Maynards Green Community Primary School

Maynards Green Community Primary School Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0DD

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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.  Pupils make good progress, achieve well and reach standards above national averages in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Pupils develop a love of reading and the skills to read unfamiliar words with confidence.  Leaders use a range of effective training opportunities to ensure the quality of teaching remains good.  Pupils are polite and courteous. They feel safe at school and behave well around the building and in lessons.  Leaders have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and plan well. This has maintained the school’s effectiveness and improved some aspects such as attendance which is now above average.  Governors support the school well to ensure that the needs of different groups of pupils are well met.  The school provides a rich curriculum with, for example, opportunities to learn how to play a range of musical instruments and to be involved in many local sporting activities.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is not enough outstanding teaching over time to ensure that all pupils make excellent progress.  Pupils are not always given enough opportunities to develop as independent learners.  Although teachers mark pupils’ work diligently, they do not ensure that pupils have opportunities to read or act upon the useful comments written.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons or parts of lessons including the teaching of phonics (letter patterns and the sounds they represent), mathematics and guided reading. All classes were seen and one of the lessons was observed jointly with the headteacher.  The inspection team looked carefully at pupils’ work in lessons, as well as work they had completed over time in their books.  Inspectors took account of the 54 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, as well as correspondence from, and conversations with, parents and carers during the course of the inspection as well as the 23 questionnaires completed by staff.  The inspection team listened to pupils read, attended assemblies and held meetings with pupils, staff and representatives from the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation including that related to safeguarding and child protection, behaviour and attendance, checks on the quality of teaching, information related to

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ academic performance and the school’s self-evaluation and development planning.

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Inspection team

Jeanie Jovanova, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Robin Gaff Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average size primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is close to the national average, as is the proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional funding for looked after pupils, those known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families) is much lower than average. There are currently no children looked after by the local authority or from service families at the school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. Four other ethnic groups are represented in small numbers.  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 in order that all pupils make excellent progress through the school by ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to:  develop independent learning skills to increase their achievement to the highest levels  read and act upon the useful comments teachers write when marking their work to improve it still further.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are close to those expected for their age in most areas apart from reading, writing and mathematics. Arrangements for helping children settle in are very well thought out so they begin to make progress quickly.  Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with confident basic skills and continue to make good progress. For example, the well-organised teaching of phonics, coupled with teachers’ highly expert subject knowledge, means that more pupils in the school meet the expected level in the screening check than is the case nationally. This ensures pupils have the skills to go on and become fluent and confident readers.  By the time pupils take statutory tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2, most reach national averages.  In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to build on this firm foundation and achieve well. They are particularly confident in their mathematical understanding. For example, in a lesson on ordering

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The achievement of pupils is good

larger numbers, pupils rapidly understood how to work out the best method for completing the task. By the end of Year 6, pupils regularly reach standards that are above national averages in English and mathematics. However, the lack of opportunities for independent learning at times hinders them from achieving at the highest level.  The school has put in place effective measures to ensure that pupils for whom it receives pupil premium funding have their academic and personal needs well met. The small numbers in the school mean that national comparisons are not wholly representative but, for example, the school eradicated the gap in mathematics for last year’s Year 6 compared with others nationally. Pupils eligible for the pupil premium reached standards that were nearly a term ahead of other groups in school as measured by average points scored in the Key Stage 2 mathematics test. Although there is still a small gap in English, it is far narrower than found nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well because their needs are carefully planned for by teachers. Plans are expertly delivered by skilled teaching assistants and leaders make regular and meticulous checks to ensure that progress is good.  Pupils from different groups achieve equally well because the school is committed to ensuring everyone has equal opportunities to achieve success both academically and socially.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations, especially of the standard of grammar and range of vocabulary pupils use. Consequently, pupils’ grasp of the English language is sophisticated for their age as demonstrated by their provisional results in the recently introduced national grammar test at the end of Year 6.  Teachers regularly ask questions which require pupils to think deeply. For example, in a lesson based on a Maori story, pupils had to justify their answers by explaining why the characters acted in the way they did.  Over time work is carefully matched to the differing needs of all the pupils and in class activities teachers explain with clarity and precision what is required to complete tasks set. This ensures that pupils make rapid progress.  Learning is often rooted in pupils’ interest and experience. For example, pupils in Year 1 produced exceptional work when writing to The Three Bears in the role of Goldilocks to

