Cosgrove Village Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 22–23 May 2012 Inspection number 380327 Cosgrove Village Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 121811 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 380327 Inspection dates 22–23 May 2012 Lead inspector Christopher Parker

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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 50 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Angela Shepherd Headteacher Elizabeth Behrens Date of previous school inspection 10 July 2008 School address 3 Bridge Road Cosgrove MK19 7JH Telephone number 01908 562641 Fax number 01908 562641 Email address bursar@cosgrove.northants-ecl.gov.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in educatio n 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 inspector visited eight lessons taught by three teachers, and made a number of shorter visits. He talked to the pupils and scrutinised samples of their work. The inspector also met with representatives of the governing body and the member of staff with additional responsibility for leading mathematics. He took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection; observed the school’s work; and looked at records of behaviour, safeguarding arrangements, records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching, and the school’s plan for further development. He analysed responses to questionnaires from 34 parents and 25 pupils.

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Information about the school

This is a much smaller than average primary school. The proportion of pupils at School Action Plus and with statements of special educational needs is broadly average. A smaller proportion of pupils than usual are known to be eligible for free school meals. Almost all of the pupils speak English as their first language and the vast majority are from White British backgrounds. The school met the floor target for the minimum standard expected by the government in 2011.

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Information about the school

Some of the pupils come from the village, but many travel to school from other villages and from Milton Keynes. A new school hall opened last year, considerably enhancing the accommodation.

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Information about the school

The school has received a range of awards, including the Activemark and National Healthy School Status. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is ina dequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is an outstanding school. The pupils benefit from excellent teaching that takes full advantage of the small number of pupils in each class. As a result, they make rapid progress across the curriculum.

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Key findings

 Achievement is outstanding. The children do exceptionally well in the Reception Year and continue to make progress at a rapid rate in Years 1 to 6, though their progress is marginally better in reading and writing than in mathematics. By the end of Year 6, their attainment is above average.

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Key findings

 The teachers and teaching assistants combine very effectively to challenge all groups of pupils. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs benefit considerably from the small-group and individual support which they receive. Tasks are carefully modified to meet the needs of the range of ages and abilities in each class. Marking of the pupils’ work provides detailed feedback in English but, although always helpful, it does not give pupils as much information about how to improve in mathematics.

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Key findings

 Behaviour and safety are excellent. The pupils are very polite and respectful; they support each other’s learning very effectively and are very positive about the many activities the school provides for them. The school provides a safe and very caring environment, within which the pupils thrive.

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Key findings

 The headteacher manages the performance of teaching very successfully. She has driven a programme of improvement that has resulted in a high level of consistency in the quality of teaching, and a high-quality curriculum which motivates the pupils. The school manages its resources very skilfully to provide an exceptionally broad range of opportunities for its size. The development of literacy skills across the curriculum is highly successful. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is ina dequate 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?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress in mathematics even more, so that it is as rapid as progress in reading and writing, by always marking the pupils’ work in detail so that they know how to improve and what they need to learn next.

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Achievement of pupils

The range of children’s skills and knowledge when they start school varies considerably from year to year. Typically, they are a little below those expected for their age. Children make exceptionally good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage through activities led by adults and those they choose themselves.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment is above average. In the last few years, the results of national tests and assessments at the end of Years 2 and 6 have improved. The school’s comprehensive records of the pupils’ progress and the work in their books confirm that excellent teaching is resulting in the pupils making rapid gains in their skills and knowledge. Almost all of the parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire agreed that their child is making good progress. The inspector found that the pupils are making exceptionally good progress in reading and writing, but that their progress is not quite as rapid in mathematics. Nevertheless, the pupils still do extremely well in mathematics because activities are interesting and engage the pupils. For example, older pupils explored the ratio of their height to their arm span and compared it to that of Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer. In reading, pupils’ skills are above

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Achievement of pupils

average at the end of Year 2 and by the time they leave school.

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Achievement of pupils

The pupils make excellent progress in lessons. Girls and boys do as well as each other. The teaching of the sounds that letters make is systematic, fast paced and well focused, and underpins the excellent progress that the pupils are making in reading and writing. Pupils write for a range of purposes and in different styles, often reflecting the broad range of activities in which they are engaged, such as their recent work on the local aqueduct which also included some high-quality art work. Their work in science and in information and communication technology is also of a high standard.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are supported very effectively. Teaching assistants provide very effective small-group and one-to-one teaching and additional instruction to improve the reading, writing and mathematical skills of these pupils.

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Quality of teaching

A key feature of the excellent teaching is the way in which tasks are carefully matched to what small groups and individual pupils need to learn next. This is highly Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is ina dequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

effective in English, where the teachers’ marking and use of assessment result in the pupils making excellent progress. While the same approaches are in place for teaching mathematics, the marking of the pupils’ work is sometimes not as detailed or refined, and this contributes to their progress being slightly slower than it is in English. The teachers provide much verbal feedback throughout lessons and the pupils say that their teachers are always willing to give them extra help if they ask.

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Quality of teaching

In English the teaching of writing is very assured. In Years 2 and 3 the teacher set the pupils carefully modified tasks, all linked to writing a character description. The teacher modelled the process and discussed in detail the ‘tools’ the pupils should use. As a result, the pupils were able to immediately work towards and, by the end of the lesson, successfully meet the criteria the teacher had set for each small group. The teachers and teaching assistants have benefited from comprehensive training in the teaching of reading and spelling. The teaching of the sounds that letters make is very effective and is proving particularly beneficial for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. The youngest children are also benefiting from excellent teaching of these sounds. They do exceptionally well through a range of activities led by adults and those they choose for themselves. Children make

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Quality of teaching

particularly good use of the outdoor area to ‘drive’ a London bus and to ‘build’ Big Ben. Adult questioning and conversation rapidly develops their confidence and their use of language. All of the parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire indicate that they are pleased with the quality of teaching.

