Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 20–21 June 2012 Inspection number 379789 Unique Reference Number 119370 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 379789 Inspection dates 20–21 June 2012 Lead inspector Zahid Aziz

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Educati on Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ross Moughtin Headteacher Barbara Stevens Date of previous school inspection 8 February 2007 School address Long Lane Aughton Ormskirk L39 5AS Telephone number 01695 421391 Fax number 01695 423805 Email address head@aughtonchristchurch.lancs.sch.uk Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 2 of 11

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 3 of 11

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Introduction

Zahid Aziz Joanna Sharpe Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed 13 lessons taught by eight teachers and met with groups of pupils, staff, parents and carers and representatives of the governing body. Inspectors looked at a range of the school’s documents relating to self-evaluation, development planning, pupils’ attainment and progress, assessment, school policies and records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. Inspectors scrutinised questionnaires completed by pupils and staff and 116 questionnaires returned by parents and carers.

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Information about the school

This is a smaller than average sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. Most pupils are of White British heritage, with a small number coming from a variety of minority ethnic backgrounds. The school meets the current floor standards which set the government’s expectations for attainment and progress. The school has Liverpool Diocesan Award, Healthy School status, Lancashire County Council Learning Excellence Awards for literacy and community cohesion, and Evaluation of Every Child a Reader (ECaR) accreditation.

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Information about the school

There is a nursery, breakfast club and after-school club on the school’s site. These are not managed by the governing body. They receives their own inspections and the reports are available on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 4 of 11

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Information about the 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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Key Findings

 This is an outstanding school. Pupils’ achievement is now excellent as a result of sustained improvement in the quality of provision and in the management of performance since the last inspection. 

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Key Findings

 Pupils make outstanding progress from their typically average starting points in the Early Years Foundation Stage to reach well above average attainment by the end of Year 6. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a particular strength.

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Key Findings

 The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding as a result of inspirational teaching. The dedication and commitment of all staff to motivate pupils has resulted in an environment in which high quality learning takes place. The quality of assessment in English is of the very highest standard. It is not as strong in mathematics.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ behaviour and safety is exemplary. There is a great mutual respect and understanding between adults and pupils. Pupils are caring of each other and have extremely positive attitudes to learning. They provide support and encouragement for each other so that all feel safe and learn happily. Attendance is high for all groups of pupils.

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Key Findings

 Leadership and management have improved considerably since the last inspection. As a result of rigorous performance management, including accurate evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning, provision has improved to outstanding. The curriculum is highly effective in meeting the needs of all pupils. Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 5 of 11

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the quality of assessment in mathematics so that it equals that in English by: - providing more opportunity for pupils to assess their own and others’ work in order to be more aware of the criteria for success - ensuring that teachers’ marking consistently tells pupils what they are doing well and in what ways they can improve their work.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ achievement is outstanding, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is well above average. A much higher proportion of pupils than average make more than expected progress through the school. On entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage, children’s knowledge and experience are broadly in line with those expected for their age, but with their skills being weaker in early writing. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make excellent progress and pupils’ achievement through Key Stages 1 and 2 is outstanding. By the time they leave Year 6, pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is well above average overall and a higher proportion of pupils exceed Level 5, in both English and mathematics. Pupils’ eagerness to learn is very much evident. Pupils apply a range of skills systematically across the curriculum.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ reading and writing skills improve rapidly as they move through the school. By the end of Year 2 their attainment in reading is above average. They become increasingly fluent readers as they move through Key Stage 2 so that by the time they leave Year 6 their attainment in reading is well above average. Pupils do equally well in art and creative subjects in which their attainment is well above expectation. In one outstanding lesson observed, pupils assumed considerable responsibility for their own learning, with the teacher and classroom assistants only guiding and supporting pupils where necessary. As a result, pupils made outstanding progress in their learning. Pupils take pride in their work, for example, Year 5 pupils proudly talked about their own novels covering a range of topics. Pupils’ increasingly excellent reading and writing skills, their very effective use of information communication technology (ICT), including publishing skills, prepare them exceptionally well

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make excellent progress due to the early interventions and support which is highly individualised and these pupils are fully integrated in the life of the school. Parents and carers overwhelming feel very positive about their children’s achievement. One commented typically, ‘an incredibly nurturing school where each child is valued for their different gift’. Inspectors endorse this view.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers set very high expectations for pupils and for themselves so that learning is enjoyable and challenging. In a session in the Early Years Foundation Stage, the teacher Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 6 of 11

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Quality of teaching

made excellent use of both indoor and outdoor provision to set a challenging task that involved the children in using numbers from 10 to 100 to tell the time and to sequence. In an outstanding lesson in Year 5, the teacher engrossed pupils in writing a poem linked to an enrichment activity held after school. His skill in building a plot through dramatisation and in requiring pupils to use a range of learning styles, including mind mapping, ensured pupils’ excellent achievement and great enjoyment. This lesson was a typical example of how well teachers promote pupils’ core skills across the curriculum and their excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers and support assistants are skilled in identifying and meeting the particular needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs in order to ensure their outstanding achievement.

