St Margaret's CofE Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 7–8 March 2012 Inspection number 381177 St Margaret's Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 126043 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 381177 Inspection dates 7–8 March 2012 Lead inspector Sheila Browning

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare provision, managed by the governing body, was inspected under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 422 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Phillips Headteacher Helen Fletcher Reilly Date of previous school inspection 23–24 June 2009 School address The Mardens Ifield Crawley RH11 0AQ Telephone number 01293 521077 Fax number 01293 538326 Email address office@st-margaretsifield.w-sussex.sch.uk

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Registered childcare provision Helen Fletcher Reilly Number of children on roll in the registered childcare provision Date of last inspection of registered childcare provision 23–24 June 2009 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not

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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 inspectors spent over 12 hours observing teaching, visiting 34 lessons or part lessons. In all, 16 teachers were observed. In addition, discussions were held with different groups of pupils, the chair and vice chair of the governing body, the headteacher, and staff members. The inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They observed the school’s work and looked at information about pupils’ performance and progress, the school improvement plan, minutes of governing body meetings, school policies and curriculum planning documents, and the school’s website. In addition, questionnaires from 159 parents and carers, and others from staff and pupils, were analysed.

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Information about the school

The school is larger than average. The majority of pupils are White British. 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 average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. Recently, there have been significant staff changes and long-term absences, including at senior leader level. The Nursery is managed by the governing body. The Early Years Foundation Stage children are taught in a separate on-site Nursery and two Reception classes. The school has specially resourced provision for eight disabled pupils. The school holds the nationally recognised Active Mark and International Awards and has Healthy Schools status. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. It is not better because of variations in teaching quality, pupils’ learning and their achievement. Leaders have created a happy, caring school that makes strong provision to promote pupils’ welfare, spiritual, moral, social, and cultural awareness.

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Key findings

 Children get off to a good start in the Nursery and their language, number, and social skills are built upon extremely well in the outstanding Reception classes. Pupils make satisfactory progress in basic skills, although this is more marked in English than mathematics. By the time they leave, they reach average levels of attainment. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including in the Special Support Centre, make satisfactory progress from their starting points.

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Key findings

 Teaching is typically satisfactory over time, but the proportion of consistently good teaching is not high enough throughout the school to secure good progress for all pupils in English and particularly mathematics. Opportunities are missed for pupils to apply their skills in practical investigations, build on their number skills to solve every day problems, and misconceptions are not picked up on quickly enough. Marking does not always help pupils to understand how to improve their work.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ typically good and on occasion exemplary behaviour and attitudes contribute significantly to their learning and enjoyment of school. Although senior leaders have improved some aspects of the school’s effectiveness, such as pupils’ behaviour, they have only met with partial success in managing, monitoring and raising the quality of teaching and pupil’s attainment. Systems are not always sufficiently rigorous to accelerate rapid improvements, particularly in mathematics. Teachers do not always use information on pupils’ progress effectively enough to guide planning for all pupils, in mathematics and for pupils disabled and with special educational needs. 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

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

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate the rate of progress pupils are making in mathematics and raise attainment in Years 1 to 6 by the next academic year through:  improved planning to ensure more precise development of pupils’ mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding  providing increased opportunities for practical mathematics that are fun and engage all pupils’ interests  Ensure a greater proportion of teaching is good and better by:  strengthening teachers’ confidence and knowledge in teaching mathematics  raising expectations  using assessment to support learning so that pupils are provided consistently with high-quality feedback about how to improve work  Improve the effectiveness of senior and middle leaders through:  a more robust and evaluative approach to the monitoring of lesson planning, teaching and learning quality, and in-depth scrutiny of pupils’ work  urgent action to remedy pupils’ slower progress in mathematics

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 a more-strategic use of progress data on disabled pupils and those with special educational needs to monitor their learning closely and accelerate it.

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Achievement of pupils

Most of the parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire think that their children make good progress. Inspectors judge pupils’ progress to be satisfactory and it is better in English than in mathematics.

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Achievement of pupils

In lessons, pupils usually work hard and concentrate well. They make good progress in lessons where learning is practical, teaching identifies any weaknesses in their learning, and information about their progress is used well to tackle them. In Reception Year and in Years 1 and 2, pupils make especially good progress developing their writing skills and in learning letter sounds and combinations (known as phonics). For example, Reception-Year children followed footprints outside and into a doorway, as a starting point for writing activities on a story where a fox is pursuing Rosie the chicken. One girl said ‘we can set a trap then he’ll be dead for the rest of his life’. Others, eagerly, set about writing a ‘wanted poster’ for the fox. Year 6 shared their ideas before writing poems using metaphors and personification with Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Achievement of pupils

