Curry Rivel Church of England VC Primary School

Age group 4 – 11 Inspection date(s) 26 – 27 June 2012 Inspection number 380722 Curry Rivel Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 123752 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 380722 Inspection dates 26 – 27 June 2012 Lead inspector Hazel Callaghan

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 149 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lynne Flowers Headteacher Amanda Russell Date of previous school inspection September 2008 School address Church Street Curry Rivel Langport Somerset TA10 0HD Telephone number 01458 251404 Email address sch128@educsomerset.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in educatio n 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 nine lessons taught by four teachers and made other observations of pupils’ activities. Meetings were held with staff, representatives of the governing body, and with pupils. The inspector took account of the responses to the online Parent View survey in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at the school’s records of pupils’ attainment and progress, various documents, including those related to safeguarding, the school development plan, and lesson plans. Questionnaires completed by pupils and staff were scrutinised along with 58 parental questionnaires.

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Information about the school

Curry Rivel is a smaller than average school. The vast majority of its pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is broadly average, but the proportion of those supported at school action plus or who have statements of special educational needs is below the national average. The number of pupils who enter or leave the school during their primary education is a little higher than is usual. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The school runs a breakfast club each morning.

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Information about the school

There is a privately run pre-school group situated within the school building. It was not part of this inspection.

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Key findings

 This is a good school. Parents and carers agree and many commented on the strength of teaching and on the good leadership of the headteacher. One parent’s comments were typical of many: ’The school recognises the needs of the whole child and this has meant that they have been instilled with the belief that they can succeed which has resulted in their fantastic progress.’ Another commented, ‘I have seen a huge increase in my child’s confidence and enthusiasm for learning.’ Curry Rivel is not yet outstanding because attainment and progress in mathematics, particularly for those new to the school, are not as strong as in English and, although providing a rich and stimulating curriculum, it is not always as balanced through the year as it should be.  Pupils make good progress. There has been a successful focus on improving teaching and learning in reading and writing, with the result that attainment and progress in English have overtaken the previously stronger subject of

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Key findings

mathematics. The vast majority of pupils reach the expected levels in both English and mathematics.  Teaching is good. Children make a good start in the Reception Year and this good achievement continues through the school. Teachers are skilled in making their lessons interesting and pupils enjoy thoroughly the activities which promote good levels of independence and challenge their thinking.  Behaviour is good. Pupils demonstrate high levels of concentration, perseverance, and eagerness to learn. They show care for one another and respect for each other’s views. They display a mature awareness of potential dangers around them and recognise how to keep themselves and others safe.  Staff and the governing body share the headteacher’s strength of purpose in improving the school, with the result that there has been significant and concerted focus on improving teaching and on managing the school’s performance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that gaps in pupils’ learning in mathematics, especially of those new to the school, are identified and addressed quickly so that they make consistently good progress in all aspects of the subject to reach the same levels of attainment as they achieve in reading and writing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enable pupils to achieve well by ensuring that all subjects are taught regularly throughout the year and by making clear what is expected in terms of pupils’ presentation and quality of work within their topics.

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Achievement of pupils

Good achievement begins in the Reception class. Pupils start school with a range of skills and knowledge that is similar to that expected for their age. A smooth transition from the adjacent pre-school, stimulating activities and good teaching enable them to make effective progress in all areas of the early years’ curriculum. The good progress continues in Key Stage 1, where standards are rising. There is clear evidence of improved attainment at the end of Year 2 this year, with more pupils reaching higher than expected levels in both reading and writing. Attainment in reading is above average this year. Pupils use their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make well to support both their reading and writing.

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Achievement of pupils

The good progress continues in Key Stage 2. Typically, pupils reach securely average standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6, though stronger recently in English. Due to the small cohorts and their make up, attainment can vary year on year, with standards in some years above average. Regardless of the variations, pupils of all abilities show good progress from their different starting points. The gap in attainment of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and other pupils is closing. Consequently, the proportion of pupils reaching higher than the expected levels in reading and in writing has risen significantly this year. Current levels in reading in Year 6 are above average, due to the introduction of an accelerated-reading programme and improved focus on closing gaps in pupils’ understanding of how to decode new words. The process of identifying gaps in learning has not been quite as effective in mathematics, especially of those new to

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Achievement of pupils

the school and, although good overall, this slows their progress in some aspects of the subject.

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Achievement of pupils

All pupils respond very well to their activities. During a lesson observed during the inspection in Reception Year, for example, children, eagerly, chose the activities they wanted to pursue, exploring the topic of the sea. Boys and girls were both engaged enthusiastically in writing about what they learnt. Pupils in Year 2 accepted a challenge readily to find out which flavour of ice-cream was the most popular in their class, prior to making some of their own the following week. They organised themselves sensibly, collecting clipboards and paper independently, and recorded their findings effectively. Similarly, pupils in the mixed Year 3/4 class worked well with a partner to research their choice of explorer. They compared notes with interest: ‘He has 12 children!’ declared one, while others puzzled about why the information was not always consistent in different books. Parents and carers are very

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Achievement of pupils

positive about the quality of their children’s progress and most pupils say that they think they are doing well.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is good because teachers have secure subject knowledge and plan activities that match pupils’ abilities and interests effectively. Positive relationships between teachers and pupils are a marked feature. Teachers praise pupils’ contributions regularly, which produces confident and resilient learners. Lessons are fast paced, questioning probes pupils’ understanding effectively, and pupils evaluate their own and each other’s work routinely. Teachers provide good levels of challenge for pupils of all abilities. In a mathematics lesson in the Year 5/6 class, the pupils responded with enthusiasm to the logic problems given by the teacher. It created a buzz of well-focused discussion as pupils strived to solve the tricky problems. Effective use of assessment, usually, ensures that activities build on pupils’ prior learning. However, sometimes, the precise nature of gaps in learning in mathematics

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Quality of teaching

is not identified sufficiently to ensure time is taken to address the gaps before moving on and this hinders achievement.

