Raughton Head CofE School & Nursery

Raughton Head CofE School Raughton Head, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA5 7DD

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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.  Parents who responded to a questionnaire before the inspection, or talked to inspectors during it, would unreservedly recommend this school to others.  Pupils achieve well. Most pupils make good progress and exceed expectations. The best achievement is in writing.  Teaching is good. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to the education and well- being of pupils. Classrooms are bright and pupils enjoy coming to school.  Most pupils behave well most of the time. Parents are unanimous in saying that their children are happy, feel safe and are well looked after in school. Attendance is well above average.  Governors play a very effective part in making sure that leaders and managers are correctly identifying the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They check that planning for improvement is ambitious, that the headteacher does her job properly, that teaching is being improved and that pupils are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

kept safe and well protected.  Leadership and management are good. A lot of responsibility falls to the headteacher, who also teaches most of the time. All staff play their part in planning for improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not outstanding. Some pupils are not challenged and some do not know what they need to do to make their work better.  Pupils do not do as well in mathematics as they do in reading and writing.  A few pupils do not always try their hardest to produce their best work and their teachers do not pull them up quickly enough when this happens.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of seven lessons. Many were taught by a supply teacher or teaching assistants, but two substantive teachers were seen teaching.  Inspectors met with the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  The opportunity was taken to talk to several parents as they dropped off their children before school. The views of 14 other parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent view) were considered in coming to judgements about the school. This means that over half of all parents responded.  Inspectors talked to pupils in lessons and at break times.  Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work and the environment in which they learn and play.  Inspectors looked at the information teachers gather as they check on the progress of pupils.  Inspectors reviewed school documentation relating to the safeguarding and protection of pupils,

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Information about this inspection

alongside many other documents relating to how well leaders check effectiveness and plan for improvement.  Inspectors analysed the achievement of each pupil on an individual level, because there were very few Year 6 leavers last year, or pupils at the end of Year 2.  This inspection was brought forward because of a few complaints, which raised concerns about the school. Inspectors did not investigate the specific complaints, but checked up very carefully on the circumstances that led up to them with regard to safeguarding procedures, managing of behaviour and appropriate training. Ofsted will take no further action in respect of these complaints, because they have been considered during this inspection.

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Inspection team

Alastair Younger, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Derek Slightholme Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average primary school.  An average proportion of pupils are supported through school action. A larger than average proportion of pupils is supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs and a high proportion of these have behavioural, social or emotional difficulties.  Last year, over a third of Year 6 pupils arrived after Christmas; all had special educational needs and all were known to be eligible for free school meals.  There are similar numbers of boys and girls; all pupils are White British.  No pupils last year were supported through the pupil premium (this provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals). The school received no extra funding last year to support these pupils, because all of them transferred to the school after funding had been awarded to their former

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Information about this school

schools.  The government’s floor standard, which is the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics, was achieved.  The headteacher was appointed after the last inspection.  In the recent past, a very small minority of parents have criticised the school for admitting pupils with behaviour, social or emotional needs. The school has no option. It has vacant places, and has no grounds to turn pupils away when their parents chose to send them there.  This year, many more pupils have been admitted to different year groups other than at the usual time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, especially, but not solely, in mathematics, to raise standards and improve the attitudes of pupils by:  making sure that all pupils always receive enough challenge in their work to help them make faster progress, and that they are always expected to do the best they can making sure that all pupils know what they have achieved and what they need to do to achieve even more  making sure that teachers are set equally precise and measurable targets for improvement as the headteacher is by governors.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make good progress throughout their year in the Reception Class. They are well taught and they develop good habits for learning and attendance.  Reading is well taught and most pupils get better than expected results in the national screening check for phonics (understanding letters and the sounds they make) at the end of Year 1.  Pupils achieve better in reading and writing than in mathematics. A lot of this comes down to the fact that they are given much better guidance about how to improve their writing than they are about what they need to do to improve their number skills.  The most-able pupils are provided with good opportunities to achieve high standards in English. However, their possible achievement in mathematics is sometimes limited by the fact that, having shown that they can do the sums they are given, they tend to be given more of them, rather than harder ones.  There is a lot of good writing in pupils’ books. Pupils are clearly learning how to express their

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The achievement of pupils is good

thoughts by putting them down on paper. Sometimes this is not well presented, but the thoughts and ideas are there and pupils are encouraged to write about things that interest them.  The most able Year 5 pupils visit the local secondary school for extra mathematics and English lessons. There are some good examples of pupils being well supported to use their special gifts and talents in music and sport.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs tend to do just as well as other pupils. Sometimes, disabilities such as deafness have gone unnoticed until pupils’ learning slowed. When teachers spot learning slowing they are quick to find out why and put in place effective support to help those pupils achieve well.  In such a small school, achievement is monitored at an individual level rather than by age or group. Last year, boys in Year 6 underachieved in relation to girls, but this year boys are well on

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The achievement of pupils is good

course to achieve better than girls. Much of the difference is accounted for by the fact that, last year, a half of all the boys assessed had joined the school shortly before assessment, all were known to be eligible for free school meals and all had special educational needs.  The school is using its extra sport funding particularly well and, as a result, pupils are becoming increasingly aware of how to keep fit and get involved in activities the community has to offer.  The few pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals are supported well out of the school’s own budget. This support helps them to catch up with pupils who have been in the school longer and do not attract extra funding. The school keeps a close eye on the promotion of equality of opportunity.  There remains, however, a difference in the achievements of pupils who have benefited from a long, stable involvement with the school and those who arrive at short notice and at a late stage

