East Haddon Church of England Primary School

East Haddon Church of England Primary School Church Lane, East Haddon, Northampton, NN6 8DB

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the previous inspection, leaders and governors have worked very successfully together to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Pupils make excellent progress from their starting points. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above the national average.  By the time they leave school, achievement is outstanding for all groups of pupils, including disabled students and those with special educational needs.  The overall quality of teaching is outstanding. Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils and take great care to make sure that the work set for them is at the right level of difficulty.  Teachers offer excellent guidance to students through marking and feedback. Pupils pay close attention to teachers’ feedback and make improvements to their work as a result.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They have a genuine appetite for learning and behave exceptionally well, both in lessons and around the

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school.  Pupils are mature and sensible. They are extremely polite and well–mannered, not just to the adults in the school but also to each other. Pupils are caring towards each other and place a great deal of value on friendship.  The school’s work to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils have an impressive knowledge of different faiths and cultures, showing tremendous respect and tolerance.  The school makes sure that all pupils are safe and secure. Pupils have a very thorough understanding of how to stay safe and talk about the trust they have for the adults who work with them in the school.  Pupils benefit from a wide range of interesting subjects and activities. There are many opportunities for them to practise their reading, writing and mathematical skills across different subjects. They also greatly enjoy the variety of sporting and musical activities on offer.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Early years is good. Children make good progress during their time in the Reception class and grow in confidence.  The headteacher leads the school very effectively. She is supported strongly by the highly competent governing body. Governors also challenge school leaders, asking searching questions to make sure that pupils get the best possible education.  Pupils, parents and staff are very positive about the school. Many pupils agreed that ‘there’s nothing we would change about our school.’

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning for substantial periods of time in four lessons. In addition, she made a number of shorter visits to lessons. All observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with staff, pupils, six members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Thirty seven responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered. The inspector also spoke informally with parents who were bringing their children to school in the morning.  The inspector considered the views of 13 staff who completed the staff questionnaire.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including national published assessment data and the school’s own data, the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans, safeguarding policies, behaviour policies and records, and documents relating to the management of teachers’ performance.

p.2

Inspection team

Julie Price-Grimshaw, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average–sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes. Reception class children are taught alongside pupils from Year 1; pupils from Years 2 and 3 are taught together and those from Years 4, 5 and 6 are taught in one class.  All pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English as a first language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is also below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is well below average. This is additional funding for disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  Since the previous inspection there has been a change of headteacher.

p.3

Information about this school

 The school works in informal partnership with a cluster of 12 local schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of provision in the early years by making sure that the focus on developing children’s skills in writing is as strong as that in reading and mathematics.

