Kings Cliffe Endowed Primary School

Kings Cliffe Endowed Primary School Park Street, Kings Cliffe, Peterborough, PE8 6XN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 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 is well led and managed by an effective, highly committed headteacher. She provides decisive leadership and has worked with governors to create a climate of high expectations in which teaching is good and pupils achieve well.  The vast majority of parents are extremely supportive of the school. They agree that their children are happy and are well taught. One parent said, ‘It’s the best decision I made, moving my child to this school.’  Most teaching is good, with some that is outstanding. This ensures that all groups of pupils make at least good progress from their various starting points.  Pupils achieve standards that are above national averages at the end of Key Stage 1 in mathematics, reading and writing because teaching is good across the whole of Key Stage 1.  When pupils leave the school at the end of Year 4, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is well above that expected for their age.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The teaching of phonics and reading is good throughout the school. Pupils speak enthusiastically about reading and the books they have read.  Pupils’ behaviour and the school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure are outstanding. Pupils are polite, well mannered and enjoy coming to school. They feel safe, get along well together and are keen to learn.  The school is successful at promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Confident, lively teaching in the Reception class provides children with a positive start to their school life. They settle quickly and make good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not outstanding because there is not always the right amount of challenge for pupils of middle ability in every class. Consequently, pupils do not make consistently rapid progress as they move through the school.  Middle leaders are still developing skills needed to monitor teaching and achievement in areas other than Mathemetics and English.  Not all governors have a good understanding of the school’s pupil performance data or of its new assessment arrangements.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in eight lessons, observing all the classes in the school and all the teachers at least once. Three of these observations took place jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also made shorter visits to a recorder concert, an assembly and a number of other lessons and activities.  The inspector examined samples of pupils’ work in books and on display and listened to pupils read.  The inspector met groups of pupils, the Chair and three other members of the governing body. She had discussions with the headteacher and all the teachers. She had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority. The inspector also held informal discussions with some parents and carers as they brought their children to school, and also during a coffee morning held at the school.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour around school, in lessons, at playtime and during lunch time in

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Information about this inspection

the dining hall.  The inspector looked at a range of evidence including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans; the school’s checks on its own performance; the school’s data relating to pupils’ progress; documentation on behaviour and safeguarding; the school website; information on attendance; work in pupils’ books and displays of pupils’ work around school.  In planning and carrying out the inspection, inspectors took account of 53 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View and two letters from parents. 17 questionnaires completed by teaching and support staff were also considered.

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Inspection team

Lindsay Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average sized primary school. It has one class per year group from Reception to Year 4. Reception children attend full time.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well below average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium provides additional government funding for those who are known to be eligible for free school meals and for children in the care of the local authority.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and a very small minority speak English as an additional language.  There have been significant changes in staffing since the previous inspection. The headteacher came into post in September 2013 and two newly qualified teachers joined the school during that year. The Reception teacher and the coordinator for special educational needs joined the school in September 2014.

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Information about this school

 A new Chair of the governing body was elected in September 2013, and five new governors have joined the governing body in the last year.  The school currently holds the Eco Award-Green Flag and the Kite mark School Games, Silver Award.  There is a playgroup, a breakfast club and an after-school club on the school site. These are managed by a private provider and were not included in this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is typically outstanding and pupils in every class make rapid progress, by ensuring the work set always provides the right amount of challenge for middle ability pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  ensuring more governors develop the skills they need to analyse pupil performance data effectively, and develop a better understanding of the school’s new assessment arrangements  developing the skills of middle leaders so that they are able to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in their subject areas effectively.

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The leadership and management are good

 The highly effective headteacher, ably supported by two senior leaders, provides clear strategic direction for the school. She has secured the full confidence of staff, governors and parents and carers. Staff morale is high. Everyone shares the same high expectations and ambition, which enables the school to continue to improve and progress. The school has maintained the excellent standards of pupils’ behaviour and their enthusiasm for learning seen at the time of the last inspection. Consequently, pupils achieve well across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s development plan and self-evaluation are accurate. The school’s leaders have a realistic view of the school and its priorities for improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systems designed to improve the quality of teaching are good. Leaders observe teaching regularly and provide staff with feedback on how to improve. They ensure teachers’ pay is linked closely to their performance and their targets for improving pupils’ progress are invariably challenging.

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The leadership and management are good

