Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School

Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 14–15 September 2011 Inspection number 378273 Unique Reference Number 111312 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 378273 Inspection dates 14–15 September 2011 Reporting inspector Paul Bamber

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 91 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Helen Jones Headteacher Darren Jones Date of previous school inspection 23 May 2007 School address Puddington Lane Burton Neston CH64 5SE Telephone number 0151 3363396 Fax number 0151 3531351 Email address head@bishopwilson.cheshire.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 rates council children's services, and inspects services for looked after

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children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. They observed 10 lessons involving five teachers. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, staff and with a parent. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at a range of documentation, including that relating to safeguarding of pupils, improvement planning and pupils' attainment and progress. Inspectors analysed 40 questionnaires from parents and carers together with those from staff and Key Stage 2 pupils.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 The degree to which the key areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection have been successfully addressed.  How well pupils are achieving in writing.  The progress made by children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the quality of provision provided for them.

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Information about the school

Bishop Wilson is smaller than the average-sized primary school. There are much smaller than average proportions of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, from minority-ethnic groups and with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school has a number of awards in recognition of its success in promoting a healthy lifestyle, sport, arts and inclusion. The current headteacher took up post in September 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

This is a good school. The excellent quality of the care, guidance and support provided contributes significantly to the school being a happy, harmonious community, to pupils feeling extremely safe and to their exemplary behaviour. Parents and carers hold the school's work in high regard. This is reflected in comments such as, ‘I am extremely happy with the school and its leadership. I am confident that my daughter is being well taught in a happy, caring and safe environment.' Having made good progress in the Reception class, pupils go on to attain above average standards in both key stages. In reading, pupils' attainment is high and they make excellent progress in this subject. In writing, their progress is not as strong. Attainment in this subject has improved since the previous inspection but the school acknowledges that further work is needed to match pupils' performance in reading and in mathematics.

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Main findings

Pupils' personal development is strong. They have very positive attitudes to learning and to each other. Their overall spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and they contribute well to the school and the local communities. Pupils are taught well and they have a lively and wide-ranging curriculum that provides them with effective basic skills and good opportunities to develop interests and to learn actively.

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Main findings

The school is well run. It demonstrates a good capacity to continue to improve. Leaders continually and accurately evaluate the school's performance. They plan to develop provision and to improve standards further, and all staff demonstrate an openness to change. Improvements since the previous inspection have been good overall.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment further in writing and enable pupils to make better progress in this subject by: - improving pupils' spelling and handwriting - setting sharper writing targets that link more closely to National Curriculum levels - more frequently using literacy lessons as a setting for writing in other subjects - posing more open-ended questions in lessons that encourage pupils to articulate their ideas and responses more fully in rehearsal for writing.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils very much enjoy learning and they achieve well overall. They are keen learners and willingly participate in discussions as 'learning partners' or in groups to share ideas or to solve problems jointly. They apply their excellent reading skills very effectively to aid learning in a range of subjects and are confident in speaking aloud in front of an audience. Pupils' willingness to participate actively was well illustrated in a Year 2 lesson when they took turns to direct each other to stand in the correct place to achieve a number sequence. Pupils persevere through difficulties and this culture particularly helps pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to achieve well. Throughout the school, pupils' progress in writing is not as strong as in reading or mathematics. Contributing to this are relative weaknesses in pupils' spelling and handwriting.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Children enter the Reception class with skills that are broadly typical for children of this age. They make good progress to enter Year 1 with above average standards but with writing as their weakest area of learning. They continue to make good progress to reach high standards in reading, well above average standards in mathematics and above average standards in writing by the time they leave Year 6.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils' attendance is above average, reflecting their enjoyment of school. They are well prepared for their future education and develop effective life skills. Members of the school council are proud of their fund-raising efforts and of their involvement in village activities. They were delighted to be involved in the appointment of the new headteacher. Pupils relate extremely well to each other and adults. They have a strong sense of fair play and all age groups mix very happily together, contributing very effectively to how safe pupils feel in school.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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2

Pupils' attainment 1 2 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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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 is low

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How effective is the provision?

The quality of teaching is consistently good and there is some outstanding practice. Strengths in teaching include very effective use of assessment to plan lessons that match pupils' needs, very positive relationships, clear expectations and good subject knowledge. Pupils' behaviour is managed extremely well and lessons proceed purposefully. The teaching of reading is particularly strong. Class teachers and support assistants work well as a team and pupils who find learning a little more difficult than most benefit particularly well from effective support. On occasion, teachers tend to ask too many closed questions and this restricts pupils' opportunities to develop and rehearse the vocabulary they might use in their subsequent writing. The quality of marking is good overall, an improvement since the previous inspection, but the targets teachers set pupils in writing lack the specific links to National Curriculum levels that could sharpen pupils' awareness of how to

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How effective is the provision?

