Kings Nympton Community Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 2–3 July 2012 Inspection number 395734 Kings Nympton Community Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 113158 Local authority Devon Inspection number 395734 Inspection dates 2–3 July 2012 Lead inspector Peter Clifton

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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 57 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amanda Blewett Headteacher Rowena Hoare Date of previous school inspection 18 May 2009 School address Kings Nympton Umberleigh EX37 9SP Telephone number 01769 580512 Fax number 01769 580512 Email address admin@kingsnympton.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. Eight lessons were visited and four teachers observed teaching. Meetings were held with staff, members of the governing body and groups of pupils. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at documents including the school improvement plan, the school’s information on pupils’ progress and samples of pupils’ work. The responses to 43 questionnaires from parents and carers, nine responses from staff and 36 pupil responses were examined and analysed.

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Information about the school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school, with pupils attending from a wide geographical area. The two classes have a mix of age groups. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action plus or who have statements of special educational needs is broadly average. Numbers of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals are below average. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught alongside pupils from Key Stage 1. Numbers of pupils attending the school have risen since the time of the previous inspection. Over the past two years, there have been significant numbers of pupils joining or leaving Key Stage 2 other than at the usual time. There is pre- school provision on-site that is not managed by the governing body and therefore inspected separately. The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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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 a good school. The school’s good reputation has been a factor which has led to increasing numbers of pupils attending. Pupils are known well by staff and treated as individuals. Planning for improvement is sharply focused on improvement in the right areas. However, the school is not yet outstanding because attainment in writing is weaker than in other subjects and the pace of teaching and learning in lessons is occasionally too slow.

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Key findings

 Fluctuation in attainment has been caused by pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the usual time. Attainment is broadly average and rising. Once in school, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Achievement is good and broadly similar for the different groups of pupils.

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Key findings

 Teaching is typically good. Discussion is used well in lessons to help pupils develop their thinking. Lessons capture the pupils’ enthusiasm and topics are well-chosen to interest both boys and girls. Learning in lessons usually moves along at a brisk pace. However, on a few occasions, pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are not developed quickly enough in different activities. Pupils have targets to help them assess their own work but these are not used as effectively as they might be across the school.

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Key findings

 Behaviour is good, relationships are strong and the pupils have good attitudes to learning. Pupils comment that it is a very happy school where they feel safe and that they are expected to work hard. They express themselves with considerable confidence and assurance, and work harmoniously in lessons, for example to solve problems in mathematics.

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Key findings

 The leadership of teaching and the management of performance are good. Planned actions for improvement in writing have been implemented securely but have not had time to have a full impact on attainment. The headteacher rightly has the strong support of staff, governors, and parents and carers. 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?

 Raise attainment in writing by:  fully embedding improvements in the school’s action plan  widening the use of targets and self-assessment strategies so that pupils can be more involved in setting their own goals for improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all teaching is at least good or better by maintaining a brisk pace of learning for pupils of different abilities throughout each lesson.

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Achievement of pupils

The results from national assessments in 2011 did not meet the government’s current floor standards. However, the outcomes for this year group are not representative of the pupils’ overall attainment.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start school with skills, knowledge and understanding that are typically below those expected for their ages, with writing being a weaker area. They make good progress overall and their attainment is broadly average by the end of Year 6. In the current Reception, children have a secure grasp of letters and their sounds, and use these to spell and write simple words, while more-able children write sentences. One child was very proud that she had written a party invitation. Books are used well, for example to develop the children’s use of vocabulary and practise new words . They enjoyed comparing the weight of different objects, where one child typically commented, ‘It is not how big it is, it’s because it doesn’t have as much inside.’ This group of children displayed above-average levels of understanding.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment in reading by the end of Year 2 is average. More-able pupils read with fluency and intonation, and can retell key parts of stories. Weaker readers in Key Stage 1, including those who are supported by school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs, have a secure understanding of letters and their sounds, and use these systematically to help with reading. Across the school, pupils use their reading skills to help their learning, for example when reading play scripts in Key Stage 2 and weekend diary entries in Key Stage 1. In the current Year 6, attainment in reading is above average.

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Achievement of pupils

In Years 2 and 6, attainment in writing is average. Pupils in Year 2 enjoyed writing descriptive sentences based on an imaginary creature as the starting point for poetry work. In Key Stage 2, there is a wide range of different writing genres, including extended writing based on the current topic of ancient Greece. Pupils have a growing understanding of using a range of sentences to engage the interest of the reader and enliven their writing. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make progress which is similar to other pupils. In writing, for example, they describe well the scene of the runner carrying the Olympic torch into the stadium. They comment that help is always available but that they are expected to do the work for 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

In Year 2, the pupils have a secure grasp of number and place value. By the end of Year 6, attainment in mathematics is broadly average. Pupils in Key Stage 2 tackled investigations confidently when, for example, they had to read timetables and apply the information to work out what time they needed to be at the airport. Questionnaires from parents and carers indicate a strong level of agreement that their children make good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is mainly good in both classes. It is not consistently better than this and occasionally quality dips. Teaching of Reception-age children is appropriately distinctive from that for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Children enjoy a good range of activities in the outside learning area which they choose for themselves. A story about a dragon who was afraid of mice caused much laughter and was used well to introduce the children to new and unfamiliar words. Pupils across the school enjoy and learn well from the activities they are given.

