Harvington CofE First School

Harvington CofE First School Village Street, Harvington, Evesham, WR11 8NQ

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well in this school. It has successfully maintained the well above- average standards found at the time of the previous inspection.  Children make excellent progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, in Key Stage 1 and in Year 5 because they are taught exceptionally well.  Teaching is good, with some that is outstanding. Teachers and other adults are particularly good at helping pupils who are at risk of falling behind to get back on track.  The teaching of reading is excellent.  Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils feel safe and are very proud of their school.  The level of nurture and care is outstanding.  Pupils’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is helping them to become mature, responsible individuals.  Leadership and management, including governance, are good. The headteacher’s strong leadership is key to the school’s success.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher work

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

together very effectively as a team. They have high expectations of staff and pupils and have successfully raised the proportion of good or better teaching. As a result, pupils’ achievement in targeted areas, such as writing, has improved.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Progress is not consistent enough in Key Stage 2. In Years 3 and 4, teachers have not always built on the high standards achieved in Year 2. As a result, pupils sometimes do not make as much progress as they could, especially when work is too easy.  In mathematics, problem-solving skills are not as strongly developed as other mathematical skills. Pupils do not always get enough opportunities to practise their numeracy skills in different subjects.  Teachers in Key Stage 2 do not always let pupils know how to improve when they mark their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, three of which were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with pupils, representatives of the governing body and local authority, and staff, including senior and middle leaders.  Inspectors took account of 22 responses to the online Parent View. Technical difficulties on the Ofsted website meant that several parents and carers could not access Parent View during the inspection. In the absence of this evidence, inspectors considered the school’s own parental questionnaire survey and spoke informally with parents and carers. They also took note of numerous letters sent to the inspection team and information forwarded to Ofsted.  Inspectors observed the work of the school. They looked at a range of documentation, including information about pupils’ progress, child protection and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection team

Kath Campbell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Alan Chaffey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Harvington is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Nearly all pupils are from a White British background. Very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  A below-average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action and at school action plus varies from year to year. It is currently above average. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational needs.  The school has received numerous awards in recognition of its work, most notably the Eco Green Flag award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching in Key Stage 2 and increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by making sure that:  teachers in Years 3 and 4 build on the high standards pupils achieve in Year 2  teachers set demanding work for pupils of all abilities, particularly for the more able pupils  teachers have the opportunity to share and learn from the outstanding practice that exists within the school  all teachers use marking effectively on a day-to-day basis to let pupils know how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in mathematics by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their problem-solving skills  making sure pupils have enough opportunities to practise their numeracy skills in different subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment on entry varies from year to year. Children currently in the Nursery class started with skills below those expected for their age. Their early talking and writing skills were particularly weak.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 After an excellent start in the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils join Year 1 with levels of understanding above those expected for their age. Outstanding progress continues in Key Stage 1 and pupils in Year 2 reach well above-average standards. Progress slows at the beginning of Key Stage 2 because, until recently, teachers have not always given pupils hard enough work. It accelerates rapidly in Year 5 through high-quality teaching, so attainment in English and mathematics is well above-average by the time pupils leave the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement in phonics (using letters and sounds) is impressive. Younger pupils quickly gain the confidence to read without help. Older pupils have a highly developed enthusiasm for reading. They talk very knowledgeably about books. Poems and books by authors such as Michael Murpurgo are particular favourites.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing has been an ongoing area for development. Ways of increasing the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels have proved effective. The introduction of writing assessment books has helped more able pupils to write with greater maturity. Pupils in Key Stage 1 show increased confidence to have a go at spelling unfamiliar words.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although pupils attain well in mathematics, there are relative weaknesses in how they tackle problems and practise numeracy skills in different subjects. There is also evidence in past work that pupils in Years 3 and 4 have not always been encouraged to think for themselves. The introduction of, for example, weekly problem-solving lessons, is starting to raise achievement in this area.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school is very successful at narrowing the gap in attainment between the least able pupils and the rest. The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is at least as good as that of other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has used its pupil premium funding very effectively. It has employed a member of staff to work specifically with pupils who are identified as at risk of falling behind. Some of these pupils make excellent progress because they receive highly skilled individual help.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Better teaching is at the heart of the school’s improvement. Nearly all teaching observed during the inspection was at least good, with several lessons being judged outstanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers ensure that their classrooms are lively and exciting places. In the best lessons, teachers and other adults move pupils’ learning along at a very rapid pace and pupils are highly motivated to succeed. In a Year 5 lesson, every pupil rose to the challenge when writing poems. They produced exceptionally good-quality work. Some of their choice of words was outstanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teaching is of high quality. Indoor and outdoor areas are attractive places where learning is fun. Staff develop children’s language skills particularly well. Children who are shy make quick progress because of the exceptionally good care and help which they receive.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Although most teachers in Key Stages 1 and 2 have high expectations, there are occasions when they are slow to move pupils who find work easy on to harder work. This is particularly the case in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 became clear when inspectors looked at examples of past work. The work provided for Year 3 pupils who have reached well above- average standards in Year 2 was often too easy. Pupils with good mathematical understanding were being asked to do calculations that were easier than those they had done the year before.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Highly skilled adults who support teachers in the classroom make sure that disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive exactly the right level of help they need to succeed. In some lessons, these pupils make exceptional progress when they are working in small groups, because they respond particularly well to the individual support.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking is not consistent enough. Some teachers write comments on pupils’ work that make sure pupils know exactly how to improve. Others mark work carefully but do not guide pupils to the next steps in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ very positive attitudes and excellent behaviour contribute greatly towards their outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They are very enthusiastic and show the ability to work and play together with impressive cooperation. In many lessons, pupils are totally engrossed in their work. They are very proud of their achievement. As a result, much work is of high quality because pupils want to do their best.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Older pupils care a great deal about their younger friends. Year 5 pupils sit with reception class children during their first whole-school assembly and take great care of them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage develop very good social skills. When working without adult help, they quickly learn to work together when finding ways to solve a problem.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Adults manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well. Pupils get along very well with each other and with the adults who look after them and have a mutual respect for each other.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s Eco work and its strong commitment towards environmental issues contribute greatly to pupils’ personal development. Pupils in charge of recycling (‘Eco Warriors’) establish strict rules and make sure everyone adheres to them. They take their responsibilities very seriously by, for example, keeping a careful check on how effectively the school uses its energy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils and their families are very appreciative of the help they receive. The way in which the school nurtures individual pupils is highly effective and is an outstanding example of how well pupils who are at risk of not doing well are integrated into school life.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance is currently well above average because pupils love coming to school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Any rare incidents of bullying and racism are dealt with swiftly to make sure there is no recurrence. Pupils show a secure understanding of how to stay safe, including when using computers and the internet. They are confident they can talk to an adult if they have any concerns. Safeguarding procedures meet requirements set out in government regulations.

