Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Wilby, Eye, IP21 5LR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership is good. School leaders, including governors, have high aspirations for the school and are working effectively to make further improvements in teaching and achievement.  Pupils make good and often outstanding progress from starting points that are broadly typical. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics in 2014 was amongst the highest in the country.  Most teaching is highly effective. The work in pupils’ books indicates that teaching is typically good and often outstanding.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is outstanding. Senior leaders, including governors, ensure that the school is a safe and secure place in which to learn.  Governors understand their role and are effective in ensuring that pupils achieve well. They are well informed about the work of the school and provide good support and challenge to senior leaders.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development is good. The broad range of subjects covered, along with the school’s caring and nurturing ethos, prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.  Behaviour is good. Pupils get on well with each other and are courteous and respectful to the adults who work with them.  The school provides many opportunities for pupils to participate and excel in sport, music and the arts.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Assessment is not used effectively in the Early Years Foundation Stage to enable all children to make good progress in all areas of learning.  The quality of pupils’ presentation and handwriting is not always good enough.  Teachers do not always provide pupils with enough guidance about how to improve their work, particularly in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics. Errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar are sometimes not corrected. Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in seven lessons, two of which were seen together with the headteacher.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including information about pupils’ attainment and progress, safeguarding, behaviour and leaders’ monitoring of teaching.  The inspector looked at work in pupils’ books and records of the learning of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The inspector held meetings with school leaders, teachers, a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body.  The inspector spoke both formally and informally with groups of pupils. He listened to some pupils read and talked to them about their reading habits. He also briefly observed activities at the breakfast and after-school club.  The inspector took account of the 25 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and

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Information about this inspection

held informal discussions with parents and carers at the start of the school day. He also took account of the seven responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than most primary schools.  Most pupils are White British. The numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language is extremely low.  Pupils are taught in four classes, with each class covering two year groups.  At 20%, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for funding through the pupil premium is below average. This is additional government funding which, in this school, supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  At 9%, the proportion of disabled pupils, and those who have special educational needs, is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school part way through the year, at around one in five, is higher than usually found.  There have been significant changes to the teaching staff over the past 18 months.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  Children in the Reception year attend full-time. Nursery children attend on a part-time basis.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality and use of assessment in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that all children make good progress and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Raise standards further, particularly in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics, by:  making sure that all teachers provide specific feedback to pupils about how to improve their work  improving the quality of pupils’ presentation and handwriting  correcting errors in pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar more systematically. Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 4 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is well led and managed. School leaders, including governors, have high aspirations for the school and have created a very positive ethos in which pupils behave well and thrive, both personally and academically. Leaders are working effectively to make further improvements to teaching and learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders make regular checks on the quality of teaching and ensure that teachers, particularly those who are new to the profession, are provided with good levels of support and training. As a result, during what has been a period of significant change at the school, high standards have been maintained.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders for mathematics and English take responsibility for improving teaching and checking the progress pupils make in their subjects. They scrutinise pupils’ work in books in order to ensure that school policies are being followed and that pupil progress is good. However, the monitoring of work in some subjects, such as geography and science, is not rigorous enough. The quality of handwriting and presentation is also not as good in these subjects and errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling can go unchecked.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are a strength of the school. School leaders and other adults successfully promote qualities such as empathy, respect for others and kindness. As a result, pupils are considerate and kind towards one another and relate extremely well to adults. Pupils also have a good understanding of different races and religions and of what it takes to be a good member of the school community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Through assemblies, and well-planned programmes of study in geography, history and science, pupils gain an understanding of themselves, their local community and the wider world in which they live. Pupils’ regular involvement in learning activities outside of the school also helps them to develop a strong understanding of British values, such as justice and respect for the law. For example, at the time of the inspection the Year 6 pupils were about to visit the Houses of Parliament to gain a better understanding of how democracy works.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching in subjects such as art, music and physical education is often led by specialist teachers or coaches. This has helped pupils to improve their knowledge and skills in these areas and also to develop an interest in music, the arts and a wide variety of sports. One parent, who wrote to the inspector, stated that, ‘music brings the whole school community together’.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has developed a positive partnership with parents and is constantly looking for ways to engage them with school life in general and, in particular, with pupils’ learning. All parents who were spoken to during the inspection, or who completed Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire Parent View, would recommend the school to others.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes effective use of pupil premium funding to support eligible pupils. The additional funding is used in a wide range of ways, including the provision of staffing for individual pupils and small-group tuition as well as other enrichment experiences, such as music lessons. It is also used to support attendance at the school’s breakfast and after-school clubs, which provide pupils with a good range of sporting and educational experiences.

