Leechpool Primary School

Age group 4−11 Inspection date(s) 23−24 February, 2012 Inspection number 381150 Leechpool Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 125918 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 381150 Inspection dates 23−24 February 2012 Lead inspector Wendy Forbes

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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 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 384 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Connett Headteacher Sylvia Forder Date of previous school inspection 24 April 2007 School address Leechpool Lane Horsham West Sussex RH13 6AG Telephone number 01403 210233 Fax number 01403 240956 Email address office@leechpool.w-sussex.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

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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 inspection team observed teaching and learning in 19 part-lessons, amounting to approximately nine hours in total. Thirteen teachers were observed. For approximately a quarter of the lessons, inspectors were accompanied by the headteacher or assistant headteacher. Meetings were held with the headteacher and assistant headteacher, members of the governing body, staff and pupils. The inspectors observed the school’s work, listened to pupils reading and looked at self-evaluation documentation, monitoring and assessment information, lesson plans and policies. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection and analysed questionnaires from 201 parents and carers and 104 pupils. The school’s safeguarding procedures were also evaluated.

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Information about the school

This two-form entry school is larger than an average-sized primary school. The Early Years Foundation Stage comprises two Reception classes. There is also an on-site Nursery. This is managed by an external provider and is inspected separately. The largest group of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic heritages is below average. There are a few pupils who speak English as an additional language . The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average. A significant number of pupils join or leave the school part way through their education. The school meets the current floor standards which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school runs a breakfast club on three days a week and has achieved Healthy School status and an International award. The governing body has appointed a new headteacher from September 2012, when the current post holder retires. 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

 Leechpool Primary School is a good school where pupils achieve well. It has many strengths and a good capacity to improve further. The quality of education that the school provides is good rather than outstanding because in a few lessons, teachers do not provide activities that fully extend and challenge pupils, particularly higher attainers, to develop their problem-solving skills or to write for a wide enough range of purposes.  The school provides high-quality support for pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs, and for those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. This, in addition to very effective partnerships, helps pupils to succeed.  Teaching is good overall, enabling pupils to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. However, progress in writing and mathematics is sometimes slower than in reading because the teaching is not always so effective in these aspects.

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Key findings

 Pupils feel very happy, have positive attitudes, feel very safe, generally behave well and enjoy learning. Because of the significant focus on pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance have improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ awareness of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues, and respect for diversity, are promoted extremely well through special events, very attractive school displays, charity fund-raising and a wide range of opportunities for pupils to be involved in the management of the school.  The strong leadership of the headteacher, supported well by the governing body and other leaders and managers, has led to improvements since the last inspection. The development of Key Stage 1 and 2 ‘phase’ leaders and the involvement of subject leaders in school improvement have strengthened. Leaders and managers know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well and plan effectively to bring about further improvements, especially with regard to

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Key findings

the professional development of staff to improve the quality of teaching. 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?

 By December 2012, accelerate pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics, and improve the achievement of higher-attaining pupils through:  ensuring that the level of challenge and the pace of learning are matched to the needs of all pupils  providing more opportunities to extend pupils’ literacy competencies by writing for a wider range of purposes  providing more activities and tasks in lessons that challenge pupils’ mathematical thinking and extend their numeracy competencies  providing targeted staff development in order to build on the good practice that already exists in the school to strengthen the teaching of mathematics and writing.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils start school with skills below those typical for their age, particularly in speech and language. Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They continue to make good progress throughout the school. Attainment in reading by the end of Key stage 1 is average. By the time they leave the school, pupils reach broadly average levels of attainment in both English and mathematics; attainment is a little higher in reading. This is the result of consistently good and sometimes outstanding teaching and the school’s focus on developing literacy skills, particularly reading. The well-tailored programme of teaching letters and sounds in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensures children make good progress overall, especially in developing their early reading skills. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to enjoy books and link their reading to writing skills. As a result, good attainment in

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Achievement of pupils

reading has been sustained and is improving rapidly. However, writing and mathematics do not always accelerate at the same rate because, at times, the pace of teaching is not brisk enough and work is not sufficiently well matched to pupils’ differing needs, particularly the most able. National test results in 2011 suggested girls were doing better than boys. Inspection evidence confirmed that this gap has been closed for pupils currently in Year 6. This is as a result of developments in the curriculum and the focus given to understanding pupils’ learning styles, particularly those of boys.

