Eyam CofE Primary School

Eyam Church of England Primary School Church Street, Eyam, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 5QH

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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 make good progress during their time at school and attain above-average standards in English and mathematics.  There are successful procedures for tracking the progress of pupils and providing effective additional support where it is needed.  There is a very positive learning environment in the school and the pupils have good attitudes to their work.  The quality of teaching is good with some examples of outstanding practice. Teachers plan a variety of activities which fully engage pupils so that they consistently make good progress.  Pupils behave well. They feel very safe, are polite and attend school regularly.  The school organises a range of outside visits and extra activities which greatly increase pupils’ enjoyment and experience of school.  The headteacher and governors are providing clear and effective leadership, which is supporting the good teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors are very active in their monitoring roles and in holding the school to account for a good standard of education in the school.  Parents and carers speak highly of the work of the school and are very pleased with the support for their children.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The school does not give teachers enough opportunity to share and observe best practice within and beyond the school.  Not all teachers are regularly checking whether pupils understand what they are being taught or how to complete their work successfully.  The performance targets for individual teachers are not specific enough in seeking to improve weaknesses already identified in their teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons, four of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, the Chair of the Governing Body, the school link adviser, the literacy and numeracy leaders and a group of pupils.  The inspector took account of the 36 responses to the Parent View online questionnaire, the 44 responses from the school parent questionnaire (October 2013) and the seven responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector examined a range of evidence, including the school’s analysis of its own performance and resulting improvement plan, the systems to track pupils’ progress, and records relating to behaviour and attendance. He also looked at records of lesson observations by senior leaders, staff performance information, safeguarding documentation and a sample of pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Stephen Walker, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average primary school. It is housed in a Victorian building which has been extensively refurbished and extended.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds, with a very small number from minority ethnic backgrounds.  A very small number of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils in local authority care, those with a parent in the armed forces and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above average. So, too, is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. Many of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties or social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.  Provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage is organised through the Reception class which is

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Information about this school

