Appleton Wiske Community Primary School

Appleton Wiske Community Primary School Front Street, Appleton Wiske, North Hallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2AA

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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’ achievement is good. From broadly average starting points, pupils in Year 6 reach standards that are above those expected for their age in reading and writing. The standards reached in mathematics, while also above expected levels, are not quite as high.  Teaching is typically good and some is outstanding.  Behaviour is good. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They work hard and show enthusiasm for learning.  This is a very safe school. Pupils say they feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe.  The headteacher’s leadership is very effective and she is supported by leaders at all levels within the school. They have worked hard to raise achievement and improve the quality of teaching in recent years.  Members of the governing body are effective and make a strong contribution to school improvement using their skills and expertise well to provide strategic direction for the

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The teaching of mathematics is not as strong as it is in reading and writing because pupils are not given enough opportunities to use their mathematical skills in other subjects.  Pupils are not always given the time to make the improvements to their work that are suggested by teachers when they mark pupils’ work.  In some lessons, teachers’ instructions and explanations are unnecessarily long. This prevents the pupils from starting tasks promptly and so time is lost and progress slows.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in six lessons taught by four teachers. One lesson was observed jointly with the headteacher. He also observed a small group intervention in mathematics and listened to pupils read in Years 2 and 6.  The inspector took account of 17 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s own parent questionnaires and 12 responses to questionnaires completed by the staff.  He held meetings with pupils in Years 4 to 6 and talked informally with pupils at lunch times and break times. The inspector also talked to six members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. He held discussions with leaders with different responsibilities including the leader of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the special educational needs coordinator and the leader for numeracy.  The inspector observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation including

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Information about this inspection

internal and external information relating to pupils’ progress, their workbooks, school improvement planning and the school’s procedures for gaining an accurate view of its own performance. He also considered reports written by the local authority, documents relating to the management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings and safeguarding and child-protection documents.

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Inspection team

Peter Evea, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The number of pupils in each year group is much lower than average and pupils are taught in three mixed-aged classes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment further in mathematics by giving pupils more opportunities to use their mathematical skills in all subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order to accelerate pupils’ progress even further by:  making sure that teachers’ instructions and explanations of task are not unnecessarily long so that pupils are able to start tasks as promptly as possible and time to work on tasks is not lost  giving pupils opportunities to make the improvements suggested in teachers’ marking of their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The very small number of pupils in each year group means that each pupil has a disproportionate effect on overall results in national tests. The variable starting points mask the real picture of pupils’ good achievement from their different starting points.  Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with the skills and knowledge expected for children of that age. They make good progress in their knowledge, understanding and skills so that, by the end of Key Stage 2, they reach standards in English and mathematics that are above average.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make a good start in linking letters to the sounds they make and are becoming good readers. By the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, many write sentences using correct grammar and punctuation with growing confidence and accuracy.  Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1 and attainment has risen. The school’s

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The achievement of pupils is good

data and pupils’ work shows that attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is now typically above that expected for their age showing good progress from their individual starting points.  By the end of Year 6, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is above average, although attainment in mathematics is not as high as it is in reading and writing. This represents good progress. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use their mathematical skills in other subjects and so progress is slower than in reading and writing.  Pupils’ learning in lessons is good. They have positive attitudes to learning and quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to help them improve further. They work well together in groups and make good use of opportunities to discuss their ideas with others which helps them to consolidate their understanding.  Pupils enjoy reading throughout the school. They use their knowledge of the sounds letters

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The achievement of pupils is good

