Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 15–16 March 2012 Inspection number 379126 Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 115693 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 379126 Inspection dates 15–16 March 2012 Lead inspector Jenny Batelen

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 203 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Heyling Headteacher Julia Dowding Date of previous school inspection 6 May 2009 School address Hawker Hill Mitcheldean Gloucestershire GL17 0BS Telephone number 01594 542240 Fax number 01594 542240 Email address admin@mitcheldean.gloucs.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 inspectors watched 12 lessons, observing nine teachers. They heard some pupils read from Years 2 and 6. Inspectors also held meetings with pupils and staff, including senior leaders, as well as with members of the governing body. The inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at documentation including policies, school action plans, pupils’ work and records of their learning and progress. They observed and discussed behaviour and the school’s safeguarding procedures. The inspectors analysed 66 completed questionnaires from parents and carers, as well as questionnaires completed by pupils and by members of staff.

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Information about the school

The school is an average-sized primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds, and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also below the national average. The percentage of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average, as is the proportion with a statement of special educational needs. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The school has achieved the National Healthy Schools Plus and Eco School bronze awards. 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. The outstanding spiritual ethos enables pupils to develop a strong set of values which they consistently refer to. Good quality safeguarding ensures pupils feel safe. Pupils’ achievement is good overall as they make good progress from their starting points. Attainment in English and mathematics is in line with national averages and improving. The school is not yet outstanding because pupils are not yet fully challenged in order to ensure rapid and sustained progress across the whole curriculum. The systems for monitoring progression in skills in subjects other than English and mathematics are also not yet fully established.  Leaders and managers, including the governing body, have a clear focus on the right priorities to improve the school further. The leadership of teaching and the management of performance have been effective in improving teaching and learning across the school. This is clear in the improved provision and teaching

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Key findings

and therefore rising attainment in the Early Years Foundation Stage. It is also evident in the improved teaching of mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 1, resulting in tasks that are more relevant and standards that are beginning to rise.  Skilled teaching of the sounds that letters make (phonics) enables pupils to develop successful strategies for reading and writing and achieve well. Well- planned support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language, ensures that they make good and sometimes outstanding progress.  Teaching is mainly good, with some outstanding practice evident across the school. Exciting and well-resourced starters to lessons engage pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. They understand the tasks they are set and how they will know if they have been successful. However, occasionally these tasks lack challenge and progress slows.

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Key findings

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They respect and support each other. Adults give well-targeted support to pupils who find this difficult and as a result there is no disruption to learning. 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?

 Raise achievement in all subjects by increasing the challenge in the tasks set for all pupils.  Establish a system of assessment in areas of the curriculum, other than English and mathematics, so that progress in the key skills is clearly monitored and progress accelerated.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and understanding that are below the levels expected nationally for their age, with skills in communication, language and literacy and calculating a little lower. The imaginative and exciting range of activities ensures children make good progress in all areas of learning through the Reception class. This good start is continued throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 and pupils leave school at the end of Year 6 with attainment that is above average in reading and average in writing and mathematics. School assessment data, pupils’ work and lesson observations reflect the good progress in English and mathematics. This was clearly demonstrated when Year 2 pupils consolidated the week’s learning about adding 9 and 11. They confidently used the 100 square, explained how to complete the calculations and looked for patterns in their answers. Parents and carers agree that their children make good progress and develop a

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Achievement of pupils

range of skills throughout their time in school. ‘My child has excelled at this school’ is representative of many comments from parents and carers. However, inspectors found that there is not yet enough consistent challenge in tasks set to ensure pupils make progress in mathematics and writing to match that in reading.

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Achievement of pupils

The skilled teaching of phonics in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 means that the standards of reading are consolidating and are above average in both key stages. Pupils enjoy reading, talk with enthusiasm about the types of books they enjoy and relish predicting the end of the story.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because their needs are clearly identified. They have a range of support individually and in small groups that enables them to tackle the tasks set for them. Those who speak English as an additional language make good progress so that they are quickly able to access the whole curriculum independently. This progress means that the gaps in performance between these groups and their national counterparts are closing and this is particularly true in reading. There is strong support for pupils and their families whose circumstances may make them vulnerable, so that they are able to continue to work hard in class and make good progress. 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

Parents and carers agree that their children are taught well. Pupils enjoy their learning and feel that they are helped to make good progress. Teachers make good use of regular and accurate assessments so that they have a clear understanding of how well pupils are doing. As a result, lessons are well planned, with exciting starters that engage pupils straight away. This was clearly demonstrated in a Year 3 mathematics lesson when the story of the cost of a bag of sweets enthused pupils about finding fractions of amounts. Year 4 were excited about the time connectives they found in envelopes at the start of an information and communication technology lesson developing sentence writing skills. A phonics session was enlivened by the use of the magic cloak, bag and rabbits to reinforce the understanding of ‘magic e’ in a word. Year 1 pupils’ learning about the different features of animals was enriched by

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Quality of teaching

being part of the weekly, outstanding Forest School experience. In general, tasks set are varied so that they meet the needs of all pupils. However, as the standards met by the younger pupils are rising, not all work is of sufficient challenge in subsequent year groups to ensure that all pupils make accelerated progress.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils clearly understand what they are going to be able to do by the end of the lesson and are able to decide whether they have succeeded. Marking helps pupils to understand how well they have done and how they can further improve their work. Teachers’ clear explanations and adults’ probing questions ensure that pupils deepen their understanding. This was apparent in a Year 6 lesson where the class were learning to write a persuasive letter. High quality questioning enabled pupils to develop their understanding of the issues and so make good progress in writing effectively.

