Church Vale Primary School and Foundation Unit

Church Vale Primary School and Foundation Unit Laurel Avenue, Church Warsop, Mansfield, NG20 0TE

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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.  As a result of the good leadership of the headteacher, who is ably supported by other staff and governors, good improvement has been made since the previous inspection.  Action to improve teaching has been effective with the result that it is now typically good and some is outstanding.  Pupils make good progress from low starting points to reach broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ attendance is good. The vast majority of pupils arrive in good time for the start of the school day. Lessons start very promptly so no learning time is lost.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well.  All groups of pupils, including those eligible for the premium funds, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well. The school is an inclusive community where all pupils receive good support so are able to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

learn well.  The school works well with outside agencies and local schools to provide effective support for pupils’ pastoral needs.  Behaviour in lessons is good. At times, such as during assemblies, it is exemplary. Pupils are well-mannered, respectful and courteous. They say they feel safe at school and that bullying of any kind is exceptionally rare.  Staff morale is high and they are united in their commitment to continuing improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. The marking of pupils’ mathematics work does not always help them to improve. Pupils do not always respond to the extra challenges set by teachers marking of their work.  Too often, the standard of pupils’ handwriting and presentation is not as good as the content of their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 20 lessons, of which three were joint observations undertaken with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, members of the governing body and groups of pupils. A telephone discussion was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors heard some pupils read, scrutinised their work, observed playtimes and also attended an assembly.  Inspectors took account of the 14 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).  The views of staff, including those expressed in the 29 responses to the staff questionnaire, were considered.  Inspectors observed the school at work and looked at a number of documents, including summaries of the school’s monitoring activities, the school’s own data on pupils’ progress, information relating to the curriculum, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Alison Cogher, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Christine Turner Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage and no pupils are learning English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is double the national average and a few pupils are looked after by the local authority. The school receives additional funding (the pupil premium) for these pupils.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is average.  The proportion of pupils who enter or leave the school part-way through their primary education is higher than that found nationally, and largely a result of families relocating into the area.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by ensuring that:  teachers’ marking of pupils’ mathematics work provides pupils with clear guidance about how to improve  pupils always respond to the additional challenges set by their teachers through the marking of their written and mathematical work  the quality of pupils’ handwriting and the overall presentation of their work improves so it better reflects the good quality content.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils of all ages and from all backgrounds achieve well. The progress pupils make is increasing across the school and by Year 6 compares favourably with that found nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 High pupil movement in and out of the school changes, sometimes significantly, the overall profile of year groups. Care is taken to ensure that all pupils have the same opportunity to do well. Teachers frequently check what pupils already know and can do, and plan effective activities which move their learning forward quickly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs receive tailored support to help them to do their best. The difference additional support is making to pupils’ learning is checked often and if it is not working well enough then a new approach is taken.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils supported by the premium funding achieve as well as other pupils. They receive precisely the right support they need to learn successfully. The 2012 National tests show that these pupils attained almost identical average point scores to other pupils in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Foundation Unit with skills and knowledge that are much lower than is typically seen. They make good progress through their nursery and reception years because of the wide range of stimulating activities they experience. They are well prepared for their work in Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in Key Stage 1 continue to do well. An improving trend in pupils’ progress and attainment has been established in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Developing pupils’ speaking and listening, and phonics (the link between letters and sounds) skills has a high priority. In the first national phonic screening check for six-year-olds the school’s results were above the national average. Pupils sound out new words with confidence when reading unfamiliar text.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Well stocked, inviting reading and role-play areas in all classrooms encourage pupils’ language development successfully. Pupils’ enthusiasm for reading is evident in all classes and they readily use their skills to support their learning in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, pupils are reaching and some are exceeding national expectations. Pupils’ current work shows the slip in mathematics attainment in 2012 has been reversed and an overall improving trend is being sustained.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ enthusiasm for promoting pupils’ learning is infectious with the result that pupils are highly motivated and engage well in lessons. Teaching assistants are well-briefed and work very closely with teachers to support pupils during lessons. Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those eligible for pupil premium funding benefit from well-targeted additional support that enables them to learn as well as other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Care is taken to plan tasks that help pupils to make sense of their learning and to realise that it has relevance to their lives. For example, pupils in Year 5 were challenged to calculate how much pocket money they would receive in week ten if it doubled every week from week one. Pupils made very good use of their knowledge of multiplication tables to make speedy and accurate calculations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 From when they start in the Foundation Unit children benefit from teachers’ planning of a wide range of stimulating activities that capturing their imagination. Teachers have good subject knowledge and understand the steps pupils must make in their learning to make good progress. They make good use of assessment information to modify the planning of lessons on a daily basis so that pupils’ learning moves forwards at a brisk pace. This is especially the case for new joiners.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The pace of lessons is good and pupils respond positively to the challenges set by adults. They work hard to realise the expectations of them whether working independently or in a small group. However, the focus on the content of pupils’ work often results in pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their work being of lower quality. Consequently, written work in books does not consistently reflect their capabilities.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils have their own targets for improvement in writing and mathematics so have a clear idea of what they need to do next to improve their work. Together with their teachers they regularly check their work against their targets so can see how they are improving.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The marking of pupils’ work tells them what they have done well. Marking of their written work often also includes advice on how to improve, but this is not always the case for their work in mathematics. The expectation that pupils will respond to their teachers’ comments and complete any further challenges set is not always followed through so the opportunity to improve their work further is sometimes lost.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Throughout the school there is a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of pride in pupils’ and the school’s achievements. Pupils are polite and courteous, get on well with each other and carry out roles of responsibility in a mature manner. They feel safe in school and work hard because adults are supportive and lessons are motivating.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s procedures to manage pupils’ behaviour, including the most challenging, are effective. Pupils’ fully understand the school’s expectations and the vast majority consistently behave well and develop good levels of self-control.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is often outstanding as they move around the school and when they come together for whole school events such as assembly. High levels of respect and trust are strongly evident in the relationships they develop with adults and each other. Pupils are very confident that if they have a problem or think there is an issue in the school, then adults will support them to resolve it.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In lessons there is little off-task behaviour. In outstanding lessons pupils’ behaviour is exemplary as they fully engage in the activities they are set. Pupils joining the school are supported well so they integrate and make friends quickly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are aware of the different forms that bullying and discrimination can take. They, together with staff consider that bullying is very rare. Pupils understand how potentially harmful situations, including misuse of the internet and mobile phones can be. They know what to do if something seems dangerous and have a good sense of how they can manage personal risk.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Few parents and carers responded to the online questionnaire, but of those who did, the large majority consider that the school keeps pupils safe, looks after them well and that pupils behave well.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, leaders at all levels and the governors have an intense ambition for improvement and set high expectations for pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. Since the last inspection there has been a marked improvement in the quality of teaching, and pupil progress and attainment has also risen.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systematic, very thorough monitoring of all aspects of the school’s work ensures that the school is very clear about its strengths and weaknesses. There is a shared understanding about what needs to be done next so the school continues to improve. The light touch support provided by the local authority is used to check the accuracy of the school’s self-assessment.