 Newly appointed middle leaders with responsibility for subjects other than mathematics and English are not yet fully involved in monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in their subject areas. As a result of coaching, training and the opportunity to observe effective practice in other schools, their skills are improving, but they are at an early stage of development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s newly-devised curriculum is broad, balanced and exciting. New assessment arrangements for English and mathematics are in use across the school. The curriculum interests the pupils and contributes strongly not only to their academic success but also to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy a range of trips and activities which broaden their experiences and their understanding of the world, for example through visits to Fineshades Wood and Cadbury’s World.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils learn about different cultures and faiths and are taught to be respectful of others’ beliefs and practices. The school promotes the importance of key values, such as tolerance and respect, very strongly, and prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about the nature of democracy through their involvement in the election of members of the school council, Eco council and the ‘sports crew’. They enjoy the good opportunities the school provides for them to learn to play a musical instrument, and during the inspection older pupils gave an impressive recorder concert for the school and parents.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff take full advantage of assemblies to provide good opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual awareness and their understanding of relationships. The school places great importance on pupils showing good attitudes to their learning and effort, and celebrates their personal achievements wherever it can.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes equality of opportunity well by tracking the progress of pupils carefully and swiftly taking action if there are signs of potential underachievement. Pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure disadvantaged pupils play a full part in school life and achieve well. Additional teaching assistants focus on improving literacy and numeracy skills and supporting the emotional needs of disadvantaged pupils. As a result, the progress of these pupils is good.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders ensure the primary school sport funding is used effectively to support several different activities. A specialist sports teacher works alongside teachers and this increases teachers’ confidence and skill when teaching physical education lessons. Pupils have the opportunity to develop their skills and take part in a range of team games and sports, including yoga, swimming and group dance. More pupils are now involved in sport and competitions with local schools. Most also attend after school sports clubs, adding to their healthy lifestyles and sense of well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

 Most parents are extremely positive about every aspect of the school. They feel that the school communicates well with them about their children’s learning and that their children are well cared for in a happy learning atmosphere. They say the school is approachable and any concerns are listened to. They especially appreciate the ‘meet and greet’ on the playground every morning, by the headteacher and her staff. They appreciate the opportunity this brings for informal discussion, to ask questions or raise any concerns. The school website is very informative and parents also receive weekly newsletters to keep them up to date with school information and events.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are thorough and meet all statutory requirements. School leaders ensure that all staff and governors are suitably trained and understand their responsibilities for ensuring that pupils are safe.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides appropriate levels of support for this good school, for example in helping it to prepare for its move to a new site and in extending its age range up to Year 6 over the next two years.

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The governance of the school:

 Governors are well-informed about the quality of teaching, learning and pupils’ behaviour. Some governors have a good knowledge and understanding of the data about pupils’ performance and the school’s new assessment arrangements, but this is not as widespread as it might be across all members. Governors contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and have a clear view of how well the school is doing and where it needs to improve. They have been highly committed and actively involved in the plans to move the school to its new site and extend the age range. Governors hold the school to account by asking searching questions and by setting challenging targets as part of the headteacher’s appraisal. They also make sure that pupils’ achievement is taken into account when making decisions about teachers’ pay. The governing body manages finances effectively and is knowledgeable about how the pupil premium and primary school sport funding are spent and checks very carefully that they have

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The governance of the school:

a very positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Governors ensure the school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils and staff meets government requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are polite, considerate and respectful towards adults and one another. When speaking to visitors they are well mannered and confident. Pupils’ behaviour in and around school, in the classrooms, the dining hall and on the playground and school field is excellent. Pupils are sensible and responsible at all times. They move around the building extremely well, with little or no fuss as they go from activity to activity.

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Behaviour

 Very little time is wasted in lessons because pupils concentrate well on their work and have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are proud of their work and the presentation of work in books is exemplary across all year groups and subjects. This love of learning contributes to the good and often outstanding progress made in lessons.

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Behaviour

 Pupils spoken to during the inspection commented on how much they enjoyed school. They felt safe and were proud to belong to the school. This was also reinforced by parental comments. One parent stated that her child, ‘loved her teacher and would come to school at the weekends if she could.’ This is supported by the high levels of attendance.

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Behaviour

 In lessons, teachers’ high expectations, their own excellent exemplary respect for others and their regular use of praise and encouragement all contribute to the pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and their good achievement. The regular focus on different values helps pupils reflect on their own attitudes and behaviour, build their social conscience, and develop their consideration for others and their strong sense of what is right and wrong. This contributes greatly to the welcoming atmosphere that pervades the whole school and its purposeful and positive climate for learning.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Safeguarding procedures, including staff training and recruitment, are comprehensive and thorough and fully meet requirements. Any concerns about any pupil’s welfare are acted on swiftly. Perimeter fencing is secure and checked regularly and rigorous procedures are in place to check and monitor visitors. Practice fire drills involving the children are carried out termly and all safety checks on equipment and services are up to date.

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Safety

 Incidents of bullying are extremely rare and there have been no racist incidents for many years. The school is strongly committed to providing equal opportunities for all pupils and discrimination is not tolerated. As a result pupils are very caring and supportive of each other.

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Safety

 Pupils enjoy taking on responsibility. Older pupils are trained as playtime buddies and the ‘sports crew’, organise games and support playtime activities. They also help as lunchtime and assembly monitors.

