Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School

Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 22–23 November 2011 Inspection number 381678 Unique Reference Number 134371 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 381678 Inspection dates 22–23 November 2011 Reporting inspector David Byrne

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 290 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Roger Driver Headteacher Lawrence Crilly Date of previous school inspection 20 May 2009 School address Sandy Road Seaforth Liverpool L21 1AD Telephone number 0151 2886508 Fax number 0151 2842840 Email address head.rimrosehope@schools.sefton.gov.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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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.

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

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. Sixteen lessons were observed, taught by 12 teachers. Meetings were held with parents and carers, pupils, representatives of the governing body and staff. A range of documentation was evaluated including documents relating to safeguarding, the school development plan, samples of pupils’ work and data on the assessment and tracking of pupils' progress. The questionnaires received from 62 parents and carers were evaluated, as were those from pupils and staff.

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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

 It determined the effectiveness of teaching to meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  It evaluated the quality of assessment and its success in involving pupils in their own learning and in guiding their next steps for learning.  It investigated the effectiveness of the curriculum in harnessing the interests of pupils and in enabling their achievement to be monitored in subjects other than English and mathematics.  It explored the impact of the school’s care, guidance and support on the pupils’ academic and personal development and attendance.  It evaluated the efficiency of leaders at all levels, including the governing body, in contributing to school improvement.

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Information about the school

This is larger than the average sized primary school. Over half of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. The vast majority is White British and n one of the few pupils who belong to minority ethnic groups is at an early stage of learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils identified for school action plus is above average as is the percentage with a statement of special educational needs. An above average proportion of pupils leaves or joins the school at times other than the start of the academic year. Provision includes a resourced base for 14 pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

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Information about the school

The school provides a breakfast club for pupils each morning. Privately managed after-school care is available, which is subject to a separate inspection by Ofsted.

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Information about the school

Since the previous inspection the amalgamation of two primary schools, begun in 2008, has been completed. In September 2009, the school took up residence in a new, purpose-built building. 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. It has outstanding features in terms of its care, guidance and support, provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, aspects of teaching and in aspects of management at the highest level. Skilled, visionary leadership by the headteacher, supported by a dedicated staff team and the knowledgeable governing body, makes a positive difference to the lives of the pupils and many families. Good teaching, coupled with a mostly vibrant curriculum results in most pupils enjoying school and making good progress. Pupils' individual personal development is tracked and monitored, and most know how to keep themselves safe and healthy. 'We feel safe at our school; it's like one big family,’ is a typical pupil opinion. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with moderate learning difficulties, make excellent progress reflecting first-class care, support and guidance. The school is highly rated by parents and

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Main findings

carers. They appreciate the way every child is valued and included in school life. The comment of one typifies the view of the vast majority, ‘This is a brilliant school and my child is confident and at ease within her classroom environment’.

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Main findings

Outstanding provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage, developed since the last inspection, gives children an excellent start to their education. This has led to a surge in progress at Key Stage 1 where pupils’ attainment is securely in line with expectations for their age. In Key Stage 2, progress is also accelerating and attainment improving. By Year 6, attainment is currently average, but data held by the school indicates that pupils’ attainment is rising and it is on course to reach the high targets set this year. Since the last inspection, writing skills have improved but remain an area of relative weakness. The curriculum is being overhauled. It is marked by a wealth of interesting activities to support learning, for example, visits to a variety of local venues, such as museums, the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument and for some pupils, a chance to participate in horse riding. While

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Main findings

curricular planning has a number of strengths, it is not developed fully enough to enable achievement in subjects, other than English and mathematics, to be effectively monitored or to encourage pupils to develop their skills of learning independently.

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Main findings

Leaders and managers have a very good understanding of their school; they know the strengths as well as what they need to do to improve its performance. Great success has been achieved in creating a strong identity for the school and an ethos of care and high expectations for all. Since the previous inspection, aspects of teaching have been strengthened, the curriculum has been improved and a strong leadership team created. The school’s dynamic, outward-looking approach, coupled with its high aspirations, mean it has good capacity for sustained improvement. .

