Richard Durning's Endowed Primary School

Richard Durning’s Endowed Primary School Chorley Road, Bispham, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L40 3SL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  The headteacher has built a strong, cohesive team of teaching and support staff. All are determined to secure the best for every pupil, as stated in the school motto, ‘Each child is at the heart of all we do.’  The governing body share this determination and contribute proactively to the school’s success through its excellent monitoring, support and challenge.  Pupils reach high standards, especially in reading, writing, mathematics and their cross curricular work. They make rapid progress because of the outstanding teaching they receive and their excellent attitudes to school.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They show immense respect for others. They have beautiful manners and get on very well with each other.  Teachers have a deep understanding of how pupils learn. They reflect on their own teaching to identify ways to improve it further. Their teaching interests and inspires the pupils to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

achieve well. Pupils’ English and mathematics skills are promoted throughout the purposeful curriculum.  Pupils experience a wide range of different types of learning. They learn to reason and think for themselves, to solve problems and to work together successfully.  All members of staff know every pupil. The quality of support for care and learning is excellent; pupils feel very safe at school. The school has good systems to encourage good attendance, and attendance is improving but could be even higher.  Every parent who expressed a view would recommend this school to another parent. The school’s excellent reputation is well deserved.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed two assemblies and parts of 10 lessons, involving all the teachers and teaching assistants. One lesson was jointly observed with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector heard some children read and asked them about their learning.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, teachers, a group of pupil and four members of the governing body. Discussions were held with parents and with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of 24 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), discussions with parents and five responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector observed the school’s work and scrutinised documents including the school’s view of its work, the school’s plan for improvement, data on pupils’ current progress, minutes of governing body meetings, policy documents, staff appraisal and records relating to behaviour, attendance, safeguarding, health and safety.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector looked at samples of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and cross-curricular topic work and reviewed children’s records from the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection team

Barbara Flitcroft, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  All pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement is well below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and children of service families) is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor targets, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  In addition to the headteacher, who has a significant teaching commitment, the school has two full-time teachers and a part-time teacher. Pupils are split into three classes for most lessons and four for mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The school is currently recruiting one permanent full-time teacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sustain the high levels of pupils’ achievement and further raise standards by: - enabling continued outstanding teaching, through a thorough recruitment and induction programme for a new class teacher, so that the current high quality teaching remains consistent throughout the school - continuing to promote high attendance and good punctuality.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils make outstanding progress during their time at the school. They develop the ability to reason and think independently. They can work together well to solve problems. By the time they leave Year 6, they reach well above average standards and show high levels of perseverance and logical thinking. This is a testament to the outstanding teaching they receive and a stimulating creative curriculum planned by the teachers.  Children’s starting points vary but most are in line with age-related expectations with a few below this. They make excellent progress during the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. They rapidly learn to recognise letters and the sounds they make, and progress to reading with appropriate expression and understanding. Standards at the end of Year 2 have improved to above average.  Pupils make outstanding progress in Key Stage 2. Whatever their level of attainment, each pupil

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

is challenged to rapidly achieve the next steps in their learning.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make very good progress. This is because they are well supported in lessons and in small groups supported by very skilled teaching assistants. They also benefit from the small class sizes, which means they can receive more individual attention.  Pupils read widely and make good use of books and internet research to aid their learning. They participate enthusiastically in extra-curricular activities. A wide range of activities is on offer for such a small school.  One of the benefits of the small size of the school is that every member of staff knows every pupil. Constant checking on progress works well through pupil progress meetings with the headteacher. The headteacher is proactive in securing support for pupils who need some extra support with their learning. Good use is made of the volunteers who willingly assist in school,

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

some of whom are governors. All are committed to the school’s success.  The school uses the small amount of pupil premium funding it receives to support those pupils who are eligible. The school has not published its analysis of the impact of pupil premium finding to avoid identifying individual pupils.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching has been outstanding in a majority of lessons observed in recent years, including those observed during the inspection. Strong support from teaching assistants and sustained excellent teaching has led to pupils’ outstanding achievement.  Pupils learn to read very well because all the staff are skilled in teaching phonics (letters and the sounds they make). The outstanding teaching of technical and creative features of writing and the many writing opportunities throughout the curriculum mean that pupils reach high standards by the end of Key Stage 2. In an excellent Years 4/5/6 lesson, the teacher creatively taught the pupils how to create frieze frame scenes from the Blitz. This helped the pupils to develop more understanding and some sophisticated vocabulary in their writing about the event.  Teachers use their very good subject knowledge to teach confidently while giving pupils opportunities to learn independently and solve problems. For example, in an outstanding Years

