Frinton-on-Sea Primary School

Frinton-on-Sea Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 114723 Local Authority Essex Inspection number 357595 Inspection dates 27–28 September 2010 Reporting inspector Mary Summers

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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 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair M Lowe Headteacher J M Dear Date of previous school inspection 10 September 2007 School address Fifth Avenue Frinton-on-Sea CO13 9LQ Telephone number 01255 674007 Fax number 01255 851686 Email address admin@frintonsea.essex.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 27–28 September 2010 Inspection number 357595 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 three additional inspectors. They saw 7 teachers and 14 lessons. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of staff and the Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at curriculum and lesson plans, a range of school policies and records, and the 90 questionnaires returned by parents and carers. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  How effectively the school engages with parents and carers and takes account of their views.  How well the school helps pupils to understand what life is like in different communities within the United Kingdom and globally.  The impact of subject leaders on improving pupil outcomes.

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Information about the school

Pupils come from a wide area to attend this average-size primary school. Most are from White British backgrounds with a very small minority coming from minority ethnic families. Few pupils come from homes where English is not the first language and none are in the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low. Fewer pupils than average are identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. Many of those pupils identified have moderate learning difficulties. The school has won a number of awards in recent years, including Healthy Schools Status and the Activemark.

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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

This is a satisfactory school that promotes pupils' personal development well. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons. They support each other well and are highly respectful of each other's views and ideas. Pastoral care is strong. Staff are vigilant in ensuring pupils' safety and offering support to those who have significant needs or disabilities. Pupils feel safe and they have a clear idea of what to do if bullying occurs although they say this happens rarely. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Their attainment varies widely from year to year, according to the particular strengths and weaknesses of individual cohorts and inconsistencies in teaching across the school. In some years it is very high and in others average or slightly below average. Overall, it is broadly average. Progress is good in the Reception class and satisfactory in the rest of the school. Some recent, successful work,

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Main findings

has improved progress in reading, especially in Key Stage 2. Teachers throughout the school have good relationships with pupils, which helps them to manage behaviour effectively. In the few good lessons seen, activities were practical and involved the pupils well. This stimulated pupils to work hard and do their best. In many lessons however, activities are not matched well enough to pupils' different needs and abilities and pupils spend too much time listening to teachers rather than being actively engaged in learning. A new marking policy has been introduced but this is not yet being applied consistently to ensure that pupils receive enough advice from teachers about how to improve their work. Senior leaders have a satisfactory view of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They are aware that community cohesion, while satisfactory, is a weaker part of their work; some actions have been taken but, as yet, pupils understanding of communities, religions

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Main findings

and beliefs outside their own experience, is limited. Links with external partners are good, with pupils benefiting greatly from strong links with the local cluster of schools which enables them to participate in a wide range of sporting and other activities. However, partnership with parents and carers is inadequate. Parents' and carers' views and opinions are not sought regularly enough to enable them to have a real say about school improvement. There are insufficient opportunities for them to access staff on an informal basis so they can share any concerns. This has led to tensions between some of the parent body and the school. Nonetheless, since the last inspection, good developments have occurred in the Early Years Foundation Stage and assessment systems are beginning to provide useful information to enable leaders to check on pupils' progress. The school shows a satisfactory capacity to continue to improve in the future.

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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

ensuring that activities in lessons meet the different needs and abilities of pupils implementing the marking policy consistently extending the range of teaching strategies in lessons to improve pupils' interest and concentration.  Improve community cohesion by: developing meaningful links with schools and communities within the United Kingdom and globally extending pupils' knowledge and understanding of cultures, religions and beliefs other than their own.  Strengthen parental links by: providing more opportunities for parents and carers to express their views and opinions and have more of a say in school improvement providing more opportunities for parents and carers to access staff informally at the start and end of the school day so that any concerns can be quickly addressed.  About 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Children's skills vary considerably when they enter the Reception class but, overall, are broadly typical for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and satisfactory progress in Years 1 to 6. Progress is occasionally better in Key Stage 2, depending upon the quality of teaching pupils receive. In a Year 3 mathematics lesson for example, pupils were enthralled at the teachers' innovative presentation of multiplication and division facts. They eagerly suggested ideas on their whiteboards to represent division facts about Ancient Egyptian pharaohs and extended their calculation skills and knowledge of multiplication skills well. Pupils are keen to learn and usually apply themselves well in lessons. They work well in pairs and small groups. In a Year 6 lesson for example, pupils worked well together to identify how authors create atmosphere in their stories. In too many lessons however,

