Woodbury Salterton Church of England Primary School

Woodbury Salterton Church of England Primary School Stony Lane, Woodbury Salterton, Exeter, EX5 1PP

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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.  Teaching is good across the school. Teachers structure their lessons effectively and staff provide high levels of support for the pupils.  Consequently, pupils achieve well and reach standards that are above the national average. Standards in reading and mathematics are particularly strong throughout the school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, together with those who are eligible for pupil premium funding, make good progress and achieve well. The most able pupils achieve well, particularly in the eldest class.  Pupils behave well and are caring and supportive of each other. They are polite and courteous, develop good levels of confidence and want to do well.  The school provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The headteacher is well supported by the governing body and together they are ambitious for the school. Recent strategies to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improve further the quality of teaching in mathematics have been particularly effective and this has had a significant impact on raising pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although teaching and learning in writing are good overall, they are not as consistent as in reading and mathematics.  Teachers’ expectations of the quantity and quality of pupils’ writing are not consistently strong in all lessons and subjects.  Pupils are not always clear about the steps they need to take in order to achieve the highest levels in writing.  Subject leaders are not always fully effective in judging the impact of the school’s work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons led by four members of staff. Many of the lessons were joint observations undertaken with the headteacher. These sessions included one on the teaching of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) and a guided reading session.  The inspector held a meeting with four members of the governing body and with groups of pupils. A telephone converstaion was held with a representative from the local authority. In addition to a number of meetings with members of staff, the questionnaires completed by 10 members of staff were taken into account.  The views of parents were collected from brief informal meetings at the start of the day and from a parent’s letter sent to the inspector. Account was also taken of the parental responses made to a school questionaire sent out last term as well as the 24 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View).  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s analysis of pupils’

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Information about this inspection

progress, teachers’ lesson plans, the school’s action plan, leaders’ monitoring records, pupils’ work and the record of checks made on staff’s suitablity to work with children.

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Inspection team

Hazel Callaghan, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than average. Almost all the pupils are of White British heritage and very few are from minority ethnic groups. Pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well below that found in schools nationally. This is additional government funding provided for pupils who are eligible for free school meals, those who are looked after by the local authority and those with a parent in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special needs supported at the school action is below the national average.  The proportion supported at school action plus level or with a statement of special educational needs is greater than average.  The school has a greater-than-average proportion of pupils who join the school at other times than at the start of Reception. A large proportion of these pupils also have special educational

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Information about this school

needs and many join the school in the oldest classes.  The school meets the current floor standards set by the government, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  There has been significant disruption to staffing in the school over the last few years.  The school works with other local schools as part of the Exmouth Area Learning Community.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in writing so that it is as strong as that in reading and mathematics by:  ensuring teachers have consistently high expectations for pupils’ writing in all subjects  making sure that children are clear about the steps they need to take in order to achieve so they can aspire to the highest levels  developing the use of written feedback in teachers’ marking so that pupils are clear about what they can improve in their writing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the skills of middle leaders so that all can effectively judge the impact of their work in raising achievement so standards continue to rise.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well through the school in all areas of their learning and development.  Attainment in Year 6 is usually above average in English and mathematics. Standards and progress declined in 2012. This was partly due to historical instability in staffing and partly to the high proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs in the class.  However, in 2013 achievement rose once more as a result of the highly effective focus on improving teaching, particularly in mathematics. Consequently, an above-average proportion of pupils made at least expected progress, and many made better-than-expected progress, both in Year 6 and throughout the school.  Children start school with a typical range of skills and knowledge for their age. They make a good start to their learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and reach a high level of achievement by the time they enter Year 1. The children are keen to learn and the well-

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The achievement of pupils is good

structured support enables them to develop the knowledge and skills they require to be well prepared for the next stage of their learning.  Good progress in pupils’ early reading skills continues in Year 1. The results of the phonic check, through which their understanding of letters and the sounds they make is assessed, are above the national average. Children in the youngest class use this knowledge well to help them read new words and to spell. By Year 6, pupils read widely both to support their learning and for enjoyment.  Progress in writing overall is good but is not consistently as strong as that in reading and mathematics. Leaders are fully aware of this and writing is now a focus for school improvement.  Pupils of all abilities achieve well. The more able are successfully reaching higher-than-average standards by the time they leave in Year 6 and exceed expected levels of progress.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium grant are well supported through a variety of support

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The achievement of pupils is good

sessions and class teaching. There are only a few in each class but the majority achieve as well as their peers and attain a similar level by the time they leave.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs all make good progress. Those who are supported at school action, for example, usually reach the expected levels for their age by the end of Year 6. Those pupils who join the school in Key Stage 2, many of whom have special educational needs, also achieve well. The highly focused one-to-one sessions of support are really effective in helping them to catch up and close the gap with their peers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good and this results in pupils’ good learning over time. Teachers use questioning well to probe pupils’ understanding and provide a wide range of activities to support new learning. This was seen in the Reception class when children were exploring number and counting ‘Toys in the Bed’ with the class teacher and ‘writing invitations’ as part of their free chosen activities.  The teaching of reading is strong throughout the school and pupils enjoy reading. The regular guided reading sessions along with the enjoyment of exploring books as part of their writing lessons all aid this progress.  In the last year there has been a strong and successful focus on improving the teaching of mathematics. As a result, pupils enjoy their activities and know that they are doing well. Pupils in Year 6 and the more able pupils in Class 2 (Years 2 and 3 pupils), for example, were observed enjoying investigating how the answers to their calculations made patterns. They discussed their

