Ivington CofE Primary and Pre-School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 5–6 July 2012 Inspection number 395763 Ivington CofE Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 116894 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 395763 Inspection dates 5–6 July 2012 Lead inspector Bogusia Matusiak-Varley

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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 aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 88 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Hanson Headteacher Tim Milne Date of previous school inspection 10 June 2009 School address Ivington Leominster HR6 0JH Telephone number 01568 720216 Fax number 01568 720167 Email address admin@ivington.hereford.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

Bogusia Matusiak-Varley Additional Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspector visited 13 lessons taught by four teachers. She heard pupils read and scrutinised their work in workbooks and on displays. Group support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and for those falling behind in aspects of their classwork was observed. Meetings were held with senior staff, members of the governing body, pupils and parents and carers. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line Parent View survey in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at a wide range of documentation including: the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plan, system of performance management and assessment data to monitor the progress of different groups of pupils. Questionnaire returns from 26 parents and carers, 24 pupils and 14 staff were analysed.

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Information about the school

Ivington Church of England Primary School is a smaller-than-average primary school. It caters for pupils from the local village area and Leominster. A breakfast club and nursery on site are run by private providers. Most of the pupils are White British. A few have minority ethnic heritage and are from Eastern Europe. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs is above the national average. These pupils have specific and moderate learning difficulties and emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about the school

Pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes. Pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught alongside Year 1 pupils. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school has been awarded Artsmark Gold and Active Sportsmark. 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. Pupils make at least good progress throughout the school. The school is not yet outstanding because teaching does not enable pupils to make excellent progress in developing and using key learning skills, and the governing body does not always challenge school leaders enough to account for the school’s performance.

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Key findings

 Pupils achieve well. They make excellent gains in speaking and listening. They make good progress in reading, especially in learning their letter sounds. In guided reading sessions, progress is only satisfactory because pupils do not have reading targets and are unsure of how to improve their comprehension skills. Achievement in writing and mathematics is good but more-able pupils are not always sufficiently challenged.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is good, overall, and much is outstanding, especially in Reception and in Years 5 and 6. Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent. Marking is thorough and pupils’ understanding is regularly checked in lessons. Support staff make a valuable contribution to learning. Too few opportunities are provided to write or to solve problems in subjects other than in English and mathematics.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are safe and well cared for by teachers and support staff. Rare instances of bullying are dealt with quickly and effectively.

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Key findings

 Good leadership and management have driven and managed improvement well since the last inspection. The headteacher’s use of performance management and timely reviews has improved teaching and standards. However, the governing body lacks a thorough enough understanding of data on pupils’ progress to hold the school fully to account. The curriculum is well planned and the learning environment is inclusive and caring with good promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. 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 good teaching to outstanding by ensuring that all staff have the opportunity to learn from best practice in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate the rates of progress, particularly for more-able pupils in Years 1 to 4, in guided reading, extended writing and problem solving in mathematics by:  ensuring targets are set and pupils know what is expected of them  providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length in all subjects  ensuring that more opportunities are provided for them to use their mathematical problem-solving skills in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the governing body’s knowledge of data on pupils’ progress so members can ask more challenging questions of the senior leadership team to gain a more independent view of the school’s performance.

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement is good for all groups of pupils – from all ethnic heritages. This evaluation is shared by parents and carers. One commented: ‘This is a truly fantastic school. Our children love learning.’ The best rates of progress are in the Reception class and Years 5 and 6 where teaching is particularly effective, and is driven by teachers’ high expectation of each pupil’s capacity to learn. By the end of Key Stage 1 and when pupils leave school, they attain average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. This represents good progress and achievement, overall, because children’s skills on entry to the school are low in all areas of their development. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress due to well-targeted provision and good links with many external agencies.

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Achievement of pupils

Good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage enables virtually all pupils to achieve the early learning goals in all areas of learning on entry to Year 1, having made exceptional progress in speaking and listening, early number acquisition and personal, social and emotional development. This success is due to the high emphasis placed on developing basic skills and secure routines in learning. By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics meet national expectations. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 make exceptional progress in writing and mathematics and attainment is rising because the teaching inspires learning, and disabled pupils and those with specific and moderate learning difficulties receive very effective targeted support to help them overcome these difficulties.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ progress in reading is improving due to the good arrangements for learning letter sounds. The school places a high emphasis on developing a love of reading 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

and the school library is very attractive and used well by all groups of pupils. Nevertheless, more-able pupils in Years 1 to 4 do not attain at the higher levels, because they do not write extensively enough in all subjects or apply their knowledge of problem-solving mathematical skills to real-life problems. National and school data show that few more-able pupils attained the higher Level 3 in 2011, although a good proportion of them just missed the higher level.

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Achievement of pupils

In lessons, all pupils work hard and demonstrate an eagerness to learn. They acquire excellent speaking and listening skills, explain their reasoning and ask questions of their teachers. Pupils say, ‘Learning is fun.’ One Year 6 pupil said, ‘hard work – but rewarding’.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is good, overall, and ensures pupils learn successfully and make good progress. Teachers receive helpful pointers for improvement from the headteacher in his regular monitoring of teaching and learning. Teachers are committed to the pupils in their care and no pupil ‘slips through the net’ due to the regular progress reviews that are held with the headteacher. Parents and carers endorse inspection findings and are very pleased with the quality of teaching in the school. One said, ‘It’s such a relief knowing that your child is happy and learning.’ Teaching of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good. Teachers and support staff go out of their way to explore these pupils’ barriers to learning and preferred learning styles and help them to overcome learning difficulties. Support staff ensure that all the pupils in their care achieve the same learning experience as their peers,

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Quality of teaching

but at their own level of understanding.

