Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 9–10 May 2012 Inspection number 378966 Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 114945 Local authority Essex Inspection number 378966 Inspection dates 9–10 May 2012 Lead inspector Christine Field

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 183 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Graham Jobson Headteacher Sue Dawson Date of previous school inspection 4 February 2008 School address School Road Kelvedon Hatch Brentwood CM15 0DH Telephone number 01277 372341 Fax number 01277 372341 Email address admin@kelvedonhatch.essex.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’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons, with 9 hours in total spent observing seven teachers and most teaching assistants. Inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and groups of pupils. Informal discussions were held with parents and carers during the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at policies, sampled pupils’ books in English and mathematics, and heard pupils read. They checked progress data, safeguarding records and evidence of the monitoring of teaching and learning. They examined 62 questionnaires from parents and carers, 96 from pupils in Key Stage 2 and 14 from staff.

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Information about the school

The school is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary and serves the village of Kelvedon Hatch plus surrounding area. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. A small group of pupils are from Traveller families. The school exceeded the current floor standards in 2011. These are the minimum standards expected by the government.

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Information about the school

The school has been accredited with the Advanced Healthy Schools Award and Activemark. The school was without a deputy headteacher at the time of the inspection due to his promotion to headship. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school that nurtures pupils’ good personal and academic achievements. It is not yet outstanding because there is still some teaching which could be improved and the progress of a small but significant group of pupils is hampered by persistent absence.

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Key findings

 Achievement is good for the vast majority of learners. Attainment is above average at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils who are particularly vulnerable, including those who are disabled or who have special educational needs including statements, achieve well. However, the irregular attendance of a small number of pupils is a barrier that results in their satisfactory rather than good achievement.

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Key findings

 Teaching is good and enables most pupils to make good progress. At its best, teaching inspires boys and girls to work on exciting tasks that extend their learning at a rapid pace. Occasionally, a lack of challenge and the style of teaching limit the quality of work completed by the most able. Inconsistencies in the use of assessment, including marking, result in pupils not always knowing how they can improve on their personal best and reach the highest level.

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Key findings

 Pupils enjoy school because of strong friendships and caring staff who respond well to their needs. Behaviour is good overall and pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. The few instances of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with well and most parents and carers value this. Pupils say they feel safe as a consequence.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are good. The strong leadership of teaching and robust self-evaluation underpin the school’s continuing track record of good overall effectiveness. Attendance is improving due to the school’s actions; however, persistent absence and the link to achievement are not checked closely enough. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well by a rich curriculum. 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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that progress is consistently good or better in all lessons by July 2013 by ensuring that:  the assessment of pupils’ prior learning is used consistently to define more precisely the intended learning gains in each lesson for all pupils  activities provide the right level of challenge so that learning for all pupils, and in particular the more able, moves at a good pace  the right balance is struck between the input of the teacher and the amount of good-quality work completed by all pupils  marking identifies how well pupils are working towards their targets and how they can move up a level.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Reduce the impact of persistent absence on pupils’ achievements by July 2013 by:  working productively with parents and carers to reduce persistent absence  analysing the patterns of absence of different groups of pupils to see what the impact is on their achievement and target further support as required  setting a target of 96% attendance in all years.

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Achievement of pupils

The vast majority of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire expressed the view that their children make good progress and enjoy their learning. Inspectors agree.

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Achievement of pupils

When children join the Reception classes their skills and knowledge are typically at the level expected for their age except in personal development, communication, language and literacy which are less strong. Learning is successful during the Early Years Foundation Stage because teaching is effective and practitioners have a clear understanding about the learning and personal development needs of young children. As a result, progress is good and most children reach the levels expected nationally by the time they transfer to Year 1; a few children exceed them.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils of all abilities continue to consolidate their learning during Key Stage 1 with consistently good progress evident in reading due to the systematic attention given to phonics (linking letters with the sounds they make). Occasionally, progress slackens off for the more-able learners because the tasks they are set are not well enough matched to their needs and they do not accomplish as much as they should.

