Reedness Primary School

Reedness Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 December 2011 Inspection number 379504 Unique Reference Number 117939 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 379504 Inspection dates 13–14 December 2011 Reporting inspector Lynne Blakelock

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 56 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Becky Dixon Headteacher Fran Ward Date of previous school inspection 6 February 2007 School address Reedness Goole DN14 8HG Telephone number 01405 704264 Fax number 01405 704264 Email address reedness.primary@eastriding.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 two additional inspectors, who observed four teachers in seven lessons. They held meetings with senior and subject leaders, with a group of pupils and with members of the governing body. The inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at documentation about pupils’ achievement, school improvement planning and a range of policies and procedures relating to safeguarding. They also analysed the staff and pupil questionnaires and the 30 questionnaires returned by parents and carers.

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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 effectiveness of planning in promoting the attainment of pupils who are capable of reaching higher levels.  The extent of pupils’ progress in writing through the school.  The extent of pupils’ involvement in evaluating their work and how far marking helps them to move forward.

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Information about the school

This is a small school, compared to others of its type, which serves the village and surrounding areas. Although the number on roll has fallen sharply in recent years it has shown a small rise recently. Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. A well above average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, of which most are moderate learning difficulties, relating to speech, language and communication.

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Information about the school

The school has been awarded Healthy School status, Sportsmark and Artsmark Gold. Since the last inspection, it has introduced Nursery education. The school has links with primary and secondary schools in the area to extend provision and to aid transition. The headteacher was appointed in September 2007. There have been several changes in staffing in recent years. The school provides a breakfast club. 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 satisfactory school. Pupils make satisfactory progress from the Early Years Foundation Stage onwards, achieving average levels in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The staff provide a secure, caring environment, in which pupils develop good personal skills through a wide range of opportunities, such as enterprise projects, taking on responsibilities around the school and their involvement in making decisions about improvements to the school. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, as seen in their good behaviour and high attendance rates. Parents and carers are valued partners in their children’s education and are given regular information to enable them to support their children’s learning.

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Main findings

Teaching is satisfactory. There has been some instability of staffing and inconsistencies in practice since the last inspection. Some teaching is good but overall pupils’ progress is restricted to satisfactory because tasks are not always carefully enough planned to provide good challenge, especially for those pupils with the potential to reach higher levels. Tasks do not regularly promote higher level thinking or provide good opportunities for the application of basic skills. Interesting themes and opportunities for pupils to learn independently, in most classes, promote their enthusiasm. Many pupils know their targets and know what to do to move to another level. Their evaluation of their learning and that of their peers is developing quickly. Marking is variable in the quality of information and advice it gives to pupils and the extent which teachers follow up whether pupils have acted on the teachers’

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Main findings

The impact of leaders and managers is satisfactory. The headteacher knows the school’s needs well through detailed evaluation of the school’s performance and all of the staff are focused on the key priorities for improvement. As a result, pupils are developing more secure skills, by, for example, the increasing provision for staff to listen to pupils’ reading. The major focus on writing is resulting in well-planned strategies from the Early Years Foundation Stage onwards that are steadily building up pupils’ sentence construction and comprehension skills and a range of writing styles. However, leaders’ and managers’ monitoring and evaluation do not consistently have a common goal or lead to a whole school focus, to promote quicker improvement across all classes. This is the case with improving pupils’ handwriting, spelling and punctuation. The governing body has a satisfactory impact on the school’s work, through its regular involvement. It does not yet have enough

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Main findings

independent information about pupils’ achievement to drive the school forward. The school has made satisfactory progress overall in the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. It demonstrates a satisfactory capacity to make and sustain improvements.

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Main findings

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate the pace of pupils’ progress and raise the levels achieved in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 through consistently good teaching by:  setting tasks that have a clear and specific purpose  providing an accurate level of challenge for pupils of all abilities, particularly those capable of reaching higher levels  ensuring marking informs pupils of their achievements and next steps  making sure pupils follow up the teacher’s comments in the marking of their work  ensuring pupils’ work includes accurate spelling and punctuation and neat handwriting.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the effectiveness of leaders and managers by:  ensuring senior and subject leaders work together on common priorities, to bring about whole school improvements  making sure the governing body adds to its knowledge and understanding by finding out for itself information about pupils’ achievement and asks challenging questions about pupils’ progress in order to help drive the school forward.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

