Draycott Community Primary School

Draycott Community Primary School Hopwell Road, Draycott, Derby, DE72 3NH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 from starting points which are often very low when they begin school. Progress is rapidly improving due to the good teaching.  Standards are rising and the progress made by pupils, especially in reading and writing, is often very rapid.  The gap in progress between those entitled to pupil premium funding and their classmates has narrowed.  Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is good and has a positive impact on their learning. The school takes care to ensure pupils’ safety.  Recent changes to the leadership and teaching staff have had a positive impact on the school. Leaders have improved teaching quality and so raised achievement, which continues to rise.  Staff, parents and pupils talk very positively about how rapidly the school has improved.  Teachers work hard to create a purposeful and interesting learning environment in which pupils are stimulated to learn.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The governing body is more rigorous in how it holds the school to account.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The progress pupils make in mathematics is slower than in other subjects.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use their numeracy skills in other subjects or to solve problems.  Activities in mathematics lessons do not always build sufficiently on what pupils already know and can do.  Pupils’ progress when they are getting extra support in small groups has weaknesses, when teachers do not check on this.  There are weaknesses in pupils’ speaking and listening skills, and vocabulary, because not enough time is spent on developing these.  There are too few opportunities for teachers to work together to share good practice.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in 15 lessons. A number of these were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings and discussions took place with the headteacher, senior leaders, other staff, governors, pupils, parents and a representative of the local authority.  Samples of pupils’ work were examined. Some pupils read books to the inspectors.  The inspectors took account of the 24 responses to the online survey, Parent View, as well as the 27 questionnaires completed by staff.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including data on pupils’ progress and attainment produced by the school, procedures for safeguarding, the school’s own evaluations of its work, reports to the governing body and leaders’ plans for raising attainment.

