Upottery Primary School

Upottery Primary School Upottery, Honiton EX14 9QT

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils currently in the school make good and sometimes outstanding progress because they are taught well. Some teaching is outstanding.  The teachers know the pupils very well giving them confidence and a keenness to do well. A thorough check on each pupil’s progress ensures that teachers know exactly how well they are doing or if they need some additional help.  Children settle very quickly into the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are given things to do that interest and excite them. They make a flying start to their life in school.  The school promotes a love of reading from the earliest years. All pupils make very good progress in reading.  In lessons, pupils’ attitude towards their work is exemplary, demonstrating an eagerness to learn and do well.  Pupils behave extremely well and feel safe. They are proud of their school and talk about it enthusiastically, particularly emphasising that everyone is friends with

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

everyone else, and ‘we all take care of each other.’  The very well-respected headteacher provides effective leadership of a small but strong team, which is well supported by the governing body. This team has been effective in ensuring good standards of teaching and achievement have been maintained since the previous inspection. They all share common values and are keen to make the school even better for the sake of the pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, when all the class is being taught together, the work does not match the different abilities and work may be too difficult for some and too easy for others.  The school has a good marking system to help pupils improve their work; however, it is not used consistently well across all subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons, three of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, pupils from Year 6, the Chair of the Governing Body and staff members with a specific responsibility for the Early Years Foundation Stage and special educational needs.  A conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector heard pupils in Year 2 read, observed morning playtime and lunch breaks, and attended an assembly.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised, including the ‘learning journey’ records of the youngest children. Displays around the school were also examined.  The inspection looked in detail at the quality of teaching and how much progress the pupils make in each year group.  Note was taken of the nine responses to the staff questionnaire and the 28 responses made to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). The inspector met some parents informally at the start

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Information about this inspection

of the day.  A range of documents was looked at, including the school’s data on pupils’ progress, improvement planning, the school’s checks on how well it is doing, information on the quality of teaching and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Anne Wesley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Upottery is a much smaller than the average-sized primary school. It has three classes, one for children in the Early Years foundation Stage and Year 1,one for Year 2 and 3 and one for Year 4 and 5. Year 6 pupils are taught separately each morning by the headteacher.  The school serves a rural community with a quarter of the pupils being bussed in from outlying villages.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after and children from service families) is much lower than average.  Currently there very few pupils from ethnic minority groups or who speak English as an additional language.  There are fewer disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action than the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a

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Information about this school

statement of special educational needs is also below average  The school met the government’s 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?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning to outstanding overall by:  ensuring all parts of the lesson, particularly introductions, are relevant to all the pupils and closely matched to their needs  using the marking system consistently so that pupils know how to improve their work in all subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There is a small number of pupils in each year group so the results at the end of Key Stage1 and 2 vary from year to year but they are consistently in line with national averages and in some years better than that.  Pupils make good progress across the year groups in a wide range of subjects, from their individual starting points, because of the consistently good teaching they experience. The most recent figures show that rates of progress are accelerating in all subjects at the end of Key Stage 2 and the percentage of pupils exceeding what might be expected of them was higher than national averages.  Most children enter Reception with skills and understanding in line with what is expected for their age. As a result of good teaching and activities closely matched to their needs, all children make good progress. They make particularly good progress in phonics (letters and their sounds), using their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make to start reading and writing very well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Their scores in the Year 1 phonics screening test were above average.  Good progress continues through Key Stage 1, with particularly strong progress in reading. Pupils throughout the school read very well, with a larger than average proportion achieving the higher levels in Year 6. Pupils actively promote reading in the school themselves, and librarians run a ‘Book Track’ which encourages pupils to read more and to think about what they have read.  The levels reached in writing are not as good as reading but since the last inspection, pupils are given more opportunities to write at length and progress can clearly be seen in their writing assessment books. For example, in Year 2 and 3, pupils were working towards writing their own stories in stages, looking firstly at an example of a good children’s story, then writing short descriptive sentences which they improved by using a thesaurus, all before they moved on to

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The achievement of pupils is good

writing the story itself. The result was that good stories were written but also they had a format for writing in the future.  Exceptional mathematics teaching in Year 6 accelerates progress in mathematics; however, this is built on sound basic mathematics skills which pupils acquire as they go through the school. Pupils could be given more opportunities to use their skills to solve problems for themselves as in some lessons they can be over directed.  Teachers work together to monitor the progress of all pupils, with the result that support is quickly targeted where it is needed. The support is delivered by skilled teaching assistants who work with the pupils on individually tailored programmes. Therefore, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs also make good progress.  Pupils in receipt of pupil premium support also benefit from additional adult assistance. This grant is used effectively to include them in them fully in the range of school activities. As a

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The achievement of pupils is good

result, these pupils make similarly good progress to other pupils in the school in English and mathematics. The very small numbers of pupils involved means that it is not possible to compare attainment levels.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good. There are some examples of excellent teaching, particularly in the Year 6 class and the class for the youngest pupils, but not yet enough to result in outstanding pupils’ achievement over time.  Pupils said they enjoy their lessons and that all teaching is good; as one explained, ‘They just keep going till we get it.’ Parents agree; all those who spoke to the inspector commented on the good teaching and were very pleased with the progress their children make.  A strong feature of the best teaching is the close match of group tasks to the pupils’ ability. For example, in a good practical mathematics lesson, the match of task to ability ensured all the groups made good progress. Some pupils learnt how to use a protractor to measure two angles on a straight line whist others were challenged by using the same equipment to construct regular polygons.  When whole classes are taught together, the teachers do not always take such careful account

