Weston Lullingfields CofE School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 2–3 February 2012 Inspection number 380678 Weston Lullingfields CofE School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 123513 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 380678 Inspection dates 2–3 February 2012 Lead inspector Gordon Ewing

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 45 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jon Worrall Headteacher Judi Clarke Date of previous school inspection 16 October 2008 School address Weston Lullingfields Shrewsbury SY4 2AW Telephone number 01939 260306 Fax number 01939 260306 Email address admin.westonlullingfields@shropshirelg.net 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

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school 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 visited seven lessons, observing four teachers. Meetings were held with the headteacher, members of the governing body, members of staff and groups of pupils. Informal discussions were conducted with some parents and carers, and with pupils. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection and observed the school’s work including the systems for assessing and monitoring pupils’ progress, pupils’ work and teachers’ planning and marking. Policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils were scrutinised. Inspectors also took account of questionnaires completed by 17 parents and carers and 27 older pupils.

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Information about the school

Weston Lullingfields is very much smaller than the average primary school. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average. The largest group of pupils (93%) is of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The percentage of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average; predominantly, these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. The Nursery, Reception and Years 1 and 2 operate as one group, while Years 3 and 4 operate as one class, as do Years 5 and 6. The Nursery, breakfast club and after-school club are part of the wrap-around provision managed by the governing body.

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Information about the school

Staff turnover has been relatively high over the last two years. The current headteacher joined the school in January 2012.

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Information about the school

The school meets the current floor standard. 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

 Weston Lullingfields Primary is a satisfactory school where pupils enjoy school, feel safe and have positive attitudes to learning. The overwhelming majority of parents, carers and pupils hold the school in high regard.  Achievement is satisfactory in reading and writing because teachers plan activities that adequately meet pupils’ broad range of needs. Progress in mathematics is satisfactory but slower than English through the school because the quality of teaching is more variable. Teachers’ subject knowledge is not sufficiently secure in mathematics to ensure that activities consistently meet pupils’ needs.  Teaching is sometimes good but mostly satisfactory. Sometimes tasks are not challenging enough for all the different abilities in the class and there are weaknesses in teachers’ questioning. Teachers’ marking provides some guidance to pupils on how they are doing and how to tackle the next step but

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Key findings

does not make this consistently clear.  The school has not firmly established ways of assessing pupils’ attainment when they join the school, and so their progress over time is not measured in enough detail to ensure that any underachievement is identified and addressed swiftly.  Pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory. Relationships are strong and bullying of any kind is extremely rare. Pupils play well together and show respect and care towards others. They feel safe.  The curriculum is broad, balanced and enriched significantly by the extended provision in the breakfast and after-school clubs.  The new headteacher, even at this early stage, has an astute and accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and has a clear vision for the future direction of the school. She is soundly supported by the knowledgeable and committed governing body. Staff morale is high.

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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. 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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve progress in mathematics so the percentage making expected progress in Key Stage 2 matches or is above the national average by July 2013, through  checking pupils’ work on a monthly basis to measure improvements against their set targets in mathematics  improving teachers’ subject knowledge through focused training and support so that their planning and teaching accurately meets pupils’ needs and abilities  track pupils’ progress in mathematics on a half-termly basis and link the outcomes to performance management meetings with class teachers so any underachievement is swiftly identified and addressed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that, by April 2013, 80% of lessons are judged good or better, by  ensuring that teachers have a common understanding of the components of effective teaching  improving their professional development by seeking support from lead practitioners, particularly in the teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics  ensuring tasks are challenging enough for all pupils  improving the way assessment in lessons and adults’ questioning are used to identify when activities should be adapted  focusing on pupils’ discussion skills so that they are able to share ideas, consolidate understanding and accelerate learning  improving marking so pupils receive timely and astute guidance on their learning and on how to take the next step with increasing independence.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop rigorous tracking for all pupils in reading, writing, communication and mathematics by  introducing comprehensive baseline assessment for all pupils when they enter the school  improve staff’s ability to regularly assess and record pupils’ progress, through specific training  providing individualised progress reports on a termly basis to parents and carers, covering their children’s progress in reading, writing, communication and mathematics.  reporting, on a termly basis, to the governing body on the progress of all pupils.

