Tansley Primary School

Tansley Primary School Gold Hill, Tansley, Matlock, DE4 5FG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ attainment has risen steadily since the headteacher started at the school.  Pupils make rapid progress from their starting points and achieve well.  Teaching successfully encourages good learning and there is a positive atmosphere in the school.  Good behaviour in classes supports pupils’ learning. Pupils learn well how to keep themselves safe.  Financial resources are used well to help pupils who find learning difficult. As a result, these pupils make good progress.  Almost all parents are very pleased with the school and would recommend it to others.  The headteacher, well supported by a strong governing body, has brought about good improvements to teaching.  Teaching staff work well together and are committed to improving the school.  There is a strong focus on checking how well pupils are doing, intervening to help those who are not doing well and planning for further improvements.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils enjoy the learning experiences provided. These have been extended by good improvements to the school grounds and links with the community.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Aspects of teaching are not yet outstanding, particularly the marking of pupils’ work in subjects other than English and mathematics.  The use of data to check the quality of provision in Reception is not fully developed, and subject leaders for mathematics and English do not analyse data in their subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 All three full-time teachers were seen teaching five lessons. These observations were carried out with the headteacher. In addition, short visits were made to a further three lessons. The inspection included observations of playtime, lunchtime and assembly.  Pupils’ work books in Years 2 to 6 were examined, including their mathematics, English, science and topic work. Records of observations made of children in Reception and their work were studied. There was an observation of three Year 2 boys reading their books to a volunteer.  Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority, teaching staff and the headteacher. There were several informal discussions with pupils about their work and school life.  The inspection took account of 25 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and two letters from parents. Questionnaires from seven members of staff were analysed.

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Information about this inspection

 Documents scrutinised during the inspection included the school’s summary self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, the school’s performance data and tracking, records of staff training, records relating to aspects of behaviour, teachers’ planning, minutes of a governing body meeting, and a case study of a pupil with special educational needs.

