St Crispin's Community Primary Infant School

Age group 4–7 Inspection date(s) 25–26 May 2011 Inspection number 358340 St Crispin’s Community Primary Infant School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 118411 Local Authority Kent Inspection number 358340 Inspection dates 25–26 May 2011 Reporting inspector Eileen Chadwick

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 under pilot arrangements; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act .

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Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 270 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Corey Headteacher Margaret Kehoe Date of previous school inspection 2 July 2008 School address St Crispin’s Road Westgate-on-Sea Kent CT8 8EB Telephone number 01843 832040 Fax number 01843 832040 Email address headteacher@st-crispins.kent.sch.uk 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

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . 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 information 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

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This pilot inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. They spent nine hours observing teaching which included visiting 17 lessons and observing 11 teachers. Inspectors heard a sample of pupils from Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 read and held meetings with pupils, staff with key responsibilities and members of the governing body. They also observed the school’s work and evaluated documentation such as policies, the school improvement plan, pupils’ work and records of their learning, progress and behaviour as well as the school’s safeguarding procedures. Inspectors analysed 78 completed questionnaires from parents and carers and 28 f rom members of staff.

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Information about the school

The school is an above average-sized infant school and it serves the immediate community as well as the surrounding area. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. The majority of these pupils have speech, literacy and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties. A lower than average proportion has a statement of special educational needs. The Early Years Foundation Stage children are taught in three Reception classes. The number of pupils attending the school has risen since the previous inspection. The headteacher is due to retire at the end of this term and a new headteacher has been appointed.

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Information about the school

The school runs a daily breakfast club and its awards include ArtsMark Gold, Activemark and Eco Schools. 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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Behaviour and safety 2

Does the school adequately promote the pupils’ well-being? Yes Does the school adequately promote community cohesion? Yes Does the school provide value for money? Yes

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Key findings

 This is a good school. It has some outstanding features. It has shown good improvement over the past few years. Pupils achieve well in the basic skills and the vibrant curriculum gives them strong opportunities for developing their creative, practical and sporting skills.  Outstanding provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage provides them with an excellent start to school and stimulates their love of learning.  Pupils’ good progress in Years 1 and 2 leads to their average attainment by the end of Year 2, although slightly fewer reach higher levels than found in most schools. The school’s efforts to strengthen the teaching of basic skills in Year 1 are having a positive impact on raising attainment in reading, which is average for the current Year 1.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because of the extra help they receive.  Pupils are very well cared for and kept very safe. Their spiritual, moral, social

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Key findings

and cultural development is excellent. Pupils behave well, although a very small minority of parents and carers expressed concern that a few pupils occasionally interrupt the learning of others. The few pupils who join the school with challenging behaviour are very well managed and supported and outbursts of bad behaviour are very rare as they learn to adapt to school.  Teaching is good overall. However, occasionally in Key Stage 1, there is not enough direct teaching of reading and phonics (the sounds that letters make) in writing lessons and, in mathematics lessons, more capable pupils are not always fully challenged in mental arithmetic and problem solving.  The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the deputy headteacher and middle leaders although English and mathematics leaders are still developing their skills in observing colleagues teach. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Key findings

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the proportions reaching the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics by improving teaching so that more is good or better by July 2012 by:  ensuring the school development plan shows clear attainment targets for every year group  strengthening the direct teaching of reading and consolidation of reading and phonics skills during story writing lessons in Year 1  consistently challenging more-able pupils in mental arithmetic and mathematical problem solving.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen systems for evaluating the impact of teaching and learning on pupils’ attainment and progress by July 2012 by:  developing English and mathematics subject leaders’ skills in observing colleagues teach so they can have a greater impact on raising achievement  developing a whole-school tracking system for measuring children’s attainment and progress in phonics.

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Main report

Pupils enjoy and benefit from the wide and rich range of learning opportunities provided in this good school and they achieve well. The sustained, successful leadership of the headteacher ensures that the focus on raising achievement is always a priority. The school environment is very welcoming and there is a shared ambition among senior leaders, staff and governors for constant improvement.