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement is satisfactory, overall. Pupils join the school with skills and understanding that are broadly at the levels expected for their age. Children in the 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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Achievement of pupils

Early Years Foundation Stage experience a range of activities that nurture and develop good attitudes to learning so that, from their varying starting points, they make satisfactory progress across all early learning goals, especially, in communication, language and literacy. They are making sound progress in early reading and learning new vocabulary. For example, with the able guidance of the nursery assistant, two children were learning spatial vocabulary such as ‘up’, ‘down’ and ‘around’. Through practical activities they acted out movements linked to the shape of letters and then transferred their learning to writing the letter shapes in sand.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ attainment in reading is broadly average by the end of Year 2. By the time pupils leave at the end of Year 6, their attainment in reading, like their attainment overall is also broadly average. However, attainment in reading typically rises for individual pupils. The very small numbers in each year group, and the variable ranges of ability of each cohort, mean comparisons with national benchmarks must be treated with caution. Most pupils make less secure progress in mathematics compared to their progress in reading and writing and compared with the progress of pupils nationally. The school does not yet have a rigorous and consistent system for assessing pupils’ needs when they enter the school and for closely tracking their progress as they move from class to class. Teachers are not fully confident about assessing pupils’ progress or adapting learning on a day to day basis. As a result, pupils’ learning needs are not consistently met. Though most parents and carers

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Achievement of pupils

judge that their children are making good progress, inspection evidence shows that most pupils, including those with special educational needs and pupils with disabilities, make no more than satisfactory progress over time. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is satisfactory, but like other teaching, occasionally lacks challenge.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils are keen participants in the learning process because adults treat them as individuals and care for them well. This was evident in a Year 5/6 literacy lesson where pupils were improving their writing of dialogue. The teacher’s secure subject knowledge and well targeted questioning ensured that pupils were attentive and learning swiftly. They used adverbs such as ‘moodily’, ‘sadly’ and ‘curiously’ with precision and their writing was increasingly expressive. Pupils reviewed their partner’s work and accurately identified common errors in punctuation associated with speech. The focus on the use of discussion was particularly helpful. This effective practice is not, however, replicated consistently in other classes.

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Quality of teaching

In the lessons seen during the inspection, the quality of teaching was broadly satisfactory. Inspection evidence, including discussions with pupils about their learning and close scrutiny of their progress over time, shows that teaching is meeting the majority of pupils’ needs but lacks the range of challenging tasks to engage and motivate pupils to develop their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. The deployment of teaching assistants varies from class to class. There is good practice in the combined Nursery/Reception and Year 1/2 class, where both 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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Quality of teaching

assistants were well deployed in supporting either an individual pupil or a small group of pupils in developing their understanding of subtraction. They used careful questioning to check pupils’ progress and adapted activities, for example, by introducing practical equipment to support learning and to explain things more clearly. In weaker lessons, ongoing assessment is rarely used to adapt activities.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers’ marking is often up-to-date and always positive but rarely provides pupils with guidance on how to improve their work or to set more challenging tasks. As a result, pupils do not have a confident grasp of the next step or in tackling tasks independently of adult support or intervention. Some pupils are set targets in literacy and mathematics but these are not consistently tracked or assessed with enough frequency to make them meaningful.

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Quality of teaching

The teaching of phonics (linking letters and sounds) is systematic and of good quality so that children make quick gains in their early reading. That said, some Year 1 pupils report that their current reading books are sometimes ‘quite easy.’ The effective focus on the teaching of reading across the curriculum ensures that pupils consolidate and extend their understanding in a range of contexts. For example, while studying the regions of the Arctic and Antarctic, pupils undertook research on the internet. They also considered the ethical and environmental issues associated with global warming and conservation. This had a positive impact on their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Quality of teaching

