Twyning School

Twyning Green, Twyning, Tewkesbury, GL20 6DF

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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 and achieve well throughout the school.  By the end of Year 6 standards are high. An above-average proportion of pupils attain the higher levels in reading and mathematics.  Teaching is typically good. There is some outstanding teaching, for example in the Reception class and in Years 5 and 6.  The school provides good support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. As a result, pupils make good progress from their different starting points. Everyone is included and respected.  Children in Reception get off to a good start. They flourish in a caring and supportive setting.  Pupils are polite and courteous. Behaviour around the school is good and pupils have positive attitudes to learning.  The school provides pupils with an interesting range of subjects, topics and experiences. These contribute strongly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders, managers and governors have been successful in maintaining good standards of teaching and achievement.  The headteacher has been successful in improving teaching because the checks he makes are rigorous and training is of high quality.  The governors are supportive and knowledgeable. They accurately prioritise what the school needs to do to improve further.  Most parents and carers are positive about the school and the education given to their children.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teachers do not always intervene quickly enough in lessons to ensure that all pupils are challenged in their work. As a result the momentum of learning is not always maintained.  Pupils do not always have regular opportunities to write at length in English and in other subjects.  Teachers’ marking and comments do not always explain to pupils how to improve their work.  Pupils do not always act on teachers’ comments in marking.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed eight lessons involving four teachers. Three of the lessons were observed jointly with school leaders.  The inspector held discussions with school leaders, staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including improvement plans, the systems for tracking pupils’ progress, the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and samples of pupils’ work. He heard groups of pupils reading and spoke with pupils about behaviour and safety arrangements at the school.  Account was taken of the 46 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the views expressed by those parents and carers who spoke with the inspectors at the start of the school day or wrote letters. The inspector also considered eight staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Michael Bartleman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils come from a White British background. A small number are from Gypsy Roma and Traveller backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils eligible for extra government funding, known as the pupil premium, is very low. In this school this funding is used to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  Pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes. The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of one mixed-age class of Reception and Year 1 children.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The headteacher is a local leader of education and supports other local schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching by making sure that:  teachers intervene quickly in lessons so that pupils remain challenged and the momentum of learning is maintained  teachers’ marking and comments explain to pupils how they can improve their work  pupils act on the advice given and improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve achievement in writing by giving pupils more regular opportunities to practise their skills through longer pieces of work in English and other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the school in the Reception class with skills that are at the levels typical of their age, although this varies with each small cohort. They make good progress because adults provide a rich array of experiences which are finely tuned to their needs. Children move into Year 1 well placed to start the next stage in their learning.  Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 fell in 2013. School records and pupils’ current attainment show that this was a one-off. Pupils typically attain higher than national levels in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2.  Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2. For the last three years pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 6 have reached high standards in the national tests in mathematics and reading. Standards in writing, although improving, are not as high as in reading and mathematics.  The work seen in pupils’ books, in lessons and the schools’ own records of pupils’ progress show

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The achievement of pupils is good

that the vast majority of pupils, including those who are most able, are making good progress.  Gypsy Roma and Traveller pupils make good progress overall to reach at least average levels.  The school has worked effectively to improve the development of pupils’ early reading with phonics (the sounds that letters make). Results in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 in 2013 were average. The most recent check on phonics skills shows that most pupils are attaining the expected standard at the end of Year 1.  Throughout the school, the enjoyment of reading is promoted extremely well, as shown by pupils’ good progress and the high levels attained in the standardised tests at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress as a result of well-planned one-to-one and group sessions.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide additional teaching assistants and support

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The achievement of pupils is good

activities. In 2013 there were too few pupils to comment on their attainment without identifying them individually.  There has been increasing emphasis this year on pupils using accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation in all classes. Current assessment information would indicate standards are improving steadily. However, pupils do not yet have enough opportunities to write at length in English and across different subjects.  Achievement is not outstanding because while pupils generally make good progress they are not consistently achieving at the highest levels in writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good, and sometimes outstanding. Literacy and numeracy are taught well because teachers have good subject knowledge.  The atmosphere in lessons is such that pupils are interested and engaged in learning activities for much of the time. Pupils are confident to give opinions, to answer questions and to seek further clarification about what they are doing. Expected outcomes are shared with pupils so that they know precisely what a good piece of work will look like. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations.  Teachers and teaching assistants question pupils effectively, securing good understanding. This was seen in Class 4 where pupils investigated Tudor mathematical theories. The activity meant that pupils had excellent opportunities to share their ideas, to use mathematical language and to use their strong numeracy skills in the investigation.  Staff training has generated greater consistency in teaching standards. Lesson observations,

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The quality of teaching is good

scrutiny of pupils’ work and the school’s monitoring data confirm that the quality of teaching is good. Mathematics, reading and, increasingly, writing are taught effectively.  Children in the Reception class are taught well and all adults are equally effective in developing pupils’ understanding. The activities are fun and are pitched at exactly the right level to keep all of the children interested and making good progress. Pupils learn quickly about phonics because teachers have strong subject knowledge and high expectations. They make good links between phonics, reading and writing.  The most able pupils are suitably challenged and motivated to do their best. As a result they learn well. The proportion reaching the higher levels in the national tests at the end of both key stages is above average. Staff give good support to disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, the few who are supported by the pupil premium and those of Gypsy Roma

