Asby Endowed School

Asby Endowed School Great Asby, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, CA16 6E

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Under the very competent and energetic leadership of the executive headteacher, pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching are continually improving at Asby Endowed School.  Good leadership and management from governors and senior staff and excellent teamwork by all staff have created a climate where pupils thrive. Staff feel valued and morale is high. Consequently, the school is well placed to improve further.  Pupils behave well and are keen to come to school where they feel very safe. Pupils of all ages work and play together, support each other and are kind and respectful to adults.  Pupils make good progress over time, as a result of the good teaching they receive. Interesting activities, knowledgeable teaching in all subjects including science, art, physical education and information and communication technology, perceptive questioning and well-planned work all contribute to pupils’ good achievement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children come into the Reception class with skills typical for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and soon become confident learners.  By the end of Year 6, pupils have achieved well and usually reach above average standards in literacy and numeracy. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is also well developed. Asby pupils, therefore, leave the school well prepared for the next stage of their education and for life in modern Britain.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ marking does not always give pupils clear pointers on how to improve their work.  Pupils are not always moved on quickly enough to a new task as soon as they are ready and sometimes tasks are not quite challenging enough to enable them to make rapid progress.  The school has yet to fully develop and implement new ways of assessing pupils’ attainment following the removal of national curriculum levels.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed lessons taught to both classes and to smaller groups of pupils of all ages and in a range of subjects, including mathematics and English. The executive headteacher and lead inspector made several shorter visits to classrooms together. The inspector listened to pupils read.  Discussions were held with parents, pupils, staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at pupils’ books, progress data, safeguarding information and other documentation.  Twenty-four responses to the on-line questionnaire, (Parent View), were considered, as well as those from the school’s own parental survey and from school staff.

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Inspection team

Ann Ashdown, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a very small primary school.  There is a well-below average proportion of disadvantaged pupils. These are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  All pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is well above average, while the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The government’s current floor standards do not apply because of the very small size of this school. Pupils are taught in two mixed-age classes. Reception children share a class with those in Key Stage 1.  The school has an executive headteacher who is a local leader of education and is also head of Long Marton primary school.

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Information about this school

 Two pupils from a very small local school join the school for one half day each week to receive specialist teaching in physical education and information and communication technology.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve already good teaching and raise pupils’ achievement further by; - ensuring teachers’ marking gives pupils clear pointers as to how they can improve their work and take the next steps in their learning - moving pupils on to the next task as soon as they are ready - providing all pupils with challenging tasks which allow more of them to make better than expected progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue working with partner schools to develop new ways of assessing pupils’ attainment following the removal of National Curriculum levels.

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The leadership and management are good

 The very capable leadership of the executive headteacher has been instrumental in bringing stability to the school, giving staff increased confidence and generating a climate in which good teaching and pupils’ good behaviour can flourish.  In addition to leading another primary school, the executive headteacher (as part of her work as a local leader of education) shares her expertise in leadership and management, school self-evaluation and improvement planning with headteachers in other local schools.  School self-evaluation is accurate and the right priorities for improvement have been identified. Staff performance is well managed. Teaching is carefully monitored and staff are given constructive advice and suitable training to further improve their skills.  The senior teacher, who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the school for three days each week, and the early years leader, are well trained and effective and work seamlessly with the executive

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The leadership and management are good

headteacher.  Extra funding for primary school sport is well used to provide pupils with specialist coaching and with increased opportunities to take part in competitions and try new sports. This promotes pupils’ health and fitness and allows them to reach the performance levels of which they are capable.  All groups of pupils are given good equal opportunities to succeed. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. The school has not yet received any pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils in its current budget. However, in the past this group has achieved equally as well as non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and nationally.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. Staff are trained and fully aware of, for example, risk assessment and child protection procedures.  The curriculum promotes both pupils’ basic skills of literacy and numeracy and their spiritual, moral social

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The leadership and management are good

and cultural development well. Pupils have a good understanding of other cultures, through, for example, their link with a school in Ghana. Exciting opportunities for practical work in science, high quality work in art, numerous sporting events and knowledgeable teaching in information and communication technology, all contribute to pupils’ good achievement. A wide range of extra-curricular activities as varied as dancing, gardening, well-dressing and outdoor activities all add greatly to pupils’ enjoyment of school.  The school works closely with neighbouring small schools to provide a wealth of enrichment activities for pupils and to share resources and expertise. These schools are working together to implement curriculum changes and to devise new methods of assessment. This work is ongoing and the school has yet to fully develop and implement new ways of assessing pupils’ attainment following the removal of national

