Sabden Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 30–31 January 2012 Inspection number 379742 Unique Reference Number 119165 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 379742 Inspection dates 30–31 January 2012 Lead inspector Stephen Wall

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 94 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Glenn Headteacher Lisa Titchiner Date of previous school inspection 26 November 2009 School address Whalley Road Sabden Clitheroe BB7 9DZ Telephone number 01282 771000 Fax number 01282 775896 Email address bursar@sabden.lancs.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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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspector observed teaching and learning in seven lessons taught by four teachers. Samples of pupils’ written work were also inspected. The inspector met with a group of pupils from Year 2 to hear them read. Another meeting with Year 5 and 6 pupils focused on their views of the school. Meetings were held with governors, the headteacher, staff, the local authority adviser and the team of teaching assistants. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school development plan, records on safeguarding, attendance and pupils’ progress data. The inspector examined questionnaire responses from pupils and staff as well as 35 completed by parents and carers.

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Information about the school

Sabden Primary is a much smaller than average primary school in which pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes. The Early Years Foundation Stage provides for children of Nursery and Reception age. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible to free school meals is well-below average. The great majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There are no pupils with disabilities. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs is below average. The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Key Stage 2. The school has Healthy School status. There have been many staffing changes since the previous inspection. 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

 This is a good school. It has improved rapidly and securely since the previous inspection because good leadership and management have tackled rigorously the issues for improvement identified at that time. For example, the use of assessment to track pupils’ progress towards demanding targets is now much more effective.

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Key Findings

 Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage where effective teaching and a stimulating range of well-planned activities enable them to make rapid progress and achieve well.

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Key Findings

 In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils continue to make good progress and achieve well as they move up through the school because teaching is consistently good.

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Key Findings

 The relatively few pupils with special educational needs also make good progress and achieve well because of the effective support they receive from a dedicated team of learning support assistants.

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Key Findings

 Pupils say how very much they enjoy school and how very safe they feel because of the high quality care, guidance and support the school provides.

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Key Findings

 Pupils behave well both in lessons and around school. They are unfailingly polite and courteous to adults, each other and visitors. Attendance levels are high.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is consistently good throughout the school. Teachers have thorough subject knowledge which they use most effectively to provide pupils with interesting lessons. Most teachers use assessment data with increasing effectiveness to match tasks to the needs and abilities of different groups of pupils by age and ability. However, there are a few shortcomings. For example, some pupils are occasionally held back from setting about tasks independently when they ready and eager to do so.

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Key Findings

 Good leadership and management, including the governing body, provide a sharp and effective focus on driving improvement. There is strong teamwork in the pursuit of raising achievement further.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise pupils’ attainment and accelerate their progress through increasing the amount of outstanding teaching to ensure that: - pupils are always sufficiently challenged according to their differing needs, abilities and ages, especially higher-attaining pupils - pupils are consistently given the opportunity to work independently in lessons as soon as they are ready - teachers check more regularly on pupils’ learning and progress during lessons so that those who might be struggling can be supported more quickly.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ achievement is good. In lessons, learning is effective because pupils are eager to be involved. They are industrious and strive to give of their best. Pupils are always keen to answer questions. They enjoy working independently in pairs and small groups where they willingly contribute their thoughts and ideas. Occasionally, pupils are not given the chance to get on with tasks independently despite being ready and eager to do so; this acts as a brake on accelerating progress at an even faster rate. Pupils listen respectfully to the views of others. Tasks are usually sufficiently challenging for different groups of learners, although occasionally the level of challenge for the most-able pupils could be even higher.

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Achievement of pupils

Children make good progress and achieve well in the Early Foundation Stage which they join with skills that are broadly in line with age-related expectations. Solid foundations for future successful learning are laid down with many reaching and exceeding what is expected for their age by the time they start in Year 1. These firm foundations are built on successfully as pupils move up through the school. In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Attainment by the end of both key stages is consistently above average. Progress data for the end of Key Stage 1 to the end of Key Stage 2 have been artificially distorted and depressed in recent years because Key Stage 1 assessments were unrealistically high. Leadership has tackled this effectively. Assessments are now rigorously moderated and provide an accurate reflection of attainment for the end of Year 2. Achievement has improved significantly since the previous inspection because of a number

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Achievement of pupils

of important factors including much higher expectations, better teaching and much sharper use of assessment data to check on pupils’ progress. These factors provide the school with a much clearer picture of how well pupils are doing and lead to interventions focused on boosting progress further where necessary. Consequently, lower-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs also make good progress because of the effective and well- planned support they receive.

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Achievement of pupils

The teaching of letters and sounds is good. As a result, pupils make good progress in developing their reading skills. By the end of Key Stages 1 and 2, attainment in reading is above average. The reading skills of some higher-attaining pupils in Year 2 are exceptionally high. Questionnaires returned by parents and carers endorse the view of the inspector and they show overwhelming satisfaction with the progress their children are making.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is good and this is in agreement with parents and carers who are almost unanimous in their satisfaction with the quality of teaching their children receive. Pupils also say that the teaching they receive is good. The school is keen to increase the proportion of teaching that is outstanding to raise attainment further and to enable pupils to progress at an even faster rate.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Outdoor provision has improved significantly and is used effectively to promote children’s enjoyment and their inquisitiveness. In Key Stages 1 and 2, the quality of teaching has also improved because teachers are more secure in knowing how well individuals are doing and what the needs of different groups are. Teachers plan activities that are usually sufficiently challenging for different groups of learners by age and ability. However, sometimes the level of challenge, especially for higher-attaining pupils, is not as high as it could be. Teaching is conducted at a lively pace with good variety so that pupils are kept interested and on their toes. For example, in one Key Stage 2 mathematics lesson, pupils’ interest was stimulated and held by a wide variety of activities such as independent

