St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans

St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans St Michael's Street, St Albans, AL3 4SJ

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Teaching is mainly good. There is some outstanding teaching and none is inadequate.  Teaching is improving rapidly because leaders ensure that planning of learning, assessment and marking are consistently good across all age groups.  From average starting points, pupils in Year 6 make good progress and achieve standards which are well above those found nationally.  Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and their attendance is good.  Behaviour in class and around the school is outstanding. Pupils care deeply for each other and work positively with the adults who teach them.  Pupils feel safe in school. There are strong and effective systems to ensure they are safe. Incidents of bullying are extremely rare and dealt with effectively.  The headteacher is highly ambitious for the school and is supported well in this endeavour by a very good staff team to take teaching and pupils’ achievement further forward.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The schools’ high emphasis on learning values and respect for all greatly supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Members of the governing body have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They support the school well.  All weaknesses in the previous inspection report have been addressed successfully.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teaching still requires improvement.  Occasionally, the pace of pupils’ learning slows; this is more particularly when teachers talk for too long and over direct pupils’ learning. March 2013 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed substantial parts of seven lessons, all of which were jointly observed by the headteacher. She also attended a ‘celebration of success’ assembly.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, staff with particular responsibilities, the one-to-one tuition tutor, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  A number of pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 read to the inspector.  Examples of pupils’ work in their books and on display were examined. Pupils explained to the inspector how their work is marked and how they respond to this marking.  A variety of school documentation was examined. This included the school’s self-evaluation and development plans, data relating to pupils’ current progress, minutes of the governing body meetings, the management of staff performance and records relating to attendance, behaviour

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Information about this inspection

and safety.  The inspector took account of the responses received to recent school surveys and the views of the 68 parents who completed the online questionnaire (Parent View). Account was also taken of the views of the 16 members of staff who completed the voluntary staff questionnaire.  The inspector spoke informally to staff and pupils during lunch time, breaks and in an after- school activity.

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Inspection team

Judith O'Hare, Lead inspector Additional Inspector March 2013 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  A below-average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for pupil premium funding, which is additional funding provided to schools to support certain groups of pupils including those known to be entitled to free school meals. These are the only category for extra funding in the school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who are supported through school action is well below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for attainment and progress.  The school operates across two sites; ‘Top School’ and ‘Lower School’. The youngest children, including Reception, are taught at the lower school site.

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Information about this school

 There are just five classes. These are all for pupils of mixed age although currently Year 4 pupils are taught in one single-age class.  There have been significant changes to teaching staff over the last three years due to promotion or through personal circumstances.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching so pupils achieve even better results by ensuring that:  all teachers give pupils opportunities to learn independently  deadlines for required improvements to teaching are clear and unequivocal. March 2013 4 of 9

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although variable due to low numbers, most pupils enter the school with at least age-related levels of attainment. Standards they achieve at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are typically and consistently above national averages.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Over the past few years, some pupil groups have made slower progress than they should. One reason for this is the frequent changes to staff personnel.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils are making at least good progress. This is because leaders ensure all staff provide pupils with work which is appropriately challenging and that the support they receive is closely matched to their abilities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in reading is significantly above average and even better than that in writing and mathematics. Results in the phonics screening check in 2012 were above national expectations for most pupil groups. Letters and sounds teaching (phonics) is structured well. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and do so well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The additional money from the pupil premium is used well. This is enabling pupils for whom the pupil premium is paid to make better progress. Measuring the impact of the pupil premium is not easy because of the few pupils involved in different years. In 2012, the very few Year 6 pupils receiving the pupil premium did not attain as well as others in the school in English, but attainment in mathematics was close to that of others. The small-group work and one-to-one tuition provided are effective in ensuring all pupils at risk of underachieving catch up and the gap between their performance and that of others is narrowing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because the school is highly inclusive and provides well for their learning needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Across the school, pupils’ achievement has improved significantly since the previous inspection. The improvement has been greatly helped by more stable staffing. During the inspection, high- quality work and progress were observed in most lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 While some variation remains, the quality of teaching over time is good. Some outstanding teaching in upper Key Stage 2 was also observed during the inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils really enjoy the topics they cover and find their lessons lively and interesting. Both English and mathematics are well taught.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are skilled in their use of questioning and use this technique well both to check pupils’ understanding and to help move their learning forward by encouraging active discussions. In one English lesson, for example, pupils were asked to write character descriptions based on extracts of text from the novel Goodnight Mr Tom. Probing questions they were asked about the author’s use of dialect in the script challenged them not only to consider their own ideas on the subject but also to consider how use of dialect rather than Standard English affects the views of the reader. March 2013 5 of 9

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The quality of teaching is good