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Achievement of pupils

During Key Stage 2, boys and girls make increasingly good progress to reach standards above those expected. Attainment in reading is above expected levels across the school, including for lower-attaining pupils, due to the school’s effective 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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Achievement of pupils

strategies which include regular practice and good home reading support. Progress occasionally slows in lower Key Stage 2 because lessons are interrupted by the few pupils for whom good behaviour is a personal challenge and who sometimes distract others. Progress accelerates in Years 5 and 6 where pupils are highly motivated, keen to answer questions and readily tackle the challenging tasks and activities set. This was exemplified in a geography lesson in Year 6 where pupils considered the environmental impact that a new hotel development would have on the coastline. They built compelling arguments and debated convincingly from the viewpoints of the many and varied interest groups.

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement overall is good. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs including statements achieve well. They benefit significantly from the tailor- made one-to-one and small-group sessions that effectively assist their next steps in learning. Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those for whom circumstances may make them vulnerable achieve well compared to those nationally. However, a small number of pupils do not achieve as much as they could due to their irregular attendance.

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Quality of teaching

Most parents and carers regard teaching as good and inspectors agree. Teachers’ high expectations and good subject knowledge enable pupils to work enthusiastically and with sustained interest. Good behaviour management results in a settled and purposeful working ethos. The behaviour of one or two pupils very occasionally results in low-level disruption but this is quickly sorted out. Small-group work for the most-vulnerable pupils including those with special educational needs is highly effective and produces good gains in learning, especially during the early morning phonics sessions.

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Quality of teaching

Good teaching was observed in all year groups. In the most successful lessons, typically in Reception, Years 5 and 6, boys and girls learn very effectively because precise learning objectives and success criteria are explained very clearly. Everyone is clear about what is expected, they work at a brisk pace, are set motivating tasks and become engrossed in the additional challenges provided that push their knowledge and skills forward. This was well illustrated in an outstanding English lesson in Year 6 in which pupils wrote high-quality, well-structured paragraphs using similes, exciting phrases and accurate well-chosen punctuation to describe ‘action’.

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Quality of teaching

In the occasional less effective lesson, imprecise learning intentions, a slower pace and lack of challenge inhibit good progress. Occasionally, when pupils sit for too long listening to instructions, for example in a science lesson about how shadows are formed, they lose interest and their behaviour suffers. Marking is regular and typically encouraging, but it does not always make clear how pupils can improve their work and sometimes opportunities are missed to link comments to pupils’ next step targets. 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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Quality of teaching

Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively. Clever ideas for lessons seek to hook pupils’ curiosity and imagination right from the outset. For example, in an English lesson in Year 1, the pupils wore pirate hats and went on an imaginary sea voyage looking for treasure before writing the settings for their stories about pirates. Teachers use good questioning techniques that deepen pupils’ critical thinking skills, for example when working out how to change fractions to percentages in Year 5 or by enabling individuals in Year 4 to follow their own lines of enquiry as they research the effects of the River Nile flooding.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour is managed very well by teachers who ensure that all pupils have an equal and fair chance to learn successfully. From the Early Years Foundation Stage onwards pupils show good attitudes to lessons which make an important contribution to their achievement. Relationships are highly respectful and assist the pupils’ good sense of well-being. The school’s inclusive ethos is one of its strengths. For some pupils with special educational needs, good behaviour is a personal challenge. They respond well to the effective support of staff, who provide very positive role models and help these pupils to manage their emotions successfully and limit any disruption.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Instances of unacceptable behaviour, bullying or racist incidents are dealt with effectively and most parents and carers value this. However, a small minority identify behavioural problems as an issue. Pupils’ views, the school’s records and the inspection findings confirm that behaviour is usually good, with everyone getting on well together and building strong friendships. The use of ‘Golden Time’, which is accrued by behaving well, offers a good incentive with all classes enjoying the opportunity to have time on Fridays for such treats as extra play, completing maths challenges on the computer or icing cakes. Pupils told inspectors that they know about all forms of bullying and how to deal with any instances that may arise. They say that ‘name calling’ upsets some children and the school takes a tough line when this happens. As a consequence, pupils feel safe and well looked after. The words of one pupil sum up the views of many, ‘School is like my second home.’

