Whimple Primary School

Whimple Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 113113 Local Authority Devon Inspection number 357265 Inspection dates 9–10 November 2010 Reporting inspector Rowena Onions

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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 88 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Helen Penney Headteacher Susie Langley Date of previous school inspection 4 October 2007 School address Whimple Exeter EX5 2TS Telephone number 01404 822584 Fax number 01404 822584 Email address head@whimple-primary.devon.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 9–10 November 2010 Inspection number 357265 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.

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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 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. Nine lessons were observed and four teachers were seen teaching. Meetings were held with pupils, governors and staff. The inspectors observed the school's work and looked at data on pupils' progress, the school improvement plan, reports from the school improvement partner and a range of other documentation. Fifty seven responses to the parental questionnaire were received and analysed, together with 50 pupil and 10 staff responses to their respective questionnaires. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  How well teaching and the curriculum impact on pupils' progress, especially that of girls.  The impact of the school's work in helping pupils learn how to learn.  The effectiveness of the wider school leadership.  How well the school promotes community cohesion.

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Information about the school

This small school serves its local area in rural Devon. Almost all pupils are of White British origin and speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. A smaller than average percentage of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most pupils are taught in mixed age group classes. Reception age children are taught with those in Year 1. The school has a significantly larger number of boys than girls, with some year groups being made up of as many as 75 per cent boys.

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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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Main findings

Whimple is an outstanding school. Outstanding leadership has enabled the school to move from being satisfactory at the time of its last inspection to its present impressive level of effectiveness. Staff and governors work very closely and productively with a headteacher who shows inspirational leadership and a relentless drive for giving pupils the best possible education. This means there is outstanding capacity for sustaining improvement. The combination of good teaching, an outstanding curriculum and outstanding care, guidance and support enables pupils to make good progress and to reach high standards by Year 6. An increasing number of pupils are making greater than expected progress; over the last four years, more boys have done so than have girls. The school's very robust and accurate self-assessment procedures have facilitated the identification of this, and work has begun to address the issue. However, this has still to have full impact. The

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Main findings

school identifies that they could now do more to help girls aspire to the very highest levels of achievement. The same robust self-assessment has identified the need to improve the curriculum in the Early Years Foundation Stage in order to give children a richer environment in which to work and play independently. The pupils are a thoughtful, articulate and friendly group of young people. They love their school and are particularly enthusiastic about the opportunities they have to learn about things first-hand on trips or when visitors come into school. They are keen to help their school be the best and are very willing to work to assist this. The impact of local community cohesion work can be seen in the way the pupils relate to and understand their local community, for example making a significant contribution to the work of the local heritage centre. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and they show remarkable insight into

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Main findings

how this affects their learning and that of others, quoting it as a key factor for successful lessons. Work to give pupils a language with which to discuss their learning is having significant impact and this allows them to have greater understanding of concepts such as responsibility and resilience. The understanding of older pupils is typified by one boy's comment that, 'when you get something wrong, you can learn from it and this helps you next time.' Partnerships with parents and carers have a very positive impact on pupils' academic progress and personal development. With the support of parents and carers, the school helps the pupils to live outstandingly healthy lifestyles and to understand that they have a responsibility to act to help keep themselves safe. The value that is placed on each individual supports pupils very well, so that they feel safe and secure in school. This is something which is greatly valued by parents and carers. In the main, pupils show great

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Main findings

confidence, although there are occasions when girls are a little overshadowed by boys. The school is very successful in supporting pupils with additional difficulties, so that they

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

are enabled to gain fully from all the school has to offer. These pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure girls are assisted to make the same accelerated progress as boys, in particular by raising their confidence in aspiring to achieve highly.  Improve the quality of the opportunities for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to direct their own learning in a variety of contexts.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils are diligent and thoughtful learners. They show themselves able to take what they have learned in one lesson and apply it to others, for example using techniques of skim reading to enable them to read and quickly absorb what is demanded of them in another. They learn to pay attention to detail, for example understanding the importance of precision when measuring. Pupils are becoming increasingly able and very willing to discuss and self-assess the quality of their work, allowing them to see for themselves how to improve. These skills, together with their ability to work collaboratively, for example when discussing what information a text about Florence Nightingale reveals about her life or using drama to show parts of Nancy's story in Oliver, prepare them very well for their later lives. The school has been very successful in promoting enthusiasm and confidence amongst pupils but, particularly when they are in the minority, girls are sometimes less

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

assertive in participating in discussions. The school has identified that this has a particular impact on girls' progress in mathematics, especially when they are working on mental mathematics. Thus far, the school has responded positively by helping older girls develop their confidence, but as yet, action has not prevented the situation from arising. Not only do pupils behave extremely well, but they actively seek to help and support one another, illustrating their strong social and moral development. The empathy they show for others and the delight they take in learning new things, demonstrate good spiritual development. Pupils have an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities within the school and local community and are, for example, very keen to participate in village events. Over half of the pupils entered items in the local produce show, which is held during the summer break. Work is in hand to extend their understanding to a wider community, and

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

pupils' knowledge of different cultural heritages is developing.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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1

