Greystoke Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 2–3 May 2012 Inspection number 378425 Unique Reference Number 112111 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 378425 Inspection dates 2–3 May 2012 Lead inspector Naomi Taylor

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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 42 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Danks Headteacher Jeanette Matthews Date of previous school inspection 6 November 2007 School address Icold Road Greystoke Penrith CA11 0TP Telephone number 01768 483572 Fax number - Email address admin@greystoke.cumbria.sch.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 inspector observed two teachers and visited 11 lessons. Discussions were held with school staff, groups of pupils, parents and carers, a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body. The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation, including safeguarding documents, the school’s self- evaluation and development plans, local authority evaluations, records of pupils’ attainment and progress, and pupils’ work. The inspector took account of the responses to the online Parent View survey in planning the inspection. The responses in questionnaires from 26 parents and carers, 42 pupils and six staff were also analysed.

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Information about the school

This is a smaller than average primary school. Almost all pupils are White British. The proportion known to be eligible for free school meals is half the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus is average and that of those who have a statement of special educational needs is lower than average.

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Information about the school

The headteacher has a substantial teaching commitment in addition to senior management responsibilities. Pupils are taught in two mixed-age classes. One class has children in the Reception Year and pupils in Years 1 and 2. The other class comprises Years 3, 4, 5, and 6. Since the previous inspection, the school has gained Artsmark Gold, Healthy Schools status and silver Eco-award. The school meets the current floor standards, which set the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress. 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. Good leadership and management have brought about improvements in provision which have led to pupils’ good achievement. This is not yet an outstanding school because the quality of teaching is no better than good overall, thus leading to too few Year 2 and Year 6 pupils attaining the higher levels for their ages in mathematics. Pupils, parents and carers are very positive about the school.

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Key Findings

 Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils’ overall attainment is above average by the end of Year 6, and well above average in English. Occasionally, pupils show a lack of ability and confidence in applying their mental mathematics skills when working on number sentences and problem solving.

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Key Findings

 The quality of teaching is good. Most lessons are well planned, have good pace and teachers and the teaching assistants use a range of activities to meet individual pupils’ needs both in school and outdoors. This, together with effective assessment and marking, ensures pupils are highly engaged in their learning. Occasionally, there is lack of challenge to ensure pupils reach the higher levels in mathematics.

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Key Findings

 Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school and have very positive attitudes to learning. They have exceptionally high levels of respect for each other and for staff and visitors to the school. Those who join the school other than at the usual times are quickly made to feel part of an extremely strong school community.   Leaders and managers, including the governing body, have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. The theme- and topic-based curriculum engages the learners but there are missed opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills to real-life situations. Performance management is used well to improve the quality of teaching and to enhance pupils’ achievement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning, to increase attainment at the higher levels in mathematics by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, by: - building pupils’ ability and confidence in using mental mathematics by encouraging them to consistently apply these skills when working on number sentences and problem solving - extending the opportunities for pupils to appreciate the way in which mathematics is used in everyday life.

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Achievement of pupils

Evidence from lesson observations demonstrates that most pupils are fully engaged in learning and are making good progress. The school’s good support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs leads to their good progress.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils show excitement and interest in their work. For example, in a Year 2 English lesson, pupils were very keen to engage in discussion about their environmental walk in the village the previous day. Using photographs that they had taken, pupils were reminded of the examples of well-cared for public places and how residents are encouraged to recycle various items. In small groups, they then analysed how the local environment could be improved. Prompted by thought-provoking questioning from the teacher, they were highly engaged in developing their descriptive vocabulary, speaking, listening and writing skills. At times, pupils lack confidence in using their numeracy skills, including mental mathematics, when solving problems and interpreting number sentences.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start school with skills and knowledge that vary from year to year but are generally in line with those expected for their age other than in number and communication. Through the Early Years Foundation Stage children achieve well. Pupils continue to make good progress overall in Key Stages 1 and 2. Overall attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average and well above average in English. All parents and carers believe that their children are making good progress and this was evident during the inspection.

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Achievement of pupils

Key Stage 1 pupils who read to the inspector used their reading skills to break down and sound out difficult or unfamiliar words and demonstrated an understanding of what they had read. Attainment in reading is above average by the end of Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress in reading due to the impact of whole- school teaching of the links between letters and sounds. All pupils show enthusiasm for reading and they are encouraged to explore a wide range of books. They have an excellent understanding of the importance of reading both for their schoolwork and for their future. Attainment in reading is well above average by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching is good, reflecting parents’ and carers’ positive views. Some teaching is outstanding: it is exceptionally well planned, with rapid pace, and uses a variety of activities drawn from the planned curriculum which fully engage and enthuse pupils. For example, in a Key Stage 2 English lesson, pupils were highly motivated in extending their vocabulary to use in their writing. The inspirational headteacher used exceptionally skilled questioning techniques to help the pupils to recall their experience at Hawes End. During this residential trip, they had, in costume, re-enacted scenes from the Titanic and pupils built upon this to enhance their creative writing. Pupils worked exceptionally well together and, with talk partners, they demonstrated extensive vocabulary. Highly skilled storytelling by the headteacher enthralled every pupil and fired their imagination. Pupils were excited

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Quality of teaching

and immersed, using wide and rich vocabulary and very relevant experiences to help them write their story. All ability ranges were given well-matched challenges to maximise their learning. Such lessons demonstrate the strong impact of teaching on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents’ and carers’ views are reflected in a comment by one parent about how the school has ‘inspired my child with a love of learning.’