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Achievement of pupils

In lessons, it is clear there has been a marked improvement where there has been a specific drive and focus, especially in mathematics and writing. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, pupils investigated how to solve problems using money, 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

drawing on recently acquired knowledge. All pupils made at least good progress and some made outstanding progress in being able to explain how they would approach the problem and, as a result, they could apply their prior knowledge to solve new problems.

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Achievement of pupils

Almost all parents and carers who returned questionnaires rightly feel that their children are making good progress in school. Pupils are enthusiastic learners. For example, in a good Year 5 literacy lesson, pupils were excited as they developed chilling and powerful descriptive writing about the imminent landing of alien creatures. The teacher’s skilful questioning helped pupils to extend their vocabulary. Activities were creatively structured and closely linked to previous learning. As a result, they made good progress in improving their descriptive writing.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals make the same good progress as their peers. This is also the case for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs because staff make suitable adjustments to materials and activities. Pupils who join the school part way through their education make equally good progress because the school identifies their needs early and provides appropriate support when required.

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Quality of teaching

Most parents and carers say that they feel their children are well taught. Inspection findings confirm this. As one parent said, ‘The curriculum is delivered in a fun, exciting way that fosters enthusiasm for learning.’ The good and sometimes outstanding teaching ensures pupils achieve well. The themed curriculum makes helpful links between subjects and ensures a range of activities that motivate pupils. A focus on the teaching of writing, developments in mathematics and staff development have had a positive impact on how literacy and numeracy are taught. Strategies such as ‘Write-on Wednesdays’ and support from the ‘Numbers Count’ teacher have enhanced pupils’ key learning skills. Teaching takes account of the diversity within the school and consequently, many pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable overcome barriers to their learning. Teachers have high expectations and ensure that lessons enthuse pupils. As one pupil said about

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Quality of teaching

extended writing opportunities, ‘I open the box of ideas and my stories just fly out.’ Teachers’ good role modelling promotes very positive relationships and the well- planned curriculum develops good levels of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.

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Quality of teaching

In the best lessons, pupils are challenged fully. Teachers are skilled in developing pupils’ thinking through effective questioning, good use of ‘talk partners’ and a creative curriculum, all of which promote a confident working atmosphere. For example, in a good Year 4 literacy lesson, pupils worked hard on their report-writing skills after the excitement of seeing a Dalek ‘parachuting’ onto the playground. Teaching is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage. A wide range of adult-directed and child-initiated activities promote independence well. Children enjoy opportunities to develop and extend their language, as seen in the Pirate Training Centre where 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

‘chief pirates’ gave detailed instructions to ‘trainees’ before sending them out to hunt for hidden treasure.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers’ good subject knowledge, effective use of assessment information and a creative range of teaching styles take account of learning needs. However, in practice, not all tasks consistently challenge all pupils, particularly the more able in mathematics and writing. As a result, their progress is not as rapid as it could be and their attainment is not always as high as it might be. Pupils are helped to consider how well they have worked and what they most enjoyed, but the otherwise well- constructed self-assessment activities focus heavily on their enjoyment of learning, occasionally missing opportunities to encourage them to evaluate how they could improve.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils really enjoy coming to school. Good behaviour, safety and excellent pastoral care and support foster good personal skills and positive attitudes to learning. Almost all parents and carers who replied to the questionnaire felt that there was a good standard of behaviour at the school and that their children felt safe. During the inspection, all pupils spoken to said that they felt very safe in school. Pupils set themselves high standards of behaviour and a few said in their questionnaires that behaviour could be even better. Inspectors found behaviour to be good in most lessons and around the school. In a few lessons, behaviour is satisfactory rather than good, because teaching lacks pace or challenge and pupils become less engaged. There are excellent relationships between adults and pupils, who are friendly and courteous. This ethos is strongly introduced in the Early Years Foundation Stage,