p.3

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher, leaders and governors have worked exceptionally well together since the previous inspection. As a result, teaching and pupils’ achievement, which were already strong, have improved further and are now outstanding.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The quality of teaching is checked regularly by the headteacher and other leaders are involved in driving improvement through observations of learning. Teachers are given helpful feedback and they benefit greatly from this.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 There is a secure link between the management of teachers’ performance and pay awards. Promotion is linked to pupils’ achievement and pay progression is used to reward excellent practice.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 In this small school, all teachers have some leadership responsibility. They carry out their roles with very high levels of commitment and dedication, being strongly focused on providing the best for the pupils in their care.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders track pupils’ progress and their attendance very carefully. They also pay close attention to making sure that behaviour is maintained at a consistently excellent level, taking care to log rigorously any concerns, although these are rare.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The promotion of equality is a very strong feature of the school’s work. All pupils are given full access to everything the school has to offer and the needs of each individual child are considered very carefully. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Consequently, the achievement of all groups of pupils is outstanding.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Pupils learn about a wide range of subjects and there are numerous opportunities for them to practise their skills in reading, writing and mathematics. They very much appreciate the variety of activities on offer, both in and out of the classroom. Visitors from different faith communities visit the school to talk to pupils and this contributes to their excellent knowledge of, and respect for, faiths and cultures. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education and for life in modern Britain.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is extremely well promoted in a wide variety of ways. Pupils say that they love art and music, and that ‘there are lots of opportunities to do creative things.’ Moral development is promoted through discussion and through enjoyable assemblies where pupils are encouraged to be reflective. Pupils are proud of their charity work, for example the ‘finger spellathon’, using sign language, to raise funds for a charity working with deaf children.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Additional funding is used very effectively, for example to purchase resources for disadvantaged pupils and to provide them with individual support. Each pupil is considered on an individual basis, with leaders and governors making informed decisions about spending. This helps the small number of disadvantaged pupils to make the same excellent progress as their classmates.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The primary sports funding is used exceptionally well. The school funds additional teaching time for one member of staff so that another teacher, who is a specialist in physical education, can work with all pupils to develop their skills in a range of sports. This is extremely successful and has led to increased participation in sporting events. The pupils themselves were keen to talk about how much they enjoy their sports tuition.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 All of the parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire said that they would recommend the school to another parent. Those spoken to in the playground used words and phrases such as ‘amazing’ and ‘so nurturing’ do describe the school.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority is fully aware of the school’s strengths and has provided good quality ‘light touch’ support in the past. The school is satisfied that the local authority is available for advice and support as necessary.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is working very successfully with other schools in the local cluster. Staff from different schools share best practice and use each other’s expertise in a range of ways, including checking on assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Staff morale is high. All staff say that they are proud to work at the school.  The governance of the school:  Individual governors have skills and expertise in a variety of areas. Together, they are able to provide a high level of professional challenge to school leaders as well as supporting all staff very effectively.  The governing body has a detailed and accurate understanding of how well pupils are achieving. They understand how the school’s performance compares to that of other schools. Governors also have an accurate view on the quality of teaching across the school and the governing body makes sure that pay awards are used appropriately to reward staff who get excellent pupil outcomes.  The governing body places a strong emphasis on the best use of all available funding. They help to make sure that additional funding is used as well as possible to help all pupils achieve exceptionally

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

well.  Safeguarding has a high priority in this school, with governors making sure that all statutory requirements are met. Matters relating to safeguarding are discussed frequently at governing body meetings.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They have excellent attitudes to learning and speak with enthusiasm about how much they enjoy their lessons. In the classroom, pupils are very focused and work, at a good pace, for long periods of time when required.

p.5

Behaviour

 Children in the Reception class behave very well and are extremely polite to each other. They are keen and enthusiastic learners who take delight in finding out things for themselves.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils appreciate everything that staff do for them and place great value on learning. They talk with excitement about how much they ‘enjoy a challenge’ and are aware of how much progress they are making. Their outstanding behaviour for learning is evident across all classes and with all staff. Several parents commented on how much their children love to talk about their learning when they returned home from school each day.

p.5

Behaviour

 Courtesy and excellent manners are the norm. Even the youngest children quickly learn the importance of being polite, both to adults and to each other. Pupils are considerate and caring towards one another. Several pupils agreed that ‘It’s very, very important to be kind to one another.’

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils are extremely proud of their work and this is reflected in the excellent quality of presentation in exercise books. They also take care of the school building and surrounding grounds.

p.5

Behaviour

 There have been no exclusions for many years. Learning is not disrupted by poor behaviour and the pupils say that ‘we can just get on with our learning.’

p.5

Behaviour

 Attendance is consistently above average.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Systems for safeguarding are extremely thorough and all staff training is up to date. The school site is secure and pupils say that they feel very safe in school.

p.5

Safety

 Pupils speak about how much they trust the adults who work with them. They feel that they can share any concerns with staff and are confident that these would be dealt with.

