North Lancing Primary School

Age group 5–11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 June 2012 Inspection number 381137 North Lancing Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 125841 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 381137 Inspection dates 13–14 June 2012 Lead inspector Martin Marsh

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 416 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian Boggis Headteacher Emma Hansford Date of previous school inspection 30 September 2008 School address Mill Road Lancing West Sussex BN15 0PT Telephone number 01903 752301 Fax number 01903 851132 Email address office@northlancing.w-sussex.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. Inspectors spent over 10 hours visiting 21 lessons taught by 15 different members of staff. They held meetings with the Vice-Chair of the Governing Body, school leaders and with staff and three groups of pupils. The inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, listened to pupils reading and looked at the school’s documentation, which included records of teaching, the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan, records relating to safeguarding and school’s analysis of current achievement. Pupils’ written work was examined in lessons. The inspectors analysed 233 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, together with 34 questionnaires from staff and 160 from pupils.

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Information about the school

North Lancing Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There are a few pupils from the Traveller community and a small number from other ethnic heritages. 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 education needs is broadly average, although considerably higher in Year 6. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two Reception classes. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and/or progress. There have been significant changes in staffing during the last year. The headteacher and deputy headteacher both took up post at the start of the current school year. There have also been a number of long term staff

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Information about the school

absences. The school has gained a number of awards including the Artsmark Gold award and the Healthy Schools 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 Lancing Primary is a satisfactory school. It is not good because progress through Key Stage 2, although improving, is not yet fast enough. Pupils’ progress in reading is good but their achievement in writing and mathematics is satisfactory. Up to 40% of the 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’ behaviour is good and a strength of the school. Pupils are polite, courteous, show great respect for their teachers and peers, and help each other to learn well in lessons. Provision for pupils’ welfare is good and pupils feel cared for and safe in school. Attendance has improved strongly and is above average.

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Key findings

 Children currently in Reception are making satisfactory progress , but opportunities for children to learn independently, particularly in the outdoor area, are underdeveloped. When adults are working with children they do not always challenge or extend learning well enough.

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Key findings

 Teaching is typically satisfactory with some good and outstanding features. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good and allow lessons to proceed smoothly and without interruption. Sometimes the pace of lessons is too slow and activities do not sufficiently challenge all pupils, in particular the most able. In mathematics, some teachers’ limited subject knowledge prevents them from helping pupils to connect different areas of mathematics and deepen their learning.

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Key findings

 Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school’s work. Senior leaders are driving school improvements satisfactorily, with positive signs since the headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed. Systems for monitoring teaching quality and learning are appropriate but have been insufficiently rigorous. Improved tracking systems are enabling 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

underperformance to be identified and tackled more effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ attainment and progress in writing and mathematics in Key Stage 2 by:  improving the grammar, punctuation and spelling skills of pupils  providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills in a range of different contexts  challenging those more able pupils more regularly in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the rate of progress of children in Reception by: – planning more regular opportunities for children to learn independently, particularly in the outside area – ensuring that adults effectively challenge and extend learning of children.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching at all levels so that the proportion of good and outstanding teaching is at least 75% by July 2013 by:  ensuring the monitoring of teaching by all leaders is more rigorous and identifying, for all teachers, areas in which they can improve  improving the pace of lessons  improving teachers’ subject knowledge in mathematics to enable teachers to plan challenging learning opportunities for all pupils.

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Achievement of pupils

Many parents and carers feel that their children make good progress. Inspection evidence indicates that, while there are examples of better progress, for example in reading, pupils’ achievement overall, particularly at Key Stage 2, although improving, is satisfactory. Children join the school with a wide range of skills that are below the levels expected for this age group especially in their early writing, communication and mathematical skills. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils make good progress to attain broadly average standards. Progress is more rapid in Years 1 and 2 than it is in Reception. Although progress overall slows down a little in Key Stage 2, attainment is in line with pupils nationally and they are adequately prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Achievement of pupils

Historically, progress through Reception has been good. Inspection evidence suggests that currently it is satisfactory because the provision gives insufficient opportunities for children to learn and develop for themselves. The potential of the outside learning area is not fully exploited and adults do not routinely challenge and extend children’s learning. Children develop good personal and social skills by the time they leave Reception. 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

By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ reading attainment is average. This is built upon throughout the school so that reading skills are above average by Year 6. Standards of writing and mathematics are not as high, but are improving due to accurate identification of any underperformance with suitable intervention programmes which are helping pupils to make more rapid progress. The gaps in performance are closing between the progress made by the more-able pupils in writing and mathematics compared to their progress in reading. However, in lessons and in pupils’ books, pupils’ use of grammar, punctuation and spelling is shown to be less well developed. The few Traveller pupils, those who are disabled and those with special educational needs progress at a similar rate to their peers. They attain in line with similar pupils nationally because their needs are correctly identified and they are given appropriate

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Quality of teaching

Although parents and carers are very positive about teaching quality in the school, inspectors found it to be typically satisfactory. There are lessons where teaching is good, and sometimes outstanding, but this is not yet consistent enough across the school.

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Quality of teaching

All lessons are characterised by excellent relationships between the teacher and pupils. Planning is detailed and pupils are given clear information about their learning at the start of every lesson. Sometimes the pace is too slow and those more able are insufficiently challenged to apply their skills and extend their learning. In a few mathematics lessons the subject knowledge of teachers does not help pupils to connect different areas of their learning and apply them so as to deepen their knowledge. When pupils are asked to write, not enough emphasis is placed on correct use of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Some marking of written work is helpful in moving the pupils to the next stage in their learning, but this is inconsistent. In some lessons, particularly when the learning outcomes are very clear, pupils give very constructive feedback to each other.