All groups of pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals and those from minority ethnic groups enjoy learning, demonstrated by their high attendance, and achieve satisfactorily from variable and more recently, below the expected levels of knowledge and skills on entry. Many younger pupils are able to identify the sounds made by individual letters and small groups of letters. They are confident in transferring these into simple words and are developing their understanding that units of sound can have different letters but sound the same. Older pupils are using increasingly more powerful language in their extended writing. Boys and girls are equally engaged in learning. They are developing their skills in working independently and in pairs or small groups, although there are fewer opportunities for these ways of working in Years 1 and 2. Pupils show increasing skills in questioning others’ views and in making judgements about the correct course

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

of action. Handwriting practice is resulting in accurately formed letters and writing, although this is not always transferring well to writing tasks. There are weaknesses in pupils’ spelling and punctuation. In a mathematics lesson, pupils appreciated that the aim of learning was to understand the order of operations in solving a number problem. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making satisfactory progress through one-to-one support in, for example, writing simple sentences and in mental mathematics. Those with speech and language difficulties are becoming more proficient in forming words and articulating them clearly.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

The pupils show great commitment to keeping fit and are able to explain why it is important to do so. At lunchtime, they eat healthily and there are high participation rates in sporting activities. Both reflect the school’s Healthy School status and its Sportsmark award. Pupils feel safe because a programme of learning throughout the school builds up their knowledge and understanding of potential dangers and how to avoid them. In this small community, pupils learn and play in harmony and are supportive towards each other’s needs. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory overall, with good moral and social understanding gained through daily routines, the school’s ethos and the curriculum. They have a satisfactory understanding of the value and importance of people of all faiths and none and the different cultures represented in the United Kingdom. Together with their average attainment, pupils are satisfactorily prepared for secondary school.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 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 The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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How effective is the provision?

There are some common strengths in the teaching, including positive relationships between staff and pupils and teachers’ good knowledge of their subjects. There is often a brisk pace to learning and pupils cooperate well in the growing opportunities provided for them to apply their knowledge. Tasks are not always specific enough to ensure that pupils are fully clear about the purpose of learning, although in some lessons this feature is a strength. Teaching provides a range of activities for the different abilities represented in the class. There is however, not always a close enough match to the levels at which pupils are working to accelerate their progress to good, especially for those capable of reaching higher levels. Teaching assistants generally focus clearly on pupils’ individual needs and there is some good practice. However, on occasions, they are not sufficiently proactive throughout the lesson in

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How effective is the provision?

promoting pupils’ learning towards the specified goals.

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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 Most teachers assess pupils’ learning as the lesson proceeds and give helpful advice. In English, written marking tells pupils their achievements but less regularly offers advice about their next steps in learning. There is little evidence that teachers’ marking includes checks on whether previous advice has been followed by pupils.

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How effective is the provision?

Visits provide an effective stimulus to learning. Reading and writing are integrated into themes, as well as being taught discretely, and enable pupils to practise skills already learnt and develop new ones. Enterprise activities give pupils numerous opportunities to develop and practise skills that promote their good personal development and satisfactory achievement. Other partnerships, such as those with sports coaches, extend the range of activities in physical education. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are provided for satisfactorily, often individually. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is not part of everyday planning, although the school provides occasional out of school opportunities for them to build up their skills. Pupils enjoy information and communication technology (ICT), which is provided weekly to develop competences, with regular opportunities being

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How effective is the provision?

provided to use it as an aid to learning. A range of very popular after school activities, including art, sports and gardening, enable pupils to discover new interests and talents.

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils trust the staff and express confidence that they will help them. The school’s caring and supportive ethos is fundamental to its work and is founded on good systems, and effective links with outside agencies to support transition arrangements to secondary schools. The staff have a detailed understanding of the social and emotional needs of the pupils. Consequently, accurately targeted support and guidance has led to, for example, the growing confidence of a number of pupils, the improved readiness for learning of others and has contributed to high attendance. The breakfast club provides a harmonious and nutritious beginning to the day.

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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 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

The staff share the headteacher’s drive and ambition for the school and this is demonstrated in their good teamwork. The headteacher is working with the staff to strengthen the quality of teaching. All staff have specific subject responsibilities and are developing their monitoring roles, although the evaluation of initiatives falls too heavily on the shoulders of the headteacher alone. Leaders do not regularly share a common focus to quicken the impact of strategies undertaken to bring about improvements. The satisfactory progress of all groups of pupils throughout the school confirms the satisfactory equality of opportunity and freedom from discrimination. The school demonstrates its inclusivity by checking that all groups of pupils are involved in activities outside of lessons. Partnerships make a satisfactory impact on the curriculum and pupils’ achievement overall. A stronger aspect is the link with outside agencies which ensure that pupils,

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How effective are leadership and management?

whatever their needs and circumstances, are prepared effectively for secondary school. Good links with parents and carers are evident on a daily basis and family learning courses, the structured homework system and the curriculum information on the school’s website enable parents and carers to support their children’s learning.

