Bishop Tufnell CofE Primary School, Felpham

Age group 4−7 Inspection date(s) 25−26 May 2011 Inspection number 359998 Bishop Tufnell CE Infant School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 126050 Local Authority West Sussex Inspection number 359998 Inspection dates 25−26 May 2011 Reporting inspector Wendy Forbes

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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 Church of England (VA) Age range of pupils 4−7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 270 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Val Tansley Headteacher Rosemary Appleby Date of previous school inspection 26 March 2008 School address Pennyfields Felpham Bognor Regis PO22 6BN Telephone number 01243 584412 Fax number 01243 582573 Email address office@bishoptufnell-inf.w-sussex.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. Inspectors examined pupils’ work, observed 16 lessons or parts of lessons and 10 teachers were observed teaching. Inspectors visited classrooms on a ‘learning walk’ to see how well pupils learn, and to sample displays, behaviour and resources. They held meetings with a group of governors, staff, and groups of pupils and spoke to parents. Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised reading records and school documents, including improvement and action plans, safety records, and assessment and tracking information. They analysed 102 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, together with those completed by 16 staff.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average sized infant school. It shares a large site with the adjacent junior school and also a Children’s Centre, neither of which were part of the school’s inspection. The school has benefited from improved outdoor facilities since the last inspection. All year groups, including the Early Years Foundation Stage, have single-aged classes. Most pupils are White British, with others representing a very small range of other ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average and includes those with speech and language as well as moderate learning difficulties. The number known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. A long-term supply teacher is currently covering the absence of a Year 2

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Information about the school

class teacher. The school has achieved a number of awards, including Basic Skills Quality Mark, achieved for the second time and the Green Flag Eco-schools award.

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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. Pupils feel happy, hold positive attitudes, feel safe and enjoy learning. It is a well-ordered community, where most behaviour is good and excellent pastoral care and support help pupils develop good personal skills, which ensures they are well prepared when they transfer to their junior school.

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Key findings

 The majority of pupils, including those in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well. This is because most teachers have high expectations, teaching is generally good and there is a purposeful, enriched curriculum. In most lessons, pupils are excited by, and fully engaged in, their learning.

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Key findings

 By the time they are six years old, pupils are reading at levels expected nationally and some at higher levels. They make good progress in their learning throughout the school so that by the end of Year 2, attainment in reading as well as mathematics is above average. However, attainment in writing has not risen as rapidly. This is because a few teachers do not always put their good lesson planning into practice, to ensure that pupils, particularly the most able, are consistently challenged to do well in lesson activities. As a result, a few pupils do not always make the progress that they could.

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Key findings

 The headteacher and senior leaders and managers are ambitious for the school and show good leadership. They are fully aware of what they need to do to move the school forward and have already brought about improvements in target-setting and spelling highlighted at the last inspection. The most recent focus on mathematics has already manifested itself in raising attainment. Ongoing work to improve the quality of writing has yet to result in significant improvement. Leaders and managers set challenging targets. The staff share this challenge, which ensures that the whole school community has the pupils’ best interests at heart.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress and raise pupils’ attainment in writing so that it matches the higher attainment already achieved in reading and mathematics in this coming academic year by:  ensuring that all pupils, particularly the most able, are provided with tasks that are more closely matched to their level of abilities  ensuring that teaching and learning in writing is consistently good or better.

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Main report

The excitement generated by the school’s youngest pupils as they arrived dressed as tiny creatures such as bumble-bees, ladybirds, spiders and beetles for their mini- beasts theme day reflects the enormous effort that the whole school community goes to, to make learning fun and purposeful. Comments such as ‘It’s just the best school ever’ and ‘There’s always something fun to do’ are indicative of pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning. Their above average attendance reflects their desire to be in school.

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Main report

Not a moment is lost. Children’s well-planned ‘Busy Bee’ activity time signals the start of each day, setting the scene for pupils to learn and play in a safe and welcoming environment enhanced by improved school grounds which enrich learning. It is a happy school, where the high level of pastoral care and support provided is appreciated by both pupils and their parents and makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ well-being.

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Main report

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through the development of the school’s ethos and values. It can be seen, as one parent said, ‘in the extra mile that teachers go to make learning full of memorable experiences and wonderful opportunities for our children’. Pupils are enthusiastic about these many experiences. Some most noteworthy include such special events as Africa Day, a whole-school Eucharist observed during the inspection, sending shoes to a charity in Tanzania and the very recent achievement of the Green Flag Eco-schools award. Opportunities to be a member of the school council or ECO team or a playground friend are taken seriously and actively sought by pupils. It reflects their commitment to ensuring that the school is a community of which they can all be proud. A strong partnership with parents, the local church and a wide range of community groups

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Main report

also contributes much to pupils’ personal development and well-being.

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Main report

Pupils say they feel safe and that there is an adult they can turn to if they are worried about anything. Pupils say that bullying is a rare occurrence, dealt with swiftly by staff. Pupils’ good behaviour, demonstrated by good manners and courtesy, is an expectation that is realised throughout the day. The majority of parents and carers are very positive about the efforts the school takes to make school life as trouble-free and as safe as possible for both pupils and their families. As one parent said, ‘It’s just like one very large family and we just love it...my child just skips into school each morning...’ Measures for safeguarding pupils and all statutory requirements relating to child protection are met.