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The leadership and management are good

 Additional sports funding has helped the school to provide a greater range of sporting activities for pupils. This has resulted in higher levels of participation. In some classes, sports coaches have worked alongside teachers to develop their expertise. Funds are also being used to purchase a school minibus which will allow greater levels of participation in inter-school sports.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has given good support to the school and has a good understanding of the school’s effectiveness. Professional development opportunities have been provided for teachers, for example through visits to schools within the locality to observe and share good practice. School leaders, including governors, have also received a good balance of challenge and support which has helped the school to Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 5 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body ensures that the school runs effectively and pupils achieve well. Governors have high expectations. They are well informed about the work of the school and understand where strengths and relative weaknesses lie. They work effectively with the headteacher to check and review the quality and impact of teaching and they have taken decisive action to challenge and address areas of underperformance.  Governors communicate well with parents and provide regular newsletters to keep them informed about key issues facing the school.  Governors hold the school rigorously to account for its performance. They receive regular reports from senior leaders on pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. They are fully informed about financial matters such as how the school spends the pupil premium and sports funding and the difference that it is making to pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors carry out their duties relating to safeguarding diligently, and have made sure that appropriate policies and procedures are fully in place.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Wilby is a harmonious school where pupils thrive. Good relationships between adults and pupils are a key factor in the school’s success.

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Behaviour

 Bullying is not tolerated at this school. Pupils spoken to during this inspection said that incidents of bullying were extremely rare and dealt with effectively. The school deals with issues such as bullying, in assembly and during discussion time in class. A recent focus for discussion was the importance of saying ‘No’ to being a bystander and speaking out against bullying.

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Behaviour

 Older pupils enjoy taking responsibility and willingly help others. This was seen, for example, in the way that pupils help to tidy the school hall at the end of dinner time so that it is ready for use at the start of the afternoon.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted successfully. Pupils are courteous, polite and respectful of other people’s views. They show a good understanding of different cultures and faiths.

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Behaviour

 Attendance has previously been a weak area of the school. However, school leaders took firm action to reduce absenteeism. As a result attendance has improved considerably and was above the national average in 2014.

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Behaviour

 Although pupils work hard during lessons they do not always show enough pride in the way they present their work. For example, handwriting is generally untidy and pupils often fail to set their work out neatly, particularly in subjects other than writing and mathematics.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. School leaders, including governors, have established highly effective systems to ensure that pupils are able to enjoy exciting learning opportunities, both within and outside of the school, in a safe manner.

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Safety

 Safeguarding requirements are fully met. All staff and governors have undertaken safeguarding training that is relevant to their roles and responsibilities. Policies are reviewed regularly and excellent systems are in place to ensure that appropriate checks are made on all adults who work in the school.

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Safety

 The school ensures that pupils are aware of both the benefits and dangers of internet use. Pupils are taught how to stay safe when using the internet and other digital technology. Advice, about issues such as the age suitability of on-line games, is also shared with parents. Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 6 of 10