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The quality of teaching is good

apologise for damaging their property. However, pupils occasionally miss out on shaping their learning independently as they are sometimes over reliant on direction from the teacher.  The curriculum has been well designed to ensure pupils have opportunities to practise key communication, language and mathematical skills across a range of subjects. For example, pupils practise the mathematical skills of presenting evidence in graph form during science lessons.  Teaching assistants support all pupils well, and particularly those who are disabled or who have special educational needs. Their well-targeted support has enabled them to achieve well, particularly in their mathematical work.  Teachers generally mark pupils’ work with great diligence. However, they do not ensure that pupils read and act upon the useful comments made, which limits their achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are courteous and thoughtful and now attend regularly. They move around the school sensibly, play together well and look after the school environment. Lunchtimes and playtimes are harmonious and fun.  Pupils treat each other and adults with equal respect. The school ensures this is so by actively tackling discrimination and fostering good relations both within the school and with the surrounding community. A recent whole-school focus on prejudice and stereotypes engaged pupils’ interest and enabled them to reflect on making appropriate moral choices in different situations.  Pupils say that bullying is rare and that it is dealt with well by adults, for example by creating a time and place to discuss issues and therefore resolve them amicably. They understand the many guises it can take and would always ask for help if it were to happen to them or a friend.  Pupils’ behaviour is managed consistently well. Leaders have introduced a new policy which

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

pupils feel is clear and fair. They say it has improved behaviour even further. Pupils who have particular behavioural needs are well supported and careful analysis of behaviour logs show that this results in fewer incidents involving those pupils.  Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in a range of contexts. They know about road safety, and that they have to take care when using certain types of equipment. They also have a good understanding of the dangers posed by misuse of the internet and of mobile phones. Parents, carers and staff are very positive about how the school manages behaviour and how safe pupils feel at school.  Behaviour is not outstanding because pupils’ behaviour in lessons is not yet exemplary. Although most listen and respond well, especially in the younger years, opportunities for them to develop the independent learning skills that would help them engage further are not yet fully established.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders, including governors, know the characteristics of the school well, including what they need to do to continually improve outcomes for pupils. Development planning is effective; a measure of this is how standards rose last year in national tests at the end of both key stages.  Leaders check the quality of teaching in a range of ways such as by observing lessons and by scrutinising work in books. In this way, they can set specific targets when managing teachers’ performance and can offer the most appropriate form of training or support to help improve practice. Senior leaders recognise that there are still aspects to improve, such as developing pupils’ independent learning skills and their response to teachers’ marking.  The curriculum provides a range of opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Assemblies are a time of coming together to reflect communally on key

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The leadership and management are good

values. There is a broad variety of after-school clubs. Books are chosen that challenge pupils’ thinking and introduce them to different viewpoints and cultures. Visitors into school and trips that support topics studied add breadth and depth to pupils’ understanding and broaden their cultural horizons. The school is actively involved in local sports networks and leaders have put ambitious plans in place to broaden their teaching of physical education aided by recent government funding.  The local authority rightly categorises the school as good and therefore offers light touch support when requested.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a good understanding of how their school compares to similar schools and use this to prioritise areas for development. For example, attendance ranked lower than other measures on a national comparator so governors became involved in the successful initiatives

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The leadership and management are good

which have seen a rise to above national levels. Governors ensure that all statutory duties are met, such as safeguarding, and attend both mandatory training and any other courses that would enable them to fulfil their roles more effectively. They understand the link between pay and performance and preside over decisions that result in improvements to the quality of teaching. They are clear that good teachers will be rewarded but, should anyone not meet targets set, a pay rise is not automatic. Governors analyse the academic performance of different groups of pupils and regularly ask probing questions to ensure the school is doing all it can to meet the needs of all and thereby raise attainment and prevent any forms of discrimination. They follow particularly closely the achievement of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding. They know, for example, that gaps have been eradicated in mathematics this year and which initiatives led to this success.

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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 114407 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 426582

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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 203 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tracy Granea Headteacher Verity Poole Date of previous school inspection 14 October 2008 Telephone number 01435 812622 Fax number 01435 813944 Email address office@maynardsgreen.e-sussex.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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