Ludgershall Castle Primary School

Ludgershall Castle Primary School Short Street, Andover, SP11 9RB

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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.  Pupils achieve well. They make good progress from their starting points. Pupils’ standards in English and mathematics are improving but are still below average at the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils are keen to learn and work well together. They enjoy school and feel safe.  Pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium are making good progress and achieve as well as their classmates.  The quality of teaching is typically good. Teachers help pupils to learn and make good progress. Effective action by leaders has resulted in improvements in teaching since the last inspection. Staff morale is high.  There are very good opportunities for the pupils to learn about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of life. This has a positive influence on the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour towards others.  The headteacher and members of the governing body have an accurate knowledge of

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. Occasionally, the pace of learning is not rapid enough and the most able pupils are sometimes given work that is too easy for them.  The targets set for teachers to improve their work are not always clear enough.  Despite efforts by the school, pupils’ attendance remains low and this is slowing down their learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors looked at pupils’ work and listened to some pupils reading.  Meetings were held with pupils, two members of the governing body and middle managers. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 85 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). They also took into account the 25 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and safeguarding and the performance management of staff.

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Inspection team

John Taylor, Lead Inspector Additional Inspector Marianne Phillips Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding given for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families, is just below the national average. There are three pupils who are looked after by the local authority and nine pupils from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is just above average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  Most pupils are White British. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language are much lower than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of teaching that is outstanding by ensuring that:  learning always moves at a rapid pace  the work set is always at the right level of difficulty for the most able pupils  leaders set clearer targets for teachers to help them improve the quality of their teaching.  Improve attendance, so that it is at least in line with the national average, by continuing to work with parents to raise awareness of the impact of absence on pupils’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils start school with skills that are generally below those expected for their age. All groups of pupils make good progress in their learning in the Reception year, supported by the clear systems which focus on achievement and help staff to measure progress regularly. The use of small group teaching helps the less able children make faster progress.  Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics has improved since the last inspection and is close to the national averages.  At the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is improving rapidly on that of earlier years, but it is still below the national figures especially in writing and mathematics. In previous years the quality of teaching was inconsistent and pupils made faster progress in Years 5 and 6 to make up for some slower progress in earlier years. Since the last inspection, improvements in teaching across the school have led to progress being faster than in previous years and it is now consistently good.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Occasionally, some of the most able pupils do not achieve quite as well as they could because the work they are set is not always challenging enough to stretch them.  Last year the average point scores of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium show that by the end of Year 6 they were attaining standards in English and mathematics which were below those of all pupils across the country and other pupils in the school. This year targeted small group booster classes are proving successful in addressing this and, consequently, the gap is being narrowed rapidly.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points due to the school’s systems and structures which are in place to support them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. It is now good, and on occasions outstanding. Pupils enjoy their lessons and are eager to learn. Teachers plan the lessons taking into account the pupils’ abilities, but sometimes the more able pupils are given work that is too easy for them.  In Years 5 and 6, the use of specialists to teach English and mathematics has resulted in the pupils making faster progress over the last few years. This faster progress has also been achieved by these specialist teachers taking the targeted booster classes for English and mathematics.  Teachers often encourage pupils to talk to their classmates about their work during lessons. This has resulted in the pupils being able to explore more ideas and gain a better understanding of their work. This skilful use of talk partners by the teachers makes lessons more varied and keeps the pupils interested in their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are given frequent opportunities to review their own work, and share it with others. This gives them good opportunities to learn from others and make improvements.  Teaching assistants help groups of pupils, who might otherwise fall behind, to learn well in and out of lessons. This is because they are well trained, work closely with the class teacher to plan the lesson, and encourage the pupils to take responsibility for their own work. However, sometimes support staff are not used to best effect during teachers’ presentations to the whole class.  In most classes the quality of marking is good and provides encouragement. It clearly shows the pupils how to improve their work, and what they need to do next. Information in the pupils’ books indicates what pupils have successfully achieved and their future targets.  Teachers skilfully use the pupils’ answers to their questions to find out how much the pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