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Quality of teaching

Assessment has improved considerably since the last inspection. A range of strategies are applied to monitor and analyse pupils’ progress. Teachers’ use of assessment is at least good in all subjects. In English, it is of outstanding quality because a range of strategies is used, including pupils reflecting on their own and others’ work, and leaving pupils in no doubt what they have done well and how to improve. However, in mathematics this wide range of strategies is less evident.

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Quality of teaching

The creative curriculum is taught in a fun and enjoyable way to introduce new learning or to enhance pupils’ existing skills. It links subjects extremely well in order to widen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Parents and carers overwhelmingly feel that teaching enables their children to make fast progress in a very short time. This is a view endorsed by the inspection team.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

From the Early Years Foundation Stage onwards pupils’ attitudes towards learning and their excellent good behaviour in lessons is an outstanding factor in their successful learning. Pupils’ excellent behaviour makes a very important contribution to the excellent ethos of the school. Pupils get on very well together in lessons and at social times and these very good relationships underpin pupils’ achievement and progress. Pupils support each other and show high levels of concern and care for others. Pupils are polite, kind, well-mannered and cheerful. They take pride in their school and they take good care of the building, grounds and resources. Pupils confirmed that over time behaviour has continuously improved, both in and out of lessons. Pupils feel safe because the site is secure. They know how to keep themselves safe within and outside the school. Older pupils take very good care of the younger ones and those pupils who have been given responsibility carry out their role

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

sensibly and make a first-class contribution to the school community. The school council makes a very positive contribution to community cohesion, such as instigating a project for a school in Gambia.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

There have been no exclusions and there have been no recorded incidents of bullying or harassment in the school. However, pupils are aware of the different forms of bullying and are equipped with strategies to deal with any that might occur. Attendance is high, because pupils very much enjoy learning and value highly the excellent pastoral support they receive.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher, very effectively supported by the leadership team and the governing body, demonstrates high ambition for pupils’ achievement and continuous improvements in provision. Since the last inspection, the headteacher and new leadership team have been Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 7 of 11

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Leadership and management

very successful in reviewing and improving the quality of teaching, learning and the curriculum. As a result, provision is now outstanding. Teachers are set challenging targets and have been extremely successful in meeting these. The reorganised Early Years Foundation Stage provision has been put into place very effectively and is used well to promote high standards of achievement, teaching and learning. The headteacher has put into place an effective policy and coherent strategy for staff training and development, which are matched carefully to the needs of the staff and to the school’s educational priorities.

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Leadership and management

The school’s self-evaluation is very effective providing all leaders, including the governing body, with a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. The governing body is very effective and it carries out its responsibilities to evaluate and appropriately challenge the school’s performance to the highest standard. These strengths, together with the excellent improvement evidenced since the last inspection, clearly indicate an excellent capacity for the school’s further development.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is outstanding. Throughout the school, all pupils are taught the important key skills for learning and there are excellent opportunities for their creative development provided through many subjects in the curriculum. Pupils’ overall spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. This is well illustrated by the response from a very young pupil who said, ‘if we are not to care about those children in Gambia then who will?’ The local, national and international links provides a clear understanding of diverse enriched culture at home and abroad.

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Leadership and management

There are very thorough and effective procedures for safeguarding pupils in place and the school meets the current requirements. The policies for teaching and learning, planning and provision for those with special educational needs, ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met outstandingly well. The leadership team and staff members are always vigilant and they successfully ensure that there is zero tolerance of discrimination of any kind. The school has an excellent partnership with parents and carers. The comment from one parent that ‘I couldn’t have asked for a better school-fantastic leadership and excellent teachers.... my child loves school and is enthusiastic about everything’, reflects parents’ and carers’ highly positive views of the school. Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 8 of 11

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 9 of 11

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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. Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 10 of 11

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Controlled Primary School, Ormskirk, L39 5AS

Thank you so much for welcoming us to your school. We were very impressed by the way you welcomed us. We very much enjoyed talking with you in your class, in meetings and being with you in the playground and in the dining room. We also enjoyed listening to your reading, coming into your lessons and seeing you learn new things through exciting activities.

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Controlled Primary School, Ormskirk, L39 5AS

These are some of the school’s strengths.  Your school is outstanding.  You make outstanding progress in English and mathematics.  Your teachers do an excellent job and make sure you learn a lot  You impressed us with your excellent behaviour and superb attitude towards learning. You are polite, kind, well-mannered and cheerful.  We are particularly delighted that you care so much for children in other countries  The school leaders do a fantastic job looking after you.

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Controlled Primary School, Ormskirk, L39 5AS

I have asked the headteacher and teachers to improve assessment in mathematics so that it is equally as excellent as that in English. I have asked the teachers to give you more opportunities to assess your own and others’ work and to give you more feedback on how to improve you work in mathematics.

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Controlled Primary School, Ormskirk, L39 5AS

Zahid Aziz Lead inspector Inspection report: Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 20–21 June 2012 11 of 11

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Controlled Primary School, Ormskirk, L39 5AS

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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