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Quality of teaching

The strong focus on improving teaching of reading and developing teachers’ skills in teaching phonics (knowledge of letters and the sounds they make) is having a positive impact on raising attainment throughout the school. The curriculum covers all subjects. The subjects are often incorporated into the class topics and promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development well. Topics include an international element also, which extends pupils’ knowledge and awareness of the world. They provide effective opportunities for pupils to use and consolidate their English and mathematical skills and promote the use of information and communication technology (ICT) skills well. Some subjects, for example art, however, do not get taught frequently enough for pupils to develop their skills as successfully as they should.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers help pupils to recognise how well they are doing and how to improve. Marking celebrates pupils’ achievements effectively and sets new targets for improvement in their English and mathematics work. Expectations for the quantity and quality of the work in their topic work are not always made clear to pupils effectively, with the result that presentation and quality of work are not as high as in their other work. Teaching assistants have attended an extensive range of professional training and they play an effective part in the raising of attainment of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, in class, in smaller groups, and in one-to-one sessions.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers and pupils appreciate the range of activities, including the popular breakfast and after-school clubs, provided and judge teaching as good. Pupils often find their activities memorable and recall them with pleasure.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour is typically good. The vast majority of pupils behave well and, at times, extremely well. They get on well together and play amicably. They show care for one another and are friendly and polite. Pupils make a strong contribution to a safe positive learning environment by showing interest in their learning, looking out for one another and supporting each other if there is an upset. As one pupil in Year 6 put it, ‘We are like a family; we have arguments sometimes, but they are quickly forgotten.’ Pupils, usually, work hard, want to do well, and are proud of their successes. They show respect for each other’s work and effort. Lessons are rarely disrupted. Pupils say behaviour is typically good and bullying of any kind is very rare, especially any physical, emotional, or cyber-bullying. Any name calling is to do with minor arguments, to frustration, and is in the heat of the moment. The pupils say if

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

there is any bullying it is quickly addressed by the headteacher. Parents and carers believe that their children are safe and behaviour is at least good and very few have any concerns; as one parent commented, ‘Children of all ages interact and look out for one another.’

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say they feel very safe at school and discussed possible dangers in a very mature manner. They have a good understanding of internet safety and have a good awareness of possible dangers round them. Attendance is above the national average. Persistent absence is rare.

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Leadership and management

The determination and strong leadership of the headteacher have been instrumental in improving the school. School evaluation is accurate and leads effectively to the priorities for development. Staff at all levels are ambitious for the school and work well together as a cohesive team. Thorough systems for performance management, along with good levels of support and professional training, have resulted in teachers’ good understanding of how to promote pupils’ effective learning. That has focused particularly successfully on the teaching of reading, of phonics, and improvements in writing. Those aspects have improved since the previous inspection, showing the school’s capacity for improvement. Pupils’ progress is monitored rigorously by staff and any underachievement addressed.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum meets pupils’ learning needs and aptitudes well, both in the Early Years Foundation Stage and throughout the rest of the school, especially in reading, writing, ICT, and, to a large extent, in mathematics. Teachers’ use of assessment in mathematics is not yet as effective in ensuring gaps are always plugged in pupils’ knowledge and achievement matches that in English closely. It promotes pupils spiritual, moral, social, and cultural awareness effectively. The introduction of the ‘Restorative Justice’ programme has successfully supported pupils’ strong moral and social development. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their feelings and those of others. Positive links with other local schools give pupils many opportunities to work with others and participate in both sporting events and musical performances. The school is now focusing on how to ensure there is a better balance of subjects and of

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Leadership and management

skills development within each year. Staff ensure there is no evidence of discrimination and effectively promote pupils’ equal opportunities to achieve well by planning activities that effectively ensure all, including those eligible for free school meals, make good progress overall. Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils meet statutory requirements. Parents and carers who responded said their children are safe at school and looked after well. Partnerships with the large majority of parents and carers are good and most are very positive about the school’s direction.

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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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TA10 0HD

Thank you for making me feel so welcome and answering my questions when I visited you recently. You and your families are rightly proud of your school and I agree it is a good school. Here are some of the things I found out about you and your school.

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TA10 0HD

 You all make good progress and the vast majority of you reach the standards that are expected of you in English and mathematics. You have made good progress in your writing and reading recently, so it is now even better than in mathematics, which was your strongest subject in the past.  You want to do well and you try hard. I could see that most of you enjoy your work and relish the challenges that the teachers give you.  You behave well. You concentrate in class and most of you get on well at playtimes. You feel very safe in school and have a good understanding of how to keep yourselves and others safe.  You are taught well and all your teachers are skilled at helping you to make good progress in your learning.  The school is led well by your headteacher and the governing body and all the staff work hard to make your school a successful and happy community.  Your topic work looks very interesting and you say that your activities are

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TA10 0HD

Even though Curry Rivel Primary is a good school, I have asked your teachers and the governing body to do a few things to help you to make consistently good progress.

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TA10 0HD

 For teachers to spot the things in mathematics you are not sure about and help you to understand them quickly so you carry on making good progress.  To help you make your topic work as high quality and as successful as your work in English lessons and to ensure you have more regular opportunities to learn about all your subjects.

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TA10 0HD

Thank you again for making my visit to your school so much fun. I wish you well.

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TA10 0HD

Hazel Callaghan 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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