Fladbury CofE Primary School and Preschool

Fladbury CofE First School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 116879 Local Authority Worcestershire Inspection number 358047 Inspection dates 28–29 March 2011 Reporting inspector John Eadie

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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 First School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 76 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Holah Headteacher Tessa Richardson Date of previous school inspection 12 September 2007 School address Church Street Fladbury, Pershore Worcestershire, WR10 2QB Telephone number 01386 860301 Fax number 01386 860301 Email address office@fladbury.worcs.sch.uk

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Age group 4–9 Inspection dates 28–29 March 2011 Inspection number 358047 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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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 123 4234 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. Thirteen lessons were visited and four teachers observed. Inspectors held meetings with leaders and managers, the Chair of the Governing Body, staff and pupils. They observed the school's work and looked at a variety of documentation, including the school's improvement plan, policies and procedures, particularly those concerning safeguarding, data showing the progress that pupils are making and evidence from the school's own monitoring as well as that of the local authority. Questionnaires returned by 45 parents and carers were analysed, as were those completed by pupils in Years 3 and 4 and staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Whether pupils are now making sufficient progress.  Whether pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making better

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Introduction

progress than their classmates, as suggested by the school.  The reasons for the decline in attainment in the national assessments for Year 2 in recent years, particularly in writing and mathematics.  Whether children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are making good progress, as suggested by the school.

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Information about the school

A very large majority of pupils at this smaller-than-average-sized school are White British. Few speak English as an additional language, and none of these are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals has increased significantly in the last few years and is now broadly average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average and most of these have specific learning difficulties or speech, language and communication needs. The headteacher took up her post at the beginning of March 2011, having spent a term as acting headteacher in the summer of 2010. The headteacher who was appointed for September 2010 left the school at the end of February 2011.

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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

Fladbury First is providing a satisfactory education for its pupils. Data from last year suggested that pupils were not making sufficient progress at that time. However, improvements have been made and pupils are now making satisfactory progress and their attainment is broadly average by the time they leave. However, both attainment and progress are better in reading and writing than in mathematics. Although pupils' progress is satisfactory in all three of these subject areas, it is significantly weaker in mathematics. The school has a number of strengths. The quality of care, guidance and support is good and this results in pupils feeling very safe. As a parent put it, 'All teachers and staff are always willing to go that extra mile.' This support often extends to families, and external agencies are used well when necessary to support pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable. The school has worked hard and very successfully to improve attendance: it

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Main findings

has been improving in recent years and is now high. Pupils are developing well into sensible young people, who are very aware of their place in society and their responsibilities towards it. They make a particularly strong contribution to the smooth running of the school community and are involved well in the life of the village and its church. For example, they contribute to a weekday Eucharist service in the church every week during term-time and are involved in the Fladbury Walkabout and the local Bellboat Regatta. Pupils have a very good knowledge of how to lead a healthy lifestyle and they put this into practice in their daily lives, taking plenty of exercise for instance. At present, one of the key factors holding back pupils' faster progress is that there is not enough teaching which is good or better. Teaching has a number of general strengths, for instance the good relationships between adults and pupils and the interesting range of

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Main findings

activities provided. However, on too many occasions work is not matched well to the needs and abilities of the pupils and they spend too long listening rather than getting on with worthwhile learning activities. Part of the reason for the lack of match to abilities is that assessment procedures are in their early stages. Teachers are not always aware of what pupils have already learnt, so are unable to plan accurately for their next steps in learning. In their questionnaires, around a third of the pupils said that do not know how well they are doing. They are also not made sufficiently aware of what they need to do to improve. Good links have been established with parents and carers, who are very supportive of the school. However, they do not always receive good information about how well their children are doing. For instance, although pupils have targets, these are not routinely shared with parents and carers. A new initiative of a weekly newsletter published every

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Main findings

Monday is ensuring that parents and carers are receiving good information about activities and events. There are also profitable partnerships with other organisations which add to

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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

pupils' experiences, such as the opportunity to take part in an annual music event with pupils from other local schools. There has been considerable disturbance to leadership over the last year or more and this led to a slip in pupils' attainment and progress, most noticeable in the national assessments at the end of Year 2 last year. However, the corner has been turned, the decline halted and there is a determination to move forward, shared by all staff and the governing body. A clear picture has been built of what needs to be done and a manageable action plan exists to address weaknesses. However, at this stage it is too early to see any significant impact of this programme, so the school's capacity for sustained improvement is satisfactory. Up to 40% of the 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?