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Quality of teaching

Adults treat pupils with respect and promote values of fairness and honesty. Collaborative and cooperative working is promoted strongly. Discussion in lessons is lively and purposeful. Pupils clearly enjoy this as there is an enthusiastic response when opportunities for discussion are provided and many hands raised to answer questions posed.

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Quality of teaching

In most lessons, planning is provided at different levels to meet the needs and abilities of the pupils. This, together with the active engagement of the pupils, means learning is purposeful and moves along at a brisk pace. For example, the task to prepare a television schedule was challenging for more-able pupils; they persevered to complete this task well. However, there are occasions when learning slows. Examples of this include when activities do not deepen understanding quickly enough and when pupils have to wait for too long before being given challenging tasks. The needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are identified early and they are supported well, enabling them to progress in line with their peers.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils appreciate the comments made in their books to help them improve and regularly refer to targets at the front of these books. Nevertheless, they are not helped enough to decide for themselves what could be improved, for example in their writing, to help them move on to the next level.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Discussions with pupils and analysis of documentation show pupils’ behaviour is usually good. Pupils say they really like school and get on well together. Around the school and in the playground, pupils are respectful and polite. At playtimes, they expend plenty of energy playing games such as cricket and basketball. They appreciate the different activities they do, for example in artwork to add designs to 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

their Greek vases and in practising for the performance of ‘Olivia’. They are genuinely appreciative of going to a small school. In lessons, there is an atmosphere of concentration and hard work, such as in mathematics, when pupils collaborated well together to plan a television schedule. The behaviour observed around the school was good, and pupils and parents and carers say this is typical, although some also comment that, on a few occasions, there is some silly behaviour which adults quickly correct. The school is a safe and healthy place to be and pupils, parents and carers value this.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The pupil questionnaires and discussions with pupils confirmed that they had no concern about bullying. This includes through the use of information and communication technology or mobile telephones. On the rare occasions that bullying occurs, pupils are confident that it is dealt with well. Pupils are punctual to school and attendance, which has improved over the past year, is above average.

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Leadership and management

Efforts to improve the school’s effectiveness by the headteacher, and with the strong support of the governing body and other staff, have been concerted. The improvements in writing across the school are reflected in the improving picture of progress which is now raising pupils’ attainment. Writing includes a greater emphasis on the use of grammar, quiet writing time, an emphasis on writing in topic work to engage pupils’ interests, and promoting stronger links with the on-site pre-school. Nevertheless, attainment in writing in different year groups is not as strong as in reading, and leaders rightly recognise that more time is needed to fully embed all of these strategies in the school’s action plan. Teamwork in the school is strong and the headteacher, who has a significant teaching commitment, leads by example. The monitoring of teachers’ performance is effective, and teachers are given opportunities to visit other schools to help them reflect on their own practice as a

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Leadership and management

part of their professional development. The strengths of the provision and improvements made demonstrate the school’s capacity to improve.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher has good-quality information about the progress made by individual children across the school. This tracking system shows increasing numbers of pupils working at age-related expectations and strengthening progress. Provision to secure equal opportunities and tackle discrimination for pupils is good.

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Leadership and management

The governing body monitors the priorities in the school development plan and readily challenges the headteacher, for example by asking questions about pupils’ rates of progress and looking at pupils’ work. Governors have a clear understanding about their responsibility for safeguarding which has been audited recently. Arrangements meet statutory requirements. The curriculum is a strength in the school. There are opportunities to research into different topics using books and the internet, and this means that some pupils increase their in-depth knowledge about different aspects of the topics, for example how the Greek soldiers defended themselves during battle. Pottery, artwork and ‘light’ sculptures displayed demonstrate that skills in these areas are being taught well. 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

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well, as evidenced in the pupils’ sense of enjoyment and fascination to learn. The links with other local schools are strengthening pupils’ social development, although links with others from different ethnic backgrounds are less well developed. Pupils display a good understanding of right and wrong.

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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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EX37 9XP

Thank you for being so friendly to me when I visited your school, and for your responses to the questionnaire. I talked to many of you and was pleased to come into your lessons which you clearly enjoy. Your school provides you with a good education. I particularly liked the way you work together in lessons and that the staff know you all as individuals. A highlight for me was looking at the Greek pots you have made. I also enjoyed looking at your writing and listening to you read. The changes that have been made are helping you to improve your writing. I have asked the headteacher to make sure that these changes are working as well as possible. All of you I spoke with made it clear that you feel safe and valued, and your parents and carers agree.

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EX37 9XP

You make good progress because the work you are given is carefully matched to your individual needs. However, on a few occasions, you have to wait too long before being given more challenging work. I have asked the school to make sure this does not happen in the future. I discussed with several of you the marking in your books and your targets which you told me you found helpful. I have asked your headteacher to give you even more help with targets so that you can look at your work and identify for yourselves what you need to do better.

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EX37 9XP

I was pleased to see that your attendance this year has improved because this means that you have had more opportunities to learn; you can help by improving this even more. Your behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. I was pleased that you confirmed that any misbehaving or bullying is rare and quickly dealt with.

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EX37 9XP

Your headteacher and other adults have done a good job in improving your school since you were last visited by an inspector.

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EX37 9XP

Peter Clifton 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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