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Safety

 All of the parents spoken to during this inspection, and those who completed the online survey Parent View, feel that their children are safe and well looked after at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The work in pupils’ books indicates that teaching is usually good and is sometimes outstanding. As a result all pupils achieve well and, by the time they leave the school, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught exceptionally well. All pupils, including the least able, quickly become competent readers. Younger readers, who read to the inspector, used their knowledge of phonics (the sounds that letters represent) to work out unfamiliar words. They also read with interest and expression. Older pupils read widely and often. They talked knowledgeably to the inspector about their preferred authors and their favourite books.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics is effective. Teachers have good subject knowledge and provide pupils with regular opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills to solve problems. Support provided for the least able pupils helps to ensure that gaps in their learning are closed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The work in pupils’ books shows that pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are given regular opportunities to write at length and for different purposes. Teaching, particularly in Year 5 and Year 6, supports the learning and progress of the most able pupils extremely well by ensuring high levels of challenge in the activities that are planned for them. Some of the written work seen in these books was outstanding. One pupil, who was writing about life in the First World War, expressed a view by described the conflict as ‘a trench full of lies’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the activities which are provided for children do not always build on what children already know. As a result, children do not always make the rapid progress in their learning that they are capable of.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. They liaise closely with teachers and provide effective support, usually to small groups or individual pupils. They help to ensure that pupils who require additional support in lessons, such as those with special educational needs, learn well and make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Scrutiny of pupils’ books during the inspection showed that teachers mark work regularly and, in some instances, they provide advice for pupils about how to further improve their work. However, in some year groups this does not happen regularly enough for pupils to learn from the mistakes that they have made. In subjects other than English and mathematics teachers often fail to correct errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling. As a result, pupils often continue to make the same errors.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are confident and able to communicate effectively. This is because teachers regularly emphasise the importance of developing speaking and listening skills. Pupils are often provided with opportunities to speak during lessons and many also present their work during weekly ‘celebration’ assemblies. Older pupils recently performed a production entitled ‘Archie Hamilton’s War’ to mark the centenary of the First World War. This was extremely well received by parents and the wider school community.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of pupils making better than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics in 2014 was significantly above the national average. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has been significantly above the national average for the past three years. The results in 2014 were amongst the highest in the country.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Reading is taught well across the school. Recent improvements to the teaching of reading, in the Early Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 7 of 10

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The achievement of pupils is good

Years Foundation Stage and Year 1, led to a higher proportion of pupils achieving the standard in the phonics check in 2014. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 was below the national average in 2014 but improvements in the quality of teaching and learning are resulting in current pupils achieving better standards. Progress in Key Stage 2 has been good over recent years. In 2014, Year 6 pupils were on average more than a year ahead of the expected level in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in writing and attain high standards. At the end of Year 6 in 2014, attainment was significantly above the national average. Previously high standards were mainly due to rapid progress in Key Stage 2. However, the work in pupils’ books this year indicates that standards are improving across Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in mathematics is outstanding. Pupils acquire calculation skills well. Regular assessments ensure that pupils of all abilities are provided with high levels of challenge. At the end of Year 6, in 2014, pupils were an average of two years ahead of the expected level.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics, as seen in pupils’ books, is not as rapid as it should be. This is because presentation is not good enough and basic errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling are often not corrected.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils, including those who are disabled and those who are disadvantaged, make good progress and, by the time they leave the school, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education. In 2014 there were too few disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 to report specifically on their attainment, without identifying individuals.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils make outstanding progress. They have extremely positive attitudes to learning. Teachers and teaching assistants ensure that the tasks set for them are suitably demanding.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who join the school part way through the year are made to feel welcome, settle in quickly and achieve well. This is due to teachers making accurate assessments of their abilities and providing effective teaching and high quality care, guidance and support.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Leaders’ work to strengthen the Early Years Foundation Stage is resulting in improved outcomes for all groups of pupils. In 2014 the vast majority of children achieved a good level of development. However, although phonics is now taught well, teachers do not always use assessment information effectively to plan activities which are challenging to all children in other key areas of learning.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Most children start at the school with knowledge, understanding and skills which are typical for their age. Recent improvements in the quality of teaching led to more children being well prepared for the next stage of their education when they transferred to Year 1 at the beginning of this school year.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 There are positive relationships between adults and children. As a result, the children feel safe, are confident and relate well to adults and to their peers. Children who are disabled or have special educational needs are well supported and make good progress from their starting points.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage have been successful in developing children’s personal and social development. Children are well behaved. They understand and willingly follow the well-established daily routines that support their good behaviour and safety. They learn how to become independent, for example collecting and eating their daily snacks sensibly without adult support.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Children share resources, take turns and show consideration for others. However, some activities lack specific purpose so it is not clear what children are expected to learn.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Good links with parents, including well-organised transition arrangements, help to ensure that entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage and into Year 1, are positive experiences for children. Inspection report: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 8 of 10

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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: Wilby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 January 2015 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 124747 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 444350

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 78 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kim Palmer Headteacher Philippa Coleman Date of previous school inspection 1 November 2006 Telephone number 01379 384708 Fax number 01379 384708 Email address admin@wilby.suffolk.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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