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Quality of teaching

In lessons that are satisfactory, learning activities for pupils of different abilities were not always so precisely met. For example, in a Reception and Key Stage 1 mathematics lesson, the more able pupils were not secure in their learning from the previous day about shapes which have right angles. They were unsure in identifying such shapes outdoors and their recording of what they had noticed demonstrated this. Similarly, some of the Key Stage 2 pupils were not secure in their ability to apply their mental mathematics skills to their number sentences and problem solving and they sometimes struggled to find the correct answers to the teacher’s questions. The opportunities to promote pupils’ numeracy skills by seeing the impact of mathematics on everyday life are not frequent enough.

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Quality of teaching

Marking regularly provides pupils with very clear information about the next steps to improve their work. Information obtained from the rigorous tracking of pupils’ progress enables teachers to set realistic and challenging targets which pupils know and understand. Older pupils are given the opportunity to reflect on their own work and that of others, and this was demonstrated in lessons and in their work books.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour and safety are outstanding. Pupils overwhelmingly say they feel extremely safe in school and they are confident that they can turn to any adults if they have any concerns. They have an outstanding understanding of the risks to which they may be exposed. This was evident during the inspection from the risk assessments seen and also from the way that pupils discussed their many and varied opportunities beyond the school environment including residential trips to London, Edinburgh and Stratford. Attendance is above the national average and pupils arrive punctually to school. Pupils behave exceptionally well in and around school. Pupils, parents and carers agree that behaviour is of a very high standard. One parent wrote that this is a ‘friendly, small school environment where my child is valued and treated as an individual.’ This echoes the views of all parents and carers. There is no evidence of

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

bullying and there is great confidence that it would be dealt with efficiently and effectively should such occurrences arise. The effective curriculum raises pupils’ awareness of different types of bullying and pupils are encouraged to discuss their views and opinions on a range of topics. Groups of pupils in Key Stage 2 enjoy the responsibility of supporting the younger children. ‘Pupil voice’ is a real strength of the school. Examples are the school council and the role of house captain, which involve pupils working with staff to make improvements to school life. Digital leaders support other pupils using technology and are ambassadors for the safe use of the internet.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher, staff and the governing body have worked successfully to raise attainment since the last inspection and this is reflected in well-above-average attainment in English, particularly in reading. The headteacher has worked very effectively with all staff and the governing body to focus on identifying the school’s strengths and areas for development. Consequently, there have been improvements in pupils' overall progress, which combined with the pupils’ exceptional behaviour, demonstrate the school’s good capacity to improve further. With a new tracking system, the impact of new initiatives to raise achievement is monitored closely and pupils’ progress is clear. The impact of improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in lessons is seen in the increasing rate of pupils’ progress and the quality of their work, much of which is displayed around the school and promotes high standards of presentation. The headteacher works very effectively to support the

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Leadership and management

professional development of all staff and acknowledges the need for teachers to provide more challenge in mathematics lessons to ensure that those pupils who are capable reach the higher levels for their age.

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Leadership and management

Safeguarding procedures fully meet requirements and the school effectively promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination. Appropriate interventions accelerate the progress of those identified as potentially falling behind. There is an extremely strong ethos of respect and knowing right from wrong.

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Leadership and management

The school is at the heart of the village community, which is reflected in the involvement of pupils and local residents in events such as the annual pageant at Christmas. Staff and pupils have been engaged in developing a curriculum which is increasing the opportunities for learning outdoors. The pupils thrive on stimulating topics, such as the Romans, and there are numerous opportunities for pupils to re- enact situations which capture their imagination. There are occasions across the curriculum when opportunities are missed to make pupils aware of how mathematics is used in everyday life. All pupils are involved in extra-curricular activities and the school has many sporting achievements. All Key Stage 2 pupils learn to play a brass instrument and perform at a range of venues. Through this and an extensive range of trips, visitors and residential opportunities, the pupils extend their knowledge and

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Leadership and management

understanding of life beyond the village. These activities also impact well on the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 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 ).

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Type of school 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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Greystoke School, Penrith, CA11 0TP

 Thank you for the exceptionally warm welcome to the inspection team when we came to inspect your school recently. The very high standard of your work displayed around the school reflects the pride that you take in your learning. The many and varied opportunities that your teachers provide beyond the school environment helps to stimulate your imagination and you demonstrated how much you enjoy learning.

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Inspection of Greystoke School, Penrith, CA11 0TP

You attend a good school which is at the heart of the village community. Staff do all they can to encourage and support you. The teaching you receive is good and improving. Your exceptionally good behaviour and the high level of respect you show for each other and the adults around you, both in lessons and outside school, ensure that you have a very safe environment. You are extremely good at looking after each other and this helps the younger children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to settle quickly into school.

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Inspection of Greystoke School, Penrith, CA11 0TP

We have asked that the school improves further the quality of teaching and learning, to raise your attainment in mathematics by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, by:  building your ability and confidence in using mental mathematics by encouraging you to consistently use these skills when working on number sentences and problem solving  extending the opportunities to see the way that mathematics is used in everyday life.

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Inspection of Greystoke School, Penrith, CA11 0TP

You can help by continuing to attend school regularly and by working hard in all your lessons.

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Inspection of Greystoke School, Penrith, CA11 0TP

Naomi Taylor Lead Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspect ions', 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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