make to tackle unfamiliar words and as a result, pupils across the school are reading above the levels expected for their age.  In mathematics lessons, pupils make good progress. In a Year 4 to 6 class, pupils really enjoyed learning about decimal place values in a practical way. The most able pupils responded to the challenge of understanding the equivalence of percentages and fractions in preparation for attempting the very challenging Level 6 work.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar or better progress to their peers. They receive very well-targeted support within and out of the classroom from teachers and teaching assistants who know each pupil extremely well and understand their particular needs.  Boys and girls make similar good progress and attain equally well. The most able pupils also make good progress because they are suitable challenged by the work set for them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The small number of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding, including those known to be eligible for free school meals make similar to, and often better progress than their peers and there are no gaps in attainment between the two groups. The funding has been used to increase the amount of support for pupils, the purchase of resources and specific programmes to promote pupils’ skills particularly in mathematics and to enable them to take part in the full range of activities provided for the pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and some is outstanding and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning across the school and has enabled pupils to make good progress.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children have interesting indoor and outdoor activities which cover all the areas of learning. Close attention is paid to developing children’s speaking and listening skills which prepares them well for future learning. Reception children spoke very enthusiastically about the need to look after Paddington Bear.  Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils and want them to do their best. Pupils, including the most able pupils, respond to these expectations and typically try their hardest to rise to the challenges set for them. In the mixed Years 2 and 3 class, pupils were very proud to show the results of their research into sharks, using information and communication technology (ICT) to good effect.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use their knowledge of how well pupils have learned in reading and writing to help them meet the needs of the wide range of pupils in their mixed-age classes and pupils are able to write for a range of purposes in other subjects. However, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects and this limits how they apply their mathematical skills and slows their progress.  Teaching assistants are deployed very effectively and carefully guide pupils’ learning. They know the pupils well and have a very clear picture of the needs of individual pupils, especially disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  Pupils are encouraged to cooperate and work together and to learn from, as well as with, each other. The mixed ages in each class allow opportunities for pupils to learn in different groups to everyone’s benefit. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and behave well in class.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ workbooks very thoroughly and make suggestions about how to improve. However, time is not always given in lessons for pupils to respond to their teachers’ suggestions. Where writing might benefit from the addition of different connectives, for example, pupils do not have the chance to do this straight away.  Teachers give very clear instructions and explanations of tasks and activities so that all pupils are very clear about what they are required to do. However, in some lessons, these are unnecessarily long. This limits the time pupils are able to work on activities and means that the pace of learning sometimes slows.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Behaviour is good both in and out of lessons. The records kept by the school confirm that behaviour is typically of a high order and has improved in recent years.  In the playground, pupils play well with each other and older pupils show care and consideration for younger pupils. The Playground Friends make sure that everyone has someone to play with if they want it.  The school has an effective system for encouraging pupils to behave well. All teachers follow this system consistently, and pupils say that they know how to behave both in and out of lessons and that they expect others to behave equally well.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they feel safe and parents agree that their children feel safe in school. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe including when using the internet and the pupil e-safety officers do much

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

good work in helping other pupils stay safe when using ICT.  Pupils say that there is no bullying. They have a good understanding of the different types of bullying, although their understanding of homophobic bullying is not as deep. They are certain that if any bullying occurred it would be swiftly challenged by the staff.  Attendance is above average and the school is prompt in checking on the reasons for any absences. Pupils are encouraged to attend regularly and to be on time.  Pupils really enjoy the range of activities and clubs available to them, especially the different sports and musical activities and are rightly proud of the successes they have achieved in both areas. When asked what they would change, most found it difficult to think of any significant improvements. As one Year 6 pupil put it ‘It’s pretty much perfect as it is’.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is very well led by a very effective headteacher who is ably supported by leaders at other levels within the school and by an effective governing body.  There have been improvements in both the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching in recent years as a result of concerted action of all the staff. However, leaders are yet to ensure that pupils’ achievement in mathematics is as good as it is in reading and writing.  The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development and produces clear plans to tackle these. All staff and governors play an important part in creating these plans and checking on the progress being made.  The headteacher carries out regular checks on the standards of teaching and learning which provides an accurate view of its quality. Where improvements are needed, teachers are able to improve their skills through effective professional development. The links between performance

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The leadership and management are good

management systems and professional development opportunities are effective and arrangements for pay and promotion of staff are closely linked to staff’s performance and pupils’ progress.  There are thorough systems in place to check on pupils’ progress throughout the school. Where there are gaps in their knowledge, skills or understanding, the school quickly takes action to boost pupils’ learning by providing extra support in small groups or individually, in or out of class.  The school knows and cares for its pupils as individuals and successfully removes any barriers to learning. As a result, all pupils have an equal opportunity to do well and there are no gaps in performance between different groups.  The curriculum has been developed to capture pupils’ imagination and to promote their involvement in their learning. It ensures that their writing is very well developed across other subjects, but opportunities to develop their use and application of mathematical skills are less

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The leadership and management are good

widespread.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is very important to the school, and, as a result, pupils’ personal development is of a high standard and they are more than ready for the next stage in their education.  The new Primary School Sports funding is motivating pupils to be more active and to be involved in new activities such as karate and forest schools. In addition, the funding is being used to improve the teaching of physical education through further staff training.  Safeguarding and child protection procedures are very effective and meet current requirements.  The local authority has provided valued support which is appreciated by the school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is effective and governors are determined to help the school improve further. They have a good knowledge of the school and keep themselves well informed about

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The leadership and management are good

all aspects of school life, in particular about the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching. They monitor the school’s performance closely and ask challenging questions to promote further development. Governors bring a range of skills which they use to good effect in carrying out their roles. Where there are any gaps in their knowledge or skills they make sure that they receive appropriate training. They are ambitious for the further development of the school and the achievement and welfare of the pupils. Governors are familiar with the Teachers Standards and use them to help manage teachers’ performance and award pay increases for good teaching. They oversee the spending of the pupil premium funding and are aware of the positive impact this is having on pupils’ achievement. They are also involved in planning the spending of the Primary School Sports funding and how its impact on the physical

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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 121371 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 431356

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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 73 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ken Blackwood Headteacher Sarah Morris Date of previous school inspection 10 June 2009 Telephone number 01609 881398 Fax number 01609 881558 Email address admin@appletonwiske.n-yorks.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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