St Mary's Church of England Primary School

St Mary's Church of England Primary School Elliotts Hill, Brixton, Devon, PL8 2AG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 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 school that requires improvement. It is not good because.  Teaching over time requires improvement. Before the beginning of this school year, the school went through a period of difficulty during which teaching was weak.  Pupils’ progress and achievement have faltered as a result of previous weaknesses in teaching. Some pupils have gaps in their learning. Pupils’ progress from their different starting points is not yet good enough to make up for previous gaps in their learning.  Pupils are not always given enough time in lessons so that they can judge for themselves the progress they make and set their own learning targets.  The firm actions of leaders and the interim executive board (governors) have not yet had time for teaching and achievement to improve to good..  The arrangements for the future leadership and governance of the school are not yet finalised.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school is drawing well on the expertise and experience of staff in the two other schools in the partnership to promote improvement. This has widened opportunities for staff to support and learn from each other.  Staff new to the school have settled exceptionally well and working relationships are very positive and productive.  As a result of better teaching, pupils’ achievement is quickly improving and attainment is now rising across the school.  Relationships are very positive. Pupils feel safe and demonstrate a strong desire to learn. They enjoy coming to school and behave considerately.  Leaders check up on pupils’ achievement robustly through observing lessons and by tracking pupils’ individual progress very regularly.

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Information about this inspection

 Seven lessons were observed, including joint observations with senior staff. The inspector also observed an assembly.  Meetings were held with staff, members of the interim executive board (governors) and groups of pupils.  A discussion was held with a representative of the local authority by telephone.  The inspector took account of the six responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and information from the school’s recent survey of parents’ and carers’ opinions. Parents’ and carers’ views were also gathered from letters and informal conversations.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at documents, including the school improvement plan, school checks on teaching and progress, records relating to attendance, the school’s numerical data on pupils’ progress, and analysis of samples of their work .

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Inspection team

Peter Clifton, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller-than-average primary school. The pupils are taught in two classes. Both classes have new teachers who joined the school in September 2012.  Since January 2012, the school has been working with the United Schools Federation (a two- school federation comprising St Catherine’s Church of England and St Michael’s Church of England primary schools) in a management partnership to provide temporary leadership for the school.  There is a proposal to extend this federation to all three schools in 2013.  The executive headteacher took over leadership responsibility of the school in November 2011.  The local authority appointed an interim executive board (a temporary arrangement to strengthen governance of the school) to replace the governing body in June 2012.  Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs

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Information about this school

supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. The proportion supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (extra funding provided to support certain groups of pupils) is average.  Pupils are educated on-site. There is no regular alternative provision off-site.  The school’s most recent results cannot be compared to the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum standards for pupils’ attainment and progress, because there were not enough pupils to make such comparisons meaningful.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the quality of teaching over time is consistently good or better so that pupils make good progress by:  utilising the strength of the partnership, for example, to share expertise through coaching, observing high-quality teaching and monitoring how well groups of pupils learn in lessons  giving pupils more time in lessons to assess their own and each other’s work  providing more opportunities for pupils to set their own individual targets.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure the long-term leadership of the school by finalising partnership arrangements.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ learning and achievement went through a period of decline after the previous inspection. During this time, pupils’ rates of progress dipped and achievement from their starting points was not good enough.  Effective action taken by leaders has now reversed this trend. The school’s records show that achievement is improving sharply, but progress is not yet good. The boost in progress has been across all years and for different groups. This includes disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as pupils supported through pupil premium funding. Accelerated gains have been made, particularly over the last three months, in reading, writing and mathematics.  Parents and carers acknowledge that the school has been through a difficult time when their children did not do very well. They remain supportive and confident in the school and are now seeing improvement. Pupils comment that they are now enjoying school more because much

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

more is expected from them in their lessons.  While numbers in some year groups are small, children typically start school with knowledge, skills and understanding that are broadly in line with those expected for their age. In 2012, pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 was below average. The Year 6 pupils did not make enough progress, particularly in writing, from their starting points in Year 3.  The situation now has improved. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 are confident in their use of vocabulary and this is reflected in their writing. Their calculation and problem-solving skills are improving quickly. They are currently working at or above age-related expectations and are on track to make at least expected gains in progress.  Pupils in Year 2 are working at or above age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Different groups of pupils made good progress when adding numbers mentally in