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Quality of teaching

work, active involvement and excellent creative use of information and communication technology (ICT). As a result, all pupils were fully engaged and appropriately challenged. Their progress was consequently outstanding. Most lessons include partner discussion and small group work to give pupils ample opportunities to learn independently. However, on occasions teachers take too long explaining and provide information too readily. When this happens the rate of learning slows because pupils do not have enough time to work independently and find things out for themselves. Most teachers check regularly on pupils’ progress and learning during lessons. Sometimes, however, pupils who are struggling are not identified early enough and this hampers their progress in lessons. Marking is regular and of good quality. It gives clear indications of what pupils need to do to improve their work. Learning support assistants make a very effective contribution to supporting the

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Quality of teaching

learning and progress of lower-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. Support for pupils who are slow readers or whose numeracy skills are weak is well planned and very effective in accelerating their progress.

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Quality of teaching

Good teaching is reflected in the well-planned curriculum which ensures teachers develop pupils’ skills and knowledge in a carefully planned sequence. Topic work is used to good effect to provide a good range of stimulating opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy and numeracy skills across a range of subjects. In lessons, pupils are encouraged to work respectfully together and with the adults working with them. This and the strong relationships between adults and pupils make a valuable contribution to pupils’ good social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Nearly all parents, carers and pupils are positive about the quality of behaviour in school. Evidence gathered during the inspection supports these positive views of behaviour over time. Pupils are polite and follow instructions well. Their good behaviour in lessons makes a clear contribution to the school’s positive learning ethos. Pupils show increasingly effective personal and social skills, such as independence and self- esteem. From the Early Years Foundation Stage classes on, pupils are encouraged to take responsibility and work together. Throughout the school they generally share resources sensibly, listen carefully to each other and understand the importance of respecting the views of others. Pupils say they have confidence in the school’s systems to encourage and support good behaviour. Good moral understanding is reflected in pupils’ considerate behaviour and sense of fairness. Pupils understand the nature of different forms of bullying

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

but say it is so rare that it does not concern them. Nonetheless, they have total confidence that staff would help if necessary. School records show that over time serious incidents of inappropriate conduct, including bullying, have been extremely rare and there are no recent recorded racist incidents.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school has very comprehensive procedures in place to check on and promote attendance. As a result, and because of pupils’ very positive attitudes towards school, attendance levels are consistently high. Punctuality to school and to lessons is consistently good. Pupils say how safe they feel in school. They talk knowledgeably about the dangers inherent in using the internet. They understand what constitute potentially dangerous situations and how to avoid and/or handle them. Parents and carers are almost unanimous in believing that the school keeps their children safe.

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Leadership and management

Good leadership and management provide the school with a sharp focus on improvement and a clear vision for future development. Accurate self-evaluation informs high quality strategic planning that provides a step-by-step pathway to successful implementation of its aims and objectives. Leadership has managed astutely the significant changes in staffing in recent years to promote a strong sense of teamwork in pursuit of improvement. Teaching and learning are monitored regularly and rigorously. Professional development of staff is well planned and effective in driving up the quality of teaching and learning. Improvement is very clear, although a few relative weaker aspects in teaching remain. Learning support assistants praise the focused training they have received. The impact is seen in the highly effective support they provide. Leaders and managers have tightened procedures for tracking pupils’ progress and check more closely that all are doing as well as they can. They

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Leadership and management

take effective action to promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination. As a result, pupils make good progress in this harmonious community. The governing body provides good support and holds the school to account for the progress pupils make. Leaders and managers ensure that safeguarding requirements are met fully. Since the previous inspection, the overall effectiveness of the school has improved from being satisfactory to good thus demonstrating the school’s strong capacity for further improvement.

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Leadership and management

Leaders effectively provide a good curriculum that includes a broad range of activities for pupils of all abilities. Overall, it meets pupils’ needs and prepares them well for the future. The use of thematic work in the curriculum is good and provides pupils with exciting experiences. They take part in a wide range of practical and physical activities and speak with enthusiasm about the good range of extra-curricular activities, especially sports. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Lessons include good opportunities for pupils to reflect on their feelings and how to interact with others and the world around them.

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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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Inspection of Sabden Primary School, Clitheroe, BB7 9DZ

Thank you for your warm welcome when I inspected your school recently.

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Inspection of Sabden Primary School, Clitheroe, BB7 9DZ

You go to a good school which has improved greatly since it was last inspected. It was very pleasing to see how regularly you all attend school – well done! I was also impressed with how sensibly you behave and how respectfully you treat each other and the adults who work with you. You make good progress and achieve well because the teaching you receive is consistently good. The school prepares you well for your future success. The questionnaires you returned show that you enjoy school and feel very safe.

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Inspection of Sabden Primary School, Clitheroe, BB7 9DZ

In order to make your school even better, I am asking the staff to do the following things:   Help you reach even higher standards and make even faster progress by increasing the amount of outstanding teaching to ensure that:  - you are always appropriately challenged according to your differing needs, abilities and ages, especially those of you are quick learners - you are always set to work independently in lessons as soon as you are ready - teachers check more regularly on your progress during lessons so that those of you who might be struggling can be supported quickly.

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Inspection of Sabden Primary School, Clitheroe, BB7 9DZ

I am confident that you will continue to work hard to make sure your school continues to improve even further in the coming years.

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Inspection of Sabden Primary School, Clitheroe, BB7 9DZ

I wish you all the very best for the future.

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Inspection of Sabden Primary School, Clitheroe, BB7 9DZ

Stephen Wall Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is ava ilable 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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