Kings Copse Primary School

School report Kings Copse Primary School

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 school has improved rapidly because of the positive impact of the headteacher, senior leadership team and governors on improving teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted. All pupils respect and value each other’s views in this harmonious school community. Pupils are polite and well behaved in lessons and around the school.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is good and parents think that their children are well looked after.  Teaching is effective. Pupils enjoy learning and respond well to guidance about what they need to do to improve their work.  Achievement is improving rapidly. Standards in Key Stage 1 rose in 2014. In Key Stage 2, standards are strong in mathematics and slightly behind in reading and in writing.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including pupils in the resource provision for the visually impaired, make good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

progress from their starting points.  Gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers are closing rapidly.  The early years provision is good. Children settle into school life well and make good progress.  The curriculum is well planned and enables pupils to have a wide range of exciting learning opportunities.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not outstanding because pupils, particularly the most able, are not challenged well enough to make excellent progress.  Teachers do not give pupils enough opportunities to write more than short pieces of work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 16 lessons and part lessons. Three were observed jointly with senior leaders. The inspectors heard pupils reading in Year 2 and Year 6.  Pupils’ work in every year group was examined.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, other governors and school staff. A meeting was held with two representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 55 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also examined letters and spoke to parents at the end of the school day.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a large range of documents and policies. These included the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress and documents checking the quality of teaching and learning. They also examined records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The views of staff were analysed through the 21 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Bowes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Kings Copse Primary School is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is lower than the national average. One in seven pupils in the school is disadvantaged. The pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government for pupils eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after.  About one in six pupils are disabled pupils or have special educational needs. This proportion is similar to the national average.  The school has specially resourced provision for 14 pupils who have special educational needs for visual impairment. Currently, there are 10 pupils on roll.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The early years provision consists of a full-time Reception class.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 There is a breakfast club that is run by the governing body.  Since the previous inspection, there have been many staff changes, with 22 new staff joining the school during this time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently outstanding, by:  ensuring that pupils, particularly those who are most able, are always fully challenged to make excellent progress.  Make sure that pupils’ skills in writing are more effectively developed by ensuring that teachers enable pupils to write more and more often.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, other leaders and governors have rapidly improved the school since the last inspection. Determined leadership has established an ethos of improvement with positive impact on the quality of teaching through improving teachers’ understanding about how pupils learn best. Effective staff training is improving pupils’ progress across the school. Leaders have also improved pupils’ behaviour and attendance. The issues raised at the previous inspection have been effectively addressed.  After a period of many staff changes, most classes have a more settled teaching team and senior leaders teach in Year 3 where there are still absent staff. As a result, most pupils are making consistently good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  There are regular checks on the quality of teaching throughout the school and teachers are coached to improve their skills where necessary. As a result, the quality of teaching is good. Staff salary progression is

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The leadership and management are good

made dependent on pupils’ good progress.  Subject leaders are effective; they are well trained and regularly monitor progress in their areas of responsibility. They contribute to better teaching and, as a consequence, pupils achieve more.  Leaders at all levels work hard to foster good relationships among pupils and with staff. They effectively promote equal opportunity across all aspects of school life. Leaders combat discrimination and promote tolerance and respect for different faiths and lifestyles. As a result, the school is a harmonious community where pupils learn successfully together.  The school provides an interesting curriculum which is enhanced by a range of exciting trips, visits and clubs that pupils much enjoy. The curriculum enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have good opportunities to enhance their musical skills. Scientific discovery is

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The leadership and management are good

encouraged – such as the gardening club where pupils grow a range of produce.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain because topics are carefully planned to include this theme. For example, throughout their time in school, pupils learn about the rule of law and the responsibility of citizens.  The impact of the local authority on the school is helpful and effective. It initially helped to support the school in addressing the areas that required improvement at the last inspection. It currently works with the school on staff training and provides accurate reports on the progress that is made.  Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used well. Teachers and learning support assistants regularly check how well these pupils are doing and ensure that any additional assistance provided to these pupils quickly shows good results. Consequently, gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils

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The leadership and management are good

and others are closing.  The leadership of the specially resourced provision for those with a visual impairment is strong. Teachers and learning support assistants focus on enabling visually impaired pupils to become confident learners who engage in all class activities. Pupils reported that they particularly liked the horse-riding experience that was provided as part of their additional curriculum.  The provision for the visually impaired is well resourced with Braille machines and hand-held devices programmed to enable pupils to see the whiteboard more clearly. Leaders have high aspirations for these pupils, which are communicated to parents on a regular basis. The impact of the strong leadership is that visually impaired pupils make good progress.  Additional funding to promote sport and physical education is spent effectively. Money is spent on additional staff training and resources. Pupils have more opportunities to swim and more participate in

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The leadership and management are good

after-school sports clubs. As a result, pupils are healthier and attend more regularly.  The school has effective arrangements for safeguarding pupils, which meet statutory requirements. Consequently, records on all matters of safety are well maintained and the credentials of all visitors are carefully checked.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a clear understanding about how well the school is doing and what still needs to improve.  Governors know what the quality of teaching is. They have high expectations and ensure that there are challenging targets for staff which are linked to the progress of pupils in their classes. Pay awards are closely linked to achieving these aims. Governors support the headteacher to ensure that there is no underperformance of teachers. They oversee the effective arrangements for the management of staff performance.  Governors are aware of how the school is doing when compared to other schools nationally. They

