Cartmel CofE Primary School

Cartmel CE Primary School Aynsome Road, Cartmel, Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6PR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Children settle very quickly into the Reception class. They make rapid progress and start Year 1 with skills that are in line with expectations for their age.  Pupils make outstanding progress throughout the school. By the end of Year 6 their attainment is significantly above average in English and mathematics.  The quality of teaching is outstanding overall and never less than good. Highly enjoyable, well-planned lessons enable all pupils to flourish.  Teachers and teaching assistants know every pupil very well. This helps teachers plan lessons and activities that are very well matched to pupils’ learning needs. As a consequence, all pupils including those known to be eligible for the additional funding through pupil premium, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are able to make the same outstanding progress.  Reading is exceptionally well promoted and the class novel regularly underpins lesson

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

planning. Pupils read widely and regularly.  The behaviour of pupils is exemplary at all times. Pupils describe themselves as ‘one big family’. Older pupils relish their responsibilities, particularly those which involve them working with their younger friends.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted outstandingly well and makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development.  There is a very happy, hardworking and calm atmosphere across the school interrupted only when pupils practise their beautiful singing which resounds throughout the building.  The headteacher has extremely high ambitions for the school and this has helped drive the school forward rapidly in the last three years. She is very well supported by a staff relentlessly focused on improving the learning experience for all pupils.  The governing body has an accurate view of how well the school is doing. It recognises how

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

important the school is to the local community and is strongly committed to ensuring that school improvements are sustained.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed eight lessons and parts of lessons, and listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, a local authority representative and school staff.  The inspector took account of 24 on-line questionnaires (Parent View) and the results of questionnaires distributed by the school.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at a range of documents including the school’s data on pupils’ progress, self-evaluation and monitoring documentation, a local authority report, pupils’ work books, records of attendance and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Cartmel is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  All pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who require extra help with their learning is slightly above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is well below the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium is well below average.  Staffing has been stable since the last inspection.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school at other than expected times is now above the national average.  The number of pupils on roll has increased since the previous inspection, this is due in part to the school’s increasing popularity.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the proportion of pupils who are taken out of school during term time decreases to raise achievement even further.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children enter the Reception class with a range of skills that vary year on year but are generally below those typically expected for their age. Most children joining the Reception Year transfer from one local nursery. The school offers all new starters a full-time place. However, some children remain at the Nursery for part of the week and attend school on a part-time basis until they reach the age of five. As a result, many of these children have to work in small groups for extra support to enable them to catch up with their peers. Children are very well supported by the dedicated staff and move into Year 1 with skills that are broadly in line with expectations for their age.  Reading is extremely well taught across the school. Reception children learn well how to link letters and the sounds that they make. Pupils continue to use these skills when reading independently. They develop very quickly a fluent style and a great enthusiasm for reading. Year

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

1 pupils did exceptionally well in the national reading test.  The numbers of pupils leaving and joining the school at times other than expected negatively affects overall results and pupils leave Key Stage 1 with attainment broadly in line with the national average. This means that good progress has been made overall. However, pupils who join school at the start of the Reception Year make outstanding progress by the end of Year 2.  Pupils’ progress accelerates rapidly across Key Stage 2 with attainment in English and mathematics significantly above average at the end of Year 6. The actions that the school has put in place to improve pupils’ reading and writing have been extremely effective across the school; for example, by ensuring that pupils read and write extensively in all subjects, not only in English. As a result, the 2012 unvalidated Key Stage 2 results show that pupils have made well above the expected progress.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Staff meet regularly to discuss the progress of individual pupils. Should there be any indication that any pupil is not progressing as expected, then very effective support is provided for that pupil. Pupils work in small groups or individually with a teacher or a teaching assistant on thoughtfully adapted activities until they are back on track. As a result of this swift action, all pupils, including disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs and those pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, make the same outstanding progress across the school. This demonstrates the school’s excellent commitment to providing equal opportunities for all pupils.  High expectations and careful planning ensure that more-able pupils are always appropriately challenged. This is reflected in the high proportion of pupils attaining at the higher level in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The overwhelming majority of parents agree that their children are well taught at the school. Pupils confirm that their teachers always help them to do their best and make learning fun.  The regular checks made by the headteacher on teaching and the work in pupils’ books show that teaching is outstanding. Inspection evidence confirms this.  A consistently outstanding feature of all lessons is the number of opportunities provided for pupils to discuss their ideas and reflect on what they have learned. Teachers often join the pupils’ discussions in groups and pairs which contributes outstandingly well to the superb relationships between pupils, and pupils and teachers.  Teachers have excellent subject knowledge which enables them to question pupils carefully and to find out what they have learned in the lesson. When they recognise that a pupil needs additional support or that pupils are learning more quickly than expected, teachers expertly

