Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School

Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School The Chase, Great Glen, Leicester, LE8 9EQ

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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

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide a clear direction for school improvement. They are well supported by senior leaders and an effective governing body. As a result, the good quality of teaching and learning has been sustained since the previous inspection.  All groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing, mathematics and many other subjects. They leave Year 6 with standards which are above average.  Children are well prepared for their future education from the start they make in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Their reading skills are established well and they are eager to learn.  The overall quality of teaching is good. Teachers' expectations are high and pupils learn in a bright and stimulating environment.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They conduct themselves well and show goodwill and kindness to others. They are well looked after and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils of all abilities achieve well in a wide range of creative, scientific and sporting activities reflected in many awards. The rich curriculum makes a strong contribution to their spiritual, moral, cultural and social development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet outstanding. As a result, pupils do not always make the very best rates of progress they could.  Teachers' questions are not always effective in securing and extending pupils' learning.  Occasionally, the work set is not hard enough to challenge to all pupils.  Marking and feedback, which is good overall, does not always ensure that pupils can improve their learning by themselves. Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 2 of 11

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed lessons throughout the school and conducted several shorter observations of teaching and learning. They included joint observations with members of the senior leadership team. The inspectors also looked at a wide range of pupils' work and listened to them read.  Discussions were held with several groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and other members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, an independent education consultant and members of staff, including senior leaders and other leaders with particular responsibilities.  The inspectors took account of the 56 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View), the results from the school’s own consultations with parents, and spoke to many parents during the inspection. The 22 responses from staff to the inspection questionnaires were also considered.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including: information on

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ current progress, the school’s plans for improvement, the management of teachers’ performance, the use of pupil premium funding, and documentation and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

Andrew Clark, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Lee Nixon Additional Inspector Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 3 of 11

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school. The number on roll has increased by approximately 15 percent since the previous inspection.  Approximately one pupil in 10 is supported through school action. This is close to the national average. About one pupil in 20 is supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. This is below the national average.  The pupil premium funding provides support for about one in 10 pupils. This funding is to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and looked after children. The proportion is below the national average.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 Over a third of the teachers are new to the school in the last two years and several are new to the profession.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the already good teaching to further increase pupils' achievement by:  ensuring that questioning makes an effective contribution to improving pupils' learning throughout school  ensuring that the work pupils undertake challenges them appropriately  making full use of marking and feedback to provide precise and appropriate guidance for pupils to enable them to speedily improve their own work. Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 4 of 11

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides calm, persistent and purposeful leadership which contributes well to school development. She is strongly supported by senior leaders, including leadership of the early years. Subject and middle leaders, some of whom are new to their roles, are increasingly accountable for, and effective in, raising standards. As a result, pupils' standards and the quality of teaching have continued to develop through a period of significant staff changes. Leaders at all levels demonstrate that the school has the capacity for sustained improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and other senior staff set good examples to all staff and are skilled in observing teaching and setting challenging but achievable targets for other staff to aspire to. They ensure that all staff have access to good training and professional development opportunities. As a result, the quality of teaching is good and developing further through a period of significant staff changes. Several staff have high levels of specialist subject skills including information and communication technology (ICT), art and modern foreign languages. These make a good contribution to pupils' readiness for their next stage of education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes good use of robust procedures to measure and analyse pupils' progress and this is central to further accelerating achievement. A wide range of monitoring activities including lesson observations, discussions with pupils and reviews of their work ensure that self-evaluation is accurate overall. As a result, the leadership has a good understanding of the areas for further improvement and is well placed to address them.

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The leadership and management are good

 The additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used well and has a positive impact on narrowing the gap between the standards they reach and those of other pupils. Pupils' individual learning needs are clearly identified and they are given support in class and through small-group working when required. Their progress is rigorously tracked by teachers and senior leaders ensuring that the needs of increasing proportions of disadvantaged pupils, including in the early years, continue to be met.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority only has to provide a little support to the school, for example, through the development of close training with other local schools. The school takes a leading role in several aspects of work with other schools including reading, ICT and new assessment procedures.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff are held to account for the progress their pupils make and are subject to meeting challenging criteria linked to pupils' achievement to reach the next salary level.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school provides a rich curriculum which promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils studies in religious education, geography and many other subjects deepens their understanding and appreciation of life in modern Britain and global studies. For example, the school has a close partnership with an inner city local school and a school in Bangladesh. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. Studies on democracy, visits to the local council offices and highly successful involvement in an annual enterprise project with a local car manufacturing company contribute to pupils appreciation of British values.