taught with Year 1. Other pupils are taught in two mixed-aged classes in Years 2/3 and Years 5/6, and a single age class in Year 4.  The school meets the government’s current 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 so that more of it is outstanding by:  creating more opportunities for coaching and sharing outstanding practice within and beyond the school  ensuring teachers are checking regularly throughout lessons that all pupils are clear about their work  making sure that the targets set for teachers for their improvement relate to weaknesses that leaders have identified in their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress during their time at school, as parents and carers agree. Attainment at the end of Year 6 is typically above average, which demonstrates good progress from their broadly average starting points. Most pupils make the progress they should and an increasing number exceed expectations in English and mathematics. Numbers in each year group are very small, which makes comparisons with national data sometimes unreliable.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The current tracking of progress in Year 6 suggests that most pupils are set to make at least the expected two levels of progress in English and mathematics from their Year 3 starting points and over half the pupils are on track to make at least three levels of progress. There is strong emphasis on challenging the more-able pupils so that they make good progress and a number of Year 6 pupils are on course to gain the higher Level 6 in English and mathematics this summer.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make good progress in the Reception and Year 1 class because of the well-planned provision and the good teaching by both the teacher and the teaching assistant. Purposeful activities and the good use of the inside and outside resources are having a big impact on children’s personal development, as well as encouraging number and language skills. Pupils continue with the good progress in Year 2 and most pupils gain at least the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Reading is a key focus in the school, and pupils read regularly in school and at home each day. The school is active in ensuring that there are suitable reading books for both boys and girls. Pupils make good progress in reading so that attainment is normally above the national average by the end of Key Stage 2. The school is effectively using a well-thought-out approach to teaching phonics (the sounds represented by letters) across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school is improving the quality of writing by providing pupils with structured plans for writing. The mixed ability groupings in literacy are raising the expectations of many pupils and the greater emphasis on speaking and listening in class is also supporting the improvement in writing skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school is effectively using ability groups to teach mathematics and ensures that pupils make good progress and attain above-average standards. A well-planned course on key skills and problem solving has led to considerable improvements across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The systems to track pupils’ progress are used quickly to spot any pupils who need extra help and make sure that extra support is provided for them. All teachers are presently supporting the after-school booster class for Year 5 and 6 pupils. The school is using additional funding very effectively to support individual pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium. Money is allocated for additional help in reading, writing and mathematics, which is supporting improvements in pupils’ attainment and progress. As numbers are very small, it is not possible to comment further on their attainment and progress without the chance of identifying individual pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress, in line with their class mates, due to highly effective work from teaching assistants, who provide additional support in the class and in small withdrawal groups. The extra support for these pupils helps them overcome their particular difficulties and make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in most classes is consistently good, with some examples of outstanding practice. This is borne out by the school’s own records of teaching. As a result, most pupils make good progress and achieve well over their time at school. The vast majority of parents and carers feel that their children are taught well and pupils agree.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils learn well because the activities chosen by teachers are normally well matched to pupils’ different abilities. Teachers are very conscientious in their planning of lessons to make sure that the tasks are achievable but sufficiently challenging, so that each pupil learns well. Teaching assistants are used very effectively to support pupils who require additional help with their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils display enthusiasm and sustain high levels of concentration because lessons involve a range of interesting and meaningful activities. Technology is used well by most teachers as a tool for learning and supports the good engagement and progress of the pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The supportive approach of the staff encourages pupils fully to engage in their work and make good progress. Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and good behaviour also create a constructive atmosphere in the classroom. Displays in classrooms are attractive, support learning and often celebrate pupils’ work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers encourage pupils to work without constant adult support. Pupils benefit from the opportunities to solve problems in groups which develop their thinking skills and help them listen to other children’s ideas. Reception and Year 1 pupils were making rapid progress in developing their numeracy skills as they worked in small groups and systematically rotated around a range of exciting activities to develop their understanding of grouping numbers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There are good examples of marking in all classes which commend good work but also show pupils what they have to do to improve their work and gain the higher levels. Teachers sometimes encourage pupils to assess each other’s work, which helps them to improve it and gain a greater appreciation of how work is marked.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers generally use questioning well to engage pupils, check understanding and challenge them to develop their understanding further. Supportive questioning enables all pupils to make contributions to class discussions, and a number of teachers are very skilled at getting pupils to explain their understanding of concepts to the rest of the class.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Occasionally, teachers do not consistently check that all groups and individuals are actually clear about the tasks in lessons and what they have to do to succeed. In a small number of lessons, some pupils were not making as much progress as they could have done, because they were waiting for the teacher to help them with their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good, and this contributes to a calm and orderly environment for learning and personal growth. In lessons, the vast majority of pupils meet the school’s expectations and, typically, respond well to teachers’ good use of praise and encouragement to promote high standards of behaviour. Pupils want to learn and this has a strong impact on their progress in lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 There are clear expectations of behaviour and consistent systems to deal quickly with any misbehaviour. The occasional challenging behaviour from a very small number of pupils is dealt with well by the teaching assistants and is not allowed to disrupt the learning of the other pupils.  Pupils respond well to the strong tradition in the school of caring for one another. The regular assemblies greatly support the positive atmosphere in the school because they engage the pupils and foster commitment. Pupils are considerate, polite and courteous to staff and each other and this contributes well to their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents, carers and pupils confirm that bullying is very rare in the school. Pupils say that any unkind behaviour, such as name-calling or pushing, is dealt with quickly and effectively. They are aware of the different forms of possible bullying such as cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to sex, gender, race and disability.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe and display a good understanding of the issues relating to safety. They talk confidently about how they would keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, such as crossing the road, cycling in the village or talking to strangers. Pupils confirmed that the school provides them with helpful information on sex education and the dangers of smoking, alcohol and drugs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school is currently working towards the Investors in Pupils award which is helping pupils to take more responsibility in the school. Senior pupils act as playtime buddies and mini-leaders. Pupils are proud of their school, adhere to the uniform regulations and ensure that there is no litter in the school grounds. Attendance is well above average and this reflects pupils’ enjoyment school. Exclusions are very rare.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is providing clear and effective leadership, which is supporting the improvements of standards in the school. She works well with her team of staff, who are committed to the further improvement and continued success of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 She has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. The school improvement plan is a comprehensive, working document with clear actions and targets that are sharply focused on improving the quality of teaching and the rate of pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and curriculum leaders in literacy and numeracy are effectively leading the improvement of teaching. There are rigorous systems for checking the quality of teaching and leaders regularly observe lessons and scrutinise pupils’ work.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff are continually reflecting on how to improve their practice, although leaders acknowledge that the key challenge is to increase the amount of outstanding teaching in the school. Teachers are arranging paired observations to support each other in their teaching, although there are not enough opportunities for staff to share outstanding practice in this or in other schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 Lesson observations by senior staff provide clear feedback to teachers on strengths and areas for improvement. The system of setting progress targets for teachers is rigorous in ensuring that they are held to account for the achievement of their pupils. Nevertheless, the performance targets for individual teachers are not specific enough in seeking to improve weaknesses already identified in their teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is an imaginative curriculum which is relevant to pupils’ needs and provides a variety of interesting activities. There are good opportunities for linking subjects by undertaking whole- school themes such as the Vikings. All pupils gain an appreciation of the environment through practical activities as part of the Forest Schools initiative. A range of visitors and outside visits provide an effective extension of the work in lessons, as do the large number of additional activities.  The broad range of experiences contributes very well to pupils’ achievements and to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There are strong links with the village church and the local community. Pupils are developing their awareness of our multi-cultural society through a range of activities, such as links with children in partner schools in Sheffield as well as visits to Hindu and Buddhist temples in Derby.

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The leadership and management are good

 Primary school sports funding has enabled the pupils to benefit from a sports coach and additional sporting activities at Hope Valley College. There is a clear emphasis on developing healthy lifestyles and better physical well-being for the pupils but it is too early to evaluate the impact of the additional funding for sport in the school. All pupils experience a coherent sports programme in school and a large number of pupils take advantage of the sports enrichment programmes after school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is well supported by the local authority, which works closely with the school. The school link adviser has been involved with supporting the school with the development of its self- evaluation process and the revised tracking system to measure pupils’ progress. Good transition arrangements with local secondary schools ensure that pupils are well prepared for their new schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is fully involved in keeping track of progress and in holding the leaders and staff to account. Governors are increasingly involved in ‘learning walks’ during school time so that they can make informed decisions at meetings. The headteacher ensures that governors have a good understanding about pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching so that they can make confident decisions on pay rises and promotion. They make sure that the procedures for safeguarding meet current national requirements and underpin the school’s very caring approach. Governors are proactive in overseeing the use of the pupil premium funding and ensuring that it is spent effectively to improve the achievement of eligible pupils. They have been particularly active in managing the school budget both to fund additional secretarial support for the school and providing opportunities for curriculum leaders to take on

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The leadership and management are good

additional whole-school responsibilities.

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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 112816 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 431201

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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 78 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amanda Rawlings Headteacher Helen Cook Date of previous school inspection 24 April 2009 Telephone number 01433 630840 Fax number 01433 630840 Email address info@eyam.derbyshire.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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