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

lines such as, ‘cascading down rapidly like a waterfall’. Where pupils’ progress is satisfactory or less, pupils’ pace of learning slows down because learning activities are dull and do not meet their needs closely enough. As a result, they become passive learners, as teachers talk for too long, as for example, when Year 5 pupils learnt about fractions and percentages. The lesson was dull and lacked challenge as completing a worksheet was uninspiring. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 particularly are catching up on previous gaps in their mathematical knowledge and understanding. This is most evident in pupils’ work books over time, but some misconceptions have not been picked up and feedback is not of high quality or informative on how pupils can improve their work

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Achievement of pupils

Children join the school with skills and knowledge at broadly expected levels for their age. They make outstanding progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage in most areas of learning because of exciting teaching and learning in an environment that successfully nurtures their curiosity. In the past, children’s early mathematical development and personal development have been relatively weaker, but this has been remedied. Attainment by the end of Year 2 dipped slightly last year, although it remains broadly average and shows strong signs of recovery. Reading in Year 2 is broadly average and is above average and rising by Year 6, reflecting good improvement. Many pupils told inspectors how much they enjoyed reading in school and at home. The school has successfully engaged boys in reading and in writing, some typically saying that ‘writing is fun now because activities and days like ‘Super Hero’s Ugly Bug Ball and Eco Day are great’. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6

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Achievement of pupils

is average overall, following a dip last year. English results, particularly reading, were above those nationally. However, improvement in mathematics is slower and the narrowing of the gap with others is not as fast against national performance. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including those in the Special Support Centre, make similar progress to their classmates because of the good support for their personal development and well-being.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is typically satisfactory over time; more recently, it shows improvement, but the quality of teaching in English and mathematics is uneven. Teaching establishes excellent working relationships with pupils and has good expectations of them in terms of behaviour which pupils respond to particularly well. The teachers plan lessons together and usually include a good range of activities, including, for example, group work and use of ‘talk partners’ to share ideas. Expectations of what pupils are capable of are not always high enough in mathematics. Planning in mathematics does not take sufficient account of any gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding. The school is also aware that teaching is not as confident in mathematics as it is in English. Teaching involves good use of questioning to check pupils’ learning during lessons and this enables the teachers to adapt activities, but this practice is more effective in English than in

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Quality of teaching

mathematics. At times, teachers take too long to explain tasks before allowing pupils to start learning for themselves and, in mathematics, planned work is not always 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

pitched at the right level. Teachers mark pupils’ work frequently; in English detailed feedback helps pupils to know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. This practice is inconsistent in mathematics. Teaching makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, especially in supporting pupils working together, and celebrates pupils’ kindness and good behaviour. Most of the parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire think that teaching is good; inspection findings are that, whilst teaching is improving, it is typically satisfactory over time.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour in lessons is always good and even when, in a minority of cases, activities are dull or meet their needs less well, pupils maintain good behaviour and show strong respect to adults. Pupils were keen to explain to inspectors the importance of the rewards system, sanctions, and the ‘Value Book’ that focuses on values such as justice, compassion, trust and fairness. They are proud of their achievements; one boy talking to inspectors pointed out the trophy cabinet and said ‘it’s just glorious’! The school takes all forms of bullying seriously and deals effectively with any incidents that occur. The pupils say racist incidents are uncommon and this is confirmed in school records. Pupils have a good understanding of all forms of bullying, including physical, verbal, computer-based, or aimed at criticising differing backgrounds and beliefs. Around the school, pupils get on very well together. Behaviour in assemblies and in some lessons was exemplary. Those pupils needing

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

additional support are cared for very well and the school has effective links with other agencies as necessary. The work of the learning mentor has had a positive impact on helping families to overcome difficulties. Almost all parents and carers who returned the Ofsted questionnaire say their children feel safe at school and are well looked after. A minority of pupils who returned the questionnaire show a few concerns about bullying and behaviour. Behaviour is typically good and at times outstanding. When any incidents occur, school records show they are dealt with effectively, which was confirmed by pupils.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher, governing body and all leaders are ambitious for the school. Leaders have remedied some areas of weakness, but are aware of the need to be even more robust to tackle underachievement and slower progress in mathematics, especially in Years 5 and 6, where previously weak teaching has been most marked. School improvement teams are focused on developing creativity and fun learning, especially in mathematics. Some improvements, although progressing well, have yet to be realised in improved pupil outcomes. Professional development, curriculum changes, and involvement in local and national initiatives have all had a positive impact on lifting pupils’ literacy skills. Capacity for further improvement is clearly demonstrated in the school’s broadly accurate self-evaluation and action taken to tackle school priorities, as for example, the significant improvements seen in pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour. Monitoring of teaching quality by senior

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Leadership and management

leaders is accurate, but monitoring records do not always follow through 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

weaknesses. Subject leaders, although confident in some aspects of their role, are not yet fully engaged in this aspect of self-evaluation. Senior leaders and class teachers discuss individual pupils’ progress and some information is used to trigger additional support to boost their learning. However, teachers do not use this information strategically to accelerate progress in mathematics and for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.