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The achievement of pupils is good

of their primary education, often having underachieved and experienced difficulties in other schools.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Classroom displays show that teachers are good at balancing the celebration of pupils’ best work with information about how they could improve it.  Looking at teaching over the last year, it is clear that the good quality of teaching over time is leading to pupils learning well and making good progress.  Teachers make their classrooms inviting and learning interesting. Relationships between staff and pupils are good. Pupils respond by attending regularly.  Teachers make sure that all classroom assistants are properly involved in helping pupils to learn and behave. These assistants are very skilled and highly valued by leaders and managers.  Teachers mark pupils’ work as soon as it is completed. The marking is not always helpful enough in telling pupils what they have done well and what they need to do even better.  Teachers are much better at giving pupils advice about what they need to do to improve their

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The quality of teaching is good

literacy skills than about helping them to improve their numeracy skills. For example, in a pupil’s English book he is told ‘An excellent synopsis including comparatives’; in a mathematics book, a pupil is told ‘Good boy, you have tried hard.’  Some very good support is given to individual pupils from classroom assistants. They were seen to be very effective, especially when helping pupils with special educational needs.  Sometimes teachers do not expect enough of pupils, especially the most able. There are occasionally some very gifted pupils who could do even better than they are. In mathematics, for instance, some teachers are slow to acknowledge that when a pupil has solved 10 problems correctly, he may not need to solve another 15 to prove it, rather than being quickly moved on to more demanding work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils who have been in the school for most of their education are nearly always well behaved. Older pupils show a good level of maturity and try hard with their work. They take on extra responsibilities and set a good example to younger pupils. This was seen to particularly good effect in an excellent assembly where a group of girls took responsibility for leading the song.  Misbehaviour rarely interferes with learning and pupils behave well at breaks and lunchtimes. Inspectors noted that lunchtime was like ‘a big, family meal’.  The behaviour of pupils who have transferred into the school most recently is not as good as that of others but, as they settle into the school, it tends to improve.  Parents report that their children are happy at school, feel safe and are well looked after. A large majority of parents who responded to ‘Parent View’ said that the school makes sure that its

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

pupils are well behaved and that the school deals effectively with bullying. These views closely match what pupils told inspectors and what inspectors saw.  Pupils’ attitudes are mainly good, but there are times when a few pupils do not try their hardest or take enough care with their work.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Policies to guide safety and behaviour have been completely overhauled over the past year and comprehensively cover all aspects. The school and its grounds are secure and supervision of pupils at break times is good.  School records suggest that the behaviour seen during the inspection was broadly typical of that seen at other times.  Pupils are given good advice about how to keep safe and how to spot what might become unsafe situations in daily life.  Attendance is much higher than average. Fourteen out the 31 pupils who were on roll in September have maintained 100% attendance ever since.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and staff feel strongly that the school is well led and managed. The evidence of inspection supports this view.  Regular and perceptive observation of teaching, nearly always by the headteacher, mostly results in good suggestions being made to individuals about how they can keep on getting better.  In the main, improvement targets set for all staff are suitably demanding. The best examples are those set for the headteacher by the governing body. These are very specific, informed by data and precisely measurable, so that there can be no doubt about whether they have been met or not when they are reviewed. Occasionally, targets for other staff are less helpful. The target ‘look at resources’ for instance, is not challenging, specific or measurable. As a result, teachers’ targets do not contribute as fully as they could to improving teaching.  Middle managers play an important role, especially in developing the curriculum and in checking

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The leadership and management are good

standards in different subjects. They contribute good action plans to support school improvement planning.  Self-evaluation is mainly accurate.  Pupils tend to make better progress in reading and writing than they do in mathematics. A few years ago, writing was considered a weakness and there has since been a lengthy and effective drive to improve it. Leaders and managers are aware that they have to do the same now for mathematics, while maintaining the quality of writing.  The curriculum is good. It focuses well on promoting pupils’ literacy skills, but includes a lot of variety and enrichment that contribute so much to making pupils want to come to school and to their enjoyment when they do. Sport and physical education feature prominently in the curriculum. These are being extended with judicious use of the primary sport funding. Outdoor and adventure activities provide pupils with a very wide range of experiences among which

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The leadership and management are good

many pupils excel. Music also features prominently in the curriculum. Many pupils play musical instruments well.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is well promoted. Pupils are being well prepared to become good citizens. Reception Year and Key Stage 1 pupils are embarking on a ‘World on Our Doorstep’ project to help broaden their social and cultural horizons.  Over the past year, a huge amount of work has been put into completely revising behaviour and safeguarding policies. There is now a single, comprehensive policy of high quality that informs and guides current practice. It pays good heed to lessons learned in the past and is regularly reviewed and updated.  The local authority plays a good part in supporting leaders, managers and governors to bring about school improvement.  The governance of the school:  Governance is strong. Governors are very perceptive and are good at making sure that leaders

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The leadership and management are good

and managers give them the information they need and can explain what they are doing to maintain school improvement. They are also good at questioning their own performance and putting right things they feel they could have done better in the past. Finance is very carefully managed, with special attention being paid to make sure that any extra funding that comes into the school is used for its intended purpose.  Members of the governing body carefully check the performance of the headteacher and make sure that staff justify any promotion or increase in earnings. They make sure that all statutory requirements, especially those relating to the safeguarding and protection of pupils are met. A particularly good feature of governance is the way that members of the governing body move between different committees every so often, so as to build up a good understanding of the whole school, rather than just one part of it.

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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 112257 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 441589

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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 35 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Matthew Burbury Headteacher Andrea Armstrong Date of previous school inspection 11 November 2009 Telephone number 01697 476291 Fax number Not applicable Email address admin@raughtonhead.cumbria.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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