Shap Endowed CofE Primary School

Shap Endowed CofE Primary School Shap, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 3NL

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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.  Achievement is good. From starting points on entry to the Nursery class that are below those that are typical for children of their age, pupils reach standards that are above average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Teaching is typically good and some is outstanding.  Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils show real enthusiasm for learning and behave exceptionally well in and out of lessons. They have very high expectations of their own and others’ behaviour.  Pupils firmly believe that they are extremely safe and secure in school and when on visits.  The headteacher’s leadership is very effective; she is ably supported by an equally determined senior leader and by leaders at other levels. Together they have worked hard to raise pupils’ achievement and improve the quality of teaching.  Members of the governing body use their skills and expertise effectively to provide challenge

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and support for this improving school.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make good progress as a result of the effective teaching and caring environment.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is not quite as good as it is in English.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in mathematics are not always high enough.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their developing mathematical skills and knowledge to solve real problems.  The best practice that exists within the school is not shared consistently among all staff.  Middle leaders do not always have sufficient opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils in their subjects or areas of responsibility.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in six lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also listened to pupils read in Years 2 and 6.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for the results to be published but the inspector took account of 16 responses to a paper survey conducted by the school during the inspection and considered 14 questionnaires completed by the staff.  The inspector held meetings with pupils from Year 3 to Year 6. He also talked informally with pupils at break times and lunchtimes. He talked to members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. In addition, he held meetings with leaders who have a range of responsibilities including for special educational needs, the Early Years Foundation Stage and numeracy.  The inspector observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation, including

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Information about this inspection

internal and external data relating to pupils’ progress, pupils’ workbooks, school improvement planning and the school’s views of how well it is doing. He also considered documents relating to teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings, and safeguarding and child protection information.

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Inspection team

Peter Evea, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Shap Endowed CofE Primary is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority. There are too few of these pupils in the school to be able to compare their performance against that of their peers through published data.  There have been significant changes in staffing in recent years across the school, including at senior level.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching even further and so raise achievement further, especially in mathematics, by:  increasing teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve and making sure that pupils move on more quickly  providing more opportunities for pupils to use and apply their developing mathematical skills to solve real problems  enabling teachers to learn from each other more consistently.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the roles of middle leaders in monitoring the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils in their subject or area of responsibility.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Nursery class with skills and abilities that are below those typical for children of their age. They make good progress in their knowledge and skills so that, by the end of Year 6, they reach above-average standards in reading and writing. Standards in mathematics, while above average, are not as impressive as they are in reading and writing.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage because of good teaching, caring staff and the detailed knowledge that all adults have of each child’s needs.  Pupils write well, especially when the subject captures their interest and imagination and there is a real reason for writing. They can adapt their writing styles for different purposes and often write at some length in a range of subjects.  Pupils respond well to the activities and routines that develop their reading skills. Pupils in Year 2 decode new and difficult words with increasing confidence and accuracy. They talk

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The achievement of pupils is good

enthusiastically about their favourite authors and types of books and read widely in and out of school.  Pupils develop a sound understanding of basic numeracy skills early in their school life and these are built on systematically throughout their time in school. Although achievement in mathematics is good, it is not quite as strong as achievement in reading and writing. This is because expectations of what pupils can achieve in mathematics are not always high enough, and pupils do not have enough opportunity to use and apply their mathematical skills to solve real-life problems.  The school’s own data and other inspection evidence, such a work in books, show that pupils throughout the school are making consistently good progress. In the past, progress has been slower in Years 3 and 4 but the school has taken effective action to address this. Pupils currently in Years 2 and 6 are on track to reach above-average standards in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

This represents good progress from their starting points.  The most able pupils make good progress to reach above-average standards, particularly in English, because their teachers have high expectations of them, support them well and give them work that challenges them.  The pupil premium is used effectively to increase the amount of support. It provides, for example, additional teaching assistants or staff training for the few pupils known to benefit from this funding, including those known to be eligible for free school meals. As a result, these pupils typically achieve well, reaching standards that are similar to, or better than, those of others in the school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the same good progress as other pupils. This is because their needs are identified correctly, and their progress is checked and reviewed regularly in order to make sure that carefully planned support closely matches their

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and has improved as a result of the determined efforts of the school’s leaders.  The school’s own records and other evidence collected during the inspection show that good or better teaching is now the norm; this has had a positive effect on pupils’ learning and achievement, enabling them to make good progress.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are provided with interesting indoor and outdoor activities which cover all the required areas of learning. The Nursery children were thrilled to bake a loaf of bread after learning about the parable of the loaves and fishes. Good attention is paid to developing children’s speaking and listening skills and this prepares them very well for future learning.  Pupils make the most rapid progress, over time, when the range of activities given to them are skilfully planned to be hard enough for the different groups in these mixed-age classes. In a

