Stanton Primary School

Stanton Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 112637 Local Authority Derbyshire Inspection number 357153 Inspection dates 14–15 March 2011 Reporting inspector Ann Wallis

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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 68 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Elaine Powell Headteacher Christine Nettleton Date of previous school inspection 10 July 2008 School address Woodland Road Stanton, Burton-on-Trent DE15 9TJ Telephone number 01283 564102 Fax number 01283 585780 Email address enquiries@stanton.derbyshire.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 14–15 March 2011 Inspection number 357153 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 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. They visited nine lessons and observed three teachers. The inspectors held meetings with the members of the governing body, staff and pupils and the School Improvement Partner. They observed the school's work, and looked at pupils' books, safeguarding documents, pupils' progress data and other documentation. The inspectors analysed 58 questionnaires from parents and carers and also those from pupils and staff. The inspectors reviewed many aspects of the school's work. They looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Are all groups of pupils making the progress of which they are capable, particularly in reading at Key Stage 1 and in writing at Key Stage 2?  How effective are the school's strategies to improve attendance?  Are pupils clear about how well they are achieving and how to improve their work?  How effective are leaders and managers in ensuring that the quality of teaching is at

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Introduction

least satisfactory across the school?  Are the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage being fully met?

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Information about the school

This school is much smaller than other primary schools. An average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. A below average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and an average proportion speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average. The school has gained Healthy Schools status and has an Activemark award. The proportion of pupils joining and leaving the school part-way through their education is well above average.

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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. Since the last inspection, and during a turbulent period of staff change due to illness and absence, the headteacher has kept a firm focus on improving attainment and accelerating pupils' progress. Members of the governing body and the headteacher have become increasingly rigorous in monitoring the work of the school and know its strengths and weaknesses well. Lessons are monitored regularly and good professional development for staff is bringing about improvements in teaching and learning. Appropriate priorities have been identified for further development, such as improving low attendance and raising attainment in writing. The school is successfully tackling these issues and, although they remain areas for further improvement, attendance and attainment are beginning to rise. Given this successful track record of improvement, the school has satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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Main findings

At Stanton Primary pupils behave well; they are kind and respectful to each other, to staff and to visitors. They have a good understanding of how to stay healthy. The school values the skills and talents of every individual and all pupils are given an equally good opportunity to succeed. Children settle quickly in the Reception class, enjoy learning and make satisfactory progress. However, in the Early Years Foundation Stage the provision for outdoor learning is not as well developed as that indoors and links with parents and carers are not yet strong enough to enable them to fully support their children's learning. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress as they move through the school and their overall attainment is broadly average when they leave Year 6. However, in this small school attainment does fluctuate widely from year to year. In 2010, attainment in both Year 2 in reading and Year 6 in writing was below average and lower than that in other

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Main findings

areas. In Key Stage 2, the opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills across a range of subjects are limited. Pupils make satisfactory progress in response to the consistently satisfactory teaching they receive. Teachers know their pupils well and relationships are good. They use a range of resources to make lessons interesting and work is satisfactorily matched to the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes. In the best lessons, teachers use clear explanations and perceptive questioning to extend pupils' skills and understanding. Work is marked regularly but pupils do not always receive sufficient feedback on exactly how to improve their work. Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit from an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and accelerate pupils' progress, particularly in writing at Key Stage 2 and in reading at Key Stage 1, by:

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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

improving the quality of target setting and feedback to pupils so they have a clearer idea of how to improve their work providing more opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills across a range of subjects.  Improve the provision for pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage by: strengthening links with parents and carers so they are better able to support their children's learning improving the provision for outdoor learning to give children more opportunities to be creative and learn independently.  Raise levels of attendance by: working closely with and parents and carers to ensure they send their children to school regularly evaluating the success of current strategies to raise attendance and reinforcing those which are proving effective.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Most pupils behave well in lessons, concentrate on the task in hand and make satisfactory progress. Achievement is satisfactory. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were seen enjoying learning as they wrote very interesting and imaginative descriptions of the opening scene of a film they had watched. Work in pupils' books, that on display and the school's tracking data all confirm the satisfactory progress pupils are making. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make the same progress as their peers because they receive timely and constructive individual help from teachers and teaching assistants. Children enter the Reception class with skills which are often below those expected for their age. Although attainment fluctuates from year to year, results in tests and assessments at the end of Year 6 indicate that attainment has been broadly average overall for the last three years. However, there have been weaknesses in writing and reading which the school has

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

recognised and is now beginning to remedy. A whole-school focus on improving writing and reading, new strategies to encourage pupils to write at greater length and well- targeted extra help for pupils who need it are all bringing about improvement. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and are particularly knowledgeable about how to adopt healthy lifestyles. They are given satisfactory opportunities to take responsibility, such as by acting as members of the school council. They enjoy working together in teams and were keenly discussing ways to raise money to help those in need following the recent earthquake in Japan. Pupils have sound basic skills in literacy and numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) and are therefore satisfactorily equipped for the next stages of their education and for later life. Attendance has been low for the last two years and remains an area for improvement. The school has strategies in place to

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

improve attendance and is now working more closely with outside agencies and with parents and carers to bring about improvements. However, existing strategies have yet to be fully monitored and evaluated and consistently reinforced in order to maintain current improvements in attendance.

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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 3

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?