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How effective are leadership and management?

Governance is satisfactory. The governing body knows the main strengths of the school and the key areas for improvement. It does not yet ask enough challenging questions about the progress of pupils or find out enough information for itself about their achievements, to be able to steer the school forward more successfully. Safeguarding arrangements are satisfactory. Community cohesion is promoted satisfactorily, with most of the focus being local, with developing national and international links.

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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 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 3 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 3 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 3 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The children settle quickly into the Nursery, helped by regular meetings with parents and carers and opportunities for the children to familiarise themselves with the routines and to meet other children.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The children make satisfactory progress because provision in both the Nursery and Reception is satisfactory. The staff provide a good balance of teacher-led and child- initiated activities, both in the classroom and outdoors, although there is not yet a free flow of activities from indoors to outdoors. The range of activities caters for the children’s interests and enables them to build on their experiences. A few opportunities are missed to broaden the children’s thinking and learning by questioning them as they learn for themselves. There is a major focus on promoting the children’s speech and communication; skills and activities undertaken reflect this priority. Letters and sounds are taught effectively each day and other activities enable the children to practise their skills. Children’s personal development is planned for daily, both in activities and daily routines. They behave sensibly and cooperate well with other children and with the

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Early Years Foundation Stage

staff. The importance of eating healthily and learning safely is regularly reinforced. As a result, the children can explain the foods and activities that help them to stay healthy, as well as moving safely round the indoor and outdoor area. They are proud to be entrusted with responsibilities, which also promote their independence.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

There have been several changes in the leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage over recent years. However, skills in organising learning across the mixed-age and key stage groups, and the accuracy of the planning to match the children’s needs, are developing satisfactorily. Recording of children’s learning shows appropriate coverage of the different aspects of learning at this stage of the year.

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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 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

More than half of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire. They unanimously agreed with many of the statements. A few parents and carers added comments, praising the ‘challenging and exciting environment’, ‘excellent interaction with parents and carers’, and the ‘high quality support for pupils with communication difficulties’. A few parents and carers had individual concerns. The inspectors judged that the pupils make satisfactory progress, rather than good and that pupils capable of reaching higher levels are not always challenged appropriately in their learning. Behaviour throughout the inspection and evidence from the school’s records showed that behaviour is good.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Reedness 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 30 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 56 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 22 73 8 27 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 13 43 17 57 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 13 43 16 53 1 3 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 14 47 16 53 0 0 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 14 47 14 47 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child's learning 11 37 16 53 2 7 1 3 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 10 33 19 63 1 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) 12 40 15 50 0 0 0 0

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questionnaire

The school meets my child's particular needs 13 43 15 50 1 3 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 6 20 23 77 1 3 0 0

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questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 9 30 16 53 5 17 0 0

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questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 11 37 14 47 3 10 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 14 47 14 47 2 7 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 nationall y, 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 Reedness Primary School, Goole DN14 8HG

We enjoyed meeting you and watching you learning, during our recent visit. Thank you for making us welcome and for sharing with us your views about your school. We have considered them in the judgements that we have made.

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Inspection of Reedness Primary School, Goole DN14 8HG

Your school gives you a satisfactory education. You make satisfactory progress through the school and reach average levels in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. This is because teaching is satisfactory. You are keen to learn and say that learning is fun. You like the wide range of opportunities, including themes and visits, which motivate you to learn. In particular, you enjoy learning for yourselves and using ICT to develop your skills. The staff promote your personal development well. They give you regular opportunities to take on responsibilities, work in teams and to make decisions. You behave sensibly and show your positive attitudes towards school in your high levels of attendance.

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Inspection of Reedness Primary School, Goole DN14 8HG

Inspectors judge that the progress you make needs to quicken so that the levels you reach can rise. I have asked your headteacher to make sure that you are given clear and specific activities in lessons that are at the right level for each of you to help you make faster progress, particularly for those of you who can reach higher levels. We also want there to be a greater focus on ensuring you write neatly and improve your spelling and punctuation. The marking of your work needs to include comments on both your achievements and the next steps to take, and teachers will check that their advice is acted upon. School leaders and managers are going to check your progress very regularly and the governors are also going to review your performance.

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Inspection of Reedness Primary School, Goole DN14 8HG

I hope that you will help the staff to make these improvements by working as hard as you can and by taking the advice that the teachers give you.

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Inspection of Reedness Primary School, Goole DN14 8HG

Lynne Blakelock 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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