have learnt. They can also identify any areas that need further explanation so that they can guide the learning in the future.  Information and communication technology is used well to support the learning and provides opportunities for teachers to share and review work with the whole class so that pupils can learn from each other.  Where teaching is best, the pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn and how to judge their success in the lesson. This helps them to maintain a focus on their work and their pace of learning is fast. However, in a few lessons, pupils are not as clear about what they are expected to learn and, as a result, the pace of learning is slower.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is consistently good in lessons and around the school. Pupils have a positive attitude to learning and show great respect for others.  The school has developed a well-established system of ‘castle points’ to promote good behaviour. Pupils are given points for good behaviour and attitudes, which go towards them receiving a reward presented by fellow pupils who have been chosen as ‘castle monarchs’.  Pupils feel safe at school. They say little bullying occurs and the school’s records support this view. The teachers deal with the rare cases of bullying well.  Of those parents who responded to Parent View, the overwhelming majority said that their children feel safe and are happy at school.  The school has worked hard, with parents and pupils, to improve attendance, but it remains low. The school, supported by the governors, is working to make sure parents are aware that low attendance is a barrier to their child’s learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good sense of right and wrong and are encouraged to develop their understanding of different cultures, backgrounds and faiths. This is supported by the many links and activities the school has developed. Examples include links with schools in other parts of England and work linked to a teacher visit to Africa.  Through a programme of well-planned activities and assemblies, pupils develop respect and empathy for the culture and beliefs of others. This is reflected in their behaviour around the school and their respect for each other and other adults.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has successfully led the improvements since the last inspection. The quality of teaching and the standards of pupils’ literacy and numeracy have improved. The staff and parents are very supportive of the school’s leadership.  The range of subjects and activities offered by the school helps pupils to make good progress and contributes well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It supports teachers in planning exciting and interesting lessons, where literacy and numeracy skills are developed and practised in a variety of situations. The school uses a wide variety of opportunities to broaden the pupils’ experiences, both in lessons and after school, such as the National Trust’s 50 things to do before you are 11¾.  The school has a good capacity for continued improvement. The headteacher accurately monitors the quality of teaching and provides useful feedback to teachers on how to improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has established a system for setting and reviewing targets for teachers to help them improve their work. Although this is beginning to work well, targets are not always clear enough.  The school has been well supported by the local authority, which has provided support and challenge to the headteacher. The teachers value the quality of professional development the local authority provides.  The school development plan is based on the school leaders’ robust and accurate view of the school’s performance. The impact of their efforts is reviewed regularly through meetings with staff and the governing body.  The school has well developed systems for tracking pupils’ progress. These are used well to set challenging targets and monitor the progress of individual pupils. The school leaders promote and check the equality of pupils’ opportunities. For example, the additional income received by

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The leadership and management are good

the school through the pupil premium to support those pupils is used effectively to accelerate the progress they make, mostly through additional adult support and small group teaching. The school is determined that all groups of pupils should have an equal opportunity to succeed and that there should be no discrimination of any kind.  The school’s requirements for safeguarding are well established and meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well informed about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The governors have a good overview of the school’s performance including the pupils’ progress in different subjects. Governors are kept informed about the quality of teaching and are aware that this has improved. They have a clear understanding of the school’s finances and have been active in improving how matters related to funding are reported and used in future planning. They

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The leadership and management are good

know that the money for pupils who are entitled to the pupil premium has been spent on supporting them, but they are less aware of its impact. They have a robust overview of the performance management procedures for staff and ensure this is linked to salary increases. They make sure that the headteacher’s performance management is carried out thoroughly. They meet all their statutory requirements with regard to safeguarding.

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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 126489 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 406369

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 225 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sharon Kirwan Headteacher Andy Bridewell Date of previous school inspection 7–8 October 2010 Telephone number 01264 790375 Fax number 01264 791329 Email address head@ludgershallcastle.wilts.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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