Chalford Hill Primary School

Chalford Hill Primary School Chalford Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 8LG Inspection dates 23–24 October 2013

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 are achieving well in all year groups. They make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, and reach above average standards in each of them.  Teaching is almost always good and sometimes outstanding. Teachers have high expectations, excellent relationships with their pupils and good subject knowledge.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are self- confident, lively and work well together. They are caring of and respectful to each other, and polite and helpful with adults.  The school provides numerous stimulating and exciting learning opportunities, especially outdoors, which enhance the outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Literacy is developed particularly well in a number of subjects.  The school is led very effectively by a caring and ambitious headteacher, who is a fine role model as a teacher. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher and a school staff who

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

form a good team and show great pride in the school.  The governing body is actively involved in a strong drive for continual improvement. Governors are a constant presence in the school, and offer support and challenge to leaders.  The school has excellent relationships with parents. Many are involved in helping to support the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding in order to enable more pupils to reach high levels of attainment in English and mathematics.  Subject leaders do not yet make the best use of information on pupils’ progress to make sure that all pupils are given work that is closely matched to their needs and ability levels.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons taught by 10 teachers. Four of these lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with pupils, the headteacher, members of management teams, three governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work. They examined the school’s improvement plans and self- evaluation, checks on how well it is doing, safeguarding arrangements, health and safety records, school policies and a range of pupils’ work and information about their progress.  The inspectors took account of the 84 responses to the online Parent View survey, and three letters from parents.  The inspectors examined 21 questionnaires from staff.

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Inspection team

Rodney Braithwaite, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Linda Rowley Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Chalford Hill Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Nearly all pupils are White British, the remainder coming from a range of other ethnic heritages.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is below average. The proportion supported by school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  At present no pupils are supported by the pupil premium. This is additional government funding for particular groups: children in the care of the local authority, children from service families and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  The school is organised into six single-year classes and a Reception class.  The school provides a well-attended breakfast club.

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Information about this school

 There have been several staff changes, and several lengthy staff absences, since the last inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching, so that more pupils achieve exceptionally well, by making sure that the pace of learning is consistently brisk and that pupils are always given enough opportunities to be actively involved in their own learning.  Increase the ability of subject leaders to interpret accurately the detailed pupils’ progress data now available, and use this knowledge to support colleagues and contribute to a greater acceleration of pupils’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In most years children join the Reception class with levels of skill and understanding that are slightly above those expected for their age, although this has varied in recent years. They are ready to learn and make good progress in their language and communication skills as well as their personal and social skills.  Pupils continue this good progress in all year groups. The great majority of pupils make the progress expected of them and a significant proportion make more rapid progress, so that by the end of Year 6 pupils’ standards are consistently above average in English and mathematics.  Since the last short inspection five years ago progress has varied and sometimes pupils have not made the progress expected of them, for example in reading in older year groups. In the last two years leaders have taken decisive and successful action to improve the consistency of pupils’ achievement and learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 As a result current pupils in all year groups have made good progress in their learning since starting at school and are achieving well. This includes disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Progress is not outstanding because very few pupils are making rapid enough progress to reach well above average levels of attainment by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. A high number of pupils reach above average levels, and although achieving well over time, school leaders agree that some have the potential to do even better.  Examples of just how highly pupils are capable of achieving were seen in a music lesson in Year 6 when all pupils played instruments, together or solo, and produced a high quality performance of samba music. Excellent achievement was also seen in a small group of pupils, again in Year 6, who very rapidly, in groups of three, prepared and delivered persuasive marketing presentations

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The achievement of pupils is good

of ‘multi-phonic spy gadgets’.  Pupils have particular strengths in their basic language and speaking skills and are confident in explaining their thinking. For example, pupils from Year 4, back from a trip to the ’Barley Fields’, talked excitedly about what they had discovered and learned.  Pupils also achieve well across a range of other subjects, including art and design, information and communication technology, Mandarin, and outdoor education where the school has won a national award for good practice.  Pupils are keen readers. They have regular opportunities to read to adults in school, and have reading folders in which they record their views about their books. Reading skills have improved and continue to do so since the school started teaching letters and sounds (phonics) more effectively and encouraged parents to join in their children’s reading.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. The best teaching occurs when teachers have excellent subject knowledge, high expectations of their pupils and set challenging learning tasks in a range of stimulating and imaginative activities.  A particularly good example of this was shown in the literacy books of Year 2 pupils where over this half of the term pupils have applied and improved their writing skills in at least ten pieces of extended writing in several different subjects which have stirred their imagination.  There is not yet sufficient outstanding teaching, though, to ensure that pupils capable of reaching exceptional levels of knowledge and learning actually do so. Occasionally, the pace of lessons is a little too slow, particularly when pupils are not given enough opportunities to be actively involved in their own learning. Teachers have been effective in guiding pupils’ achievements to their present levels, but leaders realise that there is still more to be done.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children are learning well in Reception because the teacher and teaching assistants encourage children to talk about their learning and give them good opportunities to develop their curiosity about the world around them, such as visiting Westonbirt Arboretum during the inspection.  Relationships between pupils and teachers are good. There is much mutual respect, evident especially in aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development which is a strength of the school. This was observed at the start of a lesson in Year 5 after a particularly hectic playtime. Encouraged by their teacher, pupils calmed down in pairs and quietly massaged each other’s backs and shoulders accompanied by soothing music.  Teachers work closely with very competent teaching assistants who know the pupils well and are involved in supporting many small groups and individuals according to their identified needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