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Inspection team

Susan Aldridge, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. There are none who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils  known to be eligible for the pupil premium has risen since the last inspection and is slightly below average  supported at school action is below average  who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. Most commonly, pupils have behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes. A small number of Reception children are taught alongside Year 1 and some Year 2 pupils. This class had three different teachers last academic year. A new Early Years Foundation Stage leader joined the school in September.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching by making sure that  marking in science and other subjects is regular, frequent and helpful in encouraging correct spelling and punctuation  initial assessment of children in Reception draws effectively on parents’ and carers’ knowledge of their children  there is frequent use of methods and approaches suited to young children in Reception, such as songs and rhymes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen school self-evaluation by ensuring that  subject leaders for English and mathematics are trained and confident in using data to evaluate the provision in their subjects  the school makes use of national data to evaluate the progress made by the small number of pupils who have very low starting points  the school builds up accurate data on attainment on entry to Reception and uses this in evaluating provision.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Currently, there is limited evidence on children’s starting points when they join the school in Reception. Because of staffing difficulties, accurate assessments for September 2011 are not available. This year’s assessments are accurate but not yet complete.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Already, there is evidence of good progress for the small number of Reception children. For instance, they have learned to write their names, correctly forming the letters and using a capital at the start. They listen carefully in adult-led sessions, share and take turns to play games.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In these small cohorts, pupils’ attainment on entry to Year 1 varies but has been broadly average for the last two years. Good progress in Years 1 and 2 is reflected in high attainment in Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics in 2011 and 2012.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school was disappointed by the results of last June’s phonic screening check. Actions taken included further training for staff and increased use of ‘nonsense’ words. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils in Year 2 have secure skills in using letter sounds to read unfamiliar words.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils make equally good progress, because the school monitors this carefully and makes swift intervention when necessary. Where there were differences between boys’ and girls’ attainment, the school took effective steps to rectify this. For example, new reading resources have resulted in boys choosing to read more frequently.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A trend of improving attainment is also reflected in Year 6 tests since the last inspection. This summer’s data have not yet been confirmed but they indicate above average attainment. Once again, the school has succeeded in increasing the proportion of pupils reaching the higher level, Level 5.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress made by pupils in last year’s Year 6 was good. All pupils made expected progress, whatever their starting points and a good proportion made three levels progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In reading, half of pupils made three levels progress. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils’ current progress is good.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium make good progress, and there is evidence of outstanding progress for a few who have special educational needs, such as two levels progress in reading in a single year. A parental letter attributed this to ‘partnership working, excellent communication, genuine desire to realise potential, willingness to innovate and learn about new areas’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There are some outstanding features of teaching, although these are not common to all lessons. Highly effective practice was seen in inspiring pupils to learn by linking subjects together and creating a fictional world where pupils took on the roles of experts. Similarly, some very skilled questioning and careful listening to pupils was noted, so that gaps in learning were identified and tasks re-shaped.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Assessment is accurate, although it does not draw fully on parental knowledge of children when they start school. Information is used well to plan almost all lessons, so that work is most often well matched to pupils differing ages and abilities.  In a Year 5 and 6 mathematics lesson, more-able pupils found patterns when cubing odd and even numbers while lower attaining pupils practised recognising odd and even numbers. Occasionally, tasks are not well designed for children in Reception and opportunities are missed to use songs and rhymes to help children learn.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching ensures that pupils know what they are meant to learn and how to recognise when they are successful. Pupils know well what their targets are, and the purpose of these. Older pupils know also what level they are working at.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking is most thorough and frequent in English and mathematics. Older pupils mark one another’s work, and make perceptive, helpful comments, such as,’ Use more adventurous adjectives’. Good attention is paid to correcting spelling and punctuation in English work, but this is not always replicated in the marking of written work in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching encourages independence in learning by providing prompts, which pupils use well. Teachers also give helpful tips that support pupils taking tests, such as ‘show your working’. Oral feedback to pupils is affirming, encouraging and provides pointers for improvement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There are high expectations of the presentation of written work and improvements in this are clear in some pupils’ books. Equally, teachers quickly recognise that some pupils find writing difficult and they maximise motivation and creativity, by leading group writing sessions for instance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Information and communication technology is used well to support learning. During the inspection, for example, a whiteboard was used well to model counting on in the early years class. Older pupils learned to use drawing software to design an island inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They get on well together and are polite, friendly and welcoming to visitors. They show respect for one another and staff. Occasionally, pupils are slow to stop discussions about their work and need firm reminders.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s records show that good behaviour is typical. There are very few instances of racism or bullying. Any concerns expressed by pupils are followed up rigorously and parents or carers involved appropriately.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Positive attitudes to learning underpin the good progress pupils make in lessons. Pupils work well independently, in pairs and small groups. They make effective use of resources provided as prompts. Their work is most often well presented.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils who have emotional, social or behavioural difficulties are well supported. As a result of alterations to their curriculum, such as positive play sessions, and access to professional help from outside agencies, they improve well their behaviour and adjustment.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff have been effectively trained in behaviour management techniques. As a result, they manage pupils well. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe in school and parental confidence in this aspect is high. A good range of experiences provides them with a thorough understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They know about cyber-bullying, for instance, and how to avoid this.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Discussions during philosophy sessions help to develop attitudes and values, including positive attitudes towards cultural and religious diversity. Visits to a centre in Derby enable pupils to experience different places of worship and understand similarities and differences between religions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Above average attendance reflects pupils’ enjoyment of school. They enjoy lessons, visits and after-school activities. An annual, memorable Year 5 and 6 residential includes outdoor and adventurous activities where pupils learn to take measured risks.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher leads the school well. She successfully communicates her high ambition and enthusiasm to staff, who share her vision and help create a positive and supportive atmosphere in which pupils thrive. She makes good use of data to evaluate the school’s effectiveness so that strengths and weaknesses are well known, although this is not fully developed for pupils who have special educational needs and who have particularly low starting points.

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The leadership and management are good

 Despite the staffing difficulties last year, the school continued to improve. Areas identified as needing improvement at the last inspection, such as outdoor learning in Reception, have all been addressed well. Staff satisfaction and motivation are both high, and there is good capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership of teaching is good. Teamwork and performance management are central to improvement and staff feel well supported in developing their skills further. There is a good balance between encouraging teaching staff to pursue new approaches and ensuring that the school’s priorities for development are addressed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Full-time teachers share subject responsibilities well between them. This is made manageable through a programme of reviewing subjects, in which subjects such as English, mathematics and science have more frequent attention. While they carry out a wide range of monitoring activities over time, subject leaders for English and mathematics do not yet use data to evaluate performance and this has been identified as an area for development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  is good; it is robust, proactive and supportive  holds the school to account through the performance management process  is fully involved in school evaluation and improvement  successfully monitors financial resources, including use of the pupil premium  acts appropriately on the views of parents and carers to make further improvements.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers are unanimous that the school is a happy place where pupils are safe, and they agree that behaviour is good. Although they are kept well informed and there is generally good involvement in helping their children learn, the school does not yet draw well on their knowledge of their children before they start in Reception. A good number volunteer in the school, adding to the available support for those who need this.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is a strong commitment to ensuring that all pupils do equally well and that none are disadvantaged. This is demonstrated in the work done to improve boys’ writing and encourage them to read more frequently.  Currently, the local authority provides suitable ‘light-touch’ support for this successful school. Previous support, in developing the outdoor learning in Reception for instance, has been effective in accelerating progress in physical development.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 112592 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 405405

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 72 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Wilmot Headteacher Tracey Marie Holmes Date of previous school inspection 4 October 2010 Telephone number 01629 582448 Fax number 01629 582448 Email address headteacher@tansley.derbyshire.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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,

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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