St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall

St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall Myneer Park, Coggeshall, Colchester, CO6 1YU

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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.  All pupils make good progress because teaching is good throughout the school. Pupils exceed national expectations in tests and teacher assessments in Years 2 and 6.  Teachers work together effectively in teams and plan work that matches their pupils’ abilities well. They ensure teaching assistants have a good impact on pupils’ learning.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs do well because their needs are understood and the right support is put in place to help them to succeed.  The school is led and managed well. Actions taken to improve teaching for small groups have been beneficial. Pupils’ achievement has improved considerably as a result and continues to do so.  The school is a happy and caring community. Relationships are excellent. Pupils in all years support each other well.  Behaviour is good. Pupils feel safe in school. They are enthusiastic about learning because

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

teachers provide fun and challenging tasks.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some inconsistencies in teaching remain because members of the senior team do not have enough time to help the headteacher to observe lessons. Hence inconsistencies are not always dealt with rigorously and teaching remains good rather than outstanding.  Information gained from school data is not used to advantage to provide all staff and the governing body with a clear overview of the school’s performance. Inspection report: St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall, 13–14 December 2012 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 13 lessons and groups of pupils working with teaching assistants. They looked in on pupils during lunchtime and mid-morning break times.  Inspectors looked closely at pupils’ work from all year groups and heard some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 6 reading.  They held meetings with staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, a representative of the local authority, groups of pupils from Years 2 and 6 and representatives from the school council. They spoke informally with many pupils during lessons and at break times.  Inspectors looked carefully at safeguarding documentation, information about pupils’ progress, self-evaluation documents and development plans.  The views of staff and of 84 parents and carers who completed the online questionnaire (Parent View) were taken into consideration.  Inspectors joined a school assembly and part of the school’s Christingle service for the

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Information about this inspection

community in the nearby St Peter’s Church.

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Inspection team

Cheryl Thompson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sa'ad Khaldi Additional Inspector Florence Olajide Additional Inspector Inspection report: St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall, 13–14 December 2012 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 This is an above average-sized primary school with 12 classes. The usual number of pupils in a year group is 45. Recently, because the school is popular, the local authority allowed the school to take in 60 pupils in a year group. However, the limited space on the school site has meant that the school cannot continue to take in 60 pupils each year.  Currently, there are two Reception classes, four mixed Year 1 and 2 classes, three mixed Year 3 and 4 classes and three mixed Year 5 and 6 classes.  Children begin in the Reception classes in the September before their fifth birthday. Most children have previously attended some form of pre-school provision.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs at school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational need is also above average.  An above average proportion of pupils join the school part way through their primary education.

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Information about this school

Many of these pupils are disabled or have special educational needs. A significant minority have emotional and behavioural difficulties.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. Pupils premium is extra government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, pupils in the care of the local authority and those from families with a parent in the armed forces.  Five members of the teaching staff have joined the school since the last inspection. Most of them started their teaching career at St Peter’s.  The school is part of a teaching school alliance which enables teachers from different schools to share their expertise.  The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education and currently, in the role of Professional Partner,

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Information about this school

is supporting three new headteachers in their schools.  The headteacher is retiring at the end of the school year in 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase pupils’ rate of progress even further through raising the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by:  making sure that all teachers mark their pupils’ work according to the school’s policy  setting high expectations of pupils to present their work neatly  in Reception classes, deploying teaching assistants even more effectively during sessions when phonics (the sounds that letters make) are being taught  making sure the senior team check regularly and rigorously to make sure that teachers are improving their practice further.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the impact of senior leaders on school improvement by:  ensuring that the information gained from the data is presented clearly so that all staff and governors have a good understanding of how well the whole school is doing and where improvements are needed  setting more precise and easily measurable success targets for senior leaders’ professional development. December 2012 4 of 10

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 providing senior leaders, especially the deputy headteacher, with more time for checking on the quality of teaching and reviewing whole school performance as indicated by the school's data  making sure improvements are made promptly. Inspection report: St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall, 13–14 December 2012 5 of 10

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When children start school their attainment varies considerably from year to year but, typically, it is around that expected for their age. Children make good progress in the Reception classes so that by the end of the year, their attainment is usually above average.  Observations in lessons, pupils’ work and the school’s data indicate that across the school, pupils in all year groups achieve well. Pupils supported through the pupil premium funding make good progress and do better than pupils in this group nationally. Their progress is tracked carefully and teaching groups or strategies are changed if their progress slows.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress, not only in their academic achievement but in developing a keenness to do well. Their self-confidence develops well as a result of sensitive support from their teachers and proficient teaching assistants. Pupils joining a class part-way through the year are welcomed by others and quickly

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The achievement of pupils is good

settle in.  Pupils’ attainment in Key Stage 1 (infant classes), is above average and was considerably so in 2012. Scrutiny of pupils’ current work indicates a continuing upward trend, and progress that is at least good and standards that are well above those expected at this time of the school year. Pupils are very keen on reading. They develop good skills for working out unknown words and enjoy choosing their books. The school values the significant contribution parents make to their child’s reading progress.  Good progress continues through Key Stage 2. Pupils' work shows standards that are above those expected in all age groups, not only in English and mathematics but in information and communication technology (ICT) and science. Their high quality topic work shows pupils also develop secure skills in finding out information from books and the internet. They read often and widely and can discuss their favourite authors’ styles and why they like these.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Excellent relationships between staff and pupils underpin pupils’ good progress and their enthusiasm for learning. The school focus on encouraging pupils to challenge themselves through their choice of carefully prepared tasks has had a good impact on increasing pupils’ progress and their personal development. Pupils think hard about their choices and can explain that, ‘I like trying the really hard work, I have surprised myself that I can do it’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lesson are planned well by year group teams, making profitable use of the expertise of individual teachers. Good use is made of practical resources to help pupils reinforce their understanding of mathematical ideas such as multiplication and division. Lessons cater for the different needs and abilities of pupils within classes or groups so that all make good progress.  The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) reviews pupils’ progress rigorously. To ensure good progress, if needed, changes are made to individual work plans with teachers and teaching assistants. In the main, teachers deploy their teacher assistants effectively. In Reception, however, opportunities to deploy teaching assistants to lead smaller groups for phonic sessions are not always taken.  Basic handwriting skills are taught and practised thoroughly. However, these good skills are not always apparent in pupils’ work because teachers are not routinely setting the expectation that