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils identify that the school’s policies and strategies for rewards and sanctions are fair and result in a happy and harmonious community. The new behaviour policy has been posted on line but the school recognises that not all parents and carers may have seen it and will be circulating it more widely. Exclusions are a last resort sanction, and there have not been any for many years. Punctuality to lessons is good and attendance is improving due to the school’s concerted actions; however, a handful of pupils are having time off and leaders have yet to fully analyse what impact this has on their ability to achieve to the full. 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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Leadership and management

All key leaders, including members of the governing body, have a clear vision for taking the school forward based on high aspirations which are shared by all staff and focus on maximising the achievements of every pupil. As one member of staff said, ‘The children are our biggest asset and all staff are deeply committed to their successful learning and have very high standards.’ The embedding of essential monitoring systems, rigorous use of progress-tracking data to tackle any individual underachievement and robust self-evaluation procedures have enabled leaders and managers to take on board the issues from the last inspection and build good capacity to sustain continuous improvement.

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Leadership and management

The school has effective systems to improve further the quality of teaching. Teachers work as a well-integrated team and are well deployed to enable those new to the profession to be well supported by more experienced colleagues. Strategies such as lesson monitoring, together with well-targeted professional development and robust performance management, are helping to iron out inconsistencies and promote best practice, for example in the use of assessment and marking.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is broad, balanced and stimulating and provides a good range of creative, sporting and musical enrichment activities. Pupils learn to speak French and Spanish and benefit from visits to the theatre and other places of interest which supports their good spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. Links with parents and carers are forged well, with most saying they would be pleased to recommend the school to others. Although regular attendance is promoted, patterns of absence by different groups are not checked closely enough. This is one area where the partnership with some parents and carers is not yet strong enough.

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Leadership and management

The governing body has a good knowledge of the school and is proactive in supporting next steps improvement. Governors carry out their duties as ‘critical friends’ effectively providing support and injecting challenge into decision making as required. The governing body together with senior leaders are relentless in ensuring that arrangements to eliminate any discrimination and keep pupils safe meet statutory requirements.

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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 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data 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. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour: how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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 governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety: how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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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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CM15 0DH

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave us when we came to inspect your school. We enjoyed talking with you, and reading your questionnaire responses.

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CM15 0DH

You go to a good school that is providing you with a good education. We found that good teaching is enabling most of you to make good progress in lessons and to achieve well from your starting points. Occasionally, some of you and in particular more-able learners could make better progress if you were always set work that matches your needs. We have asked teachers to look at this when they plan lessons so that you learn as much as possible in the time available, to make sure that activities give you just the right amount of challenge, and that marking makes clear how you can improve your work and reach your personal targets.

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CM15 0DH

It was great to see your good attitudes and positive behaviour in lessons and around the school and to know that this is typical. You told us that you feel safe and that, although there is very occasional bullying, it is dealt with quickly and fairly. It was very pleasing to hear that you enjoy school because of strong friendships and because the staff are caring and supportive. Someone said, ‘All teachers are kind and help you do well,’ and this sums up what many others told us. The staff work successfully to develop your confidence and to encourage you to reflect on your behaviour, especially those of you who find self-discipline a bit of a challenge. This helps you to develop mature attitudes and be well prepared for the future.

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CM15 0DH

Your attendance is currently satisfactory rather than good because a few pupils are away a lot and this lowers the overall percentage. We have asked the school to work with your parents and carers to make sure that attendance improves and no one misses out on their learning if it can be helped. You can help by having good attendance, always doing your best work and letting your teacher know if you require more challenge.

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CM15 0DH

We wish you every success in the future.

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CM15 0DH

Christine Field 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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