North Somercotes CofE Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 June 2012 Inspection number 385866 North Somercotes CofE Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 120692 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 385866 Inspection dates 13–14 June 2012 Lead inspector Jeremy Spencer HMI

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 141 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rik Coleman Headteacher Paul Floyd Date of previous school inspection 16 November 2011 School address Warren Road North Somercotes Louth LN11 7QB Telephone number 01507 358221 Fax number 01507 358125 Email address admin@nspri.co.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 a nd 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 observed teaching and learning in ten lessons taught by five teachers, and one act of collective worship. This accounted for over five hours of inspection time. Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, school staff, the Chair of the Governing Body, and a professional adviser working on behalf of the local authority. The inspector observed the school’s work, including school policies, action plans, minutes of the governing body’s meetings, assessment data and planning documentation. The inspector met informally with some parents and carers and scrutinised responses on questionnaires completed by 60 parents and carers, 65 pupils and 11 staff.

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Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. Most pupils are of White British heritage and almost all speak English as their first language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action plus or with statements of special educational needs is broadly average.

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Information about the school

In March 2011 the school was judged to require significant improvement and was given a notice to improve. Since the inspection, a new headteacher, deputy headteacher and Chair of the Governing Body have been appointed. A monitoring inspection in November 2011 found the school to be making good progress in addressing identified areas for improvement and in raising pupils’ achievement. The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected by the government.

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Information about the school

A breakfast club operates on the school site and is managed by the governing body. Children begin the Early Years Foundation Stage in the Reception class. The school recently achieved the Artsmark award. 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

 North Somercotes CofE Primary School provides a satisfactory standard of education. The school continues to make positive strides forward and is improving quickly due to good leadership. The school is not yet good because the achievement of different groups of pupils over time from their starting points is satisfactory. In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. They enjoy school and are enthusiastic and attentive learners in lessons. They are beginning to make rapid progress in developing reading skills and, particularly, mathematics skills. Writing skills, despite positive signs of improvement, are less well developed, due to teachers’ differing expectations of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is improving quickly. Although most teaching observed during the inspection was good, it has not yet had the intended impact on pupils’ achievement. Occasionally, teachers do not check pupils’ work in lessons as frequently as they could do, in order to adapt work to meet pupils’ needs.

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Key findings

 Pupils feel safe in school and their behaviour has improved significantly. Pupils are respectful and courteous to each other and to staff and visitors. The needs of pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable are well met.

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Key findings

 Leaders and managers, including the governing body, are highly ambitious for the school and have been successful in driving and managing improvement in key areas. They are aware that activities to monitor the impact of actions are not as well planned as they could be. Middle leaders continue to develop skills and grow in confidence but do not observe and support the improvement of colleagues’ teaching frequently enough. 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?

 Raise pupils’ attainment and improve the quality of teaching by June 2013, by:  developing greater consistency in teachers’ expectations of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation and increasing the proportion of teaching focused on developing these skills  ensuring that teachers check the progress of pupils in lessons more frequently, to make sure that tasks always provide an appropriate level of challenge for pupils, particularly those who are more able  ensuring that pupils are given more frequent and varied experiences of using ICT (information and communication technology) to better develop their ICT skills and support learning across the curriculum  building further upon work to improve the accuracy of teachers’ assessments of pupils’ progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by:  measuring the impact of initiatives more rigorously, by ensuring that action plans clearly identify who will monitor the impact of each action, when this will be and how they will do it  ensuring that subject leaders have more frequent opportunities to observe and support the improvement of colleagues’ teaching.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the school with skills and abilities that are in line with those expected for their age. They leave Year 6 with broadly average standards. This constitutes satisfactory progress from their starting points. Most parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire feel that their children achieve well.

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Achievement of pupils

Children make a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Indoor and outdoor learning environments are stimulating, thoughtfully organised and well resourced. Children are well cared for and teaching and the curriculum successfully meet their needs. As a result, they make good progress in the Reception class and are well equipped to move on to the next stage of learning. ‘This is awesome’, were the words of a child as he hunted for and collected mini-beasts in the outdoor learning area. Further discussion with the child highlighted the good progress he had made during the activity in observing and recording information, as a result of good teaching in the lesson.