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Quality of teaching

Liaison with many agencies is helpful and contributes to teaching matched to the needs of pupils. Good improvement has been made since the last inspection in using assessment information to track the progress of different groups so teachers can adapt work to meet individual needs. However, occasionally, teachers do not provide enough challenge for more-able pupils in guided reading, extended writing and problem solving in mathematics in Years 1 to 4. Some of the best teaching is in Years 5 and 6. For example, when discussing tension in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the teacher used techniques such as film and drama to engage the pupils’ emotions in producing descriptive writing. Pupils could not wait to get pen to paper and produced very good examples of similes and metaphors in their writing.

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Quality of teaching

Marking is thorough and how pupils can achieve learning objectives is consistently reinforced in lessons. Teaching of reading skills is good in all but guided reading, where the use of targets is not as well developed as in writing and mathematics. In guided-reading sessions, and pupils are often not sufficiently focused on gaining the skills that will get them the higher levels in reading, such as skills of comprehension and understanding the author’s motives in subtext.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. For example, teachers encourage pupils to reflect on the joy of life. One pupil wrote in 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

his religious education exercise book, ‘You only get given one life, so you have to make the most of it and enjoy every day.’

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Quality of teaching

Not all teachers have the opportunity to learn from best practice in the school and teaching is not yet generally outstanding.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

One Year 5 pupil accurately expressed the views of many: ‘We are one big family. We are all different but we do get on with one another.’ Parents and carers say that their children are safe and that behaviour in and around the school is good. The inspection confirms their views. Pupils are courteous to one another and the school’s prefects and ‘buddies’ ensure that no one gets left out in lessons, playtimes or after- school activities.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

There has been one incident of bullying relating to name calling, which the school has dealt with quickly and effectively. Both children have been supported and monitored and parents and carers are regularly updated on progress. Pupils understand the various forms of bullying, including cyber bullying, name calling and bullying related to sexual orientation. They are adamant that they feel safe in school and that the teachers are vigilant and respond to any concerns. Pupils feel safe and love coming to school, but attendance is average as some children need regular medical treatments.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The behaviour of pupils and their positive attitudes to learning are major reasons why they are making progress that is at least good and often outstanding in Years 5 and 6. The foundations for the good behaviour are set in the Reception class where the strong emphasis on routines and acquisition of secure learning behaviours is paying dividends further up the school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are well aware of fire precautions, health and safety and internet safety. They trust their teachers and always report anything that they are unsure of. The school’s motto of ‘Reaching Together’ underpins all aspects of school life and helps make it a racially harmonious community.

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Leadership and management

The school is well led and managed by a highly dedicated headteacher, deputy headteacher and subject leaders. Teamwork is a strength and the headteacher has won the hearts and minds of all staff, who strive for perfection – as demonstrated by the highly attractive learning environment and teaching that is at least good. Achievement is good because of effective teaching, standards are rising in mathematics and writing and pupils have positive attitudes to learning. These strengths illustrate the school’s capacity to improve further. The progress of all groups is closely monitored by the headteacher and deputy headteacher and support is given should any child fall behind. This good practice ensures equal opportunity for all pupils. There is no discrimination in this school. The governing body’s decision 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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Leadership and management

allocate a teaching assistant to each class is testimony to the high emphasis placed on pupils’ equal access to support for learning. Safeguarding arrangements are robust and all adults have received training in child protection. Requirements for safeguarding are met.

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Leadership and management

Rigorous performance management, with well focused professional development, such as the recent emphasis on animating stories using actions, has contributed to excellent progress in speaking and listening. The school development plan focuses on the right priorities and is regularly monitored by the very supportive governing body. However, the governing body is not familiar enough with the tracking data related to pupils’ achievements for it to better fulfil its role of holding the school to account for its performance.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is well thought out and enriched with a wide range of trips, visitors and visits. Pupils particularly enjoy their residential in Pembrokeshire and working with actors through a very enriching partnership with the Courtyard Theatre. Pupils’ love of Indian dance is encouraged as is knowledge of different faiths. These learning opportunities strongly promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There are external links with St John’s Church, where pupils sing regularly. Their spiritual development is further provided for through acts of collective worship.

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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 Ivington CofE Primary School, Leominster, HR6 0JH

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave me when I visited your school and thank you for taking the time to tell me, both in discussions and through your questionnaires, how much you enjoy learning and how much you respect and like your teachers. I found that your school gives you a good quality of education.

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Inspection of Ivington CofE Primary School, Leominster, HR6 0JH

These are some of the best things about it.  You make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Your achievement in speaking and listening is excellent. Those of you in Years 5 and 6 make excellent progress in writing and mathematics and you are well prepared for secondary school.  You are polite, well behaved and friendly, and are good ambassadors for your school.  You behave well in lessons, demonstrating positive attitudes to learning and you really take care of one another.  You are safe in school and you get on very well with all of your friends. Those of you who are ‘buddies’ contribute well to others feeling safe around the school.  Your teachers take good care of you and they teach you well. Your support staff help you whenever you need any additional help.

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Inspection of Ivington CofE Primary School, Leominster, HR6 0JH

I have asked your headteacher, staff and governing body to do the following things to improve your school.  Introduce reading targets to help you make even better progress in reading.  Make sure that you have more opportunities to develop your extended writing skills in a range of subjects and that you have more opportunities to undertake mathematical problem solving in different subjects.  Challenge those of you who find learning easy in Years 1 to 4 by giving you even harder work.

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Inspection of Ivington CofE Primary School, Leominster, HR6 0JH

All of you can help by always doing your very best and continuing to behave well.

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Inspection of Ivington CofE Primary School, Leominster, HR6 0JH

I wish you all the very best for the future.

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Inspection of Ivington CofE Primary School, Leominster, HR6 0JH

Bogusia Matusiak-Varley 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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