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

different ways, including counting to the ‘nearest 10’.  In Reception, the children learn well alongside Year 1 pupils, for example when learning different letter sounds, listening to stories, and talking about buying and selling when going on a ‘train journey’. With individual support, they are beginning to write out simple words. They play confidently in the outside area.  Readers in Year 1 use their knowledge of the sounds of letters well to help them to read a broad range of words. By Year 2, these skills have developed well and more-able readers read a range of books fluently and with understanding. Older pupils are developing good reading habits. They have clear preferences for different authors, but rightly comment that they would like a broader range of books to choose from in the library.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Since the previous inspection, teaching has not been strong enough to promote pupils’ good achievement and, therefore, requires improvement. The more recent good and sometimes outstanding teaching, as observed during the inspection, has not had sufficient time to enable pupils to make up lost ground.  Opportunities for the pupils to develop self-assessment skills, for instance through looking at each other’s work in detail to decide what they have achieved, are underdeveloped. As a result, pupils are not sufficiently involved in setting their own targets for improvement in lessons.  Relationships between staff and pupils have developed rapidly and are strong. Pupils want to do well and comment that they now feel challenged to do their best. Pupils work with confidence and perseverance on individual tasks and in groups.  Learning typically moves at a brisk pace because lessons are now well planned and delivered.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

High-quality teaching enabled the pupils of different abilities to explore and investigate differences between the mean, median and mode using different sets of numbers.  A significant strength of teaching is the variety of activities used to inspire and motivate the pupils. Role play, lively discussion and good-quality questioning were used to think about different characters in a story. This enabled younger pupils to explore whether Mr Wolf might be kind, cunning or angry. Older pupils, similarly, identified many different ways to describe gargoyles using simile, metaphor and personification.  Teaching assistants provide valuable support to different groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. For example, they help them to extend and improve sentences. They provide valuable support to teachers to ensure that the distinctive needs of Reception children are met.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The use of information and communication technology is a regular feature of lessons and this is helping to boost pupils’ skills such as calculation in mathematics and sentence writing in literacy.  Marking is detailed and helpful. It gives pupils regular information about what they have done well and what could be improved. Pupils frequently respond to these comments.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Older pupils comment that they have enjoyed improved opportunities for learning recently, and that they get praised for their contributions. Pupils are courteous towards each other. They behave sensibly and know each other well.  In lessons, pupils respond well to any request made by the teacher, and readily take the initiative to organise their own resources. They are proud of their work. They relished the opportunity to read their writing describing what they would put in their ‘magic box’.  Parents, carers and staff express the view that pupils’ behaviour is consistently well managed. This includes those pupils who find it difficult to concentrate without additional support. The school’s written records show no evidence of any serious misbehaviour or bullying. Pupils say there are a few minor ongoing incidents which are yet to be fully resolved but that they are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

confident in the adults who look after them.  Pupils are aware of cyber-bullying and the potential misuse of the internet and mobile phones. The ‘life-skills’ programme has given them a clear understanding about the dangers of smoking and alcohol, and how to keep themselves safe on roads.  Pupils are punctual to school and their attendance is very regular.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good teamwork has been rapidly established. The executive headteacher and other leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of teaching, because monitoring of lessons has been very regular and insightful. Teachers value the support given and the opportunities they have had to visit other schools, such as observing how children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught. These arrangements have not yet been fully exploited.  The school’s current leadership has responded well to issues identified in the previous inspection report. The good and sometimes outstanding teaching observed, which is promoting rapid progress, is the result of strong and determined leadership. Improvement has been promoted in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupil premium funding has been used to provide additional resources and individual support. This includes better access to computers and programmes to develop pupils’ basic skills in

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The leadership and management are good

literacy and numeracy. It has also supported the introduction of systematic teaching of letters and their sounds to improve reading.  Leaders have improved the way they track the progress of individual pupils and are quick to intervene should any pupil be in danger of falling behind. They have drawn in high-quality support, from partner schools, to help meet the needs of those pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs, particularly those supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  Links with the local community are improving. The school has strengthened pupils’ cultural awareness through links with a school in Finland and exploring issues such as fair trade. Pupils’ equality of opportunity to do well is improving quickly and discrimination is not tolerated.  The support provided by the local authority has helped to secure improvement. Intervention has

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The leadership and management are good

strengthened leadership of the school as well as governance by the interim executive board.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The interim executive board has brought additional significant experience and expertise into the school. It has forged links with governors from partner schools. Steps taken to secure the longer-term leadership of the school are well advanced but not yet finalised. Executive board members are well informed about teaching quality and pupils’ progress from school’s records. They have a good understanding of how the pupil premium money has been spent and have checked that it is securing improvement for these pupils. They are knowledgeable about the link between pay levels and the quality of teaching and leadership. Members of the interim executive board have undergone extensive training. Safeguarding requirements are met. All staff have been trained recently to update their knowledge about child protection.

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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 113478 Local authority Devon Inspection number 401373

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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 31 Appropriate authority Interim executive board Chair Helen Crossfield Executive Headteacher Martin Harding Date of previous school inspection 27–28 April 2010 Telephone number 01752 880436 Fax number 01752 880436 Email address admin@stmarys-brixton.devon.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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