Ribchester St Wilfrid's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Age group 4-11 Inspection date(s) 24-25 May 2011 Inspection number 358584 Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 119571 Local Authority Lancashire Inspection number 358584 Inspection dates 24–25 May 2011 Reporting inspector Sarah Quinn

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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 Primary School category Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 80 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tim Rainford Headteacher Angela Cottam Date of previous school inspection 5 June 2008 School address Church Street Ribchester Lancashire PR3 3XP Telephone number 01254 878300 Fax number 01254 878069 Email address head@ribchester-st-wilfrids.lancs.sch.uk Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 2 of 12

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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. 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

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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 Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 3 of 12

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Introduction

This pilot inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. They observed 11 lessons led by four teachers and supported by five teaching assistants. Meetings were held with parents, groups of pupils, governors and staff and inspectors heard pupils read. They observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of documentation including the school improvement plan, records relating to the monitoring of teaching and achievement, and documentation relating to safeguarding. The team considered questionnaires returned from pupils, staff and 50 from parents and carers.

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Information about the school

This is a small village school where the majority of pupils are boys. A very small minority of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. An average proportion has a statement of special educational needs when compared with schools nationally and there are few pupils with special educational needs or disabilities. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage and none requires support for English as an additional language.

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Information about the school

Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed and the school has undergone restructuring. Half of the teachers are also new to the school. The school has achieved Eco school status and has been awarded a ‘green flag’.

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Information about the school

The school consistently meets government floor targets. Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 4 of 12

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Information about the school

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

Ribchester St Wilfrid’s is a good school. Pupil’s show high levels of enjoyment and are taught in a respectful and supportive environment.

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Key findings

Pupils achieve well because:  they have very positive attitudes to learning and understand what is expected of them  their progress is closely monitored and the school quickly addresses any potential underachievement  they develop skills that enable them to use mathematics, information and communication technology, and literacy across the curriculum.

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Key findings

Teaching enables pupils to make progress because:  most teachers quickly adapt their lessons and teaching styles to suit the needs of the pupils in their class, thus ensuring pupils remain challenged and supported  most teachers differentiate their activities to provide opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge and skills independently, as part of a group, and as part of the class as a whole  teachers share skills and experience and work well as a team to ensure their practice is always improving.

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Key findings

Leaders and managers, including the governing body, ensure that:  teaching and learning are closely monitored and pupils’ achievement is a focus of regular pupil progress meetings  the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a common thread throughout the planning of activities  the school is an important part of the community and strong links are forged Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 5 of 12

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Key findings

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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Key findings

with parents, the parish, charities, schools in other areas and countries  improvement is rapid and the performance of the school is continually developing as leaders have ambitious targets that drive progress.

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Key findings

Pupils are safe and they behave well as:  the school has a high regard for safeguarding and strives to ensure that children are protected  respect and tolerance are well nurtured  pupils are given the information and skills that they need to assess risk confidently and to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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Key findings

However, some teaching does not consistently ensure that all pupils are challenged to reach their potential, particularly more-able pupils, and the pace of lessons does not always fully engage everyone.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching across all classes and in all subjects by: - ensuring that the pace of learning is always brisk enough to ensure pupils are interested and engaged in all lessons - ensuring that activities are effectively matched to more-able pupils’ ability so as to make sure they are challenged consistently.

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Main report

Pupils’ attainment is above average in most classes and pupils make good progress throughout the school. When they enter the school, the majority of children have skills and knowledge in line with national expectations but there is a significant proportion whose skills are below those expected. Initial assessments of children’s ability are used well to devise individualised programmes of support to enable all children to make good progress. Teachers and teaching assistants make useful and comprehensive observations and these are used to help teachers plan the next steps in children’s learning. As a consequence, children make good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Main report

By the age of six, children read well and the range of strategies taught by the school support their reading and writing skills. Letters and sounds are taught through the school in ability groups and children thoroughly enjoy briskly paced reading sessions where they dance and listen to the music as they learn sounds and words. The focus on reading continues through the school and older pupils have very good reading skills. They talk confidently about their favourite authors and the motivation of characters. They use non-fiction books with ease to support their learning and for pleasure. Younger children quickly learn to be independent as they put on their own role-play outfits and get ready for physical education lessons. This skill is highly valued and is nurtured through the whole school as pupils confidently find the Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 6 of 12

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Main report

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

resources that they need to fulfil the tasks set for them.

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Main report

As pupils move through the school, they continue to make good progress and teachers use a variety of methods continually to monitor the progress that they make. Where pupils appear to be falling behind in any way, this is quickly addressed through more focused support and small group, or one-to-one, teaching. The school correctly identified certain groups as not making as much progress as their peers, for example boys, and as a consequence, they adapted the curriculum to ensure a range of more appealing and inspiring activities. Those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make rapid progress and the gap in achievement between these children and their peers is closing.

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Main report

Behaviour through the school is very positive and pupils show high levels of respect for each other and for staff. It is clear that the school values and fosters positive attitudes and relationships from the moment children and families join the school. Pupils enjoy working together and offer each other support. Above average levels of attendance demonstrate the enjoyment that pupils have as they want to come to school. ‘St Wilfrid’s is a lovely place to come’, one pupil commented, ‘Sometimes children can be silly, but teachers talk to them to sort things out’. Pupils quickly learn to care for their environment and each other as they participate in the gardening club, look after the school chickens that they helped to hatch, and raise money for a range of charities. A very small minority of parental questionnaires expressed some concern about behaviour and the possibility of bullying. The inspection looked

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Main report

carefully at behaviour in class and around the school and also at the strategies used by the school to support good behaviour. Strategies are very effective and support pupils in the development of positive and tolerant attitudes. Pupils are safe as the school staff work together to ensure pupils welfare is protected, attend training, and give pupils the information they need to keep themselves safe.

