Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 19–20 March 2012 Inspection number 379017 Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 115139 Local authority Essex Inspection number 379017 Inspection dates 19–20 March 2012 Lead inspector Derek Watts

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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 73 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Malcolm Kimmance Headteacher Julia Longman Date of previous school inspection 22 June 2009 School address Church Road Fingringhoe Colchester CO5 7BN Telephone number 01206 729266 Fax number 01206 729266 Email address admin@fingringhoe.essex.sch.uk Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 2 of 12

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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 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

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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 Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 3 of 12

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspector observed teaching and learning in eight lessons or part lessons, taught by five different teachers. He held discussions with the headteacher, the staff, members of the governing body, parents and carers and pupils. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 were heard to read. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at the school’s policies, assessment information, pupils’ work, teachers’ plans and school improvement planning. The inspector analysed 32 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, 37 from Key Stage 2 pupils and 12 from staff.

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Information about the school

Fingringhoe Church of England is a much smaller-than-average-sized primary school. Almost all of the pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also broadly average. The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum standards for attainment and progress. Breakfast and after-school provision is organised and managed by the governing body. Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 4 of 12

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Information about the 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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Key findings

 Fingringhoe Church of England Primary is a satisfactory school. It is improving, but inconsistencies in achievement, particularly in mathematics, and in teaching, prevent the school from being good.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Children make satisfactory progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils’ progress is improving in Key Stage 1. Progress in Key Stage 2 has been inconsistent, especially in mathematics. Attainment by the end of Year 6 has been average and occasionally above average over the years in English but mathematics has trailed behind. Attainment in mathematics was low in 2011 and no pupils attained the higher Level 5. A range of positive steps have been taken to eliminate the under- achievement in mathematics. However, in Key Stage 2, there are inconsistencies in pupils’ presentation of work and the amount of work they are expected to produce. Attainment in the current Year 6 is average in English and mathematics.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is improving but is not consistently good. Teachers establish positive relationships with pupils. Their explanations, instructions and questioning promote learning and engage pupils well. Assessment information is not always used effectively to plan and to match tasks closely to pupils’ abilities. Expectations of pupils’ presentation of work and what they can achieve are not consistently high. Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to write extended pieces and to apply their numeracy skills in other subjects.

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Key findings

 Most pupils are well behaved in lessons and around the school. They are courteous, friendly and show consideration for others. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Attendance is above average.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and staff promote good behaviour and safety for pupils. There is an increasing focus on raising pupils’ achievement with appropriate systems for improving teaching Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 5 of 12

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Key findings

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

and the performance management of staff.

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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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ progress, particularly in mathematics, and raise their attainment by the end of Year 6 to above average by:  increasing the proportion of pupils who attain the higher levels  improving pupils’ presentation of work  providing more opportunities for pupils to write extended pieces  extending pupils’ application of numeracy skills across the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching across the school by ensuring that in all classes:  expectations of what pupils can achieve are consistently high  assessment is used well to closely match tasks to pupils’ abilities and needs so pupils are suitably challenged.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact of leadership and management by ensuring that:  leaders rigorously monitor the implementation of the above improvements to ensure that they are sustained, particularly in mathematics.

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Achievement of pupils

Most parents and carers who responded to questionnaires thought their children were making good progress. The inspection found that progress has not been consistently good throughout the school over time. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and attainment is average in English and mathematics in the current Year 6.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with a range of knowledge and skills that vary from below to above expectations because year groups are so small. Children make satisfactory progress in their learning. In the lessons seen, children enjoyed books and talked about the main characters with enthusiasm. They used paints to create self portraits after a clear demonstration from their teacher. Children made good progress in counting and sorting objects. However, learning is less effective when activities are not well matched to children’s needs.

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Achievement of pupils

In a number of lessons seen in Key Stage 1 and 2, pupils made good progress in applying speaking and listening skills because of the opportunities for them to discuss their learning in pairs or small groups. For example, pupils in the Year 3 and Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 6 of 12

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Achievement of pupils

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

4 class had good opportunities to explore and discuss riddles. They talked confidently about their likes and dislikes about the poems. They gave reasons clearly when choosing their favourite riddle. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. In Years 1 and 2 they showed a clear understanding of letters and the sounds they make. Attainment in reading is average in the current Year 2 and by the time pupils leave the school in Year 6.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils write for a range of purposes and in different styles. Handwriting and presentation are developing well in Key Stage 1. These are good in Years 5 and 6 but are less consistent in Years 3 and 4. In the Year 5 and 6 class, pupils produced interesting news reports to capture the reader’s attention. They used technology well to draft and edit their work. Imported illustrations enhanced their writing. Pupils are not always writing extended pieces, though, especially in Years 3 and 4.

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Achievement of pupils

In mathematics, pupils’ progress is improving. During the past few years, Year 6 attainment in mathematics has usually been below average and pupils’ progress through Key Stage 2 has been slower than that in English. Progress in mathematics was inadequate in 2011. Past weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics and staffing issues contributed to this under-performance. The drive to improve teaching, a more investigative approach to mathematics and sharper assessments are having a positive impact on pupils’ current achievement. The under-achievement in Key Stage 2 is being tackled and pupils’ progress is now satisfactory. A higher proportion of pupils are expected to reach Level 5 by the end of Year 6.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils in Year 2 made good progress in finding half, quarter and three quarters of numbers and objects. Those in Years 5 and 6 made good progress in solving fraction problems because tasks were well tailored to their abilities. Pupils requiring additional help used practical apparatus well to find equivalent fractions. Most pupils investigated improper fractions successfully. The most able simplified complex fractions and ordered them correctly by finding the common denominator. However, this careful matching of tasks to needs is not fully effective in all lessons.

