Stoke-on-Tern Primary School

Stoke-on-Tern Primary School Rosehill Road, Stoke Heath, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 2LF

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Inspection dates 28 February–1 March 2013

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The work of the headteacher, well supported by the staff team and governing body, has led to considerable improvements since the school’s last inspection.  Teachers promote learning well and demonstrate good subject knowledge, thanks to leaders’ thorough and regular checks on the quality of teaching, followed up by effective staff training.  As a result, pupils achieve well and standards at the end of Year 6 are above national averages in English and average in mathematics.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are good, and this contributes strongly to the good learning in most lessons. Pupils say they feel safe in school and are aware of the different forms bullying can take and how to avoid it.  Provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is good and children make a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are confident, inquisitive about the world around them and respond well to the good range of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

stimulating activities provided.  Pupils are treated with respect and as individuals in an atmosphere of care and support.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy school.  Pupils enjoy a variety of exciting additional activities throughout the school year, including visits, visitors and residential stays.  The school accurately evaluates how well it is doing and what needs to be done next.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. Occasionally, the pace of learning in lessons slows after a brisk start, and pupils are not encouraged enough to learn independently without direction from adults.  Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is not yet as high as it is in reading and writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons, three of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Meetings and discussions were held with governors, members of staff, a representative of the local authority and groups of pupils.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire for parents and carers (Parent View) to allow analysis.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupil mobility, pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Clive Lewis, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than most other primary schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. A fluctuating but significant proportion of pupils come from armed forces families and are eligible for the service premium.  An above-average proportion of pupils join the school at other than the normal time, mid-year and mid-key stage. More than half of the current Year 6 cohort of 18 pupils joined the school during Key Stage 2, for example.  Pupils are organised in single year-group classes in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1, and in mixed-aged classes in Year 2 and Key Stage 2.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average, and

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Information about this school

