Hindlip CofE First School

Age group 4–9 Inspection date(s) 20–21 June 2012 Inspection number 379309 Hindlip CofE First School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 116822 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 379309 Inspection dates 20–21 June 2012 Lead inspector Clive Lewis

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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 First School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 93 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Justine Morris Headteacher Carolyn Tew Date of previous school inspection 6 June 2007 School address Droitwich Road Hindlip Worcester WR3 8RJ Telephone number 01905 453455 Fax number 01905 453455 Email address head@hindlipfirst.worcs.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 thi nk 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 nine lessons taught by five teachers. Most support staff were also seen working with pupils. Meetings were held with pupils, members of the governing body and members of staff. Questionnaires from 39 parents and carers were analysed. The inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, looked at documentation including teachers’ planning, and examined pupil progress and assessment data.

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Information about the school

This school is much smaller than average with 40% of pupils coming from out of catchment. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language is below the national average. A small number of children from the Traveller community attend the school. The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The school has gained the Eco Schools Award, Healthy Schools status and the Leading Parent Partnership 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

 This is an outstanding school. The headteacher and senior staff provide a clear and ambitious vision for the future and all staff are very highly motivated to achieve it. Pupils are extremely keen to learn and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils, parents and carers are fully supportive and extremely proud of their school.

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Key findings

 All groups of pupils make outstanding progress and reach above average attainment by the end of Year 4. Attainment in reading and mathematics is particularly high, more so than in writing. The school is very successful in ensuring that pupils of all abilities, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, aim high and achieve very well. The small proportion of pupils from different minority ethnic backgrounds also achieve extremely well.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is outstanding. Teachers and support staff bring learning to life through fast-paced and highly motivating activities which take hold of the pupils' attention and instill the skills and desire to learn. The school has identified that there are not always sufficient opportunities for pupils to produce extended pieces of writing in subjects other than literacy in order to further improve writing across the school.

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Key findings

 Pupils are kind, thoughtful and considerate towards each other. Their behaviour in and around school is exemplary and they have a very good understanding of how to keep themselves free from harm. They say they feel very safe and are extremely well looked after.

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Key findings

 The headteacher and her team of teachers work very closely together, constantly improving the quality of education they provide. As a result, the school has built on the many strengths seen at the last inspection and there has been a strong trend of improvement in many aspects of its work, including pupils' achievement. The rich and very well-planned curriculum promotes high levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development throughout school. 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?

 Further improve attainment in writing, so that it matches the exceptionally high attainment achieved in reading and mathematics, by providing more opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills across a range of subjects.

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Achievement of pupils

Although there are significant year-on-year variations, children typically join the school with skills and knowledge that are broadly in line with those expected for their age. Throughout the school, all groups of pupils achieve exceptionally well and they are particularly well prepared for the next stage of their education when they leave to attend middle school at the end of Year 4. As the school records show, and lesson observations and scrutiny of work confirm, all pupils, regardless of their ability, make outstanding progress. This begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where very effective organisation and careful assessments enable children to make exceptional progress because of the richly diverse curriculum which offers them independence and choice. This excellent start is built upon well so that by the end of Year 2 and by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 4, pupils’ attainment is consistently

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Achievement of pupils

above average. Attainment in reading and mathematics is relatively higher than in writing because pupils do not always extend their writing skills across the full range of subjects.

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Achievement of pupils

Children make rapid progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage in all areas of learning as a result of effective organisation and careful assessments. Children use the skills they learn in phonics (linking letters to the sounds they make) as they read and write. In one outstanding lesson outside in the garden area, children were enthusiastically engaged in a ‘bug hunt’, using magnifying glasses and searching through simple picture reference books to identify their finds. They were tasting and offering samples of the broad beans they had grown in their garden and knew that, now their potato plants had flowered, it was time to dig for new potatoes. When one very long and thin worm was found, which none of the adults present could identify, one child said, ‘We’ll have to Google it’ and, later that morning, a child and teacher arrived to announce proudly that the specimen worm was a ‘Horsehair worm’.

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Achievement of pupils

In Key Stage 1, pupils make very good progress in reading and their attainment is significantly above average by the end of Year 2. There is a similar picture of attainment in Key Stage 2, with some of the most-able pupils in Year 4 working within the challenging Level 4, well above the levels expected for their age. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils transfer the language of reading to other subjects. In mathematics, pupils’ past work and work within lessons illustrate their growing 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

confidence in number calculations and problem solving. Pupils’ writing skills show use of interesting vocabulary, understanding of basic sentence structure and good levels of spelling accuracy. Throughout the school, the pupils’ work on display and in their books clearly shows the excellent progress they make not only in basic skills, but also in thinking and life skills.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also make excellent progress. This stems from the high priority the school gives to meeting their needs. By ensuring consistent and high quality help from well-qualified teaching assistants wherever it is needed, the lower-attaining pupils, and those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable, make very rapid progress. Any gaps between them and their peers are closed effectively. Parents and carers expressed an exceptionally high level of satisfaction in the progress their children make.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers are highly motivated and frequently inspire pupils to aim high. They make learning a very enjoyable and challenging experience and pupils speak highly of their lessons. There is an excellent balance between the very effective direct teaching of literacy, numeracy and other learning skills and highly imaginative opportunities to apply them – for example, end of topic activities have included pupils running their own chocolate factory and re-enacting the Fire of London. Lessons are very well planned with great attention given to the needs of all groups of learners and individual pupils. The teachers' marking is effectively used to guide pupils to the next steps in their learning. Lessons are well-paced and lively. Teachers make extremely good use of modern technology such as ‘visualisers’ to display examples of work and the school's different outdoor areas to bring learning to life. They make excellent use