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Main report

On entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage, children’s starting points are lower than seen in most schools, especially in communication, language and literacy. Excellent progress lifts their attainment although this is still somewhat below average in reading, writing and calculation by the time they enter Year 1. Few children reach the higher levels. Progress is good overall in Years 1 and 2 and, by the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is average but the number attaining higher levels remains lower than found nationally. Since the start of this academic year, the school has strengthened the direct teaching of basic skills in Year 1 and this is beginning to have an impact on pupils’ attainment in reading which is now average for this year group.

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Main report

Excellent relationships provide a very positive framework for learning and pupils told inspectors they really enjoy school. Exciting, practical learning opportunities, including in art and design, design and technology and physical education, bring 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 report

learning alive and give relevance to academic learning. The strong emphasis given to developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills is an important foundation for all their learning. Inspectors’ lesson observations, evaluation of pupils’ work and assessments as well as listening to pupils read showed their learning is good overall and outstanding in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Main report

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the rich practical curriculum covers all areas and engages children because there are many exciting things to do both indoors and outside. Activities are very well matched to children’s abilities and systematic approaches to teaching sounds and letters, reading and early writing enable children of all abilities to make excellent progress in literacy. This was seen when children identified ‘doing words’ through active participation during outdoor learning. They subsequently applied their phonics skills extremely well when writing simple words during free choice play as well as during group learning led by an adult. Children’s learning in early mathematics is just as rapid because they are given high quality opportunities for practical exploration as well as for learning through watching and listening. When children learned about shape, space and measures, excellent whole-

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Main report

class teaching was combined with an excellent range of mathematical play activities for all abilities and resulted in rapid learning for everyone.

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Main report

Pupils’ learning is mainly good in Years 1 and 2. The attention given to developing pupils’ individual phonics and reading skills is frequently used well to promote good progress in reading. However, in Year 1, they make better progress in applying their reading and phonics skills to their factual rather than creative writing. This was seen in an excellent literacy lesson in Year 1 when pupils applied their reading and phonics skills extremely well when writing words and sentences about models they had made. The teacher’s excellent planning enabled pupils’ of all abilities to apply their reading and phonics and resulted in pupils’ rapid progress in both reading and writing. Pupils’ oral imaginative vocabulary is developed very well before story writing but they do not always have such consistent opportunities for consolidating key reading and phonics skills in every class.

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Main report

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress and small group work for pupils who struggle in English and mathematics contributes to their good achievement. The school’s rigorous assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress and intervention procedures ensure that all pupils achieve equally well. However, more-able pupils’ learning is restricted occasionally in mathematics in Key Stage 1 because there are insufficient opportunities for higher-level learning in mental arithmetic and problem solving in some lessons.

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Main report

Teaching is good overall. It is excellent in Reception. Teaching capitalises on pupils’ interests while creative and exciting resources, including interactive whiteboards, engage and motivate pupils. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and make sure pupils know what they should be achieving in lessons. There is a strong build up of pupils’ skills over a series of lessons and Year 2 pupils are given good opportunities to apply their phonics and reading to handwriting activities. Good quality texts are used to stimulate pupils’ interest in reading but, occasionally in Key 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 report

Stage 1, there is not enough direct teaching of reading during whole-class literacy sessions before pupils move on to group work. Assessment is accurate and usually used well to provide pupils with well-matched work. However, in the few lessons where teaching was only satisfactory, it was because learning tasks were not fully adjusted to meet pupils’ needs. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils have clear targets and are helped to understand what they need to do to improve.

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Main report

Pupils’ behaviour is good overall and excellent in the most effective lessons. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage learn to take some responsibility for managing their own learning and can often sustain concentration well towards the end of Reception. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are keen and usually attentive but occasionally begin to lose concentration when lesson introductions are overlong. Inspectors found clear evidence that pupils have a well-established understanding of right from wrong and this is developed very well through staff’s consistent approach to behaviour management, including the use of ‘The good book and The bad book’. Parents, carers and pupils agree that there is a good standard of behaviour in this school although a few parents and carers expressed concern that a few pupils occasionally interrupt the learning of others. The inspection found that the incidence of poor behaviour is extremely rare because pupils with emotional and behavioural

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Main report

Pupils say they feel very safe and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They reported bullying was very unusual and trust adults to deal with any that might occur. Pupils are very well cared for and their personal development and academic progress are carefully monitored and supported. The school has robust procedures for promoting pupils’ good attendance and punctuality and both have improved in recent years. Pupils are punctual and their attendance is average.

