The Potterhanworth Church of England Primary School

The Potterhanworth Church of England Primary School Main Road, Potterhanworth, Lincoln, LN4 2DT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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’ achievement is good in all areas of the school. Pupils leave the school reaching higher standards in English and mathematics than found in most schools.  Standards in English improved last year. High numbers of pupils made and exceeded the progress expected of them.  Teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge, question pupils well and plan lessons carefully ensuring work is hard enough for all pupils.  Teaching assistants make a good contribution to the progress of the pupils they support.  Pupils get on well with each other in lessons and in the playground. They are polite to everyone in school.  Pupils take on a wide range of responsibilities in addition to the school council, including as junior police cadet school officers, supporting charities and working in an editorial group writing the school newsletter.  Leaders and managers have ensured the good standard of teaching and pupils’ achievement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

has been maintained since the previous inspection.  The new Chair of the Governing Body has involved governors and staff well in setting the long-term direction for the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not do as well in mathematics as they do in English. Leaders have not checked in enough detail to ensure that pupils progress very well in both subjects.  Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of pupils’ learning to ensure it proceeds at a fast rate.  Pupils are not always given enough opportunities in lessons to work on their own and take control of their learning.  Leaders and managers do not always tell teachers how to make their teaching even better.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 14 lessons or part lessons and listened to a group of pupils read.

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Information about this inspection

 The acting headteacher and deputy headteacher carried out five lesson observations jointly with the inspector. The inspector also observed senior leaders reporting back to teachers on the quality of learning and pupils’ achievement.

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Information about this inspection

 Meetings were held with staff, pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and a local authority representative.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector looked at a range of evidence including the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, the school’s own data on pupils’ progress, pupils’ work in books, minutes of governing body meetings, behaviour and safeguarding documents.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector scrutinised the returns from 13 staff and took account of the 14 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View as well as speaking to parents informally in the playground.

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Inspection team

Susan Williams, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are White British.  A below average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and children from service families. .  The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs and supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  Pupils in Year 1 to 6 are taught in mixed-age classes although these are split for literacy and numeracy lessons.  There have been changes in leadership and governance since the previous inspection. There is

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Information about this school

a new Chair of the Governing Body and the school is being led by an acting headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is outstanding and more pupils progress at fast rates by:  teachers having high expectations of pupils’ progress in lessons and intervening where necessary to ensure this progress is maintained  ensuring lessons proceed at a brisk pace with clear timings set for activities  including opportunities in lessons for pupils to develop skills to help them learn on their own and to feel in charge of their learning  leaders and managers being clear in feedback from lesson observation exactly how teachers can improve their teaching.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve progress in mathematics in Years 3 to 6 so that it is similar to that in English by:  developing pupils’ basic skills in mathematics and giving them opportunities to apply them in lessons and across other subjects  tracking pupils’ progress rigorously and intervening where necessary to ensure high rates of progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the school with levels of skills and knowledge typically similar to children of this age. Progress has improved and all children reached above average standards in all areas of learning last year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In a Reception lesson children received input from the teacher on ‘one more than’ before choosing their own activities and being asked about this by adults in each area. Children enjoyed using the outdoor space and were enthusiastic about their learning. One child proudly talked about her ‘learning journey’ (what she has learned) this year, which she has clearly enjoyed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment at Key Stage 1 has improved from broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics to above average in all three areas in 2012. Pupils’ progress in all areas is good. In the check on phonics (the letters that sounds make) in Year 1 the vast majority of pupils achieved the required level.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At Key Stage 2 attainment improved from average in 2010 in English and mathematics to above average in 2011. In 2012 there was a strong improvement in English with all pupils achieving the expected levels in writing and the vast majority in reading. A high number of pupils made more progress than usually expected. However, progress in mathematics did not improve at this rate and pupils do less well in mathematics than in English in Years 3 to 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils say they enjoy reading and read often. One boy said he enjoyed finishing his book and getting a new one. Pupils automatically sound the letters of unknown words and then put these together, which helps them with their reading. In a Year 4 and 5 guided reading lesson adults worked with small groups to help pupils understand more about their reading. This focus has successfully raised standards in the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All parents say their child makes good progress in school. Pupils are also positive about their learning. The progress of pupils supported by the pupil premium and those with special educational needs is good. The extra support they receive helps them to catch up and be more confident about their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ lesson planning is detailed and ensures interesting activities are set for all levels of ability. In a Year 1 and 2 lesson the teacher captivated pupils’ imagination with mystery items which pupils had to link to a person they described using adjectives. The level of difficulty of the items for each group varied, which ensured all pupils learnt well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants make a strong difference to learning. For example, in a Year 4 and 5 lesson teaching assistants worked well with pupils skilfully asking questions and making sure their groups all engaged with activities and made good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers ask pupils to talk to a partner to involve pupils in learning, and this works well. In Year 3, pupils discussed the meaning of a word and previous learning before the teacher introduced the lesson. However, teachers do not always ensure activities have clear time limits and do not always show they expect pupils to make fast progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In a Year 6 mathematics lesson pupils were able to learn about data handling and bar charts with the real context of a company report. They worked without the teacher on different activities, and this ensured they learnt well. However, pupils do not always develop basic skills in mathematics well enough, and do not then apply them in this way in mathematics lessons and in other subjects. Opportunities for pupils to develop independence and ownership of their learning are not regular enough.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All parents said their child was taught well at school. Pupils are also positive about teaching. As one pupil said, ‘teachers make lessons fun’. They were enthusiastic about a recent English lesson where a debate gave them confidence and helped them think about their writing. Marking has improved and pupils say they like the system of ‘tickled pink’ and ‘green for growth’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are courteous and respectful towards each other and adults. Pupils say there are occasional incidents where pupils are ‘silly’ in the playground. The school has ‘Junior Police Cadet Officers’ on duty who have a ‘Bobby bear’ to give to younger pupils who get upset. They also help to sort out problems between pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils all feel safe in school and say there is no bullying of any type. School records confirm this view is correct. Pupils are confident that adults will help them if there is a problem. Pupils enjoyed the afternoon ‘safety’ workshop where pupils learnt about road safety, internet safety and ‘stranger danger’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s value system ensures that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated, good relationships are promoted and equality of opportunity and respect are priorities. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted through the attitudes of everyone in school and pupils have opportunities to raise money for charities including links with our sponsored child in Africa.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils help each other in lessons and their attitudes to learning are good. Just occasionally, if pupils finish their work they talk to friends rather than ask for more. Pupils themselves also say that occasionally pupils call out when answering questions. No lessons were interrupted by inappropriate behaviour during the inspection. School records show that this is the case over time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are punctual to school and their lessons. Attendance has been above average for a number of years. The school has rigorous systems to follow up absence, and attendance this year has improved. There have been no permanent or temporary exclusion for some time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The large majority of parents said the school makes sure pupils are well behaved and all parents said their child feels safe in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The acting headteacher is passionate about pupils achieving the very best. Staff are supportive; as one said, ‘I feel there is a calm air in school. Staff openly comment that they feel valued and listened to.’ Parents are also positive; one said, ‘we love it, it’s just what you’d hope for in your local village school.’