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Main report

Teaching is good and is mostly tailored to meet individual needs. Most lessons are exciting and inspire pupils’ interests very effectively. This is because pupils are fully involved in the planning, execution and assessment of the lesson. They evaluate what they have learnt and use this information to inform their learning in the next lesson. There is a two-way sharing of information and learning between the teacher and the pupils and teachers’ continuous assessment, including marking in books, enables pupils to know how to improve their work. The teacher acts as a learning role model and teaches ‘learning skills’ while completing activities alongside pupils. Some pupils enjoy their lessons so much they ask for more and want to work during lunchtime. The ‘enterprise’ project with the oldest pupils is particularly effective in engaging all pupils. Pupils are excited as they develop a product, work to a budget

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Main report

using a spreadsheet, devise and film an advertisement, and prepare a presentation for local business people. Projects like this enable pupils to use their mathematical, reading, writing, and information and communication technology skills effectively. Occasionally, teachers do not effectively match activities to the needs and abilities of all pupils, particularly for the more-able pupils. This means that the more-able pupils do not always make the progress that they are capable of in every lesson. Occasionally, lessons are not well paced and some more-able pupils are left waiting Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 7 of 12

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Main report

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

or repeating activities that do not stretch their capabilities. Teaching assistants contribute well and work effectively with the teachers to offer appropriate support and challenge to move pupils’ learning forward.

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Main report

Teachers are held accountable for the achievement in their class and are eager to learn and develop their teaching skills. Pupil progress meetings with the headteacher ensure that the focus is continually on improved achievement for all pupils. The achievement of each pupil is directly linked to the performance management of teachers and training needs are quickly identified to ensure that teachers can improve their skills when necessary. They also look at ways to develop the curriculum to make it more creative and inspiring for all pupils while fostering cross- curricular skills. The headteacher is also forging links with other successful schools to ensure that good practice is shared. The school development plan is shared between governors and all staff and the whole team contribute to the ongoing drive for improvement. This effectively supports the school’s capacity to continually improve.

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Main report

Leaders and managers recognise the importance of developing strong partnerships with the local, national and international community. They work with local businesses to ensure pupils have aspirations for the future. They also link with schools for activities and this enables pupils from the school to mix with pupils who may be from a variety of backgrounds. The school has developed a partnership with the local special school and pupils from the special school visit. All of these aspects help to develop tolerance and respect and support pupils’ spiritual, cultural, social and moral understanding. The school engages with parents in a number of ways, for example, through a texting service, emails, the website and regular newsletters. Some parents expressed concern about the level of challenge offered for their children and how much progress they are making. Inspectors found that pupils make good progress

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Main report

The governing body are active in promoting equality and diversity through making links with schools in the community and in India, and successfully promote activities such as the Eco status. Governors have worked with children to raise money and contribute to projects in India. The impact is immediately evident as the link person in India sends emails and pictures to keep the pupils up to date and let them know where their contributions have made an impact. Pupils find this contact very rewarding and it encourages them to develop more ways of helping others. Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 8 of 12

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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 Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 50 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 80 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 32 64% 16 32% 1 2% 0 0% Q2 My child feels safe at school 38 76% 12 24% 0 0% 0 0% Q3 The school helps my child to achieve as well as they can 17 34% 26 52% 6 12% 0 0% Q4 The school meets my child’s particular needs 23 46% 20 40% 3 6% 0 0% Q5 The school ensures my child is well looked after 36 72% 12 24% 0 0% 1 2% Q6 Teaching at this school is good 22 44% 23 46% 2 4% 0 0% Q7 There is a good standard of behaviour at this school 27 54% 20 40% 0 0% 1 2% Q8 Lessons are not disrupted by bad behaviour 26 52% 14 28% 4 8% 1 2% Q9 The school deals with any cases of bullying well 15 30% 23 46% 0 0% 1 2% Q10 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 19 38% 27 54% 3 6% 0 0% Q11 The school responds to my concerns and keeps me well informed 23 46 24 48% 2 4% 1 2% Q12 The school is well led and managed 21 42% 24 48% 3 6% 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%. Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 9 of 12

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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 t hat 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 ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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. Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 10 of 12

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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. Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 11 of 12

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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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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we inspected your school.

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

Ribchester St Wilfrid’s is a good school. You achieve well because the teachers care very much about each one of you. They try to make sure your lessons are interesting and exciting, while making sure you learn the skills that you need for the future. Lessons that you help to plan, like the ‘enterprise’ project, are very successful in encouraging you to be independent learners.

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

You obviously enjoy going to your school and you feel safe. Your behaviour is very good and you should be proud of the help that you give to each other. You have worked hard to gain your Eco award and this shines through in all that you do. It is exciting that you are now working with other schools and with the local community to learn what you can about your local area and about other countries. It is good to hear that you are continually helping a group of children in India.

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

The governors, teachers and headteacher are determined to make sure that Ribchester St Wilfrid’s is the best school that it can possibly be. They work hard together to make plans for the future and to ensure the school continues to get better and better.

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

We have asked your teachers to make sure that teaching always matches your needs and that the pupils who are more able are challenged in the lessons. You can help your teachers by telling them if you think your work is too easy or too hard.

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

Thank you again for the warm welcome that we received.

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

Sarah Quinn Lead inspector Inspection report: Ribchester St Wilfrid’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 24-25 May 2011 12 of 12

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Primary School, Ribchester, PR3 3XP

procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available 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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