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils’ writing and presentation must be neat. In pupils’ work, the content of stories or descriptions is good but often very difficult to read.  Reading is taught well and pupils enjoy reading. Staff have a good knowledge of how to teach phonics. Recent initiatives ensure that pupils who find learning to read difficult are taught in a variety of different ways so as to find the one that helps them the most. Older pupils discuss at December 2012 6 of 10

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The quality of teaching is good

length their reasons for choosing particular styles of writing or authors.  Pupils’ work is marked or discussed with them. The school has a new, comprehensive policy for feedback after marking but not all teachers follow this. Consequently, pupils do not always have a clear idea of how well they have done and what they need to do to make their work better or time to do this.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils, parents and carers and staff feel that behaviour is good. Pupils share a set of positive values which contribute to their good behaviour. In lessons, they are enthusiastic about their tasks and respect one another’s views. In the main, they settle to their tasks quickly and work at a good rate.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school and know that any member of staff will help them should they have concerns. They have a clear understanding of what constitutes various forms of bullying including through mobile phones and emails. They take a very mature and responsible view of how to prevent and deal with any such bullying.  Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities throughout the school and do so very conscientiously. They are proud to be part of the school. School councillors and play leaders provide excellent role models for others to follow. Pupils offer thoughtful responses when given the opportunity to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

reflect on spiritual or moral issues during assemblies and in lessons.  The school has a significant minority of pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour. Many of these pupils arrive at St Peter’s part way through their primary education. They make great strides in developing their understanding of what is and what is not acceptable behaviour and are keen to abide by school rules. The improved behaviour of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties has a positive effect on their learning.  Pupils of all ages acknowledge that some have trouble managing their behaviour but know that they have to set a good example. The school gives good support to pupils whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable. It has recently put in place a ‘nurture group’ area for a few pupils who need extra emotional support to boost their confidence and self-esteem. This setting is proving to be successful. Pupils themselves can explain how they have gained confidence.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has sustained the strong community spirit of the school. High expectations are set for pupils’ achievement and they are cared for extremely well. Parents and carers are valued as co-educators of their child and provided with good amounts of information and guidance to help them.  The school knows it is using the pupil premium funding effectively because it records how much is spent on each pupil and the effect of the spending. For example, one-to-one support for reading or mathematics is helping to accelerate individual pupils' progress significantly. Extra support for reading ensures those who do not have opportunities to read at home have time to do this in school. The school’s data show that in almost all cases, the funding is being used successfully. The gap in attainment between pupils entitled to pupil premium funding and others is beginning to close.  Senior leaders work together effectively as a team and share the headteacher’s high aspirations

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The leadership and management are good

for pupils’ success. The main reason that leadership and management are not yet outstanding is that senior leaders, including the deputy headteacher, do not have enough time to check on teaching and pupils’ learning rigorously and regularly. Consequently, inconsistencies in teaching are not always picked up quickly enough and dealt with.  Senior leaders have a secure understanding of strengths and areas for improvement in their particular areas of responsibility but their understanding of the whole-school ‘picture’ is not always as clear. This is because information from data analysis is not presented clearly enough December 2012 7 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

to provide a comprehensive overview of the whole school performance.  School development planning is realistic and based on the good contributions from subject and team leaders. Suitable plans for improvement are in place with reasonable time scales for improvement. These demonstrate the school’s ambition to seek on-going improvement and a strong commitment to equal opportunities ensures that all groups of pupils are doing well.  The range of subjects and out-of-school activities remain a strength. There is a strong and successful focus on ensuring that pupils develop secure basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils' topic work shows these skills are used well in many subjects. Pupils are well prepared for their future education.  Leaders make sure that the way they check on teachers’ performance links to whole-school priorities, the impact on pupils’ progress and teachers’ and teaching assistant’s professional

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The leadership and management are good

development. The school is very successful in developing the skills and confidence of teachers at the early stages of their careers. However, professional development targets set for senior leaders are not always precise and easily measurable. This makes it difficult to tell how well the targets have been achieved.  The local authority provides ‘light touch’ support for the school and calls on the professional expertise of the headteacher to support headteachers in other schools who are new to the role.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The expertise of individual governors is used well, for example in finance. The governing body understands and approves how pupil premium funding is used and checks carefully that it is having a positive effect. They ask questions and challenge the school. Governors know the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and are familiar with the review of the staff’s performance. They make sure that any increase in pay is as a result of good performance. The governing body ensure that all safeguarding requirements are met and understood by all staff. All safeguarding policies are up-to-date and essential training undertaken. Governors have undertaken training about school data but not all are fully aware of what the data about the school shows in terms of how St Peter’s performance compares with schools nationally or locally. Inspection report: St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall, 13–14

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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. Inspection report: St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall, 13–14 December 2012 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 115108 Local authority Essex Inspection number 403256

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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 327 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Randall Headteacher Peter Anderson Date of previous school inspection 11 March 2008 Telephone number 01376 561328 Fax number 01376 563 832 Email address admin@st-peterscofe.essex.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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