Freckleton Church of England Primary School

Freckleton Church of England Primary School School Lane, Freckleton, Preston, Lancashire PR4 1PJ

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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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This is a good school because

 Pupils achieve well, making good progress from their individual starting points. Achievement is well above the national average by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6.  There are clear procedures for the monitoring and development of teachers. These have contributed to improving teaching to be good, resulting in higher standards in English and mathematics.  Pupils enjoy school and this is reflected in their above average attendance. Pupils are very respectful of each other and their teachers.  The school library is well-stocked with a wide range of reading material for pupils, supporting their love of reading.  Pupils’ behaviour is good making a strong contribution to their learning and to the school’s positive ethos.  Sharply focused and able leadership from the headteacher has ensured that the school has improved much since the previous inspection. Leaders, including the governing body, know the

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This is a good school because

school’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result they know what they have to do to improve further.  Members of the governing body have a very good partnership with the headteacher and staff. They use this knowledge well to challenge and monitor the school’s performance robustly.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their independent learning skills through solving real-life problems.  Teachers do not always challenge pupils aiming for the higher levels.  There are not sufficient opportunities for pupils to use a wide range of information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum regularly.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed eight teachers as well as one teaching assistant and visited 13 lessons.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, English and mathematics subject leaders, the special educational needs co-ordinator, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and looked at a wide range of documentation including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, documents relating to monitoring and evaluation, systems for tracking pupils’ progress, documents regarding the safeguarding of pupils and key policies.  Inspectors analysed questionnaires completed by staff.  Inspectors took account of the 11 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Sue Sharkey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rebecca Lawton Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Freckleton Church of England Primary School is smaller than the average size primary school.  The majority of pupils are from White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average. In this school these pupils are those known to be eligible for free school meals.  There are breakfast- and after-school clubs which are not managed by the governing body. These are subject to separate inspections and reports of their quality are available on the Ofsted website.  The school meets the government floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school holds the Eco-School Bronze Award, The Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark and the

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Information about this school

Certificate of Excellence for catering standards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to be consistently better than good in order to improve pupils’ progress further, by: - extending opportunities for pupils to carry out real-life problem-solving activities so that they develop skills to work independently - increasing the opportunities pupils have to use a wider range of ICT resources across the curriculum regularly - consistently planning work that is challenging for pupils who are aiming to reach the higher levels - further developing the Early Years Foundation Stage outdoor area so that activities mirror the stimulating indoor provision.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children settle quickly into the Foundation Stage class because of the high quality care and the support they receive. When they start school their skills are broadly those expected for their age. Personal, social and emotional development as well as numeracy can often be lower.  Relationships between staff and children are good and staff skilfully encourage children to develop self-confidence, manage their own behaviour and play co-operatively with other children. The stimulating environment in the classroom helps children to share, try new activities and choose resources that help them to learn. The outside area is not up to this high standard.  Good progress is made by children in the Foundation Stage class. Through Key Stages 1 and 2 good progress is maintained in English and mathematics as a result of improvements in teaching since the previous inspection. Teachers and teaching assistants are skilled in

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The achievement of pupils is good

identifying and meeting the particular needs of different groups of pupils. This ensures that pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs as well as those eligible for pupil premium support make good progress.  The majority of parents agrees that their children make good progress.  Pupils enjoy reading. They make good progress because of good teaching and through the wide range of reading material available to them. From an early stage pupils enjoy handling books and talk eagerly about the characters they follow in their reading schemes. They learn phonics (the sounds that letters make) confidently so that when stuck with a new word pupils can use their skills to blend letters together to read the word successfully.  In a Year 2 phonics lesson, the teacher created excitement by timing the pupils as they took turns to look at and sound letters presented at random by the teacher. As pupils were keen to