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The leadership and management are good

analyse and interpret the data on progress and attainment and hold the school rigorously to account for the progress of all pupils.  Governors are well trained in safeguarding, ensuring that safe recruitment procedures are followed.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are courteous and welcoming to visitors. Relationships are warm and staff and pupils get on well together. Pupils are caring and supportive to each other and the impact of this is that the school functions as a harmonious community.  In the early years provision, for example, children enjoy sharing toys and equipment. They behave well, but with delight, when watching the actions of the school’s chickens.  There are effective systems to reward good behaviour and work which are well liked by pupils. Each day during the inspection, pupils in all year groups proudly showed the headteacher their ‘golden ticket’ slips, which reward their effort and good work.  Pupils take pride in their work during lessons and, consequently, their books are neat and tidy.  Pupils who have a disability, including a visual impairment or other special educational needs, flourish

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Behaviour

because of the strong ethos of care. This is provided by teaching staff, learning support assistants and other pupils.  Pupils’ social development is carefully developed through residential trips, such as to Brownsea Island. Moral development is well promoted; pupils have a clear sense of right from wrong and know the effect of their actions on others. Cultural and spiritual development is carefully planned through lessons and visits. For example, pupils enjoyed painting in the style of different artists – such as Kandinsky.  The breakfast club ensures that pupils get a nutritious and enjoyable start to the day.  Attendance is rapidly improving and is, currently, ahead of the latest national comparison.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  School safeguarding procedures are good. There are effective checks on staff prior to appointment. The building is kept secure.  The school takes much care to support vulnerable pupils.  Pupils, themselves, say that they feel safe in school, and this is also the view of their parents.  Teachers ensure that pupils understand how to keep themselves safe, both inside and outside school. Pupils know how important it is to keep their personal details private when using the internet. They know about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Younger pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe from strangers and how to cross the road safely.  Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying, including physical, homophobic and cyber bullying. Pupils say they have very few concerns regarding bullying in school. They know who they

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Safety

would go to if there was a problem and are confident that any issues would be quickly dealt with by staff.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and achievement is positive and good overall.  Teachers give great attention to ensuring that pupils develop their skills and a love of reading. The results of the phonic reading check improved considerably in 2014 to be above the national average. Pupils talk about the books they read with enthusiasm and make insightful comments about different authors.  Pupils are given opportunities to use and apply mathematics in everyday situations. The subject leader and other teachers ensure that pupils’ skills are developed systematically through the year groups. Pupils are helped to see the relevance of mathematics in everyday life and, as a result, they are making better progress.  Writing skills are less effectively developed by teachers because they do not plan enough activities to ensure that pupils write more extensively. Most writing is limited to specific responses and pupils lack the

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The quality of teaching is good

skills and practice to develop their ideas and compose longer pieces. Consequently, progress in writing is less strong than in other subjects.  There are occasions during lessons when pupils, particularly those who are most able, are not fully challenged. This situation restricts their progress.  Displays of pupils’ work and other materials around the school are stimulating and rewarding for pupils. Pupils report how much they enjoy watching the work of a visiting artist, who is painting a mural of key events from Stonehenge to the present day. Their own art work benefits from the methods they observe so closely and with such interest.  Teachers and learning support assistants are well trained because the leadership team makes sure staff develop their skills. For example, in the specially resourced provision for visually impaired pupils, some learning support assistants have followed extensive training in learning Braille. Teaching in the special

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The quality of teaching is good

resource is good. In all lessons observed, learning support assistants made a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.

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is good

 Pupils’ progress was adversely affected previously because of instability in staffing. This difficulty is largely resolved. Due to the impact of effective leaders and managers, pupils’ progress is improving rapidly in all year groups and much higher standards are evident. This is fully endorsed by the work in pupils’ books and the school’s own records. Most pupils are making, at least, good progress.  Standards in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 have improved. In 2014, Key Stage 1 results were ahead of the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. In Key Stage 2, standards were also ahead of national results in reading, but a little lower in writing and mathematics. Standards in all year groups are, currently, rapidly improving.  The progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils in relation to other pupils nationally are improving. In 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, when compared to that of their classmates, was about

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is good

two terms behind them in reading, writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils were over a term behind other pupils nationally in reading and three terms behind in writing and mathematics.  Gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers are closing rapidly. In some year groups, disadvantaged pupils are making better progress than their peers, for example in reading and writing in Year 4.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is due to careful monitoring which ensures that the education provided by the school effectively meets their needs.  Within the visually impaired resourced provision, pupils make good progress from their starting points. Their needs are expertly met and pupils are given the confidence to develop their skills in a supportive environment.  The achievement of the most able is improving. In 2014 in Key Stages 1 and 2, the most able achieved

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is good

above the national average in reading and mathematics. In writing, achievement was in line with the national average at Key Stage 1 and below at Key Stage 2. Inspection findings confirmed the most able were making good progress in many, but not all, classes because teaching was, occasionally, not challenging enough.

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is good

 Children start school with skills and abilities which are broadly typical, but sometimes lower in communication, language and personal development. Achievement has steadily improved and the proportion of children reaching a good level of development is close to the national average. As a result, children are generally well prepared for Year 1.  Children settle happily into school and parents report that they are very pleased with the way that the school supports their children. Parents also rightly feel that their children are kept safe and secure at school. Behaviour in the Reception class is good.  Leaders and managers ensure provision is effective because there is a strong focus on developing children’s language skills as well as their social, emotional and personal development. Leaders ensure a calm atmosphere in which children can explore both the inside and outside environment.  Teaching is good because staff extend children’s skills and knowledge during both play and directed

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is good

activities. Children are encouraged to learn new sounds and letters. They have ample opportunities to use pencils and form letters and words.

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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 116060 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 453659

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 206 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Laura Gest Headteacher Gavin Hayman Date of previous school inspection 17 January 2013 Telephone number 01489785040 Fax number 01489785040 Email address adminoffice@kingscopse.hants.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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