Palterton Primary School

Palterton Primary School Back Lane, Palterton, Chesterfield, S44 6UN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Standards in English and mathematics have improved considerably over the last two years.  Pupils currently in the school are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is good, and some is outstanding, because work is exciting and well matched to pupils’ abilities. Teachers provide practical opportunities for learning and lessons are closely linked to real-life situations.  Pupils’ progress is checked regularly and any who may be in danger of falling behind are quickly identified and helped to keep up.  Pupils behave well and know how to stay safe, both in school and beyond.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their specific needs are accurately identified and support is changed appropriately as their needs change.  The headteacher is a driving force for improvement. This has ensured good progress, higher standards and the creation of good links

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

with parents and the local community.  The governing body is very supportive and has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and how it can continue to improve.  The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is particularly good and underpins all the school does.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In some lessons teachers rely too much on a small number pupils to put up their hands to answer questions, so other pupils are not as involved as they could be.  Marking gives pupils good guidance on how to improve their work in English, but not always in other subjects. Work is sometimes untidy and not well organised.  Subject leaders have not yet fully developed their skills in checking teaching and pupils’ progress in their subject.  Governors’ regular visits to the school are not always tightly focused on how well the school is doing, or reported back to other governors.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed eight lessons or parts of lessons, five of which were seen together with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, staff, a group of pupils, two governors, and a representative of the local authority. Informal discussions were held with parents and carers.  The inspector took account of 20 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s own parental and pupil questionnaires, 14 completed staff questionnaires and individual communications from parents.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at: information from the school’s checks on its performance; its analysis and tracking of pupils’ progress; school improvement plans; leaders’ records of classroom observations; safeguarding arrangements; and records of governing body meetings.  She also looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and checked information on pupils’ attendance.

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, which is additional funding for certain groups, is below average. In this school it currently applies to pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or in local authority care.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average, and there are no pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average, while the proportion of those supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The headteacher took up post in September 2011, as did the Chair of the Governing Body. Prior to this there had been a two-year period of temporary acting headteachers.  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?