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

where adults have high expectations of children’s behaviour, and extends throughout the school and breakfast club. Pupils know well what constitutes bullying and say incidents are rare. They say that they trust the adults and are confident that any incidents will be dealt with effectively. The school supports pupils with challenging behaviour well and works hard to engage them in learning. Staff go to great lengths to keep pupils in school and exclusions are rare.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils develop a good understanding of how to lead safe and healthy lives. They have a keen awareness of the importance of ‘e-safety’ and a good appreciation of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, recognised with the Healthy School award. Pupils regularly participate in sporting activities and eat the fresh fruit available in classrooms. Pupils’ above-average levels of attendance and good progress in basic skills, shows they are well prepared for future learning.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and governing body have shown determination in securing improvements in the school. The headteacher's purposeful approach encourages others to have the highest aspirations for themselves and the pupils. There is a strong sense of purpose. Expectations are high. The governing body provides effective strategic leadership and monitors performance well. The development of Key Stage 1 and 2 ‘phase’ leaders and the involvement of middle leaders in school 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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Leadership and management

improvement have strengthened the leadership of the school. Opportunities to track pupils’ progress, monitor the quality of learning in key subjects and work alongside staff have had a significant impact in improving the quality of teaching, especially in writing and mathematics. An effective planned programme of professional development has been embraced by staff. This focus has already led to a narrowing of the gap between boys’ and girls’ achievement and improvements in the curriculum. The school promotes equality of opportunity well and all pupils are exceptionally well cared for and supported. A strong emphasis on all aspects of personal development through the personal, social and health education programme promotes the well-being of all pupils. Discrimination is rare but effectively tackled. Consequently, the school is a very harmonious community. Safeguarding is a high priority for the school and procedures are robust. These meet government guidelines

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Leadership and management

and include high-quality checks on adults and a carefully planned approach which is successful in managing the safety of pupils.

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Leadership and management

The school knows its strengths and weaknesses. As a result, there have been improvements in behaviour, attainment, teaching and attendance, demonstrating the school’s strong capacity for further improvement. The curriculum is effective in meeting the needs of most learners. It is further enriched by theme days and creative ‘Learning Journeys’, a wide range of visitors to the school and visits to places of interest. Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular activities. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum has been strengthened, with significant developments in the teaching of letters and sounds as well as numeracy. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well. Pupils develop a strong sense of right and wrong and have good social skills. They are reflective in their learning and enjoy the wide range of opportunities to participate in the development of the school as ‘Young Interpreters’, Playtime Buddies, business

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Leadership and management

entrepreneurs and school council members, all of which help to strengthen their good personal and social skills.

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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 schoo ls. 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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Inspection of Leechpool Primary School, Horsham RH13 6AG

Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed talking to you in lessons, in our special meeting and when we listened to some of you reading. You told us that you enjoy school and feel very safe. We were particularly impressed with your lovely work, displayed around the school, and your involvement in the running of the school as Young Interpreters, Playtime Buddies and members of the school council, as well as the funds you raise for school facilities, such as the new amphitheatre, through your business enterprise activities.

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Inspection of Leechpool Primary School, Horsham RH13 6AG

I am pleased to tell you that you go to a good school that has improved since its last inspection. You and your parents and carers told us that you like school and that it is a happy place where you feel very safe. You are well behaved and impressed the inspectors by your good manners and politeness.

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Inspection of Leechpool Primary School, Horsham RH13 6AG

You are making good progress in your work and you are taught well. Your headteacher, staff and governors are determined to help you succeed. Your headteacher and all your other teachers know how to make sure that your school continues to get even better. To help them to do this, we have asked your school to do the following:

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Inspection of Leechpool Primary School, Horsham RH13 6AG

 ensure that more of you make faster progress in mathematics and writing by giving you work that is not too easy or too hard  provide more opportunities to practise your problem-solving skills  provide more opportunities to write in many different ways  ensure more of you benefit from the extremely good or outstanding teaching seen in some lessons.

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Inspection of Leechpool Primary School, Horsham RH13 6AG

Keep up the good work and we are sure that if you do this, you will continue to enjoy learning for a long time to come.

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Inspection of Leechpool Primary School, Horsham RH13 6AG

Wendy Forbes 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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