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

adapt their teaching and make sure that all pupils are challenged at the right level throughout the lesson.  Teachers focus on pupils enjoying their learning. They plan lessons meticulously that interest pupils. For example, one group of pupils measured biscuits to help them understand the concepts of area and perimeter. This proved a memorable learning experience that pupils enthusiastically talked about.  Teachers regularly use practical activities to help pupils to learn. One class was particularly excited about learning how to write instructions because they were going to use the recipes they created to make fruit drinks later in the day. Pupils had to get their writing just right to make sure that their drinks tasted good.  Teachers’ marking is extremely effective in helping pupils to improve their work. Pupils often respond to what their teachers write, indicating whether they have understood or not. This

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

allows the teacher to quickly provide additional, focused support when required.  Teachers seize every opportunity to expertly link new learning with what pupils have already learned. For example, in one lesson pupils learned how to divide numbers leaving a remainder. Seventeen sweets were shared between three pupils and the class then discussed what to do with the two remaining sweets. One pupil suggested snapping the two sweets to share them fairly between three. The teacher quickly related this to the fractions lesson from the day before. Pupils understood the idea of a remainder and that the remainder could be divided and the answer given as a fraction. Pupils made exceptional progress in their mathematical understanding because of the explanation provided by the teacher.  Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. They work closely with class teachers to ensure that the extra support provided for small groups and individual pupils always

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ are extremely keen to learn. They strive to do their best in all that they do. For example, their hard work in their school garden won them the Young Persons Award in the 2011 Cumbria in Bloom competition.  Behaviour around the school and in lessons is outstanding. Pupils are polite and courteous to adults and each other. All pupils, regardless of age, want to help those who are younger. For example, older pupils act as reading buddies to younger children and pupils in Year 1 worked with gusto to put together a display to help Reception children learn about two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes.  Pupils feel very safe in school and views expressed by parents in Parent View were unanimous in agreeing children are well looked after and safe. Pupils are confident that staff care for them exceptionally well and know that if they have any concerns, there would be an adult to help them sort it out.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have a clear understanding of the different forms that bullying can take. However, they are emphatic that there is no bullying at Cartmel School because, ‘we are all friends’.  The pupil council feel very proud of the contribution that they have made towards designing the new toilets and activity area behind the new hall. Pupil councillors spoke enthusiastically about raising money for their projects by running coffee mornings for parents and other people from the village.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptionally well promoted and supports pupils to make an excellent contribution to the everyday life and happy atmosphere in the school. Moreover, it helps prepare pupils outstandingly well for the next stage of their education.  All pupils arrive at school on time and would recommend Cartmel School to other children because, ‘this school is the best’.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is led exceptionally well by a headteacher with a determination to provide the best educational experience possible for every pupil in the school. She is earnestly supported by a staff and governing body that resolutely share her very clear view of how successful the school can be.  The headteacher regularly and rigorously checks the quality of teaching and together with procedures to manage teachers’ performance, effectively identify areas for development that fit with individual teacher’s ambitions and school priorities. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved significantly over the last three years, especially in how writing is taught.  Since the previous inspection, the school has tackled very successfully the areas for improvement identified at that time and has set further challenging priorities. The quality of staff new to the school has allowed the headteacher the impetus to push forward strongly with school

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The leadership and management are outstanding

improvements. This has supported the school in improving from satisfactory to outstanding, a clear indicator of how very well placed the school is to continue to improve.  Outstanding achievement is underpinned by the curriculum that includes an unusually wide range of additional activities for such a small school, for pupils to experience. For example, Year 6 pupils visit London and have their first taste of university life by staying in halls of residence. Pupils also take the editorial and publication responsibilities for the school magazine, which is sold in the local store. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is extremely well promoted. Pupils have close links with students at a school in Sri Lanka. They have swapped culture boxes which include 10 items that represent their respective societies and cultures.  Although pupils are absolutely positive about school, their work and their teachers, attendance is

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The leadership and management are outstanding

no better than average because too many pupils go on family holidays during school time.  The local authority provides light touch support for this outstanding school.  All parents agree that the school is well led and managed.  The governance of the school:  Governors are extremely supportive and have a high profile around the school. They visit classrooms regularly and attend additional meetings and events should the need arise. As a result, governors know the school very well. They are fully aware of the quality of the day-to- day work of the school and able to challenge the school effectively to secure continued school improvement. Governors approved an increase in the level of teaching assistant support funded by the pupil premium funding to ensure that eligible pupils are able to make the same outstanding progress as other pupils in school. Financial and other statutory responsibilities, such as safeguarding requirements are fully met.

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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 112283 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 401254

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 75 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mary Iveson Headteacher Sarah Firth Date of previous school inspection 29 September 2009 Telephone number 01539 536262 Fax number 01539 536262 Email address head@cartmel.cumbria.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

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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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