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The leadership and management are good

 Effective performance management procedures provide constructive criticism and appropriate support for teachers’ work in the classroom. Teachers’ individual ‘Teaching Improvement Plans’ are constructed and are followed through by leaders to check they are successful.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works closely with a wide range of outside agencies to ensure pupils’ personal and learning needs are met well and that parents and carers are supported to engage positively with the school. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in the school with all pupils being treated as equals.

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The leadership and management are good

 The provision made for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. It is exceptional for pupils’ moral and social development. There is an absolute consistency with which adults model expected social interaction, the importance of honesty in all aspects of life is reinforced strongly, and the value that is placed on every individual is high.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ learning is enriched by a wide range of visits to places of interest, visitors to the school, sporting opportunities and whole school projects. These experiences broaden pupils’ experiences and their view of the world.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good. It has improved since the last inspection as governors have become more skilled at checking the quality of the school’s work. They are well informed through reports and visits, and also make good use of school and national data to check that pupils are making the progress of which they are capable. This includes making sure that pupil premium funding is making a positive difference to the achievement of eligible pupils, and that those with a disability or special educational need are helped to do well. They work closely with the headteacher to check the quality of teaching and use the information gathered to inform decisions when considering pay awards for performance. Teachers receive training and assistance that is appropriate for the stage of their career and level of responsibility within the school. Governors access training regularly to ensure they are able to carry their role

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The leadership and management are good

effectively, and ensure that the school meets statutory requirements such as those linked to the safeguarding of pupils.

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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 122731 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 406109

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 191 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Garry Hall Headteacher Olwen Hawkes Date of previous school inspection 22 June 2011 Telephone number 01623 842250 Fax number 01623 842283 Email address office@churchvale.notts.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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