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Achievement of pupils

Different groups of pupils, including those who are disabled or have special educational needs, make satisfactory progress over time as they move through Years 1 to 6. This is because their needs are identified and addressed appropriately. A broad range of interventions, led by teachers and teaching assistants, are beginning 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

to close gaps in attainment between different groups of pupils and all pupils nationally. The quality of teaching is improving and, consequently, pupils are currently making accelerated progress, particularly in mathematics, following a period of sustained underachievement. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is in line with expectations for their age, across the school. Pupils demonstrate good speaking and listening skills. They work well together and enjoy learning.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment in reading is average at the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2, but is rising. Although pupils’ attainment in writing is broadly average, there are weaknesses in spelling, grammar and punctuation across the school. Pupils enjoy using ICT to support their learning but in Key Stage 2, pupils demonstrate ICT skills below those normally expected for their age.

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Quality of teaching

There have been significant improvements to teaching this year and the large majority of teaching observed during the inspection was good. However, it is too early for the full impact of developments to be evident in pupils’ progress over time. Parents and carers feel that their children are well taught and supported. Teachers assess pupils’ progress over time with increasing confidence and accuracy, as a result of a broad range of training in this area. However, inaccuracies in historic data have meant that measuring progress in learning over time has been insecure. Some school assessment data, particularly in writing, present an over-inflated view of pupils’ progress.

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Quality of teaching

Good behaviour in lessons ensures that there are few interruptions to the flow of learning. Learning is usually carefully planned to offer varied, interesting experiences. Impressive teaching of the combined Years 3 and 4 class included some of the typical strengths of teaching in the school, with careful planning to engage pupils’ interest in ‘choosing words to create an effect’. The teacher ensured that pupils understood how their learning was developing by sharing clear objectives with the class and by making reference to pupils’ writing targets. Pupils were given frequent opportunities to share their learning with ‘talk partners’ to help them to clarify their thinking and learn from each other. This also supported well pupils’ social development. Pupils appreciated the opportunity to work inside and outdoors during the lesson. As a result of these positive features combining together, different groups

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Quality of teaching

of pupils, including those who are disabled or have special educational needs, made good progress in learning during the lesson. Pupils also showed great enthusiasm for learning because they enjoyed what they were doing.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers typically question pupils skilfully and effectively at the beginning and end of lessons to challenge their thinking and assess their understanding. School initiatives have successfully increased the emphasis on developing pupils’ reading skills and teachers weave opportunities for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development into lessons effectively. Teachers’ marking is constructive and provides useful comments to help pupils understand the next steps of learning they need to take. Learning environments are well organised and make a good 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

contribution to learning. However, teachers do not always circulate around the classroom as often as they could do to check pupils’ work. Occasionally, misconceptions in understanding are missed, or teachers fail to identify when work is not sufficiently challenging for more-able pupils. When this happens, the pace of learning drops for some groups of pupils. Teachers do not always plan for pupils to develop their ICT skills, or use ICT to support learning in other areas of the curriculum as well as they could do. Consequently, pupils lack experience and skills in some elements of ICT, including in the use of control and sensor technology, and in the use of spreadsheets and databases in Key Stage 2.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Inspection findings of improved behaviour since the last inspection are fully endorsed by parents and carers, and also by pupils. Good behaviour can be attributed to the school’s effective curriculum planning for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, increased expectations of staff and good leadership and management in devising and implementing a new behaviour policy. Behaviour is well managed in lessons and across the school. Consequently, the school environment is calm and lessons proceed with few interruptions. A number of positive systems and incentives are appreciated by pupils, including the issuing of ‘respect tokens’ by all members of staff, in recognition of pupils demonstrating thoughtful and considerate behaviour around the school. Pupils who find behaving well more challenging are helpfully supported to learn how to overcome barriers and there is evidence of improved

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

behaviour over time for these pupils. There are very few incidences of bullying. However, pupils have a clear understanding of different types of bullying and feel confident that by sharing problems with staff, they will be resolved quickly and fairly. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and all parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire agree. Pupils are involved in contributing to initiatives to help improve behaviour and safety. For example, pupils speak very positively about the introduction of Years 4 and 5 pupils working as ‘peer mediators’ whose role is to help resolve minor disagreements in the playground. Pupils report that adults are always on hand to provide further support if required. The school’s attendance promotion strategies are effective. Pupils’ attendance is average. This is a marked improvement from the same period last year, when attendance was below average.

