Keinton Mandeville Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 21–22 June 2012 Inspection number 380702 Keinton Mandeville Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 123650 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 380702 Inspection dates 21–22 June 2012 Lead inspector John Laver

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

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 142 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian Pitman Headteacher Ceri Austin Date of previous school inspection 20 November 2007 School address Chistles Lane Keinton Mandeville Somerton TA11 6ES Telephone number 01458 223452 Fax number 01458 224028 Email address office@keintonmandeville.somerset.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. The inspector observed teaching and learning in nine lessons, taught by five teachers, and observed other learning activities, amounting to almost five hours in total. The inspector held meetings with staff, school leaders and representatives of the governing body, as well as talking to pupils. He observed the school’s work, and looked at the school policies, including those relating to safeguarding, information on pupils’ progress and information about school improvement planning. The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work and analysed 54 questionnaires received from parents and carers, 67 from pupils and 19 from staff at the school.

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Information about the school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school in which all the pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, especially lower down the school, is above average, although the proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. Reception children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught alongside some Year 1 pupils, and all pupils in the school are also taught in mixed-age classes. The school has National Healthy School Plus status and holds several other awards, including Artsmark Gold and Activemark. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school. Judged as good on its previous inspection, since then the school has built on its several strengths. It is not yet outstanding because there are still some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching which prevent overall achievement from being as high as it could be.

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Key findings

 All groups of children and pupils achieve well, and some make outstanding progress as the result of good teaching and support. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average, and previous variations in progress between different groups of pupils have narrowed.

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Key findings

 Strengths in teaching include the excellent use of assessment to further pupils’ learning and good levels of pace and challenge. While much of the teaching is good or better, occasionally expectations are not sufficiently high, so that the work does not match the needs of more-able pupils in particular, and on occasions they achieve less well than they should.

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Key findings

 Behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school. Pupils are very enthusiastic about learning, feel safe and enjoy all aspects of school, including the many clubs and visits. The school offers many opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, for example through a curriculum which provides a rich mix of arts, music and sports activities. Attendance is high and pupils enjoy taking on responsibility.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management at all levels are good. Staff and governors share the senior leadership team’s drive to build on existing strengths. Management of performance and leadership of teaching are effective, through rigorous monitoring and provision of support for staff. There is accurate self-evaluation, good planning, and a successful emphasis not just on promoting achievement but ensuring an inclusive approach in the provision of excellent care and support for all pupils. Parents, carers and pupils all testify to these strengths. 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?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more of it matches the outstanding teaching found in some parts of the school by ensuring that all lessons have sufficient pace, challenge and expectations to enable the more-able pupils to consistently fulfil their learning potential.

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Achievement of pupils

Children join Reception with levels of skill and knowledge broadly in line with those expected for their age. As a result of good teaching, children make good progress in developing the core skills of language, literacy and numeracy, joining Year 1 at a level above age-related expectations. An increasing proportion of children joining Reception are disabled or have special educational needs, and these children share in the good progress made in acquiring academic skills but also make outstanding progress in developing personal qualities such as confidence. Children in Reception were observed making choices about their activities, and working enthusiastically alone or collaboratively on a range of tasks such as painting the outside fence, making Olympic torches or writing brochures about their recent visit to Yeovil Football Club. Children are confident and articulate in talking to adults about their

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement throughout Years 1 to 6 is good. Sometimes pupils learn outstandingly well, particularly higher up the school. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make outstanding progress in developing their reading and mathematical skills, receiving excellent support. Attainment in reading at the end of both key stages is above average, and attainment by the end of Year 6 in speaking, writing and mathematics is also securely above average, as reflected in test results over time. Until recently some pupils, mainly boys, made slower progress in writing, but the school has addressed this issue, particularly by encouraging writing in a range of subjects and topics. Consequently, the gap in writing standards between boys and girls has narrowed significantly. Good presentation is one of the features of pupils’ writing.

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Achievement of pupils

Good achievement is promoted not just by good teaching but comes from pupils’ very positive attitudes towards learning, evident in all lessons observed. Typical was a lesson combining mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT), in which pupils made calculations based on how the Olympics high-jump record had improved throughout the 20th century. This and several other lessons showed good pace and challenge. Similarly, older pupils were observed enthusiastically working on how to make their creative writing more interesting. The inspector agreed with the view of the great majority of pupils, parents and carers that pupils make good progress in lessons. Only occasionally do pupils, particularly some more-able ones, not achieve as well as they should. This was observed in a 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

mathematics lesson in which the examples given to pupils to work through were too easy and repetitive.

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Quality of teaching

The teaching observed during the inspection was typically good and reflective of teaching over time. At times, teaching is outstanding and only occasionally satisfactory. This profile matches the school’s own records of monitoring, and teaching has improved since the previous inspection. The profile also matches the view of most pupils, parents and carers. One parent commented that ‘Teachers do a fantastic job’, and pupils told the inspector that lessons were usually 'fun’, especially when they are given active tasks to do. Teachers and support staff in Reception plan well together and provide a range of activities. When children decide for themselves what activities to pursue, staff extend their understanding further, for example through questioning. Staff also link sounds and letters together effectively, using a range of resources such as word games and by carrying out briskly paced exercises.