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

pupils' learning is limited by the lack of practical involvement in activities. Pupils with moderate learning difficulties make satisfactory progress in lessons. One-to-one support by teaching assistants sometimes helps such pupils make better progress, and improve skills, for example in basic mathematics. The school's work to gain Healthy Schools Status and the Activemark has helped pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles, which most adopt. Pupils make a good contribution to their own school community, through their work as school councillors and class helpers. They play an active role in the local community, presenting concerts and assemblies for parents, carers and friends. Pupils have a very keen sense of right and wrong and well-developed social skills but their understanding of different faiths and cultures is still 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 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

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

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3

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?

The curriculum provides a satisfactory range of experiences to make learning enjoyable for pupils. It contributes especially well to the development of their personal and social skills. Pupils particularly appreciate the wide range of clubs and activities on offer after school, especially those that involve sport and art. They are able to develop their artistic skills at high levels in a range of media, as the vibrant displays of their work around the school show. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to practise and refine their literacy skills throughout the curriculum but this is not so well developed in numeracy. Teachers are developing their use of interactive whiteboards as a tool to make lessons more stimulating. Some good developments in English have enabled teachers to make use of film clips, for example, to stimulate pupils' interest and focus their concentration. Pupils' learning is sometimes hindered when tasks are dull and fail to challenge them sufficiently.

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How effective is the provision?

They occasionally lose concentration and become restless when teaching lacks variety and involves them listening to the teacher for long periods of time. Pupils receive good levels of support and advice which make them feel very comfortable about school. Staff are active in finding out how best to support pupils with significant medical or learning needs so they are able to play a full part in school life. Pupils are well supervised at break and lunchtimes. Breakfast club is a new venture for the school and provides a pleasant and healthy start to the school day. Effective systems are in place to ensure smooth transfer to secondary school. Good links with other local primary schools

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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

help pupils to get to know each other before they transfer, for example when they meet for inter-school netball competitions. A small minority of pupils say they would like more information about how well they are doing and the school is currently addressing this through better target-setting procedures.

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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 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher drives the school's work satisfactorily and shares her vision effectively with staff. She has a sound understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses and has set appropriate priorities for improvement. English has been a focus for the school recently and the coordinator has led improvement strongly. This has led to improvement in pupils' progress in reading over the past year. However, improvement plans do not always identify clear and measurable success criteria, linked with outcomes for pupils' attainment and progress, and steps along the way by which progress towards the plans can be checked. The governing body takes a keen interest in the school and brings a wide range of skills with which to support its work. Governors visit and meet with staff regularly to gain a picture of its performance. The school's promotion of community cohesion is satisfactory. School leaders, including governors, have completed a brief audit of the school's

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How effective are leadership and management?

circumstances and a preliminary plan is in place to promote community links with an inner-city school in London and a school in Ghana but these are in the early stages of development. Although the large majority of parents and carers support the school's work, a significant proportion have concerns about a number of issues and this affects the overall sense of community in the locality. There are insufficient informal opportunities for parents and carers to develop good relationships with school staff, so that any concerns can be addressed quickly. Parents are not admitted to the playground for example, to drop off and collect their children and this restricts their chances to chat informally with the headteacher and teachers. The school does not seek parents' and carers' views regularly enough to give them a voice in school development. There are clear procedures to ensure that pupils are safe in school. Safeguarding policies

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How effective are leadership and management?

are good and reviewed regularly to ensure their full effectiveness. Staff are trained regularly in safeguarding and new staff checked carefully to ensure their suitability. Staff promote equality of opportunity satisfactorily, checking carefully to see whether pupils, whatever their background or needs, make enough progress.