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Quality of teaching

of sharply focused and open questions to deepen pupils' knowledge, understanding and the quality of their learning. Teachers ensure that they focus questions on the needs of different groups of learners, such as those of different abilities, so that all pupils make the best progress they can.

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Quality of teaching

The staff carefully plan small-group and individual activities to boost the learning of pupils who require it, whether they are potentially high attaining or struggling with specific skills. These activities are frequently reviewed and monitored to ensure that they are fully effective in meeting these needs. The excellent management of pupils' behaviour and highly effective learning environment contribute outstandingly well to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents and carers are wholly positive about the strong quality of teaching.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school’s high expectations, strong caring ethos and aim to develop pupils as independent learners are key factors in pupils’ high attendance and exemplary behaviour. Staff deploy extremely good and consistent strategies to promote outstanding behaviour. Parents and carers praise the approach of teaching staff and other adults alike. One parent, whose comment was typical, said, ‘This is my 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

daughter’s final year at Hindlip and I can’t imagine a better place for her to have started her schooling. Where the school really excels is in making the work fun and interesting through the enthusiasm of all the staff.’ Opportunities to take responsibility in class, in the playground and as part of the school council, further extend pupils’ moral and social development. Pupils feel very safe in school, a view endorsed overwhelmingly by parents and carers. Incidences of bullying, such as name-calling and cyber-bullying, are rare. Indeed, pupils were keen to tell inspectors it hardly ever happened. They readily explained they would turn to an adult for help if they needed it. All parents and carers responding to the questionnaire commented very positively on the quality of behaviour in the school.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides calm, clear and creative guidance to enable staff and pupils to fulfill their potential fully. She is extremely well supported by other senior leaders. All aspects of the school, such as the coordination of the Early Years Foundation Stage and special educational needs, are very well led and managed. The governing body makes an outstanding contribution to the direction the school takes through its well informed and managed committee system. Staff, the governing body, pupils and parents and carers together make a very effective contribution to accurate self-evaluation procedures which underpin high quality school improvement planning. Performance management and professional development systems are very effective in developing the outstanding quality of teaching and learning. Staff regularly take opportunities to develop their own teaching and leadership capabilities. The school promotes equality of opportunity for success and the appreciation of

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Leadership and management

diversity extremely well. Safeguarding procedures fully meet requirements and the school is very vigilant and pro-active in ensuring all aspects of pupils' safety. Sustained and marked improvements to pupils' achievement, attendance and the quality of provision ensure that the school continues to have an exceptional capacity for further improvement.

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Leadership and management

The breadth and balance of the curriculum are outstanding. The school works with a very wide range of educational, community and faith partners to promote high quality learning opportunities. School initiatives cement the bond with parents and carers and enrich learning. The school's commitment to enrich the lives of all pupils through memorable learning experiences makes an excellent contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The many excellent examples of high quality pupils' work on display demonstrate the strengths and challenge of the curriculum. Regular visits and visitors and a wide range of extra-curricular activities and successful sporting events greatly enrich pupils’ experiences.

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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 Hindlip CofE First School, Worcester, WR3 8RJ

I would like to thank you for your help during the recent inspection of your school. I very much enjoyed my visit. I enjoyed watching lessons and talking to as many of you as I could. You attend an outstanding, very happy and friendly school. It is led exceptionally well by the headteacher and the staff. They care for you extremely well and give you excellent support to enable you to learn and enjoy your lessons. They make sure that you understand how to look after yourselves and keep safe and you do this really well. You told me that you really like your school and there are lots of things to do and enjoy. Excellent teaching is an outstanding feature of your school and this, combined with exciting curriculum activities and your hard work, results in you making outstanding progress and achieving very high standards. You make an excellent contribution to the life of your school through all the responsibilities you

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Inspection of Hindlip CofE First School, Worcester, WR3 8RJ

take on and through your school council. Your behaviour is outstanding and this means that you focus exceptionally well on your work in lessons and try to succeed in all that you do. Well done!

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Inspection of Hindlip CofE First School, Worcester, WR3 8RJ

Although your achievement in reading and mathematics is exceptionally good, achievement in writing is not quite as high so I have asked the school to:

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Inspection of Hindlip CofE First School, Worcester, WR3 8RJ

 give you more opportunities to use your writing skills in all subjects.

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Inspection of Hindlip CofE First School, Worcester, WR3 8RJ

I wish you well in your future education.

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Inspection of Hindlip CofE First School, Worcester, WR3 8RJ

Clive Lewis 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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