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The quality of teaching is good

ideas and explored ways of checking their hypotheses together.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ progress in mathematics and use their assessments successfully to check pupils’ understanding in the lessons, refocusing the tasks where necessary and planning effectively to meet their needs in the next lesson.  Teachers also plan effectively to promote pupils’ learning in English and progress in lessons is usually good. Pupils understand what is expected in the lesson and try to do well.  Sometimes pupils do not have a clear understanding of how they can move to the next stage of learning. They know what is to be learnt and what they have to do, but not always exactly what is required to make their work better. Teachers’ marking is not always helpful in guiding pupils in their next steps, particularly in relation to their writing.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their needs

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The quality of teaching is good

are well understood and the range of support provided is effective in helping them to learn. The role of teaching assistants in supporting pupils with specific needs, as well as those who are new to the school and may have fallen behind in their work previously, is important in promoting pupils’ good progress.  Positive relationships and clear expectations for good behaviour result in all classes having a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Teachers offer lots of praise and this helps to build the pupils’ confidence and self-esteem.  Teachers plan many opportunities for pupils to work in pairs and in small groups. As well as successfully promoting the pupils’ social and moral skills, this enables them to share and support each other in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and are keen and motivated learners. Pupils respond well in lessons, share ideas confidently and work well as individuals, in pairs and in groups. They enjoy investigations and opportunities to explore new ideas.  Pupils say they enjoy their activities and want to do well. Lessons are very rarely disrupted by inappropriate behaviour and most pupils show good levels of concentration and attention. Pupils’ sensible attitudes make a strong contribution to a safe, positive learning environment.  Pupils want to well and respond positively to challenges set by the class teacher. They talked with enthusiasm about how they led assemblies, raised money for charities and enjoyed pursuing their own ideas.  Pupils behave well in their classes, in assembly, at break times and around the school. They are courteous and polite to visitors.  Pupils say they feel very safe at school. They have a good grounding in recognising potential

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

dangers such as when using the internet. They have developed an appropriate range of strategies to keep themselves safe, such as when using the roads around school and when meeting new people.  Pupils say behaviour is good and that bullying of any kind is rare, especially any physical, emotional or cyber-bullying. Pupils say any upsets or disagreements are quickly and effectively sorted out by the staff. The vast majority of parents who contributed to the Parent View questionnaire and to the school’s own questionnaire believe that behaviour is good, and few have any concerns.  The vast majority of pupils attend very regularly. Lengthy absence is usually due to ill health but this affects the overall rates of attendance for the school, which are currently broadly average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has successfully led the development of teaching and learning in the school. She has been successful in raising achievement in mathematics and with the good support of the local authority this process has continued. Opportunities for staff to observe each other and discuss the strengths and areas of development in the teaching of mathematics and opportunities to work with outstanding practitioners from other schools have had a positive impact in improving teaching. The open mindedness of the staff to look for improvement has enabled them to take on new ideas and develop their practice well.  Systems for checking, recording and tracking pupils’ attainment and progress are rigorous. The headteacher analyses pupils’ progress, checking for possible underachievement so that this can be tackled immediately. The special needs coordinator works closely with the headteacher and teaching assistants to keep a close check on all those who need additional support, and monitors

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The leadership and management are good

the impact of support strategies on pupils’ progress.  Until recently, because of staff changes, the main responsibility for school improvement rested with the headteacher. Middle leaders are starting to develop their skills but are not always clear about how to judge the impact of the school’s work on teaching and learning.  Performance management has raised expectations for pupils’ progress and the teachers’ part in promoting good achievement. There are secure links between teachers’ performance and pay awards. Relationships throughout the school are highly positive. Staff are diligent in ensuring all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed.  The curriculum is effectively planned to provide an enjoyable range of topics and activities that promote pupils’ learning. Writing is increasingly used to support learning in other subjects such as in history. Pupils in Year 6, for example, explored the different kinds of speech and grammar

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The leadership and management are good

in their sentences when describing a picture of life on a Tudor street. Expectations for the quality of writing, however, are inconsistent.  The school has enhanced the wide range of activities so that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is extremely well promoted. Assemblies are a special time when the pupils join together as a family.  Links with local schools have been beneficial in sharing ideas and good practice. The headteacher recently led the group who drew up a mathematics calculation policy for all the schools that are part of the learning community.  Partnerships with parents are good. The views shared in the school’s recent questionnaire and on Parent View are generally very positive.  The governance of the school:  Many governors have a good understanding of school data and challenge the headteacher about pupils’ achievement. They use a variety of data to help them evaluate the school’s

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The leadership and management are good

performance compared to other schools’. Governors are fully involved in discussions about the use of the pupil premium funding and make a check on the impact on pupils’ achievement.  Governors have high aspirations for the school. They recognise the need for the headteacher to have more time available for leadership and monitoring and made this possible by releasing her from a class responsibility.  They are fully supportive of the school’s commitment to working with the local learning community and support the headteacher’s role within it, seeing the joint working as very beneficial to staff and pupils alike. The governing body are currently developing an audit of governors’ skills in order to improve their own effectiveness.  They are kept informed of the outcomes of performance management and are committed to rewarding good teaching and effective management.  They carry out their responsibilities to ensure a safe and secure environment and all

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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 113441 Local authority Devon Inspection number 412144

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 94 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Susan Merrick Headteacher Mrs Louise Lowes Date of previous school inspection 10 –11 June 2007 Telephone number 01395 232649 Fax number 01395 232649 Email address admin@woodbury-salterton.devon.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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