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The achievement of pupils is good

beat the clock they focused well, encouraging each other to concentrate. The lesson continued with pupils working well in smaller groups, reinforcing letters and sounds.  Pupils enjoy talking about the whole book which includes exploring pictures and words on the front cover to find out what the story is likely to be about. This contributes well to their enjoyment of reading. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ reading is above and often well above the national average. The school has had a focus on ensuring that there are sufficient books that will readily encourage both boys and girls to read and this has been successful.  Pupils practise and strongly develop their reading, writing and mathematics skills in meaningful ways in subjects other than English and mathematics. For example, they use calculations in science and write accounts in history.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The majority of parents who responded to Parent View believes that teaching is good. Lesson observations, scrutiny of pupils’ work and analysis for pupils’ progress confirms this view.  Strong features of teaching in all lessons seen include the relationships pupils have with teachers as well as with each other, teachers’ subject knowledge and the positive climate for learning which was a feature of all lessons seen. The good opportunities for pupils to work together not only helps pupils to challenge each other but ensure that learning is sociable. For example, during a Year 4 lesson pupils were using information from a story to find out if the size of people’s hands were linked to the size of their feet. Feet and hands were measured, results recorded and shared and much discussion followed about the reliability of data if it was felt that there was not sufficient evidence.  Pupils say they enjoy solving problems but throughout the school pupils do not get enough

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The quality of teaching is good

opportunities to use real-life problems to help them develop independent learning skills.  Teachers plan lessons effectively using regular assessment of pupils’ work in English and mathematics. There are occasions, however, when activities lack sufficient challenge for more- able pupils to aspire to and reach higher levels.  Teachers use questioning well throughout lessons in order to check pupils’ learning as well as to respond flexibly to their needs. Work in pupils’ books shows that a wide range of activities is used to stimulate pupils’ learning. Work is marked regularly and the school’s new marking system is already helping pupils to understand better what they have to do next in order to improve their work.  Teachers make good use is made of ICT to engage and motivate pupils during lessons. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils themselves to use a wide range of ICT resources across different subjects in the curriculum.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that routines are made clear and are reinforced regularly. As a result pupils behave well, want to learn and contribute with enthusiasm in lessons. This contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Teaching assistants are well-trained and are used effectively, often with small groups of pupils of different abilities, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. This has helped those pupils achieve well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ conduct around the school, playing outside or interacting with each other and adults demonstrate good behaviour. They show that they understand the difference between right and wrong. Pupils are keen to learn, willing to take part and ready to have a go.  The caring ethos of the school is promoted effectively through the strong relationships between pupils and staff. When talking with pupils individually or in groups they listen to each other carefully, showing respect and interest in what is being said.  Pupils enjoy break times but are equally keen to return to lessons where they settle quickly and are soon busy with their work.  According to the responses on Parent View, the vast majority of parents agrees that behaviour is good and all parents feel that their children are safe. Records show and discussions confirm that behaviour has been good over time.  Pupils also say they are safe, that they can turn to any adult in school if they have a problem

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

or need to talk. They say there is occasional bullying but that they are made aware of different types of bullying and what to do about it through a range of activities.  Pupils are keen to take on responsibilities and if needed represent their class on the school or `food’ council. Both these groups play an important role in helping to improve the school. Recently the food council asked the headteacher if they could change the dinner trays that are used at lunch time. As a result they are now looking at new crockery and cutlery.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and acting senior leaders work well together and are clearly focused on improving the school further.  The school has worked closely with the local authority. As a result, training relevant to the school’s needs has improved teaching as well as establishing a comprehensive system for tracking pupils’ progress. The school is well placed to continue the strong improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.  Systems are in place to monitor pupils’ progress and leaders use these well to build a more accurate picture of pupils’ achievement over time. Monitoring of teaching and learning and effective performance management have led to good opportunities for teachers’ professional development and improvements in provision.  Equal opportunities are promoted well, for example, by rigorously evaluating and monitoring the performance of all pupils. Pupils of all abilities and needs are welcomed to the school and

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The leadership and management are good

included fully in all aspects of school life. The school makes effective use of pupil premium funding to narrow any gaps between groups of pupils.  The school works well with parents who are seen as key partners in the education of pupils and the school actively supports them, for example, through the weekly reading groups looking at how parents can help their children read as well as booklets to help parents understand how well their children are doing in school.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Assemblies, curriculum topics, visits and visitors all help to provide useful first-hand experience for pupils.  The governance of the school : - Governors ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements. - Members of the governing body understand the school and are fully involved in making sure that the school continues to develop and improve.

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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 119548 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 401849

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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 156 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jim Martin Headteacher Rachael Ainsworth Date of previous school inspection 17 June 2010 Telephone number 01772 632350 Fax number 01772 679369 Email address head@freckleton.lancs.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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