p.5

Safety

 Pupils have a secure understanding of the different types of bullying but insist that bullying is not an issue in this school. They say that they would not hesitate to speak to an adult if they were concerned not just about themselves, but also about any of their friends being bullied.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers have very high expectations of what their pupils can achieve and they communicate these expectations clearly to the pupils. Tasks are planned carefully so that they are at the right level of difficulty for pupils and provide a high level of challenge .  Children in the Reception class are taught well, particularly in reading and mathematics. There is, however, less emphasis on the development of their writing skills.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Activities are interesting and motivate pupils. As a result, pupils are keen to get on with their work and love to share their ideas with other pupils and with staff.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers expect pupils’ work to be presented neatly and even the very young understand the importance of taking pride in their work.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The high level of challenge that is typical in lessons was seen in a session on computing. Pupils made excellent progress in learning how to use computer coding when building a website. The teachers’ clear explanations helped pupils to understand the complex tasks and pupils showed their determination to succeed.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers use resources, including excellent story books, very effectively to enthuse and inspire pupils and develop their imaginative skills.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Staff ask questions to check pupils’ understanding and extend their learning. This has a very positive impact on pupils’ progress.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils value the high quality feedback and guidance they receive from their teachers. Marking in books informs pupils on precisely how they can improve their work and the pupils then act on this advice.

p.6

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers and teaching assistants work extremely well to support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. These pupils are encouraged to find things out for themselves as much as possible, but skilled and knowledgeable staff are always at hand to help as and when necessary, for example by using particular resources or by modifying tasks and explanations. This high quality support is a key factor in the outstanding achievement of these pupils.

p.6

is outstanding

 All groups of pupils make excellent progress from Year 1 to Year 6. By the end of Year 6, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above average. Standards have been consistently high over recent years and rose further in 2014.

p.6

is outstanding

 In the Reception class, children make good progress in all areas of learning.

p.6

is outstanding

 Achievement in reading is particularly strong. In 2014, almost all pupils exceeded national expectations in relation to standards in reading. The proportion of pupils reaching the required level in the Year 1 screening check in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) is consistently above the national average.

p.6

is outstanding

 All pupils make at least the progress expected of them across Years 3 to 6, with a high proportion making more than expected progress. Work in pupils’ books shows that they achieve very well in a range of subjects.

p.6

is outstanding

 The most able pupils make excellent progress because staff do not place any limits on what they can achieve and they are encouraged to ‘aim high’. Staff are always ready to present these pupils with an ‘extra challenge’ in class should they complete their work quickly. Their secure mathematical knowledge was clear in their explanations of various approaches to problem-solving.

p.6

is outstanding

 Very few pupils are eligible for support through additional funding. These pupils make the same rapid progress as their classmates. There is no gap in attainment between eligible pupils and their peers and their achievement is higher than that of pupils nationally.

p.7

is outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make excellent progress because of the personalised and tailored support provided for them. The majority are on track to exceed expected progress.

p.7

is outstanding

 Standards in reading are high and pupils make very good use of the school library with its extensive choice of fiction and non-fiction texts.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Children join the Reception class from a range of pre-school settings. Their skills levels on entry are broadly in line with those expected for their age.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Children make good progress in the early years and by the end of the Reception Year the proportion reaching a good level of development is above the national average.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 The overall quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children share a class with Year 1 pupils but are often allowed to choose activities for themselves and they make good use of the attractive outdoor area. Staff ask questions to develop children’s thinking skills and constantly encourage them to talk about their learning.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Staff work very effectively to develop children’s skills in reading and mathematics. However, there is less emphasis on the development of writing skills. Although children’s progress in writing does accelerate once they have moved into Year 1, their achievement in writing is less rapid than in other areas of learning. As a result, achievement in the early years is good rather than outstanding.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Staff have high expectations of children’s behaviour and the children respond to this very well. They are very courteous to each other; for example, when a group were sitting round the table outside painting pictures, they asked politely for paints and pots to be passed around. They were also keen to discuss each other’s art work.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 The Early Years Foundation Stage is well–led. Arrangements for transition into the school, including a home visit, are very good and as a result children settle quickly into the school. Staff assess children’s progress regularly and accurately, allowing them to plan future learning. Leaders are fully aware of the need to refine systems for collecting information on children’s achievements so that records are even more clear and concise and staff have already started to address this.

p.7

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

p.8

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 121969 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 448686

p.9

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.9

School details

Type of school Select School category Select Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 89 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Brewer Headteacher Claire Truslove Date of previous school inspection 19 May 2010 Telephone number 01604 770462 Fax number 01604 771230 Email address bursar@easthaddon-ce.northants-ecl.gov.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10