particularly high in some year groups.  No pupils are currently educated in alternative provision away from the site.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is an on-site pre-school managed by the school’s governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the overall quality and consistency of teaching to outstanding by ensuring that:  all learning in lessons proceeds at a brisk pace throughout  pupils are provided with more opportunities to develop their independent learning skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ problem-solving skills in mathematics by ensuring that pupils are provided with opportunities to employ these skills in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good teaching leads to pupils making good progress throughout the school. This progress is reflected in the good quality of learning in most lessons observed and is confirmed by the work in pupils’ books.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s experiences and skills when they enter the school are below those typically found for this age group. They get off to a good start, however, and make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1 quickly learn the sounds that letters make to support their reading and writing, as well as the mathematical skills they need to complete simple calculations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make particularly good progress in developing their reading skills. Younger pupils are taught to read by linking letters to the sounds they make (phonics). The teaching of reading, through daily phonics lessons and guided reading activities continues through all age groups. As a result, pupils throughout the school read confidently.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in Key Stage 2 continue to build on the good achievements in the lower school and, by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, attainment in reading is above average. Although significant progress has been made in mathematics, the improvement in pupils’ reading and writing skills has not yet been matched by attainment in mathematics, which is in line with the national average. Despite improvements in pupils’ reading skills, their mathematical problem- solving skills remain a weakness and pupils do not get enough opportunities to apply their mathematics skills in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Good support is provided by class teachers, teaching assistants and outside agencies. This ensures that work is set at the right level for them, enabling them to make small but progressive steps in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who join the school partway through their primary education and those eligible for the pupil and service premium, make good progress. School data indicate that eligible pupils attain similar standards in English and mathematics to those of other pupils. Any barriers to learning are quickly identified and the funding is used well by the school to ensure that pupils joining the school mid-way through their primary education experience a smooth transition into the new school environment and to provide very carefully matched additional support through frequent one-to-one and small-group work. A proportion of the money allocated is used by the school to ensure that these pupils can join in any extra activities provided for other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching enables pupils of all backgrounds and abilities to learn successfully during their time in school. Teachers plan their lessons well, sharing with pupils what is to be learned and, in the best cases, how they can judge successful learning for themselves.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good use is made of resources, including information and communication technology, to motivate pupils and enhance their learning. Frequent marking of pupils’ work typically gives them guidance about how well they have met the learning objective and how they can further improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In one good Year 5/6 literacy lesson focusing on pupils’ use of punctuation in their own writing, the teacher set a good pace to the learning, which was maintained throughout the lesson. The work was demanding for pupils of all abilities and there were high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. Good use was made of questioning to gauge and guide pupils’ understanding. This encouraged pupils to discuss their ideas and recall their experiences, and provided a good basis for their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In most lessons, learning moves along at a good pace but, in a small minority of lessons, the pace of learning slows after a good start. Similarly, in a few lessons, teaching directs pupils’ learning too much and pupils are given little opportunity to develop their independent learning skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ strategies to manage pupils’ behaviour are very effective, with the result that lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils concentrate on their work and work hard without the need for constant adult intervention.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are supported by a strong and well-deployed team of teaching assistants who provide good support for individuals and groups, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium and service premium.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is checked and tracked rigorously as they move through the school. Each class teacher meets senior managers termly in order to evaluate and discuss the information about progress and attainment gained and to set targets for further improvement. These meetings ensure that each teacher has a very clear understanding of how well the pupils in their charge are doing and the action they need to take in order to support them in reaching their improvement targets.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school is a very orderly, calm and friendly place in which to work and learn. Pupils’ behaviour is typically good, both in the classroom, where they listen carefully, cooperate well and contribute eagerly, and around the school. This good behaviour is a major factor in the good progress made in lessons. Pupils understand and welcome the school’s system of rewards and sanctions, which ensures that any inappropriate behaviour is dealt with effectively and promptly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and feel that the school is ‘very safe’. They are clear about what they should do if they need help for themselves or others, should the need arise. They are confident that any issues they raise will be dealt with promptly and fairly. They understand the need for exercise and healthy lifestyles.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils respond well to the school’s promotion of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They have a clear sense of what is right and wrong, and they embrace new experiences enthusiastically.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they find learning fun and are enthusiastic about their education. They have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying they might encounter, including cyber-bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils all say that they enjoy coming to school, although this is not yet reflected in above- average rates of attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The strong leadership and high expectations of the headteacher have ensured good improvement since the last inspection. As a result, most aspects of pupils’ education are now good or better and leaders have successfully identified appropriate areas for further development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff are well motivated and demonstrate a shared sense of responsibility and commitment to improving the school. They work together very effectively and regularly take advantage of training to enhance their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school cares well for its pupils. Its small size ensures that all parents and families are known well by the staff. Positive relationships with parents and carers, and good links with a range of partners, contribute much to pupils’ achievement and wellbeing.

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The leadership and management are good

 Although pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is meticulously and regularly tracked, systems for assessing and tracking progress in other subjects, such as science and information and communication technology, are less well developed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Fully supported and monitored by the governing body, the school makes effective use of funding provided by the pupil premium and the service premium to support small-group and one-to-one work. This helps to ensure that eligible pupils achieve as well as their classmates.

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The leadership and management are good

 Local authority support has been helpful to the school in monitoring and improving the quality of teaching and in confirming the accuracy teachers’ assessments of how well pupils are doing.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body provides strong support and challenge for leaders and managers in order to ensure that the school continues to improve and move forward. It checks that safeguarding policies and practices meet current national requirements and has been effective is overseeing the arrangements for relating teachers’ pay to their performance. It understands the data on how well pupils do, and the comparative performance of the school in relation to similar schools locally and nationally. It plays a fully active role in the school’s self-evaluation, monitoring and improvement planning process. It knows what is happening in the school, is aware that pupils’ overall education is now good, and is ambitious for the school to improve further.

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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 123399 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 406161

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kevin Brian Headteacher Heather Russell Date of previous school inspection 8 March 2011 Telephone number 01630 638332 Fax number 01630 638332 Email address admin.stokeontern@shropshirelg.net 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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