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Inspection team

Geof Timms, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lisa Fraser Additional Inspector Ken Thomas Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Draycott Community Primary is an average-sized primary school.  At the time of the inspection, the headteacher had been in post for two terms. This followed a term of temporary leadership since the previous headteacher retired.  A very large majority of the pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is below average.  An average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium. This provides additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school runs a daily breakfast and after-school club for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ progress in mathematics by:  ensuring that the activities provided for pupils build sufficiently on previous learning  providing more opportunities for pupils to use numeracy skills in other subjects, and for them to solve problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make more of the teaching outstanding and so improve progress by:  monitoring closely the progress of pupils receiving extra support in small groups  providing more activities that support pupils’ speaking and listening skills and extend their vocabulary  providing more opportunities for teachers to work together and spread the best practice across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When they start school, most children have levels of knowledge and understanding which are very low compared to those typical for their age. They often have weak skills in speaking, reading, and in their understanding of the world.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes and, although some attainment remains below average by the end of the year, currently children in Reception have exceeded last year’s national averages in aspects of their physical development, their personal, social and emotional development, reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards attained at the end of Year 2 rose considerably in 2013, to be significantly above average overall. Current pupils are on track to reach similar levels. More pupils are now reaching the higher levels in reading and their skills are reflected in their enjoyment of books. Pupils have made good progress overall, although this has been slower in mathematics than in reading and writing. Pupils’ speaking skills remain relatively weak, and many have a limited vocabulary.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 in 2013 was broadly average, although standards in mathematics were lower than in reading and writing. These overall results represented good progress from pupils’ very low starting points. The results showed better achievement than in 2012, when overall progress was significantly below average. Progress in 2013 was significantly above average in writing, slightly above average in reading but slightly below average in mathematics. Pupils are on track to reach similar levels to last year and this, again, represents good progress from their different starting points.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of the Year 1 check on pupils’ skills in linking letters and sounds (phonics) show standards in 2013 were below the national average, although this represented good progress given their attainment on entry to the school. Standards have improved, and current Year 1 pupils are achieving levels exceeding the 2013 national average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in reading throughout the school is strong. Pupils in all year groups now have good phonic skills and are able to read words accurately. The progress made in writing is good and pupils have good opportunities to write for a range of purposes. In Year 2, for example, pupils confidently described using alliteration and onomatopoeia when writing a description of a mermaid.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In mathematics, progress has been weaker than in other subjects due to past inadequate provision and weaknesses in teaching. Many of these weaknesses have now been addressed. The school’s data shows progress is rising and any gap between mathematics, and reading and writing, is narrowing. Even so, there are times when teachers do not provide activities that build sufficiently on pupils’ previous learning or enable them to use their skills in other subjects and to solve problems. When pupils are given this opportunity their learning can be outstanding. This happened in a Year 1 class, when pupils had to measure and make a paper-chain dragon.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There is evidence of good achievement in some other subjects. For example, some high quality art and design work is evident throughout the school from work celebrating a wide range of artists. The school provides good opportunities for the most able pupils to achieve well in a range of subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive effective extra help, and the impact of this support is evident in their current good progress.  Until this year, there was a significant gap between the attainment of pupils supported through the pupil premium funding and their classmates. In 2013, in Year 6, eligible pupils were a year behind their classmates in reading, five terms behind in writing, and four terms in mathematics. Even so, their progress was good in the light of their very low starting points. Teachers have ensured that the current pupils receiving support in Year 6 have successfully narrowed this gap by making more rapid progress. Younger eligible pupils are doing even better, and the gaps in some year groups have almost completely closed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work, the school’s assessment data and inspectors’ direct observations in lessons all provide evidence that teaching is now consistently good. The school has had significant changes in staffing since the last inspection. Despite this disruption, since the current headteacher took up her post, she has successfully improved teaching and ensured that it consistently meets pupils’ needs. This is rapidly improving their learning and progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The judgement of good teaching matches the school’s view, which is based on improved monitoring procedures now used by leaders. The headteacher and other senior staff spend a lot of time in classrooms, observing and supporting learning. The currently good teaching is having a positive impact on pupils’ rapidly improving learning and progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers ensure that pupils’ attitudes to their learning, and their interest in their work, are strong. The learning environment has been much improved and displays create excellent opportunities for teachers to support pupils’ learning and to celebrate their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils talk positively about how they enjoy lessons and how they learn new things. Older pupils, for example, talked enthusiastically about their learning during a topic on the two world wars. Other pupils explained how much they enjoy physical education, which reflects recent improvements in this subject through specialist coaching.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ use of assessment information and other data is good and has improved greatly since the last inspection. They are more aware of how different groups are learning in lessons, and modify their practice to make sure that everyone does well. However, they do not monitor and track data that shows the success or otherwise of small group support, or one-to-one work, that takes place outside normal lessons. This means they cannot be certain their pupils are benefiting from this provision.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The headteacher has introduced regular opportunities for staff to plan and deliver topics that address a specific theme for a week. These are popular with pupils and staff, and also parents who visit and see the work in action. They are increasing pupils’ enthusiasm and boosting their progress. For example, during the inspection, work on the theme of the four elements provided an exciting range of learning opportunities involving mathematics, writing, design and technology, and art and design. Pupils were thoroughly involved in the activities and learned well in all these subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The regular marking of pupils’ work provides them with clear suggestions for improvements and is constructive. Pupils enjoyed talking about and sharing their work with the inspectors and showed a real pride in their efforts.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils who find learning more difficult and those who have specific learning needs are supported effectively. Teaching assistants’ work supports a wide range of pupils and they often work with higher attaining pupils as well as those needing more support.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are well behaved and show very positive attitudes to learning. This has a positive impact on their learning and progress, and they clearly enjoy their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children in the Nursery and Reception classes work and play together happily and productively, taking part in a wide range of activities. This view is supported by most parents who are positive about how much their children enjoy school. One parent in the Nursery said her child ‘...now knows more than me’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils talk openly and with enjoyment about their lessons and other aspects of school life which they enjoy. They clearly like school. One described the teachers as friendly, and they like the recent improvements made to assemblies, including the songs they learn to sing.

