Ipplepen Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 2–3 July 2012 Inspection number 378665 Ipplepen Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 113203 Local authority Devon Inspection number 378665 Inspection dates 2–3 July 2012 Lead inspector Rowena Onions

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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 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 189 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Roger Farrow Headteacher Helen Tate Date of previous school inspection 27 March 2008 School address Biltor Road Ipplepen Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL Telephone number 01803 812226 Fax number 01803 813447 Email address admin@ipplepen-primary.devon.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 18 lessons, taught by eight teachers. Some teaching assistants were also observed at work with pupils. Meetings were held with pupils, members of the governing body and staff. The inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They observed the school’s work, and looked at data about pupils’ progress. In addition, they considered the school improvement plan, reports from the local authority and a range of other documentation. Sixty-nine responses to the parents’ and carers’ questionnaire were received and analysed.

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Information about the school

This smaller than average-sized primary school serves its local area. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average. Pupils’ special educational needs include behaviour, emotional and social, speech, language and communication and moderate learning difficulties. Pupils, including those in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are taught in mainly single age group classes. The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. 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

 Ipplepen is a good school. By Year 6, pupils are articulate, thoughtful young people who are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The school is not yet outstanding because some aspects of teaching and some facilities for Reception children are not yet supporting outstanding achievement.

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Key findings

 Pupils make strong progress in reading and mathematics to attain well above average standards. Improvement work has accelerated progress in writing, which is now good. Children in Reception receive a good start to their education. However, limitations in outdoor facilities inhibit opportunities for them to apply what they have learned in a wider context.

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Key findings

 Pupils behave well. They feel safe and secure in school. Their enthusiasm about the content of their lessons and the way they are taught has a positive impact on their learning.

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Key findings

 Teachers ensure that work is put into a context that interests pupils and makes work relevant to them. They structure lessons well to support pupils’ progress. However, lessons are sometimes over-controlled and this inhibits pupils’ opportunities to become independent and to learn to overcome difficulties for themselves.

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Key findings

 The school is well led. Leadership of teaching and the management of performance are good and have been successful in developing a consistency of approach that means pupils are well taught in all year groups. The headteacher has ensured there is a clear vision and a determination to further improve the school. Although most parents and carers are happy with the education provided, a minority express a range of concerns which often relate to the way the school communicates with them. The school has tried to develop the partnership, but acknowledges the need to work further with parents and carers to ensure their full confidence in the school’s work. 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 impact of teaching on learning so that it becomes outstanding by:  providing pupils with more opportunity to work independently and to find for themselves solutions to any difficulties they encounter  improving the facilities for Reception children to work outdoors.  Promote the full confidence of all parents by:  working in partnership with them to improve home-school communication  providing them with more detail about what is being taught in school and how they can help at home.

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Achievement of pupils

Dedicated school development work has ensured that pupils make consistently good progress throughout the school. In the Reception class, they successfully begin to develop basic skills and to learn to work and play productively together. This ensures they build on attainments that are a little above those expected for their age on entry so that a good proportion exceed expectations by the end of the year. Reading skills are very successfully developed. In both Year 2 and Year 6, standards are high. By Year 2, pupils use a range of skills, including phonics (linking letters to the sounds they make), to help them read new words. Older pupils are fluent readers who apply their skills very successfully, for example when researching information about Greece for their current topic.

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Achievement of pupils

The school has had a successful focus on making improvements to pupils’ writing. Although above average, standards are not yet as high as they are in reading and mathematics. However, they are well on track to be so in the next year. Pupils show that they can use skills learned in mathematics and English lessons in other subjects. They have well-developed verbal skills that allow them to deepen their knowledge and thinking through discussion and debate. In a Year 6 drama lesson, for example, they were able to negotiate in groups to produce a demonstration of water movement over the course of a river. Pupils also benefit from good skills in information and communication technology. Pupils are not, as yet, making outstanding progress because they do not get sufficient practice in independently using and applying their skills and knowledge.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported to make good progress. Other groups, including those eligible for free school meals, make the same good progress as their peers. The school is also successful in helping more able pupils gain higher levels of attainment. The vast majority of parents and carers feel that their child is making good progress. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

The impact of school development work is evident in the consistency of key elements of the good teaching pupils receive. Teachers are very careful to ensure that pupils know what they are expected to learn and how they will know when they have been successful. Teachers make reference to these objectives at regular intervals in lessons. Learning throughout lessons is carefully supported by a range of prompts, reminders and resources. While this is good practice in many lessons, there are occasions when it reduces pupils’ opportunity to learn to be independent and to develop resilience in the face of any difficulties they may encounter. On occasion, it also frustrates pupils a little when the flow of their work is interrupted as teachers stop them to give sometimes unnecessary further guidance. Overall, however, pupils are very happy about the teaching they receive. They are particularly positive about

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Quality of teaching

the way teachers choose activities that interest them.

