The Dassett CofE Primary School

The Dassett CofE Primary School Fenny Compton, Southam, CV47 2XU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement

 The rate of progress varies across the school and not all pupils achieve well because the teaching is not consistently good.  Pupils do not achieve well in mathematics because they do not have enough chance to solve practical problems or use their mathematical skills in other subjects.  Teaching does not consistently challenge all pupils, particularly the more-able, to make the progress they are capable of.  In some lessons, teachers do not match the work well enough to the ability of pupils. As a result, pupils do not make the progress they should.  The quality of advice that pupils receive on how to improve their work is not consistently as helpful as it should be.  Senior leaders do not play a sufficient part in checking on and improving teaching.  Governors are not sufficiently involved in the setting of targets for teachers that link their pay with pupils’ performance.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because teaching is good.  Pupils learn well how to use phonics (the links between letters and the sounds they make) to help them read. Their progress in reading is often good.  Pupils feel safe and behave well. They enjoy their lessons and are polite and courteous.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is promoted well.  Attendance is consistently above average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons, of which two were observed jointly with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, a representative of the local authority, members of the governing body and school leaders.  Inspectors took account of the 38 responses to the online (Parent View) questionnaire.  Inspectors looked at many documents, including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current and recent progress; planning of work in different subjects; leaders’ monitoring of teaching and learning quality; and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding of pupils.

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Inspection team

Steve Nelson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sue Calvert Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well-below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is above average. The proportion who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly below average.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding available to the school to assist pupils eligible for free school meals and those in the care of the local authority) is well-below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected nationally for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The headteacher was appointed to her post in January 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to consistently good or better by:  using assessment information more effectively to set work at the right level so that all pupils make good progress  making sure that lessons provide sufficient challenge for all pupils, particularly the more-able  ensuring that feedback to pupils helps them to understand what they must do to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the achievement of pupils in mathematics by:  developing pupils’ skills in solving practical investigative problems  providing more chances for pupils to practise their mathematical skills in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by:  involving senior leaders more fully in the drive to improve the quality of teaching and learning  making sure that governors take greater note of teachers’ performance and their impact on pupils’ achievement when determining teachers’ pay increases.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not make good progress in all classes. Although there are improvements in progress in mathematics, these are not yet well established. Not all pupils made the progress they should have done in mathematics in 2012.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are not all skilled in solving problems in mathematics. They do not do sufficient practical, investigative work in mathematics. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to use their mathematical skills in different subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school’s focus on raising standards in writing is proving effective. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are usually accurate. Pupils are becoming increasingly confident in using more interesting words to form sentences and write fluently in different styles.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils learn well how to use letters and their sounds (phonics) as they learn to read. Pupils did particularly well in the phonics screening test at the end of Year 1 in 2012. Their scores were well above the national average. Across the school, pupils’ reading has improved and they make good progress. They read regularly and most are confident and fluent readers.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012, pupils known to be eligible for extra funding through the pupil premium attained lower standards at the end of Year 6 than other pupils. In mathematics, they were five terms behind their classmates. The gap in English was the equivalent to more than two years. The most recent school data shows that, as a result of the sustained extra help provided for them, they are now making up some ground, but their progress is not yet good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds make progress in line with other pupils. This is because their learning needs are identified and responded to well, so that they settle quickly.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make expected progress. The extra help given to them in individual and small-group teaching is increasingly effective in meeting their needs.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children enter Early Years Foundation Stage with skills, knowledge and understanding that vary from year to year, ranging from below to those expected for their age. They make good progress and enter Year 1 as confident learners.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because teachers’ planning is not sufficiently thorough. Work is not well matched to pupils’ abilities and this results in variations in pupils’ progress as they move though the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always set tasks that are hard enough to stretch the more-able pupils, and pupils have few chances to use their mathematical skills to find out and solve practical mathematical problems.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers make regular, accurate checks on pupils’ work. However, marking does not consistently show pupils the steps they need to take to reach their targets. Teachers do not make sure that pupils respond by correcting their work.  Where teaching is good, teachers plan their lessons well to meet the needs of different groups of pupils. They ask searching questions regularly to check pupils’ understanding, and maintain their interest and concentration by setting suitably demanding tasks. Throughout the school, teachers have established good relations with their pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Reading is taught well and pupils enjoy reading. The teaching of reading and phonics supports pupils’ writing well by improving their spelling and broadening their vocabulary.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those eligible for extra funding, is clearly aimed at improving their skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Most pupils who receive the extra help, in the form of one-to-one support or small-group teaching, are beginning to catch up.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Adults work well as a team and provide a stimulating environment within the classroom and outside, so that children are happy and want to learn. Independence is encouraged and children develop good social and communication skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Pupils are polite, courteous and welcoming. School records show that behaviour is good over time. Parents and carers who spoke with inspectors and the vast majority who responded to the Parent View questionnaire said that behaviour is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy learning. In lessons, they listen carefully and respectfully to the teacher and each other. They get on with their work and there is very little off-task behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Teachers manage behaviour effectively. They are consistent in their expectations of what is acceptable behaviour and implement the behaviour policy when appropriate.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe. They have a good knowledge of how to keep safe in a variety of situations including using the internet. Pupils state that bullying is rare and are confident to report concerns to an adult and say that any concerns are dealt with straight away. They are aware of the different types of bullying such as racial and emotional bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above average and the efforts made by senior leaders to promote regular attendance continue to be successful.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management requires improvement because there is not enough good teaching to ensure that all groups of pupils make good progress across the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders are not fully involved in checking the quality of teaching and learning, so they lack impact on improving teachers’ skills in classroom practice.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has identified the right priorities in the school improvement plan. Pupils’ progress is checked regularly. Any individual or group of pupils who are at risk of falling behind are given extra support, to help them keep up with other pupils. The school ensures there is no discrimination and actively and successfully promotes the key values of inclusion, respect and tolerance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has introduced new procedures for setting targets for staff that link their pay to pupils’ achievement. However, governors are not sufficiently aware of how teachers’ pay increases are linked to pupils’ performance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school provides a broad range of learning experiences. These include a range of extra- curricular clubs, visits and visitors to provide variety and enjoyment. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy skills in subjects other than English. However, not enough chances are being given to pupils to practise their mathematical skills in different subjects.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils have a very good knowledge of ethical issues such as ‘Fairtrade’ through participation in charitable events. The school promotes pupils’ moral development well and pupils know the difference between right and wrong, often settling disagreements without the intervention of staff.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority keeps a close check on the performance of the school and has provided appropriate measured support. It has encouraged links with other schools so that good practice can be shared to improve the work of the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have an increasing knowledge about the school’s performance compared to other schools and how well different groups of pupils achieve. They challenge the school to improve further. Governors find out about the school through visits to classes. Governors carefully monitor the school’s finances, including the extra funding for eligible pupils and how it is helping them to achieve better. They assess their own training needs to get the best balance of skills to help the school. Governors fulfil their legal duties to make sure safeguarding requirements are met.

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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 130379 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 403613

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 179 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Deborah Lea Headteacher Alison Hine Date of previous school inspection 13 November 2007 Telephone number 01295 770267 Fax number 01295 770276 Email address admin3216@welearn365.com 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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