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The leadership and management are good

 The acting headteacher has introduced a new performance management policy and more regular monitoring of teaching linked to the new ‘Teacher Standards’ introduced by the government. The budget has been used appropriately to reward good teachers. Strengths are clearly identified in lesson observations although there is not detail about how teachers can move teaching from good to outstanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has successfully addressed the areas for improvement from the previous inspection. Children enjoy the new outdoor area in Reception and this has led to improved outcomes for them. Pupils’ progress is tracked throughout the school but this is not rigorous enough to ensure pupils make accelerated progress in all areas.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has had a ‘light-touch’ approach with this good school. It has supported self- evaluation and governors in the recruitment process for a new headteacher. It provides a consultant headteacher to support the acting headteacher in her new role.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum covers all subjects well and gives pupils opportunities to take part in a wide range of trips and residential visits. Music is a strength with the opportunity for pupils to learn African drums in Year 3 and 4 supporting pupils’ cultural development. Pupils also have the opportunity for whole class instrumental tuition in Years 5 and 6 on woodwind instruments.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is promoted through the school’s values of ‘respect, trust, fairness, commitment, friendship and responsibility’. There is a focus on one of these each term and they are promoted across the curriculum, in reflection activities and in assemblies.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding meets statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body are now more involved in setting the long-term direction of the school.  The Chair of Governors has attended national training to evaluate governance in the school and has ensured governors receive regular training so they can have meaningful discussions and hold leaders to account.  The budget has been managed well and governors have agreed to additional staffing to support pupils at risk of underachieving and those supported by the pupil premium. This funding has been well spent with additional teaching staff, small group tuition, ‘munchies’ club and special lunches. Pupils have increased self-esteem and have made accelerated progress. Governors evaluate spending carefully.  The governing body knows the school well and is accurate in its evaluation. Governors understand the comparative performance of the school in relation to similar schools. They are

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The leadership and management are good

involved in ensuring the quality of teaching in the school has remained good. They know how the school rewards good teachers.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 120534 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 403440

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 109 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tony Reid Headteacher Debbie Challinor (Acting) Date of previous school inspection 17–18 March 2008 Telephone number 01522 791031 Fax number 01522 794409 Email address enquiries@potterhanworth.lincs.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, please

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School details

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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