The effective curriculum promotes pupils' basic skills well overall, especially reading, mathematics and information and communication technology. However, English lessons are used insufficiently to bring more rigour to pupils' writing. The programme to develop pupils' personal skills and their awareness of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, is effective. Pupils enjoy French lessons and this provision, together with opportunities to meet with visitors to the village from Africa, contributes well to their cultural development. Many varied after-school clubs provide pupils with opportunities to acquire a range of skills and interests. Visitors into school widen pupils' perspectives and the annual Year 6 residential visit to the Lake District, in conjunction with a partner primary school, affords pupils with the opportunities to experience outdoor pursuits and to develop their confidence, independence and

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How effective is the provision?

social skills. The daily act of worship is increasingly contributing to pupils' good spiritual development.

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How effective is the provision?

The outstanding care, guidance and support provided ensure that pupils are confident, achieve well academically and personally, and are emotionally healthy. Excellent use is made of outside agencies to provide expertise in supporting pupils with specific difficulties. Staff know pupils and their families individually and work closely with parents and carers to ensure the best possible provision at all times. The systems to promote good attendance and pupils' excellent behaviour work very well.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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2

The use of assessment to support learning 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders and managers set a clear ambition for improvement amongst all staff and ensure that morale is high and that all staff feel empowered to contribute to pupils' good achievement and considerable enjoyment of school. Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken effective action to raise attainment, to use tracking systems more consistently and rigorously to ensure equality of opportunity and pupils' good progress. The overall quality of marking has also improved. Well- focussed training has resulted in both staff and members of the governing body enhancing their skills. Governance is good overall. The governing body is closely involved in the school's self-evaluation process and in development planning. It ensures good procedures to safeguard pupils that fully meet requirements and which are reflected in the day-to-day work of the school and how safe pupils feel. The governing body challenges leaders effectively, for example, in the degree to which

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How effective are leadership and management?

the school's environment and acts of worship reflect its denominational status. Any discrimination is tackled rigorously with the very harmonious atmosphere testament to the success of this work. Parents and carers feel well informed and are close partners in their children's education and welfare. Partnerships with outside providers contribute well to pupils' learning and their well-being. The school's promotion of community cohesion is good overall. It is excellent within school and the local community and there are well developed global links. However, the opportunities for pupils to link up with those in a school in very different circumstances from their own are not fully developed. As a result of effectively using resources to ensure good outcomes for pupils the school achieves good value for money.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management

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2

The leadership and management of teaching and learning 2

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children are taught well and as a result make good progress in the Reception class. They do well in all areas of learning but over the last three years their achievement in writing has been less good than in most other aspects. In contrast, children's language development and reading are particularly strong. From the start of their time in Reception children settle into routines, happily play and work independently and together, and have a keen curiosity about books, how things work and the world around them. For example, two children were very intrigued at how water poured through a hole caused a wheel to rotate. After some testing they were able to explain why it only turned one way and that the speed of the pouring determined how fast the wheel rotated. Adults develop children's vocabulary through skilful questioning and they prompt and intervene appropriately to accelerate children's learning. Effective assessment procedures enable staff to track children's

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Early Years Foundation Stage

development rigorously. Parents and carers find the annotated records of their child's progress through Reception a very helpful tool for supporting their children's learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Sensitive induction systems reassure children and their families and contribute significantly to how quickly they settle in.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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2

Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The overwhelming majority of parents and carers view the school's work and performance in a very positive light. They are particularly pleased about how safe their children are, how well the children are taught and supported and how effective are leadership and management. A very few felt that their children were not making as much progress as they might. Inspectors found that although pupils make good progress overall, in writing their achievement is not as strong as in other subjects.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Bishop Wilson Church of England 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 inspector received 40 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 91 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 24 60 16 40 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 28 70 12 30 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 20 50 18 46 1 3 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 18 45 18 45 2 5 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 24 60 13 33 1 3 0 0 The school helps me to support my child's learning 25 63 11 28 1 3 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 26 65 12 30 0 0 0 0 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) 20 50 16 40 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 21 53 16 40 1 3 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 19 48 17 43 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 18 45 18 45 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 25 63 12 30 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 29 73 10 25 0 0 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. 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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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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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.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above is for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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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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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.

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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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CH64 5SE

On behalf of the inspection team may I thank you for your very warm welcome when we visited your school recently. Your school provides you with a good education. Most impressive, we call it outstanding, are the care, guidance and support you receive. All the staff help you to behave extremely well and to make sure that you feel very safe. You are taught well and have interesting things to do in lessons and after school. It is nice to see how well you all get on together, and that you are keen to do well in lessons and to help around the school.

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CH64 5SE

Part of my job is to work with the school to help to find ways of making it even better. Your new headteacher and the governing body agree that you do not do quite as well in writing as in other subjects, especially in reading and mathematics. You can help to change this by taking more care with your spelling and handwriting. I have also asked the teachers to set you targets in writing that will help you to improve, to ask you questions that make you think a bit more and practise speaking what you will later write down. I have also asked that literacy lessons are used more for your writing in other subjects.

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CH64 5SE

Thank you again for your help with the inspection and I wish you a very happy and successful year at school.

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from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

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