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Leadership and management

The school contributes strongly to developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural awareness, especially through daily worship and celebrating achievements. Pupils are prepared for life in a diverse world through international links with a school in Tenerife. During the inspection, Year 4 and pupils from local schools practised their Spanish and celebrated carnival for the day. The satisfactory curriculum meets pupils’ needs appropriately. It is enriched through a range of events and clubs from World Maths day to sign language and photography. Pupils in the Special Support Centre benefit from the use of a hydro-therapy pool in a local special school. Partnerships with a wide range of external agencies, the parish, local community, and other schools provide opportunities for sharing good practice, resources and professional in-service training. The school works hard to engage with parents and carers and is always thinking of new ways for families to be involved in

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Leadership and management

their children’s learning. Good partnerships with the Nursery and families ensure a smooth transition to Reception Year. The governing body is well informed and challenges school performance. It fulfils its statutory duties for safeguarding. Child protection procedures meet requirements. The school is inclusive and any discrimination is not tolerated, for example, all pupils in the Special Support Centre are integrated into school life very well, but, in terms of equalities, pupils achieve less well in mathematics than in English.

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childcare provision

St Margaret’s Nursery, registered in 2008, operates from a purpose-built classroom within the school grounds. It is registered for 36 children aged two to five years and is open each weekday from 8.30 until 16.30, term-time only. Eighty children attend, some of whom receive funding. All seven nursery staff hold appropriate qualifications.

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childcare provision

The overall effectiveness of the Nursery is good because children, including disabled children and those who have special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language, make good progress in most areas of learning. Strong links with families and other agencies ensure children’s needs are met well and self- evaluation takes account of their views. Parents and carers attend family play workshops, translate, and celebrate Diwali, Chinese New Year, and contribute to the ‘All about me’ books on their children’s progress. Children engage busily in this well- resourced Nursery. Adults use questioning and reinforce good speaking and listening skills for children to model whether talking about planting trees in the school orchard the day before or promoting imaginative play for example, a line of cosy couples queuing to get petrol from an ‘attendant’ were introduced to the idea of payment.

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childcare provision

Children enjoy learning, know to keep themselves safe, and choose from healthy snacks. Encouraged to ‘have a go’, they contribute their ideas for new learning activities. Their good learning and social skills ensure a firm foundation for Reception Year.

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childcare provision

The exciting learning environment reflects the backgrounds of the children. Comprehensive planning ensures they are challenged and motivated and supports their well-being. Adults are well deployed, trained in safeguarding, and regularly observe and record children’s responses and progress. Leaders have a clear view of strengths and weaknesses in provision and are focussed well on ensuring children make good progress in their learning and development. For example, in partnership with Reception Year, they are exploring ways to enhance children’s early number skills to help raise children’s achievement in this area.

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childcare provision

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage of the registered childcare provision, inspected under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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childcare provision

Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage for the registered provision

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Grade Judgement Description

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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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RH11 0AQ

Thank you for making us so very welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking with you and finding out about all the many things that you enjoy. You go to a satisfactory school, where the headteacher, governing body and the staff all want you and the school to keep improving. You told us how much the school had improved, that behaviour was good, that you enjoyed reading, writing and all the extra exciting things you get to do in school now. We agree. Here are the main things we found out.

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RH11 0AQ

 You reach average standards by the time you leave school and your reading is particularly good.  The progress you make is satisfactory and is improving, especially in English.  Teaching is satisfactory, but is improving.  You told us how well the adults care for you and we agree.  Your behaviour is good and, on occasions, excellent.  Children in the Nursery get off to a good start and in Reception Year they build on this rapidly so that they make excellent progress.

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RH11 0AQ

There are a few things that we have asked your school to do to improve.

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RH11 0AQ

 Help you to make better progress in mathematics, make sure that learning activities are exciting, at the right level for you and with lots of opportunities for ‘practical’ mathematical learning.  Make sure that teaching is always good or better and checks that you understand what you are learning and how to improve.  Check that the headteacher, staff and the governing body do everything they can to help you make the progress you should, especially in mathematics.

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RH11 0AQ

You can help by always trying to do your best in mathematics and let teachers know if you do not understand the work or know what to do to improve.

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RH11 0AQ

Lead inspector (on behalf of the inspection team) 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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