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The quality of teaching is good

Year 5 class, for example, pupils enthusiastically used their knowledge of grammar and punctuation to produce an exciting piece of writing.  There are very good relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils cooperate very well in all situations and well-established routines mean that lessons proceed without interruptions.  Pupils respond to the high expectations in English and typically try their hardest to meet the challenges that are set for them. However, the expectations of what pupils might achieve are not always high enough in mathematics, and so the activities planned for pupils sometimes do not move them on quickly enough.  Pupils have planned opportunities to read during the school day and say that they often read at home. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors and types of books and all adults play a part in encouraging regular reading habits.  In mathematics, pupils develop the skills they need and use them in other subjects, for example

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The quality of teaching is good

when they calculated how far a Roman legion could march in one day. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their skills to solve real-life problems.  The marking of pupils’ work and the feedback given to them about how to improve their work are of a high order and pupils routinely respond to suggestions for improvement.  Teaching assistants are deployed effectively and carefully guide pupils’ learning. They have a very clear picture of the needs of individual pupils, especially disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils behave exceptionally well in and out of lessons and impeccably when on visits out of school. They come to school very eager to learn. They are confident, well-rounded and very capable young people who leave the school extremely well prepared for the next step in their education.  The school has an effective system for encouraging pupils to behave well that the pupils were involved in designing. Pupils say that they know the expected standards of behaviour and that they expect others to reach the same high standards.  Pupils say that there is no bullying. They have a very good understanding of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. They are certain that if any bullying should occur, it would be dealt with promptly.  Pupils are very active and really appreciate the wide range of activities and clubs available to them, especially the sports activities such as lacrosse and football.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils contribute fully to all aspects of school life. They willingly take on roles of responsibility such as acting as buddies to younger pupils. They take these responsibilities very seriously and are extremely conscientious in carrying out their duties.  Attendance is above average because the school works hard to encourage pupils to attend regularly and on time, and because pupils want to come to school to learn.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Procedures for keeping pupils safe are managed extremely well. Pupils say that they feel very secure in school and when out of school on visits. They have a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations, including when using the internet.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is very well led by a highly effective headteacher, ably supported by a determined and effective senior leader and by leaders at other levels.  Leaders at middle level are relatively new to their roles and are becoming increasingly effective as they gain experience. They are ready to assume greater responsibility for monitoring the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils in their subjects or areas of responsibility.  There have been improvements in both the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching as a result of the concerted actions of all the staff. However, leaders are yet to ensure that pupils’ achievement in mathematics is as good as it is in reading and writing and that teaching is outstanding.  The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development and produces effective plans to address these.  School leaders carry out regular checks on teaching that provide an accurate view of its quality.

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The leadership and management are good

When improvements are needed, teachers are able to improve their skills through effective and timely professional development. However, although there is outstanding teaching evident in the school, it is not yet shared effectively among all staff.  The links between the management of the performance of teachers and their professional development are effective; arrangements for staff pay and promotion are closely linked to effectiveness in the classroom.  There are very thorough systems in place to check on pupils’ progress throughout the school. Where there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills, the school quickly takes action to boost pupils’ learning by providing them with extra support.  The school knows and cares for its pupils as individuals. It successfully makes sure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to do well and that there are no significant gaps in the performance of different groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is very successful in capturing pupils’ imagination and in promoting pupils’ interest and involvement in learning. It ensures that their key basic skills are practised and developed across different subjects.  The new primary school sport funding is very effective in motivating pupils to be more active and to take part more frequently in a range of activities such as fencing and rugby. In addition, the funding is being well used to improve the teaching of physical education through further staff training.  Safeguarding and child protection measures are very effective and meet all current requirements.  The local authority support, particularly that which has assisted the school to reshape staffing, has been very much appreciated by the school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is very effective and shares the determination of the staff to improve the school further. Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school and keep themselves well

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The leadership and management are good

informed, in particular about the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching. They monitor the school’s performance and ask challenging questions to promote further development. Governors bring a range of skills to their roles; where there are gaps in their knowledge and skills, they make sure they receive appropriate training. Governors are familiar with the Teachers’ Standards; they use them to help manage teachers’ performance and award pay increases for good or better teaching. They oversee the spending of the pupil premium funding and are aware of the positive effect this is having on pupils’ achievement. They are also involved in planning the spending of the primary school sport funding and in evaluating the impact actions are having on pupils’ physical 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 112328 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 444069

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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 aided Age range of pupils 3 – 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 113 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Elizabeth Grose Headteacher Anne Maud Date of previous school inspection 28 April 2010 Telephone number 01931 716274 Fax number 01931 716447 Email address admin@shap.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 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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