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Quality of teaching

A notable feature of the best lessons in Key Stages 1 and 2 is the skilful questioning used to involve all pupils in discussion. Teachers use assessment very well to improve learning. They were also observed using pupils’ targets to encourage them to work towards achieving the next level in their learning. A particularly good example was observed when the teacher used pieces of pupils’ writing for the whole class to discuss how language and imagery could be used to improve creative writing. Reading skills are taught and developed well across the school so that many pupils leave the school as accomplished readers. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are given the confidence to play a full part in lessons. They benefit from good levels of well-targeted support across the school. Teaching is usually successful at meeting the needs of the more-able pupils because tasks set are challenging and the pace of the lesson keeps pupils fully engaged. Just

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Quality of teaching

occasionally these key features are missing and progress is not as rapid as it could be. Pupils value the effort put into marking their work, because it usually contains constructive comments which show them what they need to do next. Teachers utilise opportunities to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, through activities such as getting pupils to reflect on their use of language and writing about their experiences of visits to places of interest such as Lulworth Cove.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The inspection confirmed what pupils, parents, carers and staff told the inspector about behaviour being outstanding. Pupils in particular are unanimous about this as well as the care they receive and how safe they are in school. Parents and carers were equally positive and a typical parental comment was, ‘The school gives excellent support to my child.’ Pupils are considerate to each other, working well together and listening to each other’s contributions in lessons. The outstanding behaviour contributes strongly to the school’s happy, welcoming and inclusive ethos. In lessons, in the playground and around the school, pupils’ behaviour is exemplary 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

and pupils have an excellent understanding of right, wrong and fair play. Pupils’ enthusiasm and enjoyment for learning and all that the school offers are infectious and their obvious love of school is reflected in the high attendance rates and there is no persistent absenteeism. Pupils understand that bullying can take various forms: for example, older pupils talk knowledgeably about issues associated with cyber- bullying. They are adamant that bullying is not an issue in the school, and they say that any minor incidents are quickly resolved, and they are confident about approaching staff. Older pupils love taking on responsibility, whether serving on the active school council, acting as play leaders or helping younger children. The positive relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff are a significant strength of the school.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and senior team have high expectations, are not complacent and are firmly committed to building on existing strengths. The issues for improvement identified at the previous inspection, those of improving boys’ writing and improving the provision and application of ICT in learning, have been successfully addressed. These successes together with the continuous drive to make ongoing improvements to teaching and achievement in particular demonstrate the school’s capacity for further improvement. The governing body is experienced, knowledgeable and active in school events and is both supportive and challenging in monitoring the school and holding it to account. The school’s self-evaluation is succinct and accurate, and feeds into strategic planning which focuses on appropriate priorities and provides for the good professional development of staff. The headteacher and her senior team track

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Leadership and management

the progress of all pupils carefully through regular assessments and pupil progress meetings. Leadership of teaching and performance management is rigorous and secures ongoing improvement. Subject leaders strongly support colleagues in their teaching. The inspection confirmed parents’ and carers’ very positive views of the school’s leadership.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum has been developed to include a range of topics such as ‘Adventure in space’ and ‘Keeping up with technology’, which engage pupils’ interests well. For such a small school, there is an impressive range of clubs and activities, including several sports, gardening and singing. The school has a very good reputation for its success in competitive sport. Prominence is also given to the arts and music, as reflected in the school’s awards. A high proportion of pupils learn to play at least one musical instrument. Partnerships are effective in enhancing pupils’ opportunities, such as through the use of facilities in other local schools. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. A good example being the links established with schools outside the local area, in Slough and Zambia, which provide the opportunity for joint projects and increase pupils’ contacts with, and

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Leadership and management

experience of, those of different cultural backgrounds. The school very successfully promotes an ethos of equal opportunity, and ensures no overt discrimination. Governors and leaders ensure that arrangements for safeguarding are secure, and are regularly monitored and updated as appropriate.

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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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6ES

Thank you for welcoming me in such a friendly way when I visited your school recently. I really enjoyed talking to many of you and seeing you in lessons. Your school gives you a good education, and I am writing to tell you what I found.

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6ES

These are the things I particularly liked.

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6ES

 All of you, throughout the school, make good progress in your work, and are well prepared for the next stage of your education.  Your teachers teach you well, and sometimes outstandingly. They make the lessons fun while making sure that you learn well in key subjects such as English and mathematics, as well in the good range of topics. Very occasionally, some of you get work which is too easy for you.  Your behaviour is excellent, you get on very well together, your attendance is much better than in many other schools, and you are very well looked after.  Your headteacher leads the school very well, and all the staff work hard to help you learn and feel safe in school. I agree with all the positive things you and your parents and carers told me about the school.

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6ES

In order to make your good school even better, I have asked the school to make sure that your teachers always give you work which makes you think and work hard, and helps all of you, including the cleverest among you, to do as well as you possibly can.

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6ES

You will help the staff achieve this if you continue to work as hard in class as I saw you doing during the inspection.

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6ES

John Laver 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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