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils are well taught. The school's ethos and the way the curriculum supports personal development, with its emphasis on personal responsibility, mean that there is an easy discipline, based on mutual respect. Teachers try hard to interest pupils, but do not lose sight of the importance of attention to detail in the teaching and learning of basic skills. The systematic development of key skills is woven through the curriculum and this ensures there is consistency of expectation no matter which subject the pupils are learning. The school has clear evidence to show, for example, that older pupils' attainment in subjects such as history and geography develops in line with their attainment in English. Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils which, just occasionally, leads to a few younger pupils becoming a little lost in the introductory parts of lessons. The activities that follow, however, are better matched to their abilities and generally help them make

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How effective is the provision?

progress by the end of the lesson. Teaching assistants are particularly effective in helping pupils to make progress during the activity parts of lessons. Their skills are not, however, always fully exploited when the teacher is teaching the whole class. The language pupils have to discuss learning is well extended by marking, especially in English. This helps them to know how to improve their work. Pupils are very well known to all adults in the school so their well-being is promoted at all times during the day. The school has very productive relationships with a range of outside agencies, whom they call upon whenever there is a need. The school is particularly successful in promoting the well-being of pupils

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

with medical needs but, because each individual is valued, all pupils are significant beneficiaries of high quality care.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Since the last inspection, the school has developed the leadership roles of all teaching staff and some teaching assistants and this has significantly strengthened the leadership team. High-quality monitoring is providing increasingly detailed information about what is needed to maintain and improve the quality of teaching and learning and there is a shared determination to move forward. The school has a very clear focus on ensuring equality of opportunity, for example discussing in depth the progress of any pupil who does not make expected progress. Although there has been well-designed work to reduce the gap between the progress of boys and girls, the gap still exists. Significant levels of partnerships with others, including local schools and village associations, help the school to provide the pupils with a wider range of experiences than would otherwise be possible. The school is increasingly outward-looking in promoting improvement in other schools, for

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How effective are leadership and management?

example taking part in developing Devon's approach to the teaching and assessment of speaking and listening. The school's governing body has been instrumental in supporting the rapid improvement in the school. Their outstanding contribution is exemplified by the way they have taken the lead in developing local community cohesion and in the way they plan to extend this high quality work to encompass the wider community. The safeguarding of pupils is given the highest importance, and governors and staff are vigilant in ensuring this. Parents are acknowledged as full and very important partners in their child's education. They are supplied with high quality information which assists them to take an active role in their child's learning at home. The school's approach to the importance of this partnership is illustrated by the way they are anxious to use the parent as the expert to guide school action, for example where a pupil has a specific medical

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How effective are leadership and management?

need. Outstanding outcomes for pupils are supported by strong management of resources.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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1

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Good teaching and high expectations ensure that children make good progress in their reception year. Most children enter the school with attainments and skills that are at or above those expected for their age. By the end of the year, the vast majority continue to meet or exceed expectations. Provision is particularly strong in using very thorough assessments to shape tasks that are directed by adults. The children greatly enjoy these activities. Their rapt attention to what was going to come out of a bag containing articles associated with the book they had been reading was illustrative of this. The individual strengths and weaknesses of each child are identified and used to shape the next steps in their learning, as well as to provide the material for regular reports to parents that are of outstanding quality. The children are very happy and relaxed in school, demonstrating both the effectiveness of their introduction to school and the warmth of the relationships

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Early Years Foundation Stage

they develop with adults and each other. As a result, the children show themselves to be very capable of working and playing on their own. At present, however, these skills are not being exploited and developed as much as they should be, because the classroom and outside areas are not always set up in a way which acts to direct their play to best effect.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation 2

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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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Views of parents and carers

There were a high number of inspection questionnaires returned. These show that the school enjoys the overwhelming support of the parents. Parents are very happy with all aspects of the school, a view with which inspectors agree.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Whimple Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 57 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 88 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 49 86 8 14 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 44 77 13 23 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 32 56 25 44 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 35 61 22 39 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 32 56 24 42 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 32 56 23 40 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 32 56 25 44 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 40 70 17 30 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 32 56 24 42 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 36 63 20 35 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 22 39 34 60 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 43 75 14 25 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 46 81 11 19 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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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.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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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

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on 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 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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Whimple Primary School, Exeter EX5 2TS

We really enjoyed our time in your school and one of the highlights was discussing things with you. We know you will be pleased that we agree with you that yours is an outstanding school. We think you are very lucky to have such an exceptional headteacher, who fully deserves the respect you and your parents have for her. Some of the things we liked best were:  the good progress you make in English and mathematics  the good teaching you receive  the way you are taught to talk about, and take responsibility for, your own learning ? through your Whimple 6Rs  the excellent contribution you make to ensuring your school community runs well, not least because you behave so considerately  the way everyone takes care of you and the way you support each other  the way your headteacher, governing body and other staff try hard to make your school increasingly successful. To make things even better we have asked your school to:

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Inspection of Whimple Primary School, Exeter EX5 2TS

 make sure that girls make the same really good progress as boys and really believe in themselves ? perhaps through your school council, you could help decide how to do this  help children in the Reception Year to learn even more when they are working and playing independently. Thank you very much for your help and friendly conversations while we were at your school.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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