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and maintain the rapid improvement underway so that pupils’ future chances of success are improved further by: - devising systems to exploit the enthusiasm of pupils generated within the curriculum in order to promote higher attainment in writing - establishing strategies for monitoring achievement of pupils in subjects other than English and mathematics - extending opportunities for pupils to develop their skill of independent learning.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils enjoy learning. They listen attentively in lessons, ask questions and make thoughtful contributions. Most pupils concentrate well and are used to working together. They listen attentively to each other and develop good negotiating skills as a result. In lessons, pupils show good levels of enjoyment of their tasks and work hard. They relish opportunities to apply their developing skills, often making positive comments about their enjoyment of challenge. The school’s promotion of language skills is having a positive impact, with pupils giving their thoughts and opinions with greater confidence in response to teachers’ questioning. Action to promote learning in mathematics by improving the pupils’ understanding of mathematical language has led to significant improvements. Pupils are also gaining confidence in writing, although progress in writing remains slower than in reading and mathematics.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Year 6 pupils currently leave school with broadly average attainment in English and mathematics. Given their starting points, on entry to the school, which are well below those expected for their age, this represents good achievement. The school sets appropriately challenging targets and the accurate assessments of pupils’ work and lesson observations, all show that attainment is rising rapidly. Effective analysis of the relative performance of different groups of pupils ensures successful targeting of additional action to reduce gaps. As a result, more pupils are now reaching levels of attainment that exceed expectations for their age across the school. The progress of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent, including those receiving additional support through the resourced provision. This reflects the excellent quality of support these pupils receive.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils treat each other with respect and have good safety awareness. They have every confidence that adults in school will help them if they have concerns. Many respond with great enthusiasm to the recently revised systems to promote good behaviour. The ‘You have been spotted’ tickets are much prized rewards! Pupils are adamant that racism is wrong. They feel that their opinions are valued. Regular opportunities for them to talk together with staff give them a platform for voicing their own views. Some say that they would like more responsibilities. For example, they would like to help out more at playtime and to set up a healthy tuck shop. Pupils’ good sense of responsibility, average attendance and their average literacy and numeracy skills prepare them satisfactorily for their future lives.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 3 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 The extent to which pupils feel safe 2 Pupils' behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils' attendance 1 3 The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

As the school enters its third year since amalgamation, consistent approaches are becoming established. Good teaching, with some outstanding elements, particularly related to the support offered to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, helps all pupils to learn well. Positive relationships and well-established routines form a foundation of good classroom management that ensure little time is lost. Pupils’ consequent good behaviour contributes further to a mostly good pace of learning. Only when the pace of learning slows, does their attention slip a little. In many lessons, teachers give pupils good opportunities to work together and discuss with classmates their ideas, thus giving them greater confidence. Skilled support staff make vital contributions to the inclusion of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Accurate assessments are used to plan work

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How effective is the provision?

for pupils of different abilities and to set clear learning objectives. Teachers generally identify clearly in their marking what pupils need to do to improve. Additionally, pupils are increasingly skilled at evaluating their own work, which helps them understand how well they are learning.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum makes good provision for pupils' basic literacy and numeracy skills. Daily mathematical challenges, opportunities to share books and read independently and increasing links between subjects contribute to pupils’ good achievement. Imaginative approaches, such as a dressing up as Victorian apprentices, help to bring learning to life for pupils. Visits to school from others, such as the ‘Africa Vision’ performers from Uganda, extend what is for many, a limited experience and understanding of the wider world. Systems for harnessing the enthusiasm generated from such events, however, are not fully exploited in raising attainment in writing. Good partnerships with a local secondary school enable pupils to learn Spanish, and

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low the initiative to support the Wider Opportunities fund give younger pupils in Key Stage 2 the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. A good range of extra- curricular activities opens up many opportunities for pupils to explore a variety of activities. Systems to evaluate pupils' learning in subjects other than English and mathematics are under development but currently are not effective in securing a clear picture of the quality of learning that occurs.

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How effective is the provision?

Adults have an excellent personal knowledge of each pupil. They foster outstanding relationships and a very positive ethos throughout the school. These ensure pupils’ good personal development. Excellent arrangements support pupils and their families whose circumstances may make them most vulnerable. Highly effective partnerships with families have been created by the parent support adviser (PSA) and the member of staff responsible for pastoral care. A very positive consequence of these is that over recent months persistent absenteeism has been significantly reduced. Outstanding provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, ensure they receive exactly the individual support they need. Highly effective procedures are in place to support pupils as they move on to the next stage of their education.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning 2 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher’s considerable leadership and management skills have been utilised fully in creating a dedicated staff team, all of whom share the same vision and desire to give their best. Effective actions to widen leadership are successfully improving the impact of leaders and managers on the school. A significant strategy has been the introduction of ‘phase leader teams’, which take responsibility for managing different aspects of the school's work. Good monitoring ensures accurate self- evaluation that identifies the right areas for development. Regular and accurate assessment gives a sharp picture of pupils’ progress. Frequent reviews of data hold teachers to account and identify where to give further support. Well-chosen training ensures that staff are kept up to date and develop new skills to benefit pupils. These processes reinforce the drive for improvement and help teachers to ensure good

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How effective are leadership and management?

progress. Effective action to close gaps follows detailed analysis of the relative performance of different groups of pupils. The inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. The school, therefore, promotes equality of opportunity well and rigorously tackles any possibility of discrimination.