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Leadership and management

Leadership and management are good and ensure the school has good capacity to continue to improve. Although pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching over time are currently satisfactory, they are improving quickly and securely. There have been marked improvements in pupils’ behaviour and in the quality of the curriculum because the headteacher and deputy headteacher have demonstrated great determination and success in driving improvement across the school. A broad range of professional development opportunities ensures all staff have continued to develop and improve their skills. As a result, pupils’ behaviour has improved and the quality of teaching and learning is improving quickly. Middle leaders have become more skilled and play a more comprehensive role in school self-evaluation and 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

improvement. However, subject leaders do not observe and support the improvement of colleagues’ teaching frequently enough.

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Leadership and management

The governing body has implemented good systems to enable it to play a more active and effective role in challenging and supporting the school. There are some elements of excellent practice, including letters written directly from a governing body committee to update parents and carers about the school’s progress against identified areas for improvement. The letters clearly outline what is going well and also where the governing body would like to see further improvement. However, action plans do not always highlight clearly the arrangements for monitoring the impact of actions, include the monitoring activities of the governing body. The school meets safeguarding requirements and staff promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination well. However, on some occasions, more able pupils are not challenged in lessons as well as they could be.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum provides a broad range of interesting experiences for pupils and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. However, the full impact of the school’s improved curriculum on pupils’ progress over time is yet to be seen. Pupils proudly told the inspector about how they were now enjoying far more trips away from school and after-school clubs than they used to. Teachers ensure that curricular content is covered through themed topics, with the exception of some elements of ICT in Key Stage 2. Furthermore, opportunities for pupils to develop spelling, grammar and punctuation skills are not frequent enough. The school’s breakfast club is well organised and operates in a safe environment. As a result, pupils enjoy attending.

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Leadership and management

The school engages with parents and carers effectively. Most parents and carers hold favourable views of the school and would recommend it to others; most endorse inspection findings about the school’s marked improvement. One typical comment was: ‘The school and staff have worked very hard to improve on the issues raised in the last inspection. There is a now a great sense of community and the children look so happy. The school has gone from black and white to glorious technicolour.’

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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 North Somercotes CofE Primary School, Louth, LN11 7QB

Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school recently. I enjoyed meeting you and would like to extend a special thank you to those of you who gave up a few minutes of their break time to read to me and answer some questions. I was pleased to hear you talk about how much you enjoy school and how well you feel your school has improved over the last year. I agree that your school has improved well since the last time it was inspected.

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Inspection of North Somercotes CofE Primary School, Louth, LN11 7QB

North Somercotes CofE Primary School gives you a satisfactory education and it continues to improve. You make satisfactory progress and your attainment is similar to that of other pupils in the country. Your learning is improving because teaching, while satisfactory, is getting better, and the mixture of subjects and topics you follow helps your learning along. You behave well; better than at the time of the last inspection. You have worked hard to improve - well done. The headteacher, other leaders and managers and all of the staff are working hard to improve the school and are doing a good job.

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Inspection of North Somercotes CofE Primary School, Louth, LN11 7QB

Most schools can improve from where they are at the moment. I have asked your school to help you to improve your spelling skills and your use of grammar and punctuation. I have also asked them to help you to improve your ICT skills a bit more, particularly in Key Stage 2. In lessons, I would like your teachers to check your work more often, so that they can help and challenge you more if you need it. Your teachers are getting better at checking how well you are making progress and I would like them to keep working hard to improve even more with this. I also want your school’s leaders to think more carefully about how they will check how well their plans to improve the school are working. Finally, I have asked your teachers to watch each other teaching more often, so that they can share ideas and help each other to improve.

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Inspection of North Somercotes CofE Primary School, Louth, LN11 7QB

You can also help by always checking the accuracy of your spelling, punctuation and writing. Thank you again for all of your help in the inspection. I wish you all well for the future.

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Inspection of North Somercotes CofE Primary School, Louth, LN11 7QB

Jeremy Spencer Her Majesty's 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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