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Quality of teaching

The teachers very effectively promote the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through both the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. In science, for example, the older pupils were captivated by an investigation into how microorganisms are dispersed by sneezing. Through independent research, pupils were similarly engrossed in finding out about Sikhism. Extra-curricular opportunities are diverse and include ‘Wow’ workshops, cricket competitions and a film club.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school strongly promotes the pupils’ personal development based on the headteacher’s knowledge of and commitment to a comprehensive programme of personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils show a great deal of respect for each other and for the adults. Discussions with Year 6 pupils illustrated how well they have worked together as they have moved through the school. They recognise their own and each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and openly articulate how they have benefited from providing each other with help and support.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school is a safe and caring community, as all of the parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire agree. One typical comment from a parent stated, ‘The school has a real family atmosphere… the staff really care about the children’s well- being and development.’ Pupils know how to keep themselves safe – for example, when using the internet. The school provides the pupils with very attractive conditions for learning. Although classrooms are small, they contain vibrant displays that value the pupils’ work and illustrate high expectations of what can be achieved, Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is ina dequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

alongside prompts and reminders that strongly promote the pupils’ skills, particularly in literacy.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour in lessons is impeccable. Pupils settle to the tasks they are set quickly, concentrate fully on their work, and show a high degree of perseverance. They manage their own behaviour very well. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. This is evident in lessons and also in the independent projects they complete for homework, which are evaluated by the pupil, their parents and the teacher. Pupils thoroughly enjoy lessons and the wide range of activities the school provides for them. This was illustrated very well when ‘a very good friend of the Queen’ arrived in assembly to ascertain how much the pupils had found out about the Olympic Games and the Diamond Jubilee. The older pupils recall their involvement in school performances with pride, and cite them as the highlights of their time at school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave exceptionally well, for example in assembly and at playtimes. They agree that bullying is rare and that, should it occur, the school takes it very seriously. Pupils know what to do if they have concerns. Through the school’s programme of personal development they are very aware of different forms of bullying. Parents are highly positive about behaviour in the school. Attendance has improved and is above average.

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Leadership and management

Since the school was last inspected, the headteacher and teachers have built, very successfully, on its many good and outstanding features. Although the headteacher has a part-time teaching commitment, she assiduously monitors and evaluates the teachers’ planning, their lessons, the pupils’ work in their books and the pupils’ progress. As a result, she has a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of how effective teaching and learning are throughout the school. She uses this to great effect to discuss each child’s progress with their teacher and to successfully plan, implement and evaluate improvements in the quality of teaching. Incisive management of the teachers’ performance is carefully aligned with a programme of training. The members of the teaching team, who all have additional responsibilities, work together very closely and with great success to manage and continually improve the curriculum. The governing body are very well informed and are fully

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Leadership and management

involved in evaluating the school’s performance and identifying priorities for further improvement. The headteacher and governors undertake detailed evaluations of how successful improvement activities have been. The school is very strongly placed to continue to improve.

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Leadership and management

The very close attention given to the progress and development of each pupil provides strong evidence of the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity. The headteacher’s particularly productive links with parents and external agencies mean that there is comprehensive understanding and support for the needs of each individual pupil. This ensures that all have equal access to the curriculum. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Safeguarding arrangements meet Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is ina dequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

requirements and are closely monitored by the governing body.

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Leadership and management

Most parents hold the school in high regard. They say they feel well informed. The monthly newsletters provide both a detailed insight into many of the activities in which the pupils have been involved and a calendar of forthcoming events. These newsletters also chronicle very strong evidence that the curriculum is excellent and supplemented by an impressive range of visitors, visits, activities, celebrations and events which enhance, extend and enrich 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. 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 ). 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

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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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Cosgrove Village Primary School, Cosgrove, MK19 7JH

Thank you for making me so welcome in your school and for being so willing to talk to me about your work. I am particularly grateful to the pupils in Year 6 who gave up their lunchtime to tell me about your school. One of the most impressive things about your school is the way that you work so well together. The Year 6 pupils told me how they had grown up together in school, and shared the things they are good at to help each other to succeed.

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Inspection of Cosgrove Village Primary School, Cosgrove, MK19 7JH

You go to an outstanding school which helps you to make excellent progress because your teachers and teaching assistants work very closely with you, sometimes in small groups and sometimes on your own. A few of you said that you are not always sure how well you are doing. I looked into this and found that the teachers give you a lot of feedback, but I have asked them to give you a bit more guidance on how to improve in mathematics because your progress in it is not quite as fast as it is in reading and writing.

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Inspection of Cosgrove Village Primary School, Cosgrove, MK19 7JH

The teachers have very high expectations of you. As a result, almost all of you always do your best work and behave extremely well. I could see that you are proud of your work, both in your books and that displayed on the walls. Your artwork is really attractive. The teachers make lessons enjoyable and you have many visits, visitors and events that make school interesting. I found the information, about the Olympics Games, that you gave the ‘very good friend of the Queen’ when she visited your assembly, very interesting. I hope when she returns you’ll be able to give her more interesting facts!

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Inspection of Cosgrove Village Primary School, Cosgrove, MK19 7JH

You can help the school get better and better by continuing to work hard.

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Inspection of Cosgrove Village Primary School, Cosgrove, MK19 7JH

Christopher Parker 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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