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Achievement of pupils

Most disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make satisfactory progress. They usually receive suitably tailored guidance and support. However, on occasions, tasks are not sufficiently well matched to their needs. School assessments and the learning in the lessons seen indicate that there is no significant difference between the progress of boys and girls.

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Quality of teaching

Nearly all of the parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire thought that their children were well taught. A small minority did not believe that the school met their child’s particular needs. The inspection found that teaching is satisfactory and improving. There are occasions when activities and tasks are not sufficiently tailored to pupils’ needs.

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Quality of teaching

There are examples of good practice but this is not consistent in all classes and in all Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 7 of 12

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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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Quality of teaching

subjects. In the best lessons, teachers’ high expectations of learning and challenging activities lead to pupils making good gains in their learning. Pupils have good opportunities to learn independently and review their own progress. For example , pupils in Year 5 and 6 made good progress in solving problems with fractions because interesting tasks were closely matched to their different abilities and needs. They effectively reviewed their own learning against the sharply focused objectives set by the teacher.

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Quality of teaching

The planned curriculum helps teachers to ensure lessons have a clear purpose. Learning objectives are effectively shared with the class so pupils know what they are expected to learn. Teachers promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. They create a positive classroom climate for learning and encourage strong relationships. Pupils are encouraged to be cooperative, considerate and supportive of others. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to work collaboratively in pairs or small groups.

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Quality of teaching

The school has discrete and appropriate programmes for the teaching of reading, particularly letters and their sounds. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is a clear balance of teacher-led activities and those chosen by the children themselves. In most lessons, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ learning are clear. On occasions, expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they present their work are not high enough. This results in pupils’ producing insufficient work, which can be untidy. Teachers’ explanations, demonstrations and instructions are clear and informative. Questioning is used effectively to check pupils’ understanding of new learning. Teaching assistants are usually effectively deployed and make valuable contributions to pupils’ learning, particularly for those who need additional help.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Children feel safe, secure and are well behaved in the Early Years Foundation Stage. In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Pupils are keen, interested and have positive attitudes to learning. Adults establish positive relationships with pupils and convey clear expectations of conduct to which most pupils readily respond. All parents and carers who completed the questionnaire believe that their children are well cared for. Their comments included, ‘The school has such a calm, welcoming and caring culture’ and, ‘There is a very caring environment’. Pupils informed the inspector that they feel safe and well looked after. Most parents and carers believe that the school sets high standards of behaviour. A few expressed concerns about how well bullying was dealt with. Inspection findings show that most pupils are well behaved but a few incidents of bullying or

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

inappropriate behaviour have occurred recently. In this calm and small school, incidents of inappropriate behaviour are easily noticed by pupils and parents and carers. Pupils show a good awareness of different forms of bullying and the school takes effective action to deal with any incidents should they occur. A few parents and carers commented on how well they thought incidents have been dealt with. Pupils say they enjoy school and attendance levels are above the national average. Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 8 of 12

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

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

The headteacher and staff are striving to raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in mathematics. In a small school such as this, key areas of responsibility are shared among very few teachers. Self-evaluation is accurate and the school has identified the most pressing areas for improvement. There are clear procedures for the monitoring and development of teaching. Suitable professional development and training opportunities are provided to support the school’s improvement priorities.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and staff are developing an interesting curriculum to promote pupils’ learning and enjoyment. Improvements to provision in mathematics are having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. The leader of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is relatively new to the post and is developing teaching and the curriculum for younger learners well. The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Staff successfully promote qualities such as cooperation, consideration, fairness, responsibility and respect for others. Pupils take advantage of the well-organised breakfast and after-school provision.

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Leadership and management

Members of the governing body are supportive and have a clear understanding of the school’s performance. They provide constructive challenge to the headteacher. Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements. There are effective policies and procedures to protect pupils. Safe practices are promoted through the school’s curriculum. Equality of opportunity is promoted satisfactorily. This aspect is not good because there have been inconsistencies in pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching they receive. Discrimination is tackled well.

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Leadership and management

Since the previous inspection, the school has maintained good pupil behaviour and safety. The steps taken to raise achievement in mathematics are having a positive impact in Key Stage 2 especially. Consequently, the school demonstrates a sound capacity to improve. Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 9 of 12

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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. Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 10 of 12

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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. Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 11 of 12

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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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School, Colchester, CO5 7BN

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your school, giving me your views and showing me your work. I enjoyed my visit. Fingringhoe is a satisfactory school. It is showing signs of improvement.

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School, Colchester, CO5 7BN

These are the main strengths of the school.  You enjoy school and have positive attitudes to learning.  Attendance is above average.  Performance in mathematics in Key Stage 2 is improving.  You get on well with others and behaviour is good.  You feel safe at school because teachers and other adults take care of you.  Most parents and carers are pleased with the school, particularly your care and safety.

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School, Colchester, CO5 7BN

For your school to improve further we have asked senior leaders and staff to:  make sure you reach higher standards by the end of Year 6, particularly in mathematics  improve the presentation of your work and give you more opportunities to write extended pieces  give you more chances to use your numeracy skills in other subjects  match activities and tasks carefully to your needs in all classes  check that the above improvements are made and that they are long lasting, especially in mathematics.

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School, Colchester, CO5 7BN

You can all help by continuing to work hard, particularly in mathematics.

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School, Colchester, CO5 7BN

Derek Watts, Lead inspector Inspection report: Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 19–20 March 2012 12 of 12

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School, Colchester, CO5 7BN

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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