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Main report

Since the last inspection, the school has successfully developed intervention strategies and effective use of assessment, tracking and target-setting systems. These systems have helped to ensure that individual pupil progress is rigorously tracked and appropriate support is in place for those identified as in danger of falling behind. Most notable has been the impact of the ‘Every Child Counts’ strategy on improving mathematics provision throughout the school and raising attainment. Individual pupil targets have successfully been developed since the last inspection to help pupils understand what they must to do further to improve their work, and this is beginning to help pupils focus on the improvements needed to further develop their writing.

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Main report

Staff make most lessons stimulating and interesting, often by making good use of information and communication technology or by dressing ‘in character’ to set the scene of a specific period of history or topic. Although teachers’ good subject knowledge and their understanding of pupils’ needs ensure that they plan well for different ability groups, not all tasks set consistently challenge pupils in practice, particularly the most able in writing. As a result, their progress is not as rapid as it could be and the attainment of these pupils is not as high as it should be. Much has already been done to address this, but the impact of relatively new initiatives, such as opportunities for extended writing and developments in spelling and individual target-setting, has yet to be fully realised. High expectations of pupils as active learners, good teaching, well-focused individual support and a well-planned

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Main report

curriculum all help to ensure that most pupils, including pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in their learning throughout the school. All this means that by the end of Year 2, most pupils achieve well and attainment in reading and mathematics is above average. However, attainment in writing remains broadly average, but is improving rapidly. This and their very positive attitudes to learning all help to ensure that pupils are well prepared for their move to the junior school.

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Main report

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils make good progress towards their Early Learning Goals, relative to their starting points that are generally in line with national expectations. Pupils are well supported in their learning through an appropriate balance of child-initiated and stimulating adult-directed activities complemented by a good free-flow of both indoor as well as outdoor activities. Children work collaboratively to solve the many challenges provided in their learning. Purposeful, well-focused tasks and activities foster independence and nurture creativity. A purposeful buzz of activity was observed as pupils developed their communication and language skills as they served customers in their role play Garden Centre cafe and worked collaboratively to construct mini-beasts out of unifix cubes and to solve the logistical challenge of how to build a tent. It is no wonder that children make

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Main report

such good progress in almost all areas of their learning and development.

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Main report

The headteacher’s very purposeful leadership enthuses others to have the highest possible aspirations for themselves and the pupils. Self-evaluation is effective and provides a good basis for embedding ambition and driving improvement. The good capacity of leaders and managers to move the school forward is evident in the way in which they have already brought about improvements in the teaching of mathematics, spelling and target-setting, which has led to improved attainment. Very enthusiastic and hard-working staff and key curriculum leaders work well together with senior leaders and managers in developing areas identified as weaker than others. Effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the work of the school and there is an effective plan for further improvements. Adults at all levels are good at promoting equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination through raising pupils’ expectations of what they can achieve. Any differences in performance

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Main report

between groups of pupils are quickly identified and effective action is taken to narrow any apparent achievement gap for pupils considered to be vulnerable, such as the small group of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The governing body provides good support and challenge to the school and is clear about what leaders need to do next to improve provision further.

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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 Bishop Tufnell CE (VA) 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 102 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 73 72 27 26 1 1 1 1 Q2 My child feels safe at school 77 75 23 23 2 2 0 0 Q3 The school helps my child to achieve as well as they can 56 55 40 39 5 5 0 0 Q4 The school meets my child’s particular needs 52 51 45 44 4 4 1 1 Q5 The school ensures my child is well looked after 72 71 24 24 2 2 4 4 Q6 Teaching at this school is good 68 67 30 29 2 2 0 0 Q7 There is a good standard of behaviour at this school 60 59 38 37 1 1 1 1 Q8 Lessons are not disrupted by bad behaviour 38 37 47 46 6 6 3 3 Q9 The school deals with any cases of bullying well 49 48 37 36 6 6 0 0 Q10 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 62 61 35 34 5 5 0 0 Q11 The school responds to my concerns and keeps me well informed 63 62 33 32 2 2 0 0 Q12 The school is well led and managed 73 72 26 25 2 2 1 1

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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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Inspection of Bishop Tufnell C of E Infant School, Felpham PO22 6BN

Thank you for making us feel so very welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed meeting you and hearing about all the things you like about your school. We would like to thank those who came to talk to us. I am delighted to tell you that you go to a good school. There are many things that are good about your school. These are some of the things that really stood out.

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Inspection of Bishop Tufnell C of E Infant School, Felpham PO22 6BN

 You enjoy school, behave well and enjoy the fun activities teachers plan for you.  You sing well and enjoy music and drama performances at school.  You reach above average standards in reading and mathematics and make good progress as you move through the school.  Your school displays your good quality art work around the school.  You enjoy opportunities to be involved in fund-raising.  You like being involved in many school activities.  You take your responsibilities you hold on the school council and Eco and recycling teams very seriously.  Your school takes really good care of you.

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Inspection of Bishop Tufnell C of E Infant School, Felpham PO22 6BN

Your headteacher and all your other teachers work hard to make sure that your school continues to get even better. To help them to do this, we have asked your school to do the following:

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Inspection of Bishop Tufnell C of E Infant School, Felpham PO22 6BN

 Ensure that more of you make faster progress in writing by giving you work that is not too easy or too hard and provides just the right level of challenge.  Ensure that you all have the very best teaching to help you improve your writing.

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Inspection of Bishop Tufnell C of E Infant School, Felpham PO22 6BN

Thank you very much once again. Keep up the good work and we are sure that if you do this, you will continue to enjoy learning for a long time to come.

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Inspection of Bishop Tufnell C of E Infant School, Felpham PO22 6BN

Wendy Forbes Lead inspector 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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