Abberley Parochial VC Primary School

Abberley Parochial VC Primary School Apostles Oak, Abberley, Worcester, WR6 6AA

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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.  All groups of pupils make consistently good progress throughout the school and reach above-average standards by the end of Year 6.  Teaching is good and some of it is outstanding.  Pupils behave exceptionally well in class and around the school. They feel valued and extremely well cared for. As a result, they are considerate and take very good care of each other.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance is consistently high.  The curriculum is enhanced through specialist teaching of French and music and by a wide range of sporting and cultural activities.  Provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is a strength of the school. Well-planned programmes and additional help from highly effective support staff ensure that their needs are fully met.  The school’s leaders are well supported and challenged by a good governing body. Governors are fully involved in the school’s

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. In a small minority of lessons, teachers do not provide work at the right level for all pupils in their classes.  Occasionally, after a brisk start to the lesson, teachers allow the pace of learning to diminish, thus slowing the rate of progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in eight lessons, three of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also made a number of shorter visits to classrooms. The inspector also heard a number of pupils read.  Meetings and discussions were held with groups of pupils, governors, members of staff and a representative of the local authority.  The inspection took into account the 58 responses to the online questionnaire for parents and carers, Parent View, and the outcomes from the school’s recent consultations with parents.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Clive Lewis, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below average.  An above-average proportion of pupils join the school mid-year and mid-key stage. Of nine pupils in Year 6 leaving the school in 2013, four had joined the school during Key Stage 2. This pupil mobility continues to be particularly high in other year groups.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium (funding from the government to support pupils in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and those with a parent in the armed services) is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average, and is particularly

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Information about this school

high in some year groups.  The number of pupils in Year 6 in 2013 was too small to make comparisons with the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations set for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the overall quality of teaching so that it becomes outstanding by ensuring that:  teachers plan appropriately challenging work for all groups of pupils within each class or group  all learning proceeds at a brisk pace throughout lessons  the best practice within the school is shared, and teachers get the opportunity to observe outstanding teaching in other schools.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good throughout the school. Children join the Reception class with skills that vary from year to year but are broadly typical for their age. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, they have reached standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ work and school assessment information show that current pupils are making good progress and these above-average standards are being maintained.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The number of pupils leaving Year 6 in 2013 was very small, the proportion of pupils with significant special educational needs in this class was high and several pupils had joined the class midway through Key Stage 2. This distorted the overall picture of pupils’ achievement which had been above average for a number of years. Inspection findings, including observations of learning in the classrooms, work in pupils’ books and a close scrutiny of the school’s data, are that progress in Key Stage 2 is consistently good or better and standards for pupils in the current Year 6 are above the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the Reception class children work well together and become confident in their learning. Systematic teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) ensures that children acquire secure basic reading skills and develop an enjoyment of books and reading. In Year 2, for example, pupils are clear about their favourite stories and the characters they enjoy reading about. Reading is accurate and pupils read with good expression. They can work out what is likely to happen next in a story and know the difference between fiction and non-fiction writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their needs are well known and good support from teachers and teaching assistants helps them to achieve their challenging individual learning targets.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium funding has been spent well to support the learning of the small number of pupils for whom it is intended. Too few pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium to allow comment on their attainment without potentially identifying them. However, their progress is similar to that of their classmates because the funding has been used effectively to provide the support they need.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ books show they learn well and make consistently good progress because teaching provides challenging activities over time that makes them think deeply about their work. All staff are determined to become even better in their roles and are beginning to share good practice with each other. Good links are made between different subjects and to previous learning. This helps to promote pupils’ confidence and enjoyment in learning as well as their spiritual and cultural development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Reception class, good use is made of both the outdoor and indoor areas to develop children’s skills. Adults take every opportunity to extend children’s language and numeracy skills by regularly asking them about the things they are doing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good classroom management, coupled with high expectations of work and behaviour, ensures that teaching takes place in a purposeful and calm learning atmosphere. Many pupils display a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning. This makes a significant contribution to pupils’ good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a clear focus on teaching pupils to read throughout the school. Excellent daily teaching of phonics and guided reading activities for all age groups further support the development of pupils’ reading skills and a love of books. As well as reading skills, pupils gain a wide range of skills in communication and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are used well to ensure that the work given to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as others who need extra help, is carefully sequenced so that all make good progress towards their learning targets.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In most cases, teachers make good use of the school’s accurate assessment data to set and review targets for pupils’ learning and to plan well for pupils’ varying needs and abilities. Occasionally, however, the work set for the most- and least-able pupils is too similar and is both too difficult for some pupils to undertake on their own and not sufficiently demanding for those pupils capable of working at higher levels. In a few cases, pupils complete their tasks and then have to wait to move on. When this happens they lose their high levels of motivation and the pace of learning slows.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding, in class, around the school, in assemblies and in the playground areas. Relationships between pupils and adults are extremely positive. Older pupils are extremely mindful of the younger ones, during morning breaks and lunchtimes, for instance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary and this is a major factor in the good progress they make in most lessons. They respond very well to the many opportunities planned for them to discuss their ideas with other pupils, either with a partner or in a small group. They understand the importance of being part of a team and that everyone contributes to its success. They know the importance of listening carefully and encouraging and valuing the views and opinions of others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils report that the school has an effective system of rewards and sanctions, which ensures that any rare unsatisfactory behaviour is dealt with effectively and promptly. Pupils who find it more difficult to behave well are sensitively managed and skilfully supported so that their behaviour improves significantly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say they enjoy coming to school, and they are enthusiastic about their education. This is reflected in their consistently high levels of attendance. They move around the school calmly and quietly, ‘meeting and greeting’ visitors politely.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The oldest pupils said that they will be ‘really sorry’ to leave the school at the end of Year 6 but were excited about the opportunities to learn new things and make new friends. They are well prepared for secondary education.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe. They say that they feel ‘very safe’ in school and are confident that any issues they raise will be dealt with promptly. They have a very good understanding of different forms of bullying, including any that might be encountered through internet sites. They teach other children how to be safe online through their website group.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Each pupil in Key Stage 2 is a member of one or more school monitoring committees, an outcome of their weekly ‘Citizenship’ lessons. They take their responsibilities very seriously. Among these groups are: the ‘Little Rotters’ who look after the school chickens, the ‘Citizenship’ groups who look after younger children and monitor the ‘Kindness Boxes’, the ‘Play Leaders’ group who make sure there are lots of games available at lunchtimes, the ‘Eco’ group who, amongst other things, go around the school looking for any lights left on and applying ‘Lorax’ stickers, the gardening group and the charities group. Through their membership and interest in these monitoring groups, pupils demonstrate their great pride in their school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils respond extremely well to the school’s excellent promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They have a very clear sense of what is right and wrong.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong and determined leadership, and her high expectations are a significant factor in the improvements made since the previous inspection and the continuation of the good progress made by pupils. Key strengths and areas for improvement have been identified, with the full support of the governing body. Staff are very well motivated and demonstrate a shared sense of responsibility for, and commitment to, the school’s continued improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders are aware of the need for more teaching to be consistently outstanding. They carefully track pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching, and use this information to ensure that planning for improvement is founded on good evidence and accurate data.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school thoroughly evaluates its performance and ensures its action plan carefully matches its choice of priorities to the school’s identified needs. Leaders ensure that actions have a clear impact on progress and teaching. Their work has led to an improved school with good capacity to move forward further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensure that children make a strong start to their learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ progress is checked regularly and those who fall behind are given the help they need to catch up. Fully supported and monitored by the governing body, the school makes very effective use of the money derived from the pupil premium to support frequent small-group and one-to- one work. This helps to ensure that eligible pupils make good progress in their time in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very effectively. The school’s promotion of equality of opportunity in all its work is good. Leaders are constantly alert to any variation in achievement and searching for new ways to overcome any weaknesses and prevent any discrimination.