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The leadership and management are good

 The senior leadership team has successfully created a strong staff team who are very committed to improving their practice and maintaining high standards. Staff morale is high.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders know their school well. Areas for development are identified with pinpoint accuracy and teachers are held accountable for the standards pupils achieve.

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The leadership and management are good

 The checks carried out by senior leaders on the quality of teaching are very thorough and give an accurate view of its quality. They are a very important part of the school’s work. The headteacher rigorously uses these checks to improve the performance of every adult working in the school. A good example of how this tenacity has brought about improvement can be seen in the way in which highly effective staff training has led to the outstanding teaching of reading.

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The leadership and management are good

 Middle leaders, some of whom have only recently taken over responsibility for checking whether pupils are doing well enough in their subjects, provide good leadership. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school looks at the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs very carefully and makes sure none of them falls behind.

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The leadership and management are good

 The mix of subjects and activities provides rich, memorable experiences that contribute greatly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There are strong links with other schools, including those in other countries, and opportunities to experience, for example, playing a musical instrument and learning foreign languages. The use of outdoor areas, such as the Forest School, makes a major contribution towards pupils’ enjoyment of school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school values every adult and pupil as an individual. It is highly successful in removing barriers to learning so that all pupils, but particularly those at risk of not doing well, have an equal chance of success.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides a low level of support for this school because it is judged to be good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly supportive of the school. It plays an effective role in school improvement, including knowing about the quality of teaching. It has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It works closely with leaders to make sure that teachers are not rewarded unless they are successful in helping pupils to make at least good progress. It monitors aspects such as safeguarding well because it keeps up to date with training requirements. Recent restructuring of the way in which the governing body is organised has increased the opportunities for governors to gather first-hand evidence to check whether the school is doing well enough. In recent months, the governing body has played a very active part in negotiating an increase in the school’s provision for nursery age children. The governing body is very involved in deciding and monitoring how funding,

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The leadership and management are good

particularly pupil premium funding, is spent.

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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 116819 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 408938

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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 First School category Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils 3–10 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 180 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian Tarling Headteacher Helen Fishbourne Date of previous school inspection 27 May 2010 Telephone number 01386 870412 Fax number 01386 871579 Email address office@harvington.worcs.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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