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The leadership and management are good

 Procedures to keep pupils safe and secure meet statutory requirements. They are supported by good quality records and effective communication.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is making good use of the new primary school sports funding. This has already contributed to the development of teachers' skills in the teaching of physical education and led to increased and highly effective participation in many sports and inter-school team games. A key feature is the employment and support of a sport apprentice which contributes both to the school's work and to the wider development of sport in the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 This is a harmonious community. The school tackles any issues of discrimination well. It promotes equality of opportunity successfully and this contributes to rising standards and harmony within the community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 5 of 11

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The leadership and management are good

 The governing body is led well. Governors ensure that the school's aims for the quality of learning are at the core of its work and the drive for the highest standards. They are kept well informed through detailed reports from the headteacher linked to the school improvement plan and their own checks on the school's work. The governing body regularly receives up-to-date and precise information on the achievement of different groups of pupils. There is an increasingly good understanding of the data through senior and subject leaders’ presentations and the support of an independent consultant. This ensures they effectively hold leaders to account and have improved since the previous inspection. In particular, the governing body has developed new procedures to work closely with leaders in different phases of the school and across a range of subjects which is increasing their effectiveness.

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The leadership and management are good

 There are sound procedures to ensure statutory requirements, including safeguarding procedures, are met. Governors are appropriately involved in making decisions as to whether teachers and staff should be rewarded with salary increases and review targets for the headteacher. Finances are managed well by regularly reviewing the budget, including the use of pupil premium and sport funding, and ensuring expenditure is aimed at securing good achievement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and considerate towards each other and they respond well to the care that all adults show them. On a few occasions their concentration wanes when they are not sufficiently challenged or directed. However, they very rarely misbehave.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are proud of their school. They are smart and tidy in their uniforms and take care of their property. For example, pupils' work books are consistently neat and well organised.

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Behaviour

 Pupils play and work together well. Classrooms are calm and orderly. The school makes good use of outdoor spaces at break, lunchtimes and in outdoor learning sessions to help pupils develop cooperation and other social skills.

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Behaviour

 Pupils behave responsibly towards others. 'We are all friends here,' is typical of the comments they make. Very good relationships are quickly established in the early years and children share and work together well. Older pupils take their responsibilities as school councillors and in other organisations seriously and this contributes to the development of British values.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe and their parents agree. They have a good knowledge of potential bullying situations, including racial and homophobic concerns and cyber-bullying. They understand that their behaviour affects others and know that they should be kind and considerate. They are clear that there are very few incidents of bullying or poor behaviour and confident that staff will address any concerns quickly. This is confirmed by school records.

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Safety

 Pupils are well prepared for keeping themselves safe in later life. Programmes of personal, social and health education, including work with health and emergency services, ensure pupils have a good understanding of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, for example. Cycling proficiency courses and residential outdoor adventure trips help pupils to identify and manage risks.

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Safety

 Pupils’ attendance is above national averages and rising. Pupils are punctual and well-prepared for work. The school has rigorous procedures to monitor and improve attendance for all groups of pupils and works well with other professionals to speedily address any concerns.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations for all groups of pupils. As a result, pupils are ambitious and aim high. Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 6 of 11

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The quality of teaching is good

This is evident in the pride they take in presenting their work well and achieving their targets.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The learning needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are understood well and all staff who work with them are well informed. Effective teaching of reading and writing skills ensures that these pupils learn well in all subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are well informed about pupils' progress and are effectively deployed to support and challenge all groups of learners.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a good atmosphere for learning and pupils respond well in their behaviour and positive attitudes. Classrooms are attractive and orderly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The most-able pupils are taught well. They respond positively to opportunities to use their initiative and work as part of a team. They are persistent and organised. They often make good use of opportunities for further studies through homework, including the use of ICT, to increase their understanding. They build quickly and systematically on their skills in literacy and numeracy and attain above average standards as a result.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading is effective. The teaching of letters and sounds ensures a firm basis for future learning. From the early years onwards, children read regularly to adults, including to volunteers, which boosts their progress. Pupils' comprehension skills, including their ability to make deductions and inferences, are developed through challenging guided reading sessions. Good quality children's literature is central to many topics and themes that pupils study.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Writing skills are well taught overall. Pupils' basic skills including spelling, grammar and punctuation are reinforced regularly through games, quizzes and exercises. They apply them well in interesting themes and topics such as diaries, biographies and persuasive reports.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics is good. Pupils' mental and calculation skills are systematically and thoroughly taught through carefully planned activities which build on earlier learning. Pupils' regularly apply their skills in real-life problem-solving situations and make good use of homework to embed them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make especially good use of specialist skills in a range of subjects to enrich pupils' learning. As a result, pupils achieve particularly well in art, modern foreign languages, ICT and science.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Sometimes pupils do not make the best progress they are capable of because teachers do not make full use of the questions they ask to deepen learning. For example, they sometimes accept simple answers which do not show a thorough understanding of the topic in hand, or probe further to extend learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 On a few occasions, the pupils' work is not appropriately challenging. For example, sometimes pupils’ opportunity to write at length in different subjects and apply their literacy skills are limited by the space available or by expectations for short one word answers. Occasionally, pupils undertake work they can already do, for instance sums in mathematics, before tackling more demanding work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking and feedback are generally effective. However, sometimes teachers’ comments do not provide precise enough guidance or focus on the most important areas for improvement. Pupils do not always follow through and address the issues raised quickly enough to ensure the best rates of progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils of all abilities make good progress from their individual starting points in the early years and reach Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 7 of 11