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The leadership and management are good

 The lively and creative curriculum is enhanced by a wide range of visits, some of which are residential and undertaken with children from other schools in the local ‘cluster’, when pupils make new friends and benefit from the experience of new and unfamiliar surroundings. This helps to prepare pupils well for their next stage of education and contributes to their positive attitudes to learning. All pupils in Key Stage 2 learn to play a musical instrument and have weekly French lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding systems in and around the school are rigorous and secure.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school provides high-quality care for all its pupils. The small size of the school ensures that families and pupils are well known by school staff. The school’s very positive relationships with parents and carers and its very good links with a range of partners contribute significantly to improvements in pupils’ well-being and achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has used the primary sports funding it has received well to provide additional physical education lessons led by skilled sports coaches working with class teachers. This motivates pupils very well and is resulting in improved teaching skills among staff. This, in turn, is leading to improved physical skills, health and well-being. Systems are fully in place for the evaluation of the provision at a future date.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has provided limited support for the school because it was judged to be good in the previous inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is led well and is ambitious for the school to become outstanding. It is well informed about the performance of staff and pupils, including the quality of teaching, through high-quality reports from the headteacher and governors’ own first-hand observations of the school’s work. Governors closely question the quality of teaching and support leaders in checking it. They ensure that teachers’ pay increases are linked to the progress of their pupils. They have worked carefully and consistently to ensure that safeguarding policies and practices are rigorous and meet national requirements. They have a good understanding of how the school uses its resources, including the effective use and impact of pupil premium funding. They know how well their pupils perform when compared with schools nationally.

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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 116780 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 431538

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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 111 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair James Hill Headteacher Anne Wylie Date of previous school inspection 9 July 2009 Telephone number 01299 896332 Fax number 01299 896332 Email address office@abberley.worcs.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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