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The quality of teaching is good

of the different ages and abilities. Occasionally, therefore, an introduction to a lesson might be too difficult for some, while others might be revising concepts that they know and are prevented from moving on more quickly.  Some of the best writing comes when teachers make good links across the range of subjects; for instance, the pupils writing instructions based on their experience on a recent residential trip wrote exceptionally well and with great enthusiasm. Pupils in Year 2 and 3 used the knowledge they had gained in history to write well-informed diary entries about the Great Fire of London.  Year 6 wrote poems they had written about rock climbing during the same visit to Pixies Holt; these were read in an assembly so in addition to promoting good literacy skills, the teacher was using the residential experience to develop further the pupils’ social spiritual and moral awareness.  Teachers encourage a love of reading throughout the school. This begins as soon as children

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The quality of teaching is good

start school; much effective learning in Reception and Year 1 has come from the children’s enthusiasm for the stories of Chimp and Zee. Pupils in Year 6 talk confidently about the books they enjoy and are knowledgeable about types of books and their characteristics.  Some of best learning takes place when pupils follow their own interests and pursue their own lines of enquiry. The youngest pupils following their enthusiasm for Chimp and Zee were thinking about houses and where people live, including houses in the past, constructing houses outside and organising parties because it was Chimp and Zee’s birthday, whilst in Year 6, pupils were engrossed in solving a seemingly simple problem when they moved from constructing isosceles triangles to producing a formula for the solution and then a table of results when they discovered there were too many solutions to draw all the answers.  There are many examples where the teachers’ marking shows the pupils how to improve their

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The quality of teaching is good

work; however, marking is not consistently used well in all subjects. This is particularly noticeable in mathematic books.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 There is an exceptionally warm, welcoming atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils are always very friendly and extremely polite. They get on very well with each other and with adults. They enjoy school and are keen to learn. They are expected to behave extremely well, and they do so.  Children in Reception learn the rules of good behaviour quickly. They show maturity as they concentrate and persevere with activities, choose their own resources and make decisions together about their own learning. A group of children building a house together showed great respect for each other’s opinions in deciding where the door should go; wishing not to disturb these serious discussions, others were climbing over barriers to get in.  Teachers manage pupils' behaviour extremely well. They create a very effective climate for learning. Pupils respond extremely positively to the high expectations of them in lessons. Their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

behaviour and attitudes make a particularly powerful contribution to their own learning. The school is effective in promoting equality of opportunity, fostering good relations and ensuring there is no discrimination.  Pupils have a very good understanding of the different forms bullying can take. They say it is extremely rare, and parents and staff agree. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school’s ability to keep their children safe and to deal with any problems quickly.  The pupils would know how to act if something seemed dangerous and they are secure in the knowledge that help is on hand should they need it. They feel very safe. As one pupil summed this up, everyone is friendly with everyone’ and ‘if someone was unhappy we would soon sort it out because we all care about one another.’  Pupils enjoy taking responsibility and contributing to the life of the school. The importance of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

being part of a caring community is stressed and seen in action throughout the day, with older pupils often seen supporting younger ones. At lunchtime, some older pupils are librarians and read stories and act them out for younger ones who choose to spend their time being entertained in this way.  The pupils’ good attendance reflects their enjoyment of school and the good partnership with parents.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher gives the school strong and committed leadership; she inspires the full support of a small but effective team, including experienced governors, who have maintained its good standards but also continue to seek to improve. The leaders demonstrate that the school has the capacity to improve further.  Leaders check the progress of pupils regularly, and assessments of pupils’ progress are used to plan future work and to target where additional support is required. This is monitored carefully to make sure it has the best effect on how well pupils do. Careful checking of each pupil’s individual progress is a strength of the school.  Effective performance management provides support, constructive criticism and appropriate training for the teachers’ work in the classroom. The teachers are aware of the relationship between performance management, promotion and salaries.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively. There are only a very small number of pupils eligible

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The leadership and management are good

for this funding; they have diverse needs so the needs and the progress of each pupil are checked individually. The use of this funding is checked by governors.  Leaders, including governors, manage the school’s resources well, making sure teaching assistants contribute well to the progress pupils make, especially those needing specific support. Furthermore, the teachers’ individual expertise is used well so that pupils are taught music, art and science by specialists.  Pupils’ learning is enriched by a wide-ranging and interesting variety of subjects and activities, including opportunities to take part in day trips relating to their lessons as well as a residential trip for older pupils. The learning in the Reception class is firmly based on the children's needs and interest, so they are enthused and motivated by all that is on offer for them.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well, including ensuring the

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The leadership and management are good

strong links with parents and the village community are maintained. The school’s ethos of care and support, valuing and including all pupils, as well as promoting their self-esteem and aspirations, ensures that there are equal opportunities for all.  The local authority provides only light touch support to the school, visiting at the school’s specific request.  Leaders have planned well to make good use of the primary school sports funding. The plan includes the employment of coaches in a wider range of sports to encourage pupils to adopt a healthier lifestyle but also to train teachers to deliver these sports in the future.  The governance of the school: – Members of the governing body are very well aware of the school's strengths and remain ambitious for the school's continued improvement. They bring a wide variety of expertise to the school and have a good understanding of data and the standards in the school and of

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The leadership and management are good

the quality of teaching. The governors are fully supportive of the school, but also challenge its performance effectively. They ensure performance management is in place and play an effective role in making staff appointments and promoting staff within the school. Governors take part in training courses to ensure they are fully up to date with all their areas of responsibility. They ensure that their statutory obligations are fully met, including safeguarding.

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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 113112 Local authority Devon Inspection number 426804

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 96 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Young Headteacher Jillian Nickels Date of previous school inspection 4 Dec 2008 Telephone number 01404861292 Fax number 01404861152 Email address admin@upottery-primary.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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