers, such as forming letters correctly in the Reception and Year 1 class. Teachers plan their lessons well with work that is matched well to the pupils’ different ages and abilities. This was seen particularly well in a Years 2 and 3 English lesson about Hansel

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Quality of teaching

and Gretel where different groups of pupils each had their own appropriate tasks to enable them to describe the story with interesting words and phrases. Pupils gain in confidence because they have many opportunities to voice their opinions and share ideas. However, occasionally, there are some missed opportunities to extend their learning by asking them to explain their thinking further. Teachers usually share what they should be able to do in lessons and they check how well the pupils are doing throughout the lessons. However, they do not always give the pupils clear ways of being able to tell for themselves how well they are learning.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers mark the pupils’ work thoroughly, particularly so in mathematics and in English. As well as correcting mistakes and giving praise, there are many comments to help pupils know how they can improve their work, through the regular use of ‘next steps in your learning’. There are also some examples of the pupils responding to their teachers’ comments, although more occurrences of this would help to accelerate progress further.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour is outstanding and there is much evidence that it has been so for some time. Incidents for poor behaviour are extremely rare and when any have occurred they are dealt with very well. There have been no exclusions in the history of the school. Throughout the inspection there were many examples of the pupils being very considerate and mindful of others, such as standing back to let others join a queue. Several comments from parents and carers, such as, ‘I have often seen older children spontaneously offering help to younger ones’, show just how strongly they feel there is a real sense of community among the pupils. Pupils have a very keen awareness of bullying. They describe their school as ‘nice and friendly’ and one told the inspector that they do not need to use the Friendship Stop as everyone plays very well together.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour impacts very well on their learning. This was exemplified well in a Year 1 lesson about properties of materials. Pupils excitedly tested out their hypotheses as to whether particular objects would float or sink. This lesson also indicated that, even at a young age, they have a very keen sense of how to keep themselves safe. They were very careful not to let the water spill out on to the floor ‘in case we slip’. Older pupils also have a very astute awareness of safety. After carrying out a health and safety audit of the school grounds, they recommended that padlocks on the gates be replaced by stable bolts on the outside. Their reasoning being that these would be quicker to release if there ever was a fire.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance has been consistently above average and sometimes high for a number of years and children are very punctual. It was very clear during the inspection and from pupil questionnaires that the pupils are very comfortable with all the adults in school and clearly enjoy being there.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and her staff have addressed the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection well. For example, the beginnings of lessons and the deployment of teaching assistants are much improved. Monitoring and evaluation of the pupils’ progress are very rigorous and any underachievement is identified and redressed quickly, through one-to-one sessions and small group activities. Consequently, attainment and progress are improving strongly. The school has a very accurate view of the strengths and areas for development in teaching and its quality has improved through well-targeted training. Leaders recognise that, to improve further, there should be a closer focus on the learning that is taking place when observing lessons. Members of the governing body are closely involved in the work of the school, know the school’s strengths and support what it needs to do to improve further. They hold the school to account well in many areas, but not

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Leadership and management

sufficiently about the quality of learning and teaching at present.

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Leadership and management

Equality of opportunity for each pupil is good and any possible discrimination is tackled rigorously. The curriculum is outstanding and is tailor-made for the needs and interests of the pupils. Specialist teaching in many areas, such as physical education, art and music, enhances it. There are many memorable experiences, such as weekly swimming and visits to an Outdoor Centre, where pupils experience a range of activities that enhance their skills of cooperation. Pupils also enjoy their enrichment weeks with activities such as drama workshops and product development and marketing. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Time for reflection is built into many activities as well as during the daily collective worship. Connections with the local church are very strong and the G Club, where pupils learn about the Christian faith and values, is much enjoyed. The school has a long-standing link with an inner-city school many of whose pupils are not White

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Leadership and management

British. Exchange visits ensure that the pupils have a deepening understanding of cultures other than their own.

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Leadership and management

Safety is given a very high priority and results in children feeling extremely safe and secure. Safeguarding is robust with clear policies and very thorough risk assessments. Parents and carers agree strongly that the school keeps them well informed and acts promptly and efficiently on any concerns. Many comment very favourably about the conscientiousness and approachability of the headteacher and the staff. Based on the improvements that have already been made since the previous inspection, the capacity to improve further is good.

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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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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 ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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3BH

Thank you for the lovely welcome you gave me when I visited your school recently. I enjoyed talking with you and seeing you learn in class. I worked closely with your headteacher and also spent time talking to your teachers and governors and looking at your work. Your school is a good one and one that keeps improving.

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3BH

Here are some of the things that I particularly liked.

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3BH

 You like coming to school and you are very keen to learn.  Your behaviour is excellent, you get on well together and you know how to keep yourselves safe.  Your teachers listen carefully to your ideas and make your lessons interesting.  The adults in school make sure that you are very well looked after.

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3BH

I have asked your headteacher to make your school even better by:

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3BH

 giving you work that always really makes you think  helping you to be able to tell how well you are learning  looking more closely at how well you are learning when watching your lessons  involving governors more in checking how well you are learning.

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3BH

You can help by telling your teacher if you are not sure if you are learning well in each of your activities.

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3BH

I would like to wish you all the best for the future and hope that you continue to enjoy being at your school.

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3BH

Alison Thomson 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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