Goldsborough Church of England Primary School

Goldsborough Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 5–11 Inspection date(s) 21–22 June 2012 Inspection number 380269 Unique Reference Number 121562 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 380269 Inspection dates 21–22 June 2012 Lead inspector Yvonne Mills-Clare

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 76 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair D Barnes Headteacher M Shillito Date of previous school inspection 25 March 2009 School address Goldsborough Knaresborough HG5 8NJ Telephone number 01423 862617 Fax number 01423 864563 Email address headteacher@goldsborough.n-yorks.sch.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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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspector observed three teachers leading seven part-lessons. The inspector listened to pupils reading and meetings were held with the headteacher, teaching staff, the Chair of the Governing Body, a parent and groups of pupils. The inspector observed many aspects of the school’s work, and scrutinised minutes of the governing body meetings, the systems for assessing and monitoring pupils’ progress, the school development plan, safeguarding procedures, pupils’ workbooks, and teachers’ planning and marking. The inspector took note of the questionnaires completed by 55 parents and carers, and those completed by pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

This school is much smaller than others of its type. It serves a rural village community and numbers in each year group are low, averaging around ten pupils in Key Stage 2. The proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals is low. All pupils are of White British heritage and none speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school meets the current floor standards, which sets the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress. A recently opened daily breakfast club is provided for pupils. Recent accreditations include: Healthy School status, Eco Schools Award and the ‘Sing Up’ Silver Award.

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Information about the school

Since the previous inspection there have been significant changes in staffing. A new headteacher has been appointed and the whole of the teaching staff has changed. 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. It is not yet outstanding because pupils have tended to make less progress in mathematics over time, and inconsistencies in the quality of marking sometimes limit pupils’ knowledge of how to improve their work. Pupils thrive at Goldsborough, leaving the school as confident, articulate and polite young people who are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Key Findings

 Pupils' achievement is good. A good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage lays a positive foundation for learning and most pupils make good progress throughout the school. A focus on practical activities is successfully developing problem-solving skills and has closed the gap in progress between English and mathematics significantly, but opportunities to use mathematics skills across the curriculum are more limited.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is good. Thorough use of assessment ensures teachers know pupils’ academic development well and pupils’ progress is carefully tracked. Outcomes of lessons are well used to adapt future planning so that pupils are consistently challenged.

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Key Findings

 The school’s caring ethos coupled with opportunities for responsibility ensure pupils flourish, developing independence and self- discipline. As a result, their behaviour is outstanding and they demonstrate exemplary attitudes to lessons and are active learners. Many pupils learn the skills of negotiation and teamwork through serving on pupil committees. School’s close attention to safety means that pupils have a highly developed sense of their own and others’ safety.

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Key Findings

 Leadership of teaching and management of performance are good. The headteacher offers strong, visionary leadership. Supported by a well-informed governing body, the school is briskly moving forward. Some classroom monitoring is undertaken by subject leaders, but often development points are not included in the written record, thus limiting opportunities to monitor progress in further observations. Pupils’ good progress, together with improvements in teaching and the curriculum indicate that the school’s capacity for further improvement is good.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise standards and accelerate progress in mathematics by: - continuing to provide practical activities in order to enhance problem solving skills - increasing opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills across other areas of the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase pupils’ awareness of how well they are doing and how to improve by: - ensuring consistency in the marking guidance provided by teachers - offering opportunities for pupils to respond to comments.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Move good teaching to outstanding by ensuring outcomes of classroom monitoring by middle leaders provide a written record of development points against which to judge improvements in practice. 

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy their lessons and work well together. This was particularly true in a Year 2/3 class where they were avidly discussing elements of a given text and what made it interesting to the reader. Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are broadly typical for their age. They make good progress and achieve well. This concurs with the parents’ and carers’ views. Effective organisation and careful assessments underpin this good progress. The good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage results in attainment on entry to Year 1 being slightly above average. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 has risen each year since the previous inspection. The latest data shows above- average attainment. Standards in reading at the end of Key Stage 1 are above average. Most pupils read fluently and with understanding and tackle unfamiliar

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Achievement of pupils

words successfully by separating the parts and blending the sounds together.

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Achievement of pupils

By the end of Year 6 pupils leave the school with attainment that is above average in all tested subjects, and significantly above in English. The quality of pupils’ writing is a strength throughout the school. Progress in English exceeds national expectations, with all pupils making at least expected progress and often better progress. Progress in mathematics has been more limited over time, despite many pupils attaining the higher levels. The school has successfully changed the curriculum for mathematics, introducing more practical activities. This is significantly and rapidly closing the gap across the school between the subjects. Attainment in reading is above average by the end of Year 6. Every pupil has a ‘Book Buddy’ with whom they read during the week. Well-targeted intervention and support help disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are known to be eligible for free school

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Achievement of pupils

meals to match the progress of their peers.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers and pupils themselves believe that teaching is good. This was also the finding of the inspection. Teachers have high expectations of pupils. They know what pupils need to learn and give them appropriate activities designed to develop relevant knowledge, understanding and skills. Activities are generally motivating and simultaneously and effectively develop pupils’ basic skills. For example, pupils in Year 1 were sensibly debating and formulating their own features of instruction writing. Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent. Through opportunities to work collaboratively and in pairs pupils develop their social skills and work together sensitively and maturely.