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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 say they feel safe in school, and parents confirm this view. The school provides a good range of activities to help pupils’ learn to stay safe, including when using new technology.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say bullying is uncommon but dealt with well if it occurs. Exclusions were above average in the past but there have been none under recent leadership. The support for pupils facing a range of challenging circumstances is very effective, and case studies show these pupils are making good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The lunchtime club, ‘The Lunchbox’, helps pupils who find the longer break outdoors difficult, cope more effectively. The well-managed and organised breakfast- and after-school clubs provide pupils with a calm and productive start to the day as well as a healthy breakfast, and a range of interesting activities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is currently above average and this represents a good improvement over recent years as a result of the school’s strong and successful focus on monitoring and addressing any persistent absenteeism. The majority of the parents appreciate the importance of full attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection, the school has been through significant changes in both leadership and staffing. The headteacher, deputy headteachers and senior leaders have provided a much clearer and more focused direction for the school. Leaders have worked hard and successfully to raise achievement and ensure more of the teaching is consistently good or better. This has been a challenging but successful task and the outcomes are evident in the current good progress, and very positive changes made to the curriculum and learning environment.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff, governors and most parents are very positive about the changes in the direction the school is taking. The headteacher is providing excellent leadership and has promoted the development of other leaders effectively through support and training. Subject leadership roles are developing well and are having a more positive influence on the teaching and learning throughout the school.  Staff who completed a questionnaire said they were proud to be working at the school. The school’s view of its successes and areas needing improvement is accurate and leaders know what remains to be done to improve further. The planning for future improvement is detailed and contains appropriate priorities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school staff are working together very effectively and make a strong team. There is a clear capacity to continue improving teaching and raising achievement. The work done to improve how robustly the school checks teachers’ performance and continues their professional development through training is proving very effective. However, teachers have not had enough opportunities to work together so that high quality teaching skills can be spread more widely.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has been supported well by the local authority, whose work has clearly had a positive impact on the improvements made. Regular visits have checked these improvements and validated the school’s judgements, as well as developing the skills of the governing body.

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The leadership and management are good

 Regular meetings are held at which teachers discuss pupils’ progress with senior leaders. Plans are drawn up to address any weaknesses and this work is effective in making pupils’ progress more rapid. The assessments made of pupils’ work are checked by the staff, the local authority and staff from other local schools, to make sure they are accurate.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is raising its profile in the local community. Facilities, such as the village table-tennis centre, are used by the school, and parents and other local people are encouraged to visit the school for a range of events. Although most parents are extremely positive, a small number of parents feel that communication between school and home is not yet as good as it could be, although the inspection evidence shows that this is rapidly improving under the current leadership.

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The leadership and management are good

 Funding available through the pupil premium is used effectively to help eligible pupils to take a full part in school life and benefit, where appropriate, from specific resources and additional help from adults. This has been successful in raising their achievement and their current progress is at least good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The extra money available to promote physical education and sporting opportunities is used effectively. Pupils are taking part in more sporting activities in school and in competition against other schools. This is having a positive impact on their well-being and on their skills, such as those in cricket.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Staff are working hard to ensure the school is ready for the imminent changes to the way subjects are planned. Well-planned enrichment activities, such as the visitor to the Nursery who taught the children circus skills, and the week-long focused theme weeks, all support pupils’ learning in interesting and imaginative ways.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has improved the ways it supports and challenges the school since the last inspection. Training in a range of activities has helped develop governors’ understanding, especially regarding the assessment data the school provides.  The governing body holds the school to account through a range of monitoring activities. There are more regular visits, meetings with, and reports from, the headteacher and other staff. Because of this, governors have an improved understanding of the quality of teaching and of pupils’ progress. For example, a recent visit has been used to monitor the provision for pupils’ physical education.  Governors have a sound understanding of the system used to determine teachers’ effectiveness in enabling pupils to make good progress. Decisions about teachers’ pay are appropriately linked to performance and responsibilities and, where weaknesses have needed

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The leadership and management are good

addressing, the governing body has been appropriately involved  Governors track finances well and are fully involved in decisions about how to spend additional money, such as the pupil premium and sports funding. They ensure safeguarding procedures are in line with regulations in all respects.

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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 112538 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 431700 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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 253 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Val Clare Headteacher Claire Evans Date of previous school inspection 17 October 2012 Telephone number 01332 872261 Fax number 01332 874823 Email address info@draycott.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 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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