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

2/3 mathematics lesson, the groups of pupils were cooperatively using a range of shapes and objects to solve the challenges set by their imaginative teacher in an extremely busy, industrious classroom. The different groups taught each other what they had discovered in the lesson by sharing their new knowledge.  Teaching is imaginative and geared to address pupils’ needs. Teachers are skilled in using questions and observations to check on pupils’ understanding. Subsequently, they use this information to adapt further teaching.  Marking is regular and accurate in all of the pupils’ recorded work. Pupils respond well to guidance on how to improve their work and to additional questions posed by the teachers. Pupils peer mark each others’ work with accurate comments.  Assessment in the Early Years Foundation Stage is comprehensive because the teacher and teaching assistants use photographs and notes to record children’s progress in learning that

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

otherwise would not leave a permanent record. A group of children built their ‘dream home’ outside after seeing a video clip of some unusual homes. When the staff saw the finished construction, they quickly ran for the camera!  A feature of the school is the wide range of needs and age range within each class. Teachers plan very well for individual needs. Teaching assistants are well trained to assist pupils with specific needs, such as autistic spectrum disorders and dyslexia.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are rightly, very proud of their school and very much enjoy their work. Their excellent behaviour makes the school a very harmonious and pleasant place to be.’ It’s like a big family in a big house’ explained one of the older pupils.  Pupils are full of enthusiasm for their learning, pay close attention to their teachers and are keen to put forward their own ideas. Older pupils look after and act as role models for new pupils, helping to promote and maintain the splendid climate for learning. Pupils who are elected representatives on Eco Council and School Council have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. They enthusiastically take on the responsibility and play their part well.  Parents, pupils and governors speak very highly of the excellent relationships among pupils and adults, the high quality of care and the impressive standards of behaviour which are commented on whenever a visit out of school is made.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are knowledgeable about the potential dangers of using the internet and social media. They understand different types of bullying but are adamant that there is no bullying at this school. Pupils behave safely and very sensibly. They show respect for each other and for adults in the school, for example, they will hold open a door if another person is following them down the corridor. They say, ‘excuse me,’ when they want to pass. As a result of this high level of consideration for others, all pupils feel very safe in school.  Pupils know how to lead a healthy lifestyle and have opportunities to develop and learn new skills which contribute towards this, for example, the ’bikeability’ course teaches them how to cycle safely.  Attendance is slightly above average and improving. Punctuality is good. School works diligently to promote good attendance with appropriate rewards and praise during assemblies and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

meetings with the parents of those whose attendance or punctuality is a concern. There have been no exclusions for the last seven years.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher’s ambitious view of how successful the school can be is starting to become a reality. She is not content with anything less than outstanding and has rigorously supported and challenged anything that needs to improve.  All the teachers take on leadership roles. Under the strong leadership of the headteacher, they collectively sustain an outstanding level of teaching. This is partly through lesson observations, which result in suggestions for improvement, even in the strongest lessons. However, teaching staff constantly reflect on their own work, always seeking ways to improve the learning experience for children. Teachers are held accountable for their teaching, leadership contributions and pupils’ progress.  The school has well established systems for tracking pupils’ progress, which are used to identify pupils who might need extra support. In addition to the data, staff know the pupils very well.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

They are able to take pupils’ personal circumstances into account when reviewing their academic progress and learning needs.  The school has good systems to ensure teachers have the training they need. Now a detailed induction programme is needed for the new member of staff, once recruited.  For such a small school, pupils have a rich range of learning experiences, including music, drama productions, sporting events, gardening and school trips to places such as Preston Museum, Martin Mere and Robinwood Residential Centre. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well through strong messages built into their lessons and assemblies, which provide opportunities for reflection and for learning about diverse cultures.  Parents are very supportive of the school’s work. They are delighted with the information provided before their child joins the Early Years Foundation Stage and the opportunity to join the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

weekly ‘Ducklings’ group for pre-school children. This, together with home and pre-school visits from the Class 1 staff, make starting school a much less worrying experience for the young child.  The local authority maintains a light touch in its monitoring of the school, because of it strong track record and its improvement since the last inspection.  Safeguarding meets statutory requirements. All staff understand their responsibilities for child protection and how to mitigate risks. All relevant policies are up to date.  The governance of the school: - The highly effective governing body holds the school to account very well. Governors keep a close eye on pupils’ progress, the quality of teaching and arrangements for safeguarding. They ask challenging questions of the headteacher when she reports to them. They have well established systems and committee structures to ensure they meet their statutory duties. The

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The leadership and management are outstanding

work of governors has contributed to the superb quality of teaching. Governors manage the school’s finances well and deploy resources carefully to maintain the high quality of provision. They ensure that the performance of staff is managed effectively. Some members of the governing body assist voluntarily in classrooms. As well as helping the pupils, this aids the governors’ understanding of the daily routines of school and the challenges faced by the staff.

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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 119409 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 426257

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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 59 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Judy Hales Headteacher Catherine Hodgson Date of previous school inspection 7 November 2008 Telephone number 01257 462968 Fax number - Email address head@richarddurnings.lancs.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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