 Raise pupils' attainment and improve their progress in mathematics by: putting in place a programme to improve their skills of rapid recall of number facts providing more opportunities for pupils to talk about and develop their mathematical thinking.  Increase pupils' involvement in their learning by: giving them a clearer understanding of how well they are doing setting precise goals for their next steps in learning that accurately match each pupil's abilities and needs ensuring that teachers use these next steps when they are feeding back to pupils on the success of their learning and give time for them to respond to this feedback sharing these next steps consistently with pupils and their parents and carers.  Improve the consistency of teaching and learning by: giving pupils more opportunities to be engaged in tasks and learning activities, rather than sitting and listening providing more opportunities for pupils to use their independence in lessons

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

through open-ended questioning and activities which enable them to use their initiative in choosing how they record their work ensuring that all pupils, particularly the more able, are routinely given sufficiently high levels of challenge.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Children join the school with levels of skills and knowledge broadly in line with those expected for their age. Those currently in Year 4 are working at expected levels and pupils are making satisfactory progress through the school. The small number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well and are enabled to make

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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

the same satisfactory progress as their classmates. However, there are times when the work they are given does not match their needs, so holding back their progress. Those for whom English is an additional language are integrated rapidly and also make the same progress as their peers. Progress in mathematics is not improving as well as that in reading and writing and leaders have recognised the need to improve pupils' skills in rapidly recalling number facts. Pupils are also not given sufficient opportunities to talk about their mathematical reasoning and, therefore, do not develop and embed their reasoning and thinking skills sufficiently. Pupils enjoy their learning as there is usually a good range of interesting activities provided for them. For instance, a group of older pupils were enjoying checking and correcting a fictitious child's mathematics homework on the topic they were covering. Similarly, a class of younger pupils were thoroughly involved in estimating and measuring

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

while designing their garden centres. Their resulting plans, carefully constructed in a variety of styles, showed good learning. There are times in lessons when pupils are less engaged and become bored, for instance when they are sitting and listening without being actively involved. Close links with the local church enhance pupils' spiritual development well and links with schools in countries such as Zambia and the United States of America add well to their cultural awareness. Links with a school with a much greater ethnic mix were established but have fallen away and there is a recognition that such a link is needed to make pupils more aware of the diversity of British culture. Pupils are developing a good work ethic that will prepare them well for their future and they are developing good skills in information and communication technology. However, their development of the vital basic skills of

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

literacy and numeracy is currently satisfactory.

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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?

Although teaching is resulting in satisfactory progress for pupils and it is improving, there are key areas still for development. For instance, partly because assessment is in its early stages, teachers do not always know what skills pupils have already mastered. This means that work is not sufficiently well matched to their needs and abilities. This particularly affects the more able pupils who do not have suitably challenging tasks which enable them to make the progress of which they are capable. As a pupil put it, 'The work in maths is sometimes not hard enough.' Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution, especially in supporting those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, but there are times when their use is not planned and they are inactive for parts of lessons. A start has been made at establishing pupils' next steps in learning, but at present these goals are not sufficiently well matched to individual needs. Teachers are beginning to

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How effective is the provision?

adapt their planning, as a result of pupils' learning in previous lessons, and pupils are assessed three times a year. These assessments are used well to identify any who are in danger of falling behind and effective strategies are put in place to help them catch up. Teachers' marking is positive and encouraging but does not give indicators of how pupils can improve their work often enough and pupils are rarely given time to respond to teachers' marking. The curriculum is suitably balanced and broad and is enhanced well by a good range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors. Pupils particularly enjoy the trips out. For

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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

instance, older pupils talked enthusiastically of their trip to a safari park and their work linked to this visit demonstrated its effectiveness.