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How effective are leadership and management?

Governance is good. The effective and supportive governing body ensures safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements and takes appropriate action to monitor its compliance with regulations. Parents and carers have good opportunities to come into school and understand how well their children are doing, ensuring good links between school and home. Strong partnerships, particularly with the local church and with agencies from education, health and welfare, contribute well to supporting pupils’ personal development. The school has worked effectively since the previous inspection to improve its contribution to community cohesion. Good strategies are in place and are based on a good understanding of the school’s own context and strong links in the local area. As a result, it is making a significant difference to cohesion within the school and its community. Global awareness is valued. A link with a school in Sierra Leone is becoming stronger and extending the

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How effective are leadership and management?

pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning 2 The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make exceptionally good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. From starting points that for most are well below those typical for their age, children make outstanding progress. This is because teaching is of high quality. It is particularly strong in the nursery with some variation in the Reception class. The provision for communication, language and literacy and children’s personal development is outstandingly effective. Children participate well in their learning because staff develop tasks and activities that reflect children’s current interests and needs. A calm and well organised environment for learning indoors contributes to stability for children and promotes excellent behaviour. Outdoors, children enjoy a well-resourced and exciting area to learn and explore. Activities, such as using traditional stories, building rockets from boxes and sharing books with adults broaden significantly children’s confidence and creativity. Daily access to fruit and

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Early Years Foundation Stage

outdoor physical activities promote children’s welfare and secure very positive attitudes amongst children about the importance of healthy lifestyles. Exceptionally close attention is given to improving children’s communication and language skills. A significant number of children have speech and language difficulties. The very wide range of strategies employed by staff to help these children is highly effective in making sure they make very rapid progress. Staff keep detailed records of children’s daily learning in individual ‘learning journals’ and use assessment data outstandingly well to track individual’s attainment. Partnerships with parents and carers are very productive and there are excellent procedures for settling children into school when they start in the nursery. Transition to Year 1 is made extra special through a children’s ‘Graduation Day’. The excellence of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage is

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Early Years Foundation Stage

seen in its profound influence on children’s excellent progress and achievement. The excellent outcomes in the Early Years Foundation Stage provide a rock-solid foundation for children’s learning as they move up through the school.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation stage Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The inspection questionnaire response rate, at around 21%, is below the average found in primary schools. However, most parents and carers responded with wholly positive views of their children’s experiences. The vast majority of respondents strongly support the school and its leaders and the way in which the school meets their children’s needs, ensures their children enjoy school, are healthy and safe. Some parents and carers took the trouble to come to speak to an inspector to say how the school is making a positive difference to the lives of their families and how well the school has settled down since the amalgamation. The inspection findings support these positive views. A very small number of comments expressed negative views and inspectors thoroughly investigated all the general matters raised. Their findings are included within the report.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Rimrose Hope CofE 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 62 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 290 pupils registered at the school.

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questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 46 74 16 26 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 41 66 18 29 1 2 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 43 69 18 29 1 2 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 47 76 15 24 0 0 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 44 71 17 27 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child's learning 40 65 22 35 0 0 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 38 61 20 32 2 3 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) 38 61 21 34 0 0 0 0

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questionnaire

The school meets my child's particular needs 38 61 23 37 1 2 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 32 52 22 35 6 10 0 0

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questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 28 45 31 50 2 3 0 0

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questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 43 69 17 27 1 2 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 44 71 17 27 1 2 0 0

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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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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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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

Thank you all for making the inspectors so welcome when we came to your school. I would like to give special thanks to those who gave up time to talk to us about your work and how you enjoy school. You told us that you think your school is helping you to learn well and our inspection findings match your views. You work hard in school, and are rightly proud of what you achieve. Most of you know just what you need to do to get even better. You behave well and get on really well with each other.

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

You go to a good school and those children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make an outstanding start to their school life. The headteacher and all the staff make sure that you are safe and cared for very well. We can see that all the staff have been working hard to help you to learn better and it is proving successful. We saw how keen you are to learn and how your progress is good and rapidly improving.

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

One reason for our visit was to see how your school can improve. We have asked your school leaders to make sure that:

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

 everything is done to help you use the interesting things you learn across the curriculum to help to make your writing even better  teachers work with you to find out how well you are doing in subjects other than in English and mathematics  you are given more opportunities to find out more things out for yourselves.

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

I am sure that you will all help by continuing to do your very best in all you do.

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

I wish you the very best for the future.

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Inspection of Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School, Liverpool L21 1AD

David Byrne 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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