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers use a range of resources including ICT which engage the interest of their pupils and add to their enjoyment of learning. Most lessons are well planned and work proceeds at a satisfactory pace. Pupils move smoothly from one activity to the next. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils' learning by supporting those who need extra help or greater challenge in their work. This helps all groups of pupils make satisfactory progress, including those who join the school part-way through their education. Marking is regular but often the feedback pupils receive is not sufficiently clear and detailed for them to understand if they have achieved their targets or how to improve their work. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets pupils' needs. It is being reviewed in order to increase links between subjects and make work more relevant and interesting for

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How effective is the provision?

pupils. Opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills while studying different topics are presently limited. Pupils enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities and the curriculum is further enriched by visits and visitors to the school. Pupils spoke enthusiastically of residential visits they had attended and the sporting activities they enjoyed. The school provides satisfactory care, guidance and support for pupils. It works closely with outside agencies to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the expert help they need. Staff know their pupils well in this small school and pupils feel confident in approaching staff if they have any worries or concerns.

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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

Although attendance remains low, the school is making considerable efforts to work with parents, carers and pupils to improve this further.

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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 governing body, leaders and managers all have a clear vision of how to improve the school further. This has now been satisfactorily communicated to all staff. After a period of staff absence and illness, morale is now rising, staff feel valued and are keen to embrace new initiatives to improve teaching and learning. Governance is satisfactory. Members of the governing body know the school well and are supportive of it, but they are not yet fully involved in its strategic development or in monitoring its work. Partnerships with parents and carers have improved since the last inspection and are now satisfactory. However, the school recognises that more can be done to involve parents and carers, particularly those of Reception children in supporting their children's learning. The school promotes equal opportunities well. All groups of pupils achieve satisfactorily and all are fully involved in the life of the school. Safeguarding is satisfactory. Policies and procedures

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How effective are leadership and management?

are in place and staff are appropriately trained. Community cohesion is promoted satisfactorily. The school has some good links with the local community but those with communities further afield are not yet fully developed.

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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

Most children join the Reception class with skills below those expected for their age, particularly in literacy and communication. However, this varies widely from year to year because cohorts are very small. Children make satisfactory progress from their individual starting points and most reach standards close to average by the time they enter Year 1. Children behave well and share toys and equipment sensibly. Two boys were seen working well together and developing good communication skills as they buried and discovered different objects in the sand. Children feel safe in this caring environment where all safety and welfare requirements are met. Teaching is consistently satisfactory and sometimes good. There is a satisfactory balance of teacher led and child initiated activities. Opportunities for creative and independent learning are better indoors than out because the provision for outdoor learning is not yet fully developed. Satisfactory

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Early Years Foundation Stage

leadership ensures that staff are well deployed and work is satisfactorily planned to meet the children's needs. Links with home are not yet strong enough to enable parents and carers to fully support their children's learning and the school is now developing the use of home-school books to which both staff and parents and carers can contribute.

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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 3

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

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation 3

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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

Of the high proportion of parents and carers who filled in the questionnaire, the large majority were entirely satisfied with education their children receive. They are particularly pleased that their children enjoy school and are appreciative of the way the school deals with challenging behaviour. Inspection evidence confirmed these views and found behaviour to be good. A small minority of parents and carers did not feel the school kept them well informed about their children's progress and did not help them sufficiently to support their children's learning. Inspectors investigated these concerns and found that engagement with parents and carers had improved since the last inspection and is satisfactory. However, they also recognise that the school could still forge closer links with parents and carers, particularly those of Reception class children, in order to help them support their children's learning. A few parents and carers voiced concerns about the

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Views of parents and carers

closure and positioning of the school gates. Inspectors discussed this concern with members of the governing body, the School Improvement Partner and the headteacher and found that solutions to the problem have been and continued to be sought. Overall, safeguarding procedures at the school are 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 Stanton 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 58 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 68 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 27 47 29 50 1 2 1 2 The school keeps my child safe 30 52 21 36 4 7 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 19 33 22 38 14 24 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 20 34 21 36 11 19 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 26 45 26 45 2 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 22 38 20 34 14 24 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 26 45 26 45 4 7 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) 19 33 25 43 2 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 22 38 19 33 8 14 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 23 40 29 50 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 18 31 26 45 11 19 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 23 40 18 31 9 16 5 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 31 53 13 22 4 7 1 2

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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 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspec tion outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 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. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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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 Stanton Primary School, Burton-on-Trent, DE15 9TJ

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave us when we inspected your school. A particular 'thank you' to those of you who spent time with us telling us about your work in class and the things you that enjoy doing at school. Please thank your parents and carers for speaking with us and for filling in our questionnaire. These are some of the things we have said about your school in our report. Stanton Primary is a satisfactory school where you make satisfactory progress. Your achievement and attainment are satisfactory. You behave well, enjoy learning and know how to stay healthy. The way your school is led and managed, the care, guidance and support you receive, the curriculum you follow and the quality of teaching and learning are all satisfactory. This is what we have asked your school to do to make it even better. Help you to make faster progress and attain higher standards, particularly in reading and

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Inspection of Stanton Primary School, Burton-on-Trent, DE15 9TJ

writing by:  making sure you know what your targets are and are clear about how to improve your work  providing more opportunities for you to practise your writing skills in different topics and subjects. Improving learning for children in the Reception Class by;  involving your parents and carers more closely in helping you to learn  giving you more exciting opportunities to learn outdoors. Improving the attendance of those of you who do not attend school as regularly as you possibly could by:  working closely with your parents and carers to ensure they send you to school regularly  always looking for better ways to encourage you to come to 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 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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