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Quality of teaching

High-quality curriculum planning ensures pupils’ needs are met and that they are challenged to do their best. This requires highly developed assessments that are well used to shape future lessons. For example, in one class, spanning three year groups, a range of learning styles and practical activities ensured all pupils were motivated and working enthusiastically on volume in their mathematics lesson. The activities not only boosted their understanding of how to find the volume of shapes, but also their confidence in articulating their reasoning. Teachers are increasingly using practical activities to boost progress and understanding in mathematics, but opportunities to develop their mathematical skills across other subjects are more limited. Well-targeted interventions and effective support from teaching assistants generally make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning and progress, especially

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Quality of teaching

that of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Marking, especially in English, provides some detailed feedback to pupils and direction on how they can improve their work. However, this is inconsistent across all settings and subjects and, on occasion, does not always give sufficient pointers for improvement or allow pupils to respond to guidance.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Parents and carers unanimously report that behaviour is good and that their children are kept safe. Behaviour in class and around the school is outstanding and all evidence shows that this is typical over time. Pupils are encouraged to become caring and supportive young people from the outset. The ‘Buddying’ systems the school has initiated are not just confined to the playground, but cover help and support for reading and classroom partners. All the pupils with whom bullying was discussed were aware of the different types of bullying sometimes found in this age- group and were adamant that none occurred in the school. Typical comments included ‘we are all friends’, ‘it will never happen here, never in a million years!’ This view was also echoed by parents and carers. Pupils are confident that if any issues or concerns did arise, they could talk to any member of staff and difficulties would be dealt with swiftly and sensitively, commenting ‘ the teachers don’t feel like teachers,

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

more like friends that you can talk to at any time, about anything.’ Throughout the school, pupils are enthusiastic and conscientious learners. Pupils’ high level of attendance is testament to their thorough enjoyment of school and all it offers, and their feelings of safety. The school’s attention to the safety of its pupils is paramount. Pupils are taught thoroughly about road safety and the older pupils show a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from risk, for instance, on the Internet and from strangers. The school has capitalised on its small school status by creating a series of pupil committees, led by pupils, developing a sense of responsibility and maturity among them and heightening awareness of their own and others’ safety. Each committee has instigated a project, for instance the School Council has re-written the behaviour policy and the Eco committee has achieved an award for the school. Pupils who are in need of extra support or whose

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

circumstances make them vulnerable settle quickly and the school can demonstrate the good and often outstanding progress made by these pupils.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides influential, insightful leadership. He has developed very close links with other local schools to enhance staff development and share good practice, which in turn benefits the education of pupils. There is strong teamwork and a shared view about the school’s future direction amongst all staff. The governing body is actively involved in the school and plays its part in shaping its strategic direction. Leaders at all levels are involved in monitoring and evaluating activities. However, the monitoring of teaching by subject leaders does not always provide a written record of development points observed, limiting the impact of future observations in judging improvements in practice. School self evaluation is strong. Strengths and areas for development are clearly known and understood, and the latter are being effectively tackled, demonstrating the school’s good capacity to improve further. The school values all of its pupils equally and is committed to

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Leadership and management

eradicating any discrimination. Support for specific groups of pupils is provided to promote similar progress for all effectively.

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Leadership and management

Through the broad and well-enriched curriculum, and its extensive promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, permeating all aspects of school life, pupils’ academic and personal development is well-promoted. Safeguarding arrangements are good, with robust risk assessments ensuring pupils are safe and well cared for.

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Leadership and management

Good links with parents and carers promote their productive engagement with the school. They are very supportive of the school’s contribution to the community as well as the good quality of education it provides. Almost all of the parents and carers who made their views known to the inspection team were overwhelmingly positive about the school and would recommend the school to others, often commenting that they were ‘completely happy with the school on so many levels’. Speaking for many, one parent observed ‘my child is safe and well looked after...is thriving educationally and more importantly enjoys learning and has an appetite for learning more.’

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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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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 ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Knaresborough, HG5 8NJ

 What a delightful time I had when I inspected your school! Thank you for being so friendly and willing to share your work and your views about school. I consider yours to be a good school. These are the main things I found out during the inspection. You really enjoy your learning; you are willing to work hard and keen to do your best. This means you make good progress. You are very happy to come to school and so your attendance is high. You enjoy being involved in your learning and working with others. You care for each other and look after each other very well. You are considerate and polite, so behaviour in classes and around the school is outstanding on a day-to-day basis. It is good to hear that you and your parents and carers feel so safe and say bullying never happens. You also told me that the school deals well with any issues you raise.

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Knaresborough, HG5 8NJ

Even though I believe your school is a good school, part of my job is to see what your school could do better. I have asked all the staff, your headteacher and governing body to help you reach higher levels in your work and make even faster progress, particularly in your mathematics. You told me that you like lessons that are fun, so I am asking your teachers to continue to give you activities that are practical in your mathematics lessons. I noticed that you don’t often get the chance to use your mathematics skills in other subjects and topics, so I have asked that teachers plan ways you can do this. I found that marking does not always tell you how to improve your work so I have asked your teachers to make sure you always get good advice and time to answer your teacher’s comments. I know that the staff in your school often watch how well you learn in the classroom. I have asked them to write down their findings so they have a record to help them measure the improvement

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Knaresborough, HG5 8NJ

that has been made next time they visit.

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Knaresborough, HG5 8NJ

It was a real pleasure to meet you. Good luck in the future!

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Knaresborough, HG5 8NJ

Yvonne Mills-Clare 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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