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The quality of teaching is good

and Traveller backgrounds. This enables them to be fully involved in learning during lessons. Teaching assistants repeat teachers’ questions to check that the pupils have understood, and help them do what is expected when completing tasks.  Teachers do not always check how well pupils are doing during lessons. They do not consistently adapt their teaching to ensure that all pupils are challenged and that momentum of learning continues.  Scrutiny of work in books shows that marking across classes is variable. Sometimes, it is not made clear to pupils how they can improve their work. When guidance is given, pupils do not always act upon this in order to improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have a great pride in their school and they respond well to rewards and house points.  Pupils show enjoyment and have a great desire to learn which contributes greatly to their good achievement. Pupils in Year 6 are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Parents and carers have great confidence in the care that the school provides and pupils agree that they feel happy and safe. Teachers know the pupils as individuals.  Equality of opportunity is central to the school’s vision and practice. Discrimination is not tolerated in any form and good relations are promoted. The school promotes diversity and teaches pupils about life in a multicultural society well.  Pupils play an active role in ensuring a happy, well-organised school. Older pupils manage games at playtimes as play leaders and act as buddies for new reception children, house captains and school councillors. These opportunities have an extremely positive impact on their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

personal development.  The school’s eco committee and councillors ensure resources are used efficiently and the outside areas, for example gardens and class borders, are well kept.  Virtually all parents and carers who responded to Parent View, spoke to inspectors or wrote letters judged behaviour to be good. They also commented on how many opportunities their children had both in and out of school. They were positive about how well their children are supported and the high-quality relationships between children and staff. School records confirm that pupils’ behaviour is good on a daily basis and over time.  The schools’ work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. All statutory arrangements for safeguarding are met. Pupils learn how to keep safe, for example, when using the internet or near water. Discussions with pupils showed they understand about different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. They said that behaviour is good and that there is no bullying in the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school.  Behaviour and safety are not yet outstanding because a few pupils need adult support to help them focus on their learning.  Strong links with health and social care professionals help to give sensitive support for pupils whose home circumstances may make them potentially vulnerable.  Attendance is currently above the national average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is well led and managed. All staff and the governing body wholeheartedly support the headteacher. They are a cohesive and supportive team.  The headteacher’s checking of how well the school is doing is accurate, and plans for improvement are thorough, focus on appropriate priorities and are checked regularly to see how the actions are progressing.  Careful checking of teaching has led to improvements over time. High-quality professional training and good mentoring from the senior teachers ensure improvements are sustained. Newly qualified teachers are well supported.  The management of teachers’ performance is well managed and firmly linked to pupils’ achievement. Targets reflect leaders’ desire to continually improve outcomes for pupils.  Assessment information on pupils’ progress is detailed and systems and procedures for sharing this information with staff and governors are strong. Leaders and teachers use this information

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The leadership and management are good

accurately to ensure pupils’ progress is accelerated, particularly in Years 5 and 6.  Subject leaders are increasingly checking the quality of teaching and learning in a variety of ways, such as through the analysis of assessment information, examining the work in pupils’ books and through professional discussions.  Pupils enjoy the wide range of subjects the school provides which are being refined further to meet the new National Curriculum requirements. The curriculum develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. The school makes good use of local links to provide exciting opportunities for pupils to visit and to take part in events. Many examples of pupils’ work from classrooms and theme days, for example Green Week, add to the vibrant displays in the corridors. Pupils learn the importance of leading healthy lives through a varied range of activities, including numerous opportunities to take part in sport.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders allocate the pupil premium funding precisely. Interventions and booster classes support pupils of all abilities and, as a result, these pupils achieve in line with their classmates.  As part of his role as a local leader of education, the headteacher has given highly effective support to local schools to help them secure improvements to pupils’ learning and in developing leaders. The school works well with local schools in the area. These partnerships support the checking of the accuracy of assessments and in developing teachers’ skills.  The primary sports funding is being used effectively to improve teachers’ skills and increase the number of clubs and competitions for pupils. Impact of this funding is seen in an increased number of pupils attending clubs and very successful team results. Opportunities for the checking of these arrangements are frequent and detailed.  The local authority has provided light touch support for the school. Good use is made of this

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The leadership and management are good

expertise and training provided which has supported the improvements to teaching and effectiveness of governors.  The governance of the school:  Governors visit the school regularly and know it well, including the strengths and areas for development. This is because they have a good understanding of the information showing pupils’ progress and use it to hold the headteacher to account for the quality of teaching and standards in the school. They have effective procedures to manage the performance of the headteacher and make sure pay rises for staff are deserved. They know the actions taken by leaders to improve the quality of teaching and how effective they have been. Governors undertake training to help them successfully fulfil their roles, including for checking the impact of the school’s work on raising pupils’ achievement. They carefully monitor the progress of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding and make sure that this extra resource is being spent

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The leadership and management are good

wisely to raise achievement. They also have suitable procedures for monitoring the impact of the new sports funding on pupils’ health and well-being.

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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 115547 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 439573

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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 116 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Angela Broadhead Headteacher Richard Vaughan Date of previous school inspection 23 March 2009 Telephone number 01684 293577 Email address admin@twyning.gloucs.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 and 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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