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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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3

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children become familiar with the Reception class in the term before they begin. Consequently, they settle in quickly and begin to develop their confidence and independence. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and this means that children come into school happily each morning, ready to engage in all the activities provided for them. They make good progress and most children reach nationally expected levels by the time they transfer to Year 1. The development of literacy and numeracy skills starts as soon as children start school. Children learned letter sounds when they played a game where they had to take different objects out of a bag. They identified the initial sound of the object, matched it with a plastic letter shape and suggested other objects in the room that began with the same letter. There is a good balance between activities that are directed by adults and those that children choose for themselves. Adults model language well for the children, helping them

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Early Years Foundation Stage

to increase their vocabulary and communication skills. Children enjoyed playing together in the 'doctor's surgery,' administering 'injections' and prescribing 'medicine'. Leadership is good. Children's progress is assessed accurately and tracked carefully. Further improvements are to be carried out to the outdoor area to provide more opportunities for climbing and balancing.

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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 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 Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The vast majority of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire are happy with their children's experience of school. Nearly all agree that children enjoy school and are kept safe. They are happy about the teaching and say that the school helps children to develop healthy lifestyles. Inspectors endorse nearly all of their positive views although judge teaching as satisfactory, rather than good. A significant minority of parents and carers are concerned that they receive insufficient information about children's progress and about how the school manages unacceptable behaviour. Inspectors found that there are appropriate systems in place to keep parents and carers informed about children's progress and that there are good systems in place to manage behaviour and that these are understood and applied consistently. A few parents and carers felt that the school did not help them enough to support their children's

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Views of parents and carers

learning at home. Inspectors found that several events have been held over the year and booklets published to provide parents and carers with advice about how to support their children's progress in for example, reading and mathematics. Inspectors endorsed parents and carers' views about how the school takes account of their concerns and opinions. Despite some parents' and carers' views to the contrary, inspectors found that the leadership and management of the school were satisfactory.

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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 Frinton-on-Sea 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 90 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 207 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 48 53 36 40 2 2 1 1 The school keeps my child safe 51 57 36 40 3 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 18 20 53 59 12 13 4 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 25 28 52 58 7 8 4 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 32 36 48 53 7 8 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 24 27 47 52 13 14 3 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 28 31 56 62 2 2 1 1

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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) 23 26 48 53 4 4 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 25 28 48 53 10 11 4 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 25 28 39 43 9 10 6 7

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 16 18 38 42 15 17 8 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 26 29 38 42 15 17 6 7

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 39 43 40 44 3 3 6 7

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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 Frinton-on-Sea Primary School, Essex, CO13 9LQ

Thank you so much for welcoming us to your school recently and telling us your opinions about your school. Thank you also to those pupils who returned questionnaires. Your views, along with everything else that we saw, helped us form a clear view about how well your school works. Your school is giving you a satisfactory education and these are some of the important things we found out about it. All the adults take good care of you and help you if you have any problems. You understand what it means to be healthy, and many of you enjoy the nutritious school lunches and take part in after-school sport; it was great to see the netball teams working hard to learn all the different moves and positions. You carry out some useful jobs around the school to help your teachers and other pupils. Your behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. The children in Reception settle into school quickly and enjoy all the activities organised

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Inspection of Frinton-on-Sea Primary School, Essex, CO13 9LQ

for them. Although you are keen to learn, sometimes you lose concentration in lessons and this affects your progress. We have asked teachers to make sure that you are more involved in lessons, rather than listening to the teacher for too long. We have also asked them to make sure that your work is set at the right levels so that you all make enough progress and to give you more advice about how to improve your work when they mark your books. We have asked your headteacher and governing body to develop the links with schools and communities in different areas of the United Kingdom and overseas to help you learn more about cultures, religions and beliefs other than your own. You can play your part in helping your school become even better by making sure you continue to work hard, behave well and attend school every day.

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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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