Whilst the overwhelming majority of parents and carers report that their children are taught well, inspection evidence shows that the quality of teaching is broadly satisfactory. Some parents and carers commented that teaching is improving.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are clearly proud of their school and are respectful and polite. One pupil’s comment, ‘Small school, big family,’ describes the school well. Attendance is above average and pupils arrive punctually. All teachers manage pupils’ behaviour satisfactorily and as a result pupils show patience and perseverance even when some activities lack challenge or are not accurately matched to their needs. All classrooms are calm and pupils understand their rights and responsibilities as learners. On a very few occasions, particularly when pupils finish one activity and move to another, they can forget rules about safe movement and packing away around the classroom. At these times, their behaviour can be a little lively and adults do not always make their expectations clear, so mild misbehaviour continues unchecked for a brief time. Around school and at break times, pupils socialise and play together well. Pupils

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

confidently report that they feel safe. Bullying is extremely rare and pupils say that it is acted upon very swiflty when reported to adults. The school’s records of the management of misbehaviour or bullying corroborates their rarity and shows they are robustly addressed by leaders and managers, involving all parties in swiftly resolving any issue.The vast majority of parents and carers are of the view that behaviour is good and that their children are safe at school. Inspectors judged behaviour satisfactory by looking at evidence about how pupils behave across a 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

period of time as well as during the inspection.

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Leadership and management

Given the changes to staff and leadership, the school has made adequate progress since the last inspection. Writing, a key issue in the previous report, has significantly improved. The new headteacher has had little time to familiarise herself with the school and its community but has already made a rapid and accurate appraisal of the school’s development needs. She is soundly supported by the governing body, which has been instrumental and effective in addressing weaknesses in teaching, for example, through increasing the non-teaching time for the headteacher. Consequently, the turbulence, often associated with high staff turnover, has been minimized. There is early evidence that this is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning, for example, in more consistent progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Years 3 and 4. Several parents and carers have commented positively about the impact of recent changes. One parent’s comment is typical. ‘The new

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Leadership and management

headteacher has introduced many positive new initiatives and my child is already benefitting from these.’ Taking into account the gains prior to the new headteacher’s arrival, the staffing turbulence, the sound oversight of the governing body and the overwhelming support of the school community, the school has a satisfactory capacity to improve further. The new headteacher has rightly identified that teachers require professional development and coaching from lead practitioners to improve subject knowledge and establish a shared understanding of what makes effective teaching, and plans are underway to address this.

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Leadership and management

The planned curriculum adequately meets most pupils’ needs and opportunities provided through visits and the after-school club, such as horse riding, film-making and instrumental music, soundly enrich aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Leadership and management

Arrangements for safeguarding pupils and staff meet statutory requirements and procedures for child protection are good. Leaders and managers are committed to promoting equality and tackling discrimination and, as a result, pupils live and learn as part of a cohesive and harmonious community. However, the limited detail in assessments to date make fine-tuned analysis of the progress of groups more difficult. This has also in the past limited the depth of information reported to governors and parents.

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

Inspection of Weston Lullingfields CofE School , Shrewsbury , SY4 2AW

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

Thank you all very much for the warm welcome that you gave to me, when I visited you recently. I read your questionnaires and enjoyed the opportunities to talk with you; I have told your teachers that you are great ambassadors for the school. Your really good attendance tells me that you clearly enjoy coming to school and you have personally told me that you feel safe and adults take good care of you.

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

I judge that Weston Lullingfields Primary provides you with a satisfactory education because most of you make sound progress. However, the progress that you make in mathematics is less consistent than in your reading and writing. I was pleased with the way you take on responsibilities such as class monitors and school councillors and I know that you are keen to do even more to help the school improve further.

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

Everyone has the best interests of the school at heart and is keen to make it even better, so we have asked the staff and governors, in particular, to do the following:

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

 keep a closer check on how well you are doing, especially in mathematics, so that if you fall behind you can get help quickly  give staff more training and help so they can increase the number of lessons where the teaching is good  make sure marking tells you how to improve – you can help by looking at it carefully  make sure your learning activities are not too hard and not too easy  give you plenty of opportunities to discuss your work.

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

You can help by continuing to work hard and do your best at all times. You can also help your headteacher by letting her know through your school council what other improvements you would like to see.

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

Gordon Ewing 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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