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Quality of teaching

The environment in the Early Years Foundation Stage provides rich opportunities for children to learn indoors and outdoors, through a range of adult-led and independent activities. The use of paired talk, with laminated speech bubbles, linked to the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, meant that children made good progress in understanding how speech bubbles are used in texts as well as developing their speaking and listening skills.

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Quality of teaching

Strong links made between topics across the curriculum mean that pupils understand the relevance of their tasks. Year 5 pupils used the recipe for the space cookies they had made to develop their understanding of ratio. There are many opportunities given for pupils to develop their moral and social understanding as they work together, listen carefully to each other, develop and act on the school slogan of ‘Achieve, Believe Contribute’ and empathise with characters in history as well as living people. Homework makes a strong contribution to the progress pupils are making. Pupils’ interests and activities outside school are valued and celebrated, ensuring that all pupils are able to share their successes and ‘be proud’. 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

Pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes in lessons and around school mean that there is now little evidence of any disruption and pupils are able to learn and thrive. Older pupils value the motto of SMILE (Show respect, Make a contribution, Ignore distractions, Listen carefully, Ensure you do your best). Pupils have a clear understanding of how to manage their own behaviour and are keen to earn ‘pips’ that lead to the bronze, silver and gold awards. The school has very effective systems to support those who may find this difficult and as a result these pupils are able to concentrate, manage classroom relationships, stay on task and make progress.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils understand about different types of bullying and are confident that bullying is very rare and any incidents of bad behaviour are effectively dealt with by the school so that recurrences are rare. Some parents and carers express concern about bullying and behaviour in lessons and around school. The pupils’ views and the school’s recording of any incidents show that these are managed well. Pupils have a strong sense of feeling safe at school and parents and carers agree with them. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when using modern technology, and how to respond to any possible cyber-bullying. Parents and carers comment that their children are keen to attend school and, as a result, attendance is above average.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and managers have been effective in identifying the right priorities that will improve the school further. For example, increasing the pupils’ active involvement in their learning enables pupils to be confident about their own learning and progress. This and the improved provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage since the previous inspection demonstrate the school’s good capacity to make further improvements. Staff value the support they receive and are particularly appreciative of whole-school professional development that allows them to focus together on improving priorities for the school. Leaders are ensuring that teachers are increasingly using assessment data effectively to set high enough challenge and expectations in lessons; however, some inconsistencies remain. The governing body members have a wide range of skills and are ambitious for the school. They are knowledgeable and well informed, including about how well pupils achieve. As a

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Leadership and management

result, they are able to give good challenge as well as support to the school.

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Leadership and management

The good curriculum provides the pupils with memorable experiences. Visits and visitors enrich the pupils’ understanding of the topics they are studying and also deepen their understanding of differences and similarities with other communities. All pupils learn a modern foreign language. However, the school is at the early stages of developing a system of monitoring progress in the key skills in each subject and so pupils do not make as much progress as they could in subjects other than English and mathematics. There are a range of extra-curricular activities, including residential trips, and the school ensures that there is no discrimination and that all 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

pupils have equal opportunities to access the full curriculum.

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Leadership and management

The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. There are many opportunities for pupils to reflect on their work, relationships and on the values that are promoted. Pupils are proud to share the special places in their school, such as the newly developed spirituality garden – ‘a quiet place to come’ – and the ‘forgiveness tree’, where gold leaves represent pupils’ thoughts of sorrow and forgiveness. The art club and photography competition encourage pupils to delight in their world. Pupils have a strong sense of the needs of others and organise their own charity fundraising as well as supporting national events. Their understanding and respect for diversity, other faiths and cultures are encouraged through curriculum topics and the link with a community in Uganda. The school is valued in the community and planning for topics includes a community focus. Good transition links at all stages of the pupils’ education ensure that they

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Leadership and management

Parents and carers feel that they are helped to support their child’s learning and most feel that they are kept well informed. The school website, regular newsletters, informative reports and parents’ and carers’ evenings ensures that information is up to date and relevant. Safeguarding procedures meet requirements and parents and carers have no concerns about their children’s safety.

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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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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school recently. Thank you also to those of you who returned questionnaires about your school. We enjoyed joining in your lessons, assemblies, wake and shake, talking to you and sharing books with you. Thank you too to those who showed the inspectors so many lovely features around the school that help you think about many different things.

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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

Yours is a good school and, as a result, you make good progress in your learning. There are many good things that impressed us.

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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

 You behave well, are very polite, help each other and have a good knowledge and understanding of how to keep yourselves safe.  You listen carefully to your teachers and work hard in lessons.  All the adults in the school care a lot about you and make sure that you are safe and well supported.  You have very strong understanding of values that help you get on well together, work and learn well and be able to understand how other people might be feeling.  The adults who manage and run your school work hard to make sure you have the best opportunities to achieve well.

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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

We have asked the school to do two things to make it even better.

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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

 Help you reach higher standards in all lessons by giving you work that always challenges you and makes you think.  Ensure that the adults who lead your school establish a way of knowing how well you are doing in developing all the different skills in the many subjects that you learn.

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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

All of you can help by continuing to work hard and remembering to ‘Achieve, Believe and Contribute’.

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Inspection of Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School, Mitcheldean GL17 0BS

Jenny Batelen 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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