This is particularly effective in helping the learning of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  There have been good improvements to the tracking of pupils’ progress through the introduction of new data strategies. However, some data are not yet being used sufficiently to identify the individual learning needs of some pupils. Teachers’ marking is consistently helpful and gives improvement guidance regularly to pupils, which is an improvement since the last inspection.  Teachers enable their pupils to have a good knowledge of how well they are learning, the levels they are reaching, and how they can improve.  The great majority of parents think that the teaching is good and that their children make good progress as a result.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good and they know how to keep themselves safe both in and out of school. This is particularly important as the school has a split site, and pupils are also regularly involved in walking to the local woodland and the outdoor education area there. Parents strongly agree with their children that they are safe. They and staff also feel that behaviour is good and well managed.  Many pupils have excellent attitudes to their learning. They brim with enthusiasm when talking about their trips to the Science Museum and Zoo in Bristol, their residential stay in the Forest of Dean, their visits to a circus and Warwick Castle, and their music project with other schools.  Children settle quickly into Reception where they learn daily routines in learning and play, listen carefully in formal sessions, and work cooperatively together in their very colourful and stimulating learning areas.  Pupils think behaviour is ‘mostly good’. They clearly understand the school’s rules for behaviour,

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

naming ‘warning triangles, red cards, and losing Golden Time’ as being strong reasons to behave sensibly.  Pupils’ good relationships and cooperation with each other are evident in much of the peer evaluation of each other’s work, which takes place regularly, and is both friendly and constructive.  Behaviour occasionally slips on the few occasions when the pace of teaching drops and a few pupils become restless because they are not involved actively enough in their own learning.  Pupils have a good knowledge of bullying, especially through the internet or mobile phones. Apart from the odd isolated incident they report the only bullying as ‘repetitive name calling’, which staff soon deal with.  There are good links to external services which help to meet the needs of pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable or who have difficulty managing their own behaviour.  Attendance is excellent and continues to be higher than average as it has been for many years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

Punctuality is good, and there have been no exclusions from school for many years.  Pupils behave well at the breakfast club, where pupils of all ages mix happily together.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has led the school very well since her appointment two years ago. She has coped well with the need to replace staff either permanently or temporarily while maintaining the school’s ambitions for improvement.  The headteacher, as the leading monitor of teaching in the school, is also a good teaching role model as she frequently teaches small groups of pupils in order to boost their progress.  Led by the deputy headteacher, other subject leaders are fully involved in helping the school to move forward and improve the very clear priority areas identified in the school’s improvement plan. All staff are equally ambitious for the school and are well focused on ensuring that pupils’ achievement is as high as possible.  Leadership and management are not yet outstanding because leaders and subject coordinators have not yet been able to analyse and use data on pupils’ progress in order to help teachers to

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The leadership and management are good

guide more pupils to excellent achievement by tailoring work precisely to their needs.  The checking of teaching and learning is rigorous and helpful, and gives detailed guidance on how teachers can improve their skills. It is linked closely to school improvement priorities and teachers’ targets to improve their performance. Teachers are encouraged at all times to further their skills through professional development.  Among a number of improvements made since the last inspection, school leaders have enabled pupils to have a much greater knowledge of other cultures and faiths. This, combined with the multitude of outstanding enrichment opportunities provided for pupils, has helped the excellent promotion of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.  The school promotes equal opportunities and is fully inclusive. Leaders make sure there is no discrimination through gender, disability, special educational needs or ethnic heritage.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority works closely with the school and has provided specialist support in a number of areas in order to promote further improvement. The school also works closely with other schools in the local ‘Hills and Valleys’ cluster.  The school has excellent relationships with parents who are supportive in many ways and think highly of their children’s school. A small number expressed a view that their concerns are not always acted upon. Upon investigation, the inspectors considered that the school has a well- established ‘open-door’ policy and that staff are always on hand to deal with concerns.  The governance of the school: The governing body is very well informed and has a detailed awareness of the school’s overall performance. Governors support the school in all its activities and stay closely in touch with staff, leaders and parents. They hold the school robustly to account and are very conscious of the need

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The leadership and management are good

to match school performance to its efficient use of resources. As the governing body recruits new members, the Chair is ensuring that training opportunities are provided as much as in the past. Governors have a good knowledge of the new sports funding and have agreed to its use mainly for training present school staff so that there can be continuity in the future. They also control the school budget very tightly after some past difficulties. They are in the early stages of linking staff performance to pay, especially in relating the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress to school targets. The governors ensure that school policies are regularly reviewed and that safeguarding arrangements meet regulatory requirements. Their commitment to safety is evident by the recent closure of a road next to the school after a nine-year dispute.

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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 115509 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 427220

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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 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rowland South Headteacher Corinne Martin Date of previous school inspection 18 March 2008 Telephone number 01453 883123 Fax number 01453 885820 Email address admin@chalfordhill.gloucs.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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