 Occasionally, teachers talk too much, which limits the time pupils have to work independently. This means that, sometimes, pupils rely too heavily on teacher support and direction and do not work as effectively as they could without direct supervision.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking in books is detailed and helpful. Targets set for pupils to improve their performance are accurate and helpful. Pupils spoken to commented how useful marking they receive is in helping to inform their next steps in learning. In particular, they commented on the ‘purple polishing pens’ they have been given to use when they feedback and respond to teachers’ marking.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers deploy other adult support well. Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those eligible for the pupil premium benefit, individually, from the extra help provided. Consequently, all make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The introduction of a major initiative to improve writing has resulted in better opportunities for pupils to write independently and imaginatively. Celebrations of their considerable success in this venture are also evident in the class books of stories and rhymes which have been published professionally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is exceptionally well taught throughout the school. Letters and sounds lessons (phonics) are well structured and where reading is guided, pupils progress at a significant pace. The library has recently been refurbished and is well resourced. Pupils appreciate this, although when asked about possible further improvements to the school, commented: ‘We’d like more books please, because we want to read more.’

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development particularly well. For example, a well taught mathematics lesson on bar graphs and data handling paid equal attention to the needs of the poor in an affluent society as revealed in a topic about life in Tudor times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are exceptionally welcoming and polite. They understand fully and embrace the school’s core values of respect, care, tolerance and concern for all. They apply these principles consistently both in class, between lessons and during break times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say there is no bullying at school, just occasional ‘differences of opinion’ which are quickly resolved. They are confident that if any concerns arise there are always adults on hand to help them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are keen to come to school as is evident from their high attendance and excellent punctuality. Their exceptionally positive attitudes in class make a strong contribution to learning. They listen attentively when others are speaking and work productively on all tasks set.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils value highly the opportunities they have to take on roles and responsibilities at school. They mentioned in particular the work of the school council and their current initiative to create a school garden as an outdoor-learning facility. At the time of the inspection, pupils were finalizing arrangements for their ‘first spades in’ weekend dig.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Feedback from external providers on the behaviour of pupils at the school is highly complementary. Typical comments refer to pupils’ positive engagement, teamwork and responsible attitudes. March 2013 6 of 9

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are confident they are safe at school. They have mature attitudes to personal safety including safe behaviour and ensuring the safety of others. This is because of the school’s highly effective personal development programme.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 In their questionnaires, parents, carers and staff agreed that pupils are very well behaved, safe and happy at school. Inspection evidence fully endorses these views.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has brought about considerable improvements to teaching and learning. She is relentless in her drive to ensure every pupil has the best educational experience possible. She has led the school effectively in resolving all weaknesses identified in the previous inspection. In this endeavour, she has been well supported by the governing body.

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The leadership and management are good

 The strength of her leadership can be seen in the purposeful, insightful and methodical ways in which improvements have been made. For example, initiatives such as that for writing have resulted in dramatic improvements in pupils’ independent writing skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff work very well as a team and support and challenge each other. They readily seek advice and question ideas for whole-school improvements. Helpful opportunities to share good practice and to engage in training programmes with other local schools abound.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers’ performance is monitored rigorously. Lesson observations are effective in identifying where adjustments need to be made, although, sometimes, timelines and deadlines for improvement are not precise enough to allow teachers to respond quickly to development points made. Performance management is linked clearly to whole-school improvements and, consequently, pupils’ performance and teaching have improved rapidly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects and topics taught have been revised to allow for greater creativity. This learning now better engages pupils and captures their imagination. For example, a recent history lesson engaged pupils in a mock archaeological dig. This linking of historical facts to known local events enabled them to have a better understanding of how history has affected the lives of their local community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has given the school good monitoring and consultancy advice which has helped to strengthen teaching and learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are led well by an effective Chair. They have a clear understanding of the strengths as well as the priorities for the continuing development of the school. They offer good challenge to the school leadership team and are especially effective in setting rigorous targets for whole-school improvement. They have had substantial training in, for example, analysis of data on pupils’ progress and attainment, how current school performance relates to national expectations and how to identify teaching of good quality. They fully understand the guidelines related to payment for staff and how this relates to pupils’ performance. They know what the quality of teaching is in the school. Governors know very well how funds are allocated; in particular, those relating to spending of the pupil premium. Governors ensure that all required safeguarding requirements are met and that all

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The leadership and management are good

school policies required are reviewed and adapted as appropriate. March 2013 7 of 9

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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. March 2013 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 117451 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 401665

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 134 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Neil Hunt Headteacher Sarah Hinchliffe Date of previous school inspection 17 March 2010 Telephone number 01727 854866 Fax number 01727 765715 Email address admin@stmichaels.herts.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

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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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