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Quality of teaching

When teaching is good or better there is pace and total involvement of pupils of all abilities. In a Year 5 English lesson, the pupils were totally absorbed in improving their use of different types of persuasive language through studying the language of television adverts. A variety of time-limited activities and discussions meant they all learnt quickly from each other and from the teacher. This resulted in them thinking deeply about the language they might use to ‘sell’ ordinary, mundane objects. As a result, they produced complex phrases and sentences and made excellent progress.

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Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children learn to read well. However, the planning for other areas of learning is not thorough and detailed enough, resulting in children not getting enough opportunity to learn independently, and adults do not challenge and extend children often 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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Quality of teaching

Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and the few pupils for whom English is not their first language get appropriate support. Planning results in teachers and teaching assistants providing well targeted support to enable them to make at least as much progress in lessons as other pupils. Support for the small group of Traveller pupils is satisfactory and helps them to make satisfactory progress.

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Quality of teaching

The satisfactory curriculum enables pupils to develop their social skills, understanding of moral issues and deepens their spiritual understanding. The Olympic themed day, happening during the inspection, allowed pupils to learn about different countries in the world and the values of the Olympic movement and culminated in a memorable opening ceremony. Pupils have less of an understanding of different world religions and the different ethnic groups within the wider United Kingdom community.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Inspectors find that behaviour is good and that pupils are kept safe. Parents and carers rightly recognise the good standards of behaviour and safety. The pupils are extremely courteous and friendly and talk highly of how they are cared for and supported in their learning. They are very respectful to their teachers and each other. In paired and group activities they work collaboratively to accomplish sometimes complex tasks.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

On the rare occasions that pupils’ behaviour is less than good it is unobtrusively managed and dealt with effectively. Pupils have a good understanding of the different types of bullying but told the inspectors that it is very rare and dealt with quickly. The pupils are extremely well nurtured and those who could potentially find school difficult are given very good support and help. A very small minority of pupils felt that behaviour was not always good in school, but in discussions with pupils this was more due to their intolerance of others slipping from the very high standards expected of them rather than anything that was really unacceptable.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance is improving strongly and is above average. Procedures for checking on pupils who are absent are rigorous and the school has been successful in getting pupils, who in the past were often absent, to attend more regularly. Pupils arrive punctually making use of the ‘open door’ start to get ready for the day.

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Leadership and management

Parents and carers rightly acknowledge the level of care and nurture shown to their children. They are highly supportive of the school. The strong sense of community supports the personal well-being of all pupils. ‘My children are enthusiastic and look forward to coming to school every day,’ was typical of the responses the inspection team received. The governing body and senior leaders ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet statutory requirements. The school is a safe and secure environment. 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

The headteacher and deputy headteacher have already had an impact on raising the standards of achievement in the school. The attainment of those more able in mathematics has accelerated as a consequence of actions to improve teaching and provide effective interventions. The rigorous approach to the teaching of letters and sounds (phonics) is having a real impact on developing early reading skills. Middle leaders are playing a far greater, more effective, role in the monitoring of teaching. The school targets professional development for teachers appropriately following satisfactory performance management processes and this is contributing to pupils’ improving achievement. The school is formulating a vision of where it wants to be in the future and planning how to realise that vision. The school staff is totally behind senior leaders. ‘I love working at North Lancing School and always feel very supported,’ is a typical comment from a teacher. The school is very inclusive and

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Leadership and management

promotes equal opportunity and tackles discrimination effectively, evident in the narrowing of the gap between the achievement of different groups. The school is aware of what still needs to be done and has the capacity to bring about further improvement.

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Leadership and management

Since the last inspection the school has developed tracking systems which enable it to identify and provide interventions for pupils at risk of falling behind in their learning. This is slowly becoming more widely used in the school to measure the impact of its actions. Appropriate systems are in place for monitoring the quality of teaching but these are not yet rigorous enough to ensure that actions are identified and followed up.

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Leadership and management

The satisfactory curriculum enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The governors, although having a limited role in the school’s strategic development, understand where the school is and provide a satisfactory level of challenge.

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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 Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

Thank you for the very warm welcome you gave us when we visited you recently. We really enjoyed meeting you and listening to what you had to tell us about your school. We particularly enjoyed your Olympic opening ceremony.

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Inspection of North Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

North Lancing is a satisfactory school. Children usually make a good start to school, but the rate of progress sometimes slows down in Key Stage 2. Despite this, you still reach levels that are in line with the national average. You make better progress in reading than in writing and mathematics. Overall this means that your achievement is satisfactory.

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Inspection of North Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

Your behaviour is good. You are respectful and courteous to each other, your teachers and visitors. You listen well in lessons and work very well together, helping each other to learn. Your teachers really look after you and, as a result, you feel safe.

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Inspection of North Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

You told us that teaching was good and in some lessons it is. Planning is detailed. However sometimes the pace is too slow, particularly for those of you who learn quickly, and this sometimes holds you back. Teaching is satisfactory overall.

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Inspection of North Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

Your headteacher and deputy headteacher have made changes that have resulted in improvement but we have asked them to:  ensure that you learn to write accurately using good grammar, punctuation and spelling and that you are given more chance to apply your mathematical skills  increase the opportunities to learn in Reception through adults asking more challenging questions of children and developing the outside learning area  check carefully how well teachers are doing and help them to become better so that more teaching is good and outstanding.

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Inspection of North Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

You can help too by continuing to behave well and enjoy your learning.

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Inspection of North Lancing Primary School, Lancing BN15 0PT

Martin Marsh 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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