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Main report

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. They develop a great sense of wonder in nature and in art and design through the rich, creative and practical curriculum. They learn to value their own and other people’s achievements, for example those of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Pupils have a very clear sense of right and wrong and show much consideration for the feelings of others. Their eco work from an early age is commendable and they learn to take care of their environment. The school has parents’ and carers’ confidence and close links with them. Good systems for reading at home have a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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Main report

There are clear systems and structures for managing the school and senior and year team leaders work closely together to maintain, improve and check provision, including through monitoring and developing teaching. There are very thorough whole-school tracking systems for measuring pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics and evaluations involve all teaching staff. Assessment data are used perceptively to help school leaders evaluate its work and, consequently, the school has an accurate view of its own performance. Pupils’ Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main report

phonics assessments are carefully tracked and evaluated in each class but a whole- school tracking system for this element is not yet in place. As a result of staffing changes, several subject leaders are still developing their roles and skills for observing lessons. The governing body has a good impact on the strategic management of the school and support and challenge in equal measure. However, the school improvement plan does not contain enough attainment targets for each year group and this restricts the ability of governors and staff to fully evaluate the impact of initiatives on improving pupils’ performance.

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Main report

The school has maintained the strengths found at the previous inspection and made important improvements, for example in the Early Years Foundation Stage and, more recently, to attainment in reading in Year 1. It has successfully narrowed the gap in the proportions of pupils who are below average by the time they leave in Year 2. This shows the school has a good capacity for sustaining improvement. Leaders are successful in promoting equality of opportunity and eliminating discrimination. Safeguarding arrangements are good, are prioritised and firmly established in the policies, working practices and the ethos of the school. This is affirmed by the high degree of endorsement from parents and carers in the questionnaires returned. Parents and carers are also very pleased with the safe and enjoyable start to the school day for the pupils who attend the breakfast club.

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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 St Crispin’s Community Primary Infant 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 12 statements about the school. The inspection team received 78 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 270 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % Q1 My child is happy at school 59 76 17 22 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q2 My child feels safe at school 63 81 12 15 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q3 The school helps my child to achieve as well as they can 44 56 31 40 1 1 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q4 The school meets my child’s particular needs 46 59 28 36 3 4 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q5 The school ensures my child is well looked after 56 72 19 24 2 3 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q6 Teaching at this school is good 55 71 22 28 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q7 There is a good standard of behaviour at this school 49 63 28 36 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q8 Lessons are not disrupted by bad behaviour 36 46 32 41 4 5 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q9 The school deals with any cases of bullying well 38 49 24 31 2 3 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q10 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 44 56 31 40 1 1 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q11 The school responds to my concerns and keeps me well informed 38 49 34 44 4 5 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Q12 The school is well led and managed 60 77 15 19 1 1 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 48 6 0 Primary schools 6 47 40 7 Secondary schools 12 39 38 11

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 13 42 41 3 Special schools 28 49 19 4 Pupil referral units 14 45 31 10

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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 2010 to 31 December 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. 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:  The achievement of all pupils.  Behaviour and safety.  The quality of teaching.  The effectiveness of leadership and management. and taking into consideration  how well the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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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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Thank you so much for making us so welcome and for helping us with the inspection when we visited your school recently. Your views are important as you are the school’s customers.

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First, you need to know your school is a good one. Here are some of the many things your school does well.

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 Those of you in Reception make an outstanding start to your education and enjoy all the activities.  You make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and your attainment is at the levels expected of you in reading, writing and mathematics by Year 2.  You make your school such a special place because you are very friendly, you behave well and work hard.  You have many exciting learning opportunities for art, design and technology and sport.  Your teachers are very good at making your lessons interesting.  Staff take very good care of you and you told us how safe you feel.  Your headteacher leads you all very well and all the staff and governors think very carefully about what is best for you.

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This is what we are asking your school to do to improve.

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 Help those of you who are more-able to reach higher standards by Year 2.  Help your teachers to always plan activities for you that build on what you already know.  Make sure school leaders contribute equally to making the school better and check how well things are going.

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We hope you will all continue to enjoy school and carry on working hard in all you do.

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Yours sincerely Eileen Chadwick Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is ava ilable from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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