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The leadership and management are good

curriculum levels.  The local authority advisor has given the headteacher, other leaders and governors valuable support in making decisions on leadership and management issues.  The governance of the school: - Governors are knowledgeable and well informed about the work of the school. They understand its strengths and weaknesses because they monitor its work very closely. They use their considerable expertise to ensure that close links are maintained with the community and the local church, that safeguarding requirements are fully in place, finances are well managed and ensure the school website is informative and up-to-date. They have made successful strategic decisions and are well informed about the quality of teaching, arrangements for teachers’ performance management and how the school is performing compared to schools nationally.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Differences in age and gender matter little to pupils and they all work and play together very harmoniously. Older pupils act as good role models for younger children and all pupils help and support each other.  Pupils are keen to learn. They have good attitudes to learning, answer questions readily and take pride in presenting their work neatly. Lessons are conducted in an atmosphere of respect and trust.  Pupils’ moral and social development is good. They are very clear about the difference between right and wrong. They are encouraged to think about moral issues in thought-provoking assemblies. They cooperate well when working in groups and pairs and share their ideas and information sensibly. Pupils are keen to take responsibility. At a school council meeting, pupils’ pride in having been elected to the council was evident, as was their enthusiasm when they recalled all the exciting events the school had been involved

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

in during the previous year.  Attendance is above average because pupils enjoy coming to school. They arrive punctually and are well equipped for lessons. No pupils are excluded from school and there are no persistent absentees.  Parents are fulsome in their praise of the school. They say that their children are extremely well cared for and speak highly of quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and the way the school is led and managed.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say how very safe they feel in school and their parents agree. Although they say no bullying exists at their school they understand that different types of bullying, including internet and homophobic bullying do occur. They are confident that any worries they may have will be quickly sorted out by school staff.  Pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe. They understand the dangers of, for

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

example, drug and alcohol abuse and know how to stay safe when using the internet.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Work in pupils’ books reflects the varied and interesting tasks that they are given. Teachers make good use of a range of resources which engage pupils’ interest. Pupils clearly demonstrated their enthusiasm for learning when given tasks such as investigating how much weight an egg will bear or when an exciting story captured their imagination.  Teaching is knowledgeable and clear explanations help pupils to develop a range of skills and deepen their understanding. Practical work in mathematics helps pupils to see the relevance of what they are learning and in a physical education lesson boys and girls successfully developed their football skills, whilst learning the importance of teamwork.  Work is well planned for classes containing pupils of mixed-age groups. Their progress is assessed regularly by tests each half term. Teachers’ questioning is perceptive and often elicits detailed answers from pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are keen to learn and take a pride in producing high quality work. Handwriting is usually neat, work is completed and additional homework is done willingly. Pupils’ books clearly demonstrate their good skills in literacy and numeracy. Sketch books also show the imaginative art work which pupils produce as a result of the good teaching they receive.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive very timely help from both teachers and teaching assistants. They are given good quality support and appropriate work which helps them to make progress in line with their classmates.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral social and cultural development is continually developed in lessons. Studies of other countries, races and religions extend pupils’ cultural awareness and links with schools in places as far apart as Africa and Appleby add to their understanding.  Teachers expect their pupils to do well and most work, including well-prepared homework, challenges

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The quality of teaching is good

them to achieve their best. Occasionally, pupils make slower progress when work given is not as challenging and they spend a little too much time on a task before they move on to take the next step in their learning.  Pupils’ books are marked regularly and good work is rewarded with praise and team points. However, pupils are not always given clear pointers as to how they could make their work even better.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 From starting points which are typical for their age, pupils make good progress as they move through the school. Overall attainment in the end of Year 6 national tests can vary widely from year to year because numbers of pupils are very small, but are usually above average in mathematics, reading and writing by the end of Year 6.  The school is quick to identify any slightly weaker areas of learning. Recent slower progress in mathematics was soon tackled and has now accelerated to match that in other subjects.  Pupils have good literacy skills. Phonics (the sounds letters make) is well taught so most pupils read fluently, spell correctly and write well.  Work in pupils’ books, that displayed on walls and the school’s own detailed tracking information, all confirm the good progress all pupils make. Their good basic skills ensure they are well equipped for the next stage of their education.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is monitored very carefully

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The achievement of pupils is good

and well-targeted help is given to ensure they achieve well.  The most able pupils benefit from extra coaching, for example in mathematics, to enable them to reach the highest standards in tests. They are also given a variety of challenging homework and stimulating extra activities to engage their interest so they make the same good progress as other groups of pupils.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enter the reception with skills which are typical for their age, although sometimes slightly lower in literacy than in other areas. The school has close links with parents and feeder nursery schools through visits and detailed reports, which help children settle quickly into their new school. After only two weeks, children in the Reception class are already becoming confident learners.  Children make good progress in their learning because they are taught well and have good role models provided by the older pupils who share their classroom. By the time they finish the Reception Year they have usually reached at least average standards, their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding has developed well and they are ready for the next stage of their education.  Exciting topics, such as ‘Pirates’, are matched to children’s interests and build an enthusiasm for learning. Children proudly displayed the ‘treasure islands’ they had made and labelled with their names and the

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The early years provision is good

initial letters of important features.  Children are kept safe and behave well. They understand how to share and take turns.  The early years is well led and managed. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to plan work carefully, assess children’s progress accurately and ensure they have varied learning opportunities both indoors and out.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 112267 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 448437

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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 21 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Liz Rogerson Headteacher Rachel Smith Date of previous school inspection 24 March 2010 Telephone number 017683 51154 Fax number Not applicable Email address admin@asby.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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