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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 number of changes in leadership over the last year has significantly limited the effectiveness of leadership and management. However, there is a renewed purpose and drive with a new permanent headteacher who already knows the school from her time as acting headteacher last year. Several staff who completed questionnaires commented positively about the new regime and there is a shared sense of purpose about the school. This includes members of the governing body, who recognise the need to establish routines to discover the effectiveness of the school for themselves rather than relying on what they are told. Safeguarding procedures are all in place, though the changes in leadership mean that the school has not instituted consistent systems for recording and reviewing these procedures. For instance, the recording of fire practices is held in three different documents. Although there is a good general commitment to equality of opportunity, at present some groups,

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How effective are leadership and management?

the more able for example, do not always receive the educational diet that they need. Community cohesion is promoted well. The school is a very cohesive community, has very good knowledge of the local area and is involved well and highly regarded within it. Pupils are also very aware of the global community and the school has worked hard to enhance this knowledge. However, their knowledge of the range of cultures represented in the United Kingdom is not as good.

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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 make satisfactory progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are taught in two classes with children in Year 1 and this allows good flexibility in allowing those who are ready for greater challenge to work with Year 1 pupils. Children are happy and settled and enjoy the range of activities, particularly working in the attractive outside area, although they are sometimes not guided to appropriate activities and wander from one to another. There are also times when activities provided do not have a sufficiently precise objective for children's learning. Children are making good progress in developing their early reading and writing skills due to a commercial programme to develop their phonics. For instance, some were observed enjoying building simple sentences using the sound blend learnt that day. Number work is also developed well and children were enjoying counting the segments on their egg box

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Early Years Foundation Stage

'caterpillars'. Children's well-being is nurtured well and they are kept safe and grow in confidence. However, there are occasions when one or two are allowed to dominate an activity rather than being expected to wait their turn. Children's gains in learning are recorded well and they enjoy contributing to their 'learning adventures', which are shared with parents and carers. Nevertheless, the relative strengths and weaknesses of children's progress in different areas of learning are not analysed effectively to enable the leader to focus on weaker areas of learning.

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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 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 Stage

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Views of parents and carers

There was a high return rate of the questionnaire for parents and carers and the response was very positive. Respondents are particularly pleased with the fact that their children enjoy school and are kept safe. They also appreciate the way their children are prepared for the future and encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle. A few, quite naturally, expressed some anxiety over the changes in leadership in recent times, but most are happy that a permanent appointment has now been made. Some concern was also expressed about the quality of information that parents and carers receive about the progress that their children are making. Inspectors endorse this view and the school has plans to improve this.

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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 Fladbury CofE First 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 45 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 76 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 33 73 11 24 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 34 76 10 22 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 24 53 14 31 6 13 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 24 53 18 40 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 23 51 17 38 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 21 47 19 42 4 9 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 26 58 19 42 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) 17 38 25 56 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 22 49 18 40 3 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 20 44 19 42 2 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 19 42 19 42 4 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 14 31 24 53 3 7 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 29 64 13 29 2 4 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 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 Fladbury CofE First School, Pershore, WR10 2QB

Thank you so much for welcoming us so warmly when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed talking to you and hearing how much you enjoy school. Your school has been through difficult times recently, with a number of changes of headteacher, but is now giving you a satisfactory education. Some of you were not making enough progress last year, but you are now making satisfactory progress. These are the best things we found. You behave well and are developing well into responsible and thoughtful young people. You are very rarely absent from school because you enjoy it so much. You feel safe in school because all adults look after you well. You are adopting healthy lifestyles well, make a good contribution to the smooth running of the school and are involved well in the local community. The school has developed good links with your parents and carers and there are also good links with other organisations. These enable you to have experiences that you would not

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Inspection of Fladbury CofE First School, Pershore, WR10 2QB

otherwise have, for example, music concerts and sporting fixtures with other schools. These are the things your school needs to improve. Your progress in mathematics is not as good as your progress in reading and writing because you cannot give sufficiently quick answers to additions and multiplications. You also do not have enough opportunities to talk about your mathematical thinking. In your questionnaires, several of you said you do not know how well you are doing. We agree and you need to be told exactly how to improve your work so that you can judge how well you are doing. Your teachers can then use this when they mark your work. We found that more of your lessons need to be good or better. In too many lessons, you spend too long listening rather than getting on with a task. Some of you told us that you are not always given sufficiently difficult work and it is important that all of you are given

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Inspection of Fladbury CofE First School, Pershore, WR10 2QB

work that you find challenging. I am sure you will help by continuing to work hard.

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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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