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The achievement of pupils is good

above average standards by time they leave in Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards in national tests for Year 6 in 2014 are above average. There is a generally rising trend of standards in reading, writing and mathematics and they have been above average in Year 6 national tests for at least the last three years. They have also been above average in tests for English grammar, spelling and punctuation over the last two years. There is no significant difference between subjects overtime.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards in Year 2 in 2014 are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. They have also risen overtime and are increasingly above average building on the achievement of children in the early years.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils generally reach above average standards in Year 6 and in mathematics a good proportion of pupils are reaching levels normally expected for pupils three years older. Most-able pupils take high levels of responsibility for organising and increasingly managing their own work and supporting others in their learning. They are systematic and logical in planning and researching their work, including making good use of ICT, for example in programming and communication, both at school and at home.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School data show that disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding make good progress and achieve well across the school. In 2014, this group of pupils attained results in the national tests for Year 6 which were similar to the average for all pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. They were four terms behind their classmates in mathematics, two terms behind them in reading and level with them in writing. There were too few pupils in previous cohorts to make a valid comparison with their performance. However, the school's own data and a review of pupils' work shows that through well targeted support and the effective use of pupil premium funding the gap between disadvantaged pupils and others is reducing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their needs are accurately and precisely checked. Intensive tuition in basic skills, alongside highly sensitive care, boosts their learning and promotes their involvement in all that the school offers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils' achievement in reading is good. They make very quick gains in understanding letters and their sounds (phonics) and this is reflected in above average results in the national check at the end of Year 1 over the last three years. The few pupils who do not achieve the expected level make increasingly good progress in Year 2 and in 2014 also exceeded the national average. By Year 6, pupils read with confidence, expression and enthusiasm. They have a good knowledge of the style of different authors and the way that these authors use language to develop plot and characters.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make at least good progress in writing and there have been good improvements since the previous inspection. They write neatly and take a pride in their handwriting. Spelling and punctuation are increasingly accurate. By Year 6, pupils increasingly write at length for a wide range of purposes. Occasionally, the writing task limits pupils' productivity and creativity.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is good. It is sometimes outstanding. Pupils use their calculation skills well in solving mathematical problems and investigations based on real-life situations. They have a good knowledge of shape and measure and are accurate and precise in their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achievement in a wide range of other subjects is good and sometimes outstanding as a result of specialist teaching and involvement in a number of awards and quality marks such as in art, ICT, science and physical education.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Occasionally, relative inconsistencies in the quality of teaching inhibit pupils from making the very best progress they could.

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The early years provision is good

 Good leadership and management of the early years provision have ensured that children have continued to achieve well since the previous inspection and standards are generally rising for all groups of learners. There is particularly good assessment of the progress of children of all abilities, including disadvantaged Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 8 of 11

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The early years provision is good

children, to ensure that they achieve well.

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The early years provision is good

 Children’s starting points are generally typical for their age. Children of all abilities make good progress and achieved a good level of development in 2014.

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The early years provision is good

 Disadvantaged children achieve well making particularly good gains in their early language and communication skills. They are confident in talking to adults and other children. They feel safe and secure.

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The early years provision is good

 The most-able children make good progress because they make rapid gains in key skills such as phonics and addition and subtraction. They engage in exciting problem-solving activities such as writing witches' spells or investigating the effects of water flowing down pipes at different heights.

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The early years provision is good

 The quality of teaching is good. Teacher's expectations are high. Staff are well trained and experienced in their roles. They have a good knowledge of the needs of young children and have high expectations of them. They establish very good relationships with children and their parents through a well-planned induction process which ensures that initial assessments of children's attainment are accurate.

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The early years provision is good

 Teaching assistants and other adults are deployed well to have a maximum impact on children's achievement across all areas of learning. For example, volunteers regularly hear children read and help them choose new books.

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The early years provision is good

 Children work in a positive and engaging atmosphere in a bright and stimulating classroom and outdoor area. Resources are of a high quality and readily accessible.

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The early years provision is good

 Children of all abilities play and work well together and concentrate well in all their activities. They feel safe and are well cared for. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well and they are curious about the world about them, concentrating well. The review sessions provide good opportunities for children to reflect on their work and make decisions about their future learning.

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The early years provision is good

 Very occasionally, staffs’ questions do not probe deeply enough into children's understanding and some opportunities to challenge children further and develop their writing skills are missed. Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 9 of 11

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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. Inspection report: Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School, 29–30 October 2014 10 of 11

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School details

Unique reference number 120131 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 449607

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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 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Moira Bartlett Headteacher Anne Burbidge Date of previous school inspection 3 December 2009 Telephone number 0116 2592764 Fax number 0116 2593248 Email address office@stcuthberts.leics.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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