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Quality of teaching

A high percentage of parents and carers agree that their child is well taught. Well- targeted work in class ensures disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. Teaching assistants are particularly effective in helping in this. However, there are occasions, particularly at the beginning of lessons, when the skills of teaching assistants could be more productively used. There is good teaching in the Reception class that ensures that children are settled and enthusiastic. Activities are set up so that adult-led learning is followed up by opportunities to practise what has been learned through play. This is very effectively managed within the classroom. The outside area directly available to the children is, however, not of sufficient quality to allow them to deepen their learning in a wider context. This limits learning and means that children’s achievement is prevented from being even higher.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers use the assessments they make of pupils to accurately plan for the next steps in their learning. This ensures they hold appropriately high expectations for each of their pupils and in all the subjects. A focus on helping pupils to assess their own work has paid off. Pupils evaluative their own work and focus on what they need to do to make improvements, both in individual lessons and over time. Good marking and feedback from teachers help with this.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Good behaviour in class is a positive factor in pupils’ successful learning. They are keen to learn and concentrate well. Pupils are polite and thoughtful in the way they interact with adults and in the way they move around the school. Attendance is above average, illustrating the pupils’ liking of school. A small number of pupils who have more difficulty in managing their behaviour are gradually assisted to improve their self-control. Pupils feel that they are well supported personally. Opinions were summed up by one who commented, ‘Our teachers and teaching assistants are always there for you.’

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils report feeling safe in school, and parents and carers agree that this is the case. They say that there is very little bullying of any type in the school and any that 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

occurs, such as name calling or cyber bullying, is dealt with promptly. A minority of parents and carers, however, are not of the opinion that this is the case. Evidence gathered on inspection did not point to any significant issue concerned with bullying. However, the school rightly wishes to work with parents and carers both to prevent bullying and to seek ways of reassuring parents that good attention is given to this matter.

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Leadership and management

The school is well led and managed by an increasingly effective team of senior leaders. There is a clear, shared vision that is focused on making the school outstanding. The headteacher has provided strong leadership in developing this team ethos and in using it to develop teaching and learning. Governors are part of this team and are proactive in moving the school forward and in holding the school to account. Regular checking of the provision, especially the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress, very accurately informs school improvement planning. The robust use of data to promote the progress of every pupil ensures that there is equality of opportunity and that discrimination is avoided. There are good links with teacher performance management and professional development that ensure all staff are both held to account and appropriately supported. Increased progress and standards in writing, and the very consistent way in which pupils are helped to know how to

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Leadership and management

improve, are examples of the success of recent school development work. The strength of the school team, together with the track record of improvement, demonstrates the school has strong capacity to ensure this continues.

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Leadership and management

The school provides a broad and interesting curriculum. This has a strong focus on the development of literacy and numeracy skills, but also includes a wide variety of other subjects and activities. Pupils speak very highly of specialist teaching in art, music and physical education. They also greatly appreciate the trips and visitors to school that both enliven the curriculum and give it relevance by linking it to real life. The ethos of the school, alongside the curriculum, actively promotes pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development. Much has been done since the school’s last inspection to successfully improve pupils’ knowledge of a range of faiths and cultural traditions. However, the school is rightly seeking to improve their understanding of how this relates to cultural diversity in the United Kingdom.

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Leadership and management

The school enjoys the good opinion of the majority of parents and carers. However, there were a number of different issues raised by a minority through the inspection questionnaire that appear to be affecting their overall confidence in the school. Many of these relate to home-school communication. The school has been aware of this situation for some time and is anxious to improve partnerships with all parents and carers. Staff and governors have tried to find ways of making improvements, such as increasing the frequency of providing pupil progress information. Parents and carers are given information about what will be taught in the coming term; however, this is not always as helpful as it could be in indicating how they could support their child at home. Consequently, at present, not all parents and carers feel full confidence in what is happening in the school and leaders acknowledge more ways of improving

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Leadership and management

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

communication should be explored. The school has wide-ranging links with others, including other schools, which help promote both a wider curriculum and teacher expertise. Pupils with particular needs are well supported by links with other professionals and through robust safeguarding procedures. The latter ensure the safety and well-being of all.

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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 Ipplepen Primary School, Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave us when we visited your school. We talked to lots of you and are grateful for the way you shared your thoughts. Like you, we think that your school is a good one. Many things contribute to this.

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Inspection of Ipplepen Primary School, Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL

 The good progress you make in learning to read and within mathematics and the increasingly good progress you are making in your writing.  The enthusiasm you have for your lessons and the way teachers promote this by the activities they choose for you.  The way you are helped to know what you are expected to learn and to recognise if you have succeeded.  Your good behaviour and the way this helps you concentrate and work hard.  The help you are given by adults if you need it means both you and your families agree you feel safe in school.  The way your headteacher, staff and governors are working together to improve the school.

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Inspection of Ipplepen Primary School, Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL

To make things even better, we have asked your headteacher, staff and governors to do several things.

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Inspection of Ipplepen Primary School, Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL

 Make sure your learning becomes outstanding by: – giving you more opportunity to work independently and to find for yourselves solutions for the difficulties you come across – improving the area that Reception class children have for working outdoors.  Improve the communication between your school and your home to make sure all your parents and carers feel confident about what is happening in school.

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Inspection of Ipplepen Primary School, Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL

You can help by continuing to work hard and supporting your teachers and each other. We wish you every success in the future.

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Inspection of Ipplepen Primary School, Newton Abbot TQ12 5QL

Rowena Onions 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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