 Improve teaching so that more is outstanding by ensuring that:  lessons always move at a brisk pace and all pupils are fully involved in learning, especially during whole-class sessions  teachers’ marking in all subjects gives pupils clear guidance on how to improve their work and they are routinely given the opportunity to respond  pupils’ work in books is well organised and well presented, so they can clearly see what progress they have made.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by:  equipping all subject leaders with the skills they need to analyse pupils’ progress and check the quality of teaching, in order to identify areas for improvement in their areas of responsibility  ensuring that governors rigorously check how well the school is doing through visits that are tightly focused on school improvement priorities, and are always reported to the rest of the governing body.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 have improved over the last two years. From well below average in 2010, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2012 were average. In Key Stage 1 standards were below average in 2011 but rose to above average in 2012. Boys and girls are now doing equally well throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils are now making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is closing any gaps in attainment caused by slower progress in previous years. Most pupils are currently working at or exceeding the standards expected nationally for their age. Standards in Years 3 and 5 are above average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of the national screening check on how well pupils know the sounds that letters make (phonics) in Year 1 last year were above average. Pupils use these skills to read unfamiliar words. For example, during the inspection a Year 2 boy read imaginary names in his space adventure book accurately using his phonic skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children typically join the school with many skills at the level expected for their age. Their reading, writing and number skills, however, are not as well developed. They make good progress in the reception class and start in Key Stage 1 with those skills much closer to those expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium are making good progress in English and mathematics. The funding is used to enable them to be taught and supported in small groups or individually, as necessary. It has also been used to ensure that all pupils can take part in additional activities such as trips and residential visits which help bring their learning to life.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well supported. Their needs are quickly identified and effective help and guidance are provided to ensure they make good progress. This is checked regularly and is adapted to ensure that it continues to be effective as pupils get older and their needs may change.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good because activities are well matched to pupils’ abilities and interests. By linking the learning to realistic situations, teachers excite and enthuse pupils. For example, Year 3 and 4 pupils worked out how much fencing would be required to ensure endangered rhinos were kept safe on a nature reserve in Africa. Meanwhile, Year 1 and 2 pupils were investigating the ‘theft’ of their guinea-pigs. They found clues, plotted them on a map and recorded their co-ordinates for the investigation.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children get a good start to school in the reception class. Well-planned activities and a good balance between indoor and outdoor learning mean that they develop a range of skills and learn how to work and play together. For example, outdoor equipment such as the double-seated tricycle has been carefully chosen to develop cooperation and collaborative skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Well-briefed adults support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs sensitively in the classroom and in small group activities, while also ensuring that they develop skills to work independently and do not become too reliant on adult help.  Teachers ask questions which both check understanding and also develop deeper thinking. Pupils are asked to explain their answers to help extend their learning. Year 1 and 2 pupils had to judge the best prawn cocktail and justify their choice. They gave mature answers relating to design and the vocabulary used in the instructions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Occasionally, teachers too readily accept answers to their questions from the more-able pupils who put their hands up first. This means that they miss opportunities to involve the whole class in the learning, including the pupils who are less likely to volunteer answers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ marking in literacy books is good. It gives pupils clear guidance as to how they can improve their work. However, this is not consistent across other subjects, and pupils are not always given time to respond to teachers’ comments.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work is not always as neat and well organised as it could be. This means that it is not easy for them to see improvement in different subjects over time. Although clear targets help pupils understand next steps in their learning, they do not always record their work in a systematic way that shows whether or not the targets have been met.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They agree that behaviour is good and say that any incidents are quickly dealt with by teachers. They understand the reward system using ‘paltons’ and think it is fair and works well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of what bullying is and different forms it can take, including emotional and cyber bullying. They are adamant that it hardly ever happens in their school, but are confident that there are plenty of people they could tell if it did. They feel safe in school and learn about how to keep themselves safe in other situations such as on the road and when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Older pupils see themselves as role models for younger ones. Year 5 and 6 pupils are allocated as ‘buddies’ to reception children when they start school. On the playground, pupils of all ages play well together and all pupils watch out for the well-being of those younger than themselves.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In all classes, pupils are given roles that range from literacy and happiness monitors to those who look after the animals and birds kept by the school. This develops a sense of responsibility and pupils take the roles very seriously.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and are enthusiastic about their learning. Those who find behaving well difficult are sensitively guided by adults and respond positively to the good role models that staff and other pupils provide, so lessons are not disrupted even when the pace is slower and some pupils are not fully involved.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they enjoy school and it is a happy place to be. Parents agree, and this is reflected in the pupils’ above-average attendance and enthusiasm.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since being appointed, the headteacher has taken actions which have resulted in better attendance, progress and standards. Pupils’ progress is checked frequently so that anyone in danger of falling behind is quickly identified and helped to catch up. Until recently, the headteacher has been the key person responsible for this but other subject leaders are now taking a more active role. However, they have not yet had the opportunity to fully develop their leadership skills of analysing data and making judgements about the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills are developed across all subjects. Practical, real-life situations engage pupils and they throw themselves wholeheartedly into investigations and projects. Whole-school theme days such as the coronation celebration held during the inspection add variety to pupils’ learning, and visits give them wider first-hand experiences.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers’ performance is judged appropriately against how much progress their pupils make and how well they fulfil their different roles in the school. The individual targets set for teachers are used to measure whether promotion up the pay scale is justified by the results achieved.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination through ensuring that all pupils are listened to, and all are fully involved in activities regardless of ability or need. Despite some making slower progress in the past, all groups of pupils are now making equally good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is particularly good. They have a clear understanding of right and wrong, and visits such as to the holocaust museum by Years 5 and 6 provide opportunities to discuss global and moral issues in a mature and sensitive way. They develop social skills through involvement in a wide range of community activities and their love of learning is fostered through the exciting lessons planned by teachers.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has provided good support. It has worked with the school to help improve the quality of teaching and learning, following an earlier period of turbulence. This school is now demonstrating good capacity for continued improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governors support the school very well. They ask appropriate questions to hold the headteacher accountable for school improvement and visit the school regularly. Their visits, however, are not fully effective in supporting improvement because they are not always focused on improvement issues, and are not routinely reported to the rest of the governing body. Governors understand the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to continue to improve. The budget is managed effectively and governors are aware of how the pupil premium supports pupils, both in their learning and financially where necessary. Governors have made difficult decisions regarding the budget and staffing to ensure that the school’s finances are secure. They check the quality of teaching through reports from the headteacher and pupil progress data, and make sure that national requirements for safeguarding and child

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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 112617 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 413135

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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 89 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dave Kirby Headteacher Rosalind Horsley Date of previous school inspection 5 October 2010 Telephone number 01246 823143 Fax number N/a Email address info@palterton.derbyshire.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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