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Safety

 Pupils have a sensible view of everyday risks and have age-appropriate knowledge of some of the steps they can take to keep themselves safe. They are especially well informed about how to keep safe when using the internet. Pupils show a good understanding of the different sorts of bullying. They are confident that the adults in school will help them to sort out any problems should they arise.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good, with some that is outstanding. This has helped maintain pupils’ good achievement over time. Teachers prepare work at different levels of challenge for pupils and the most-able are particularly well challenged to ensure they make rapid progress. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils also benefit from good teaching and support that ensures they, too, achieve well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Classroom relationships are excellent. Pupils are confidently ask for clarification if they do not understand the key learning point of the activity or lesson, and are willing to take risks and persevere with a task. Pupils work hard and want to do well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers encourage pupils to prompt one another to help them to recall relevant prior learning and to develop their understanding. Teachers help pupils develop the confidence to share their ideas and read their work aloud. Their classmates are interested and listen attentively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make), and of reading and writing is especially strong. It is based effectively on well thought-out approaches, which are applied across the school. This ensures pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress in their learning from year to year.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and their enthusiasm inspires pupils, supporting good progress in literacy and numeracy. Tasks are purposeful and motivating. Teachers’ plan lessons which build on pupils’ previous knowledge and skills very well. During the inspection, for example, pupils in Year 2 were challenged to use ambitious vocabulary to write a story about a tapir in the rain forests. The teacher encouraged pupils to draw on phonic skills to spell the words for themselves and to use their knowledge of the rainforests from their topic work, to find words that were appropriately descriptive.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of handwriting is very effective. Teachers establish correct letter formation and pencil grip in the Reception class. By Year 2, most pupils write using correctly formed joined handwriting, and achieve their ‘pen license’. The high quality work that pupils have completed in their books is beautifully presented, demonstrating their pride in their work and their excellent attitudes towards their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics is also effective. Work seen in books demonstrates that pupils are taught secure mathematical skills. Progress is good because pupils have regular opportunities to use and apply their learning in a variety of ways across different subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants form a strong partnership with teachers and make a valuable contribution to the good progress and learning of pupils of all abilities. Their support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and for pupils who receive additional funding, is especially good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All teachers are very good at checking how well pupils are doing on a day-to-day basis. Teachers and teaching assistants are very skilled at using questions to check pupils’ understanding.  There are some excellent examples of marking and feedback. Feedback is given verbally and pupils’ work is marked thoroughly. Teachers consistently give pupils clear pointers about what to do next. They ensure pupils act on the advice given to them in marking and other feedback.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most parents who completed the Parent View survey and all who were spoken to during the inspection felt that their children are taught well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make good use of homework and link the tasks they set carefully to pupils’ learning in lessons. This motivates pupils to extend their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Although teaching is good, the very best practice in teaching is not evident in every class. In some classes, work is not always adapted sufficiently to meet the needs of middle ability pupils, which is why teaching is not yet outstanding.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There is significant variation from year to year in the skills and knowledge that children already have when they join the Reception class. However, from their different starting points, pupils make good progress during their time in the early years and are well prepared to start learning in Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1. The above average results in the phonics (linking sounds and letters) screening check at the end of Year 1 show that pupils are learning to read well. In both 2013 and 2014 the proportion reaching the expected standard was well above the national average. Year 1 pupils who read to the inspector drew on their phonic knowledge confidently to break down unfamiliar words and the most-able pupils read fluently and with expression.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 For the previous three years, standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been significantly above the national average by the end of Year 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Year 4 pupils are confident readers and enjoy reading. They are able to use a range of strategies to help them read unfamiliar words and correct themselves if they read aloud something that does not make sense. As a result of the school’s encouragement, they are able to read different kinds of texts confidently and accurately, which supports their learning well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who join the school in other year groups are carefully assessed so no pupil is disadvantaged. School information shows these pupils make good progress from their various stating points.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who have English as an additional language, or who are eligible for the pupil premium, is too small to comment on their attainment without identifying them. All these groups of pupils receive well-targeted one-to-one and small group support for their literacy and numeracy, and make progress similar to, and sometimes above, that of their peers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils reach high standards in their work. The proportion of the most-able pupils achieving the higher levels at the end of Year 2 was well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. By the time they leave the school in Year 4, the most-able pupils have often made outstanding progress from their starting points in the Reception class. Their attainment is well above that expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school supports the small number of disabled pupils and those who special educational needs well and they make good progress from their individual starting points. This is because their needs are identified early and they receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants.

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The early years provision is good

 Children start in the Reception class with knowledge and skills that are broadly typical for their age. However, within each year group there is a wide variation in children’s abilities, ranging from those judged to be among the most-able children to those who are disabled or who have a special educational need.

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The early years provision is good

 Through good teaching and careful guidance, children make good progress. By the end of the Reception year, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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The early years provision is good

 Adults develop children’s understanding and skills in phonics, reading and writing well. During the inspection, the teacher skilfully questioned a group of children, promoting their language and imagination so that they were able to create a plan for a story about an adventure for three horses. Later the children accurately wrote up the story in their own words, using support from an adult and drawing on phonic skills to spell words, demonstrating good progress.

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The early years provision is good

 The Reception classroom and adjoining outside area are spacious and well planned, allowing pupils to choose activities and to work effectively in groups, pairs or individually. Activities are imaginative and capture their enthusiasm and appeal to their interests. A group of boys were observed working together to mix mud in a toy concrete mixer and build a wall. The teacher took the opportunity to promote their language and early number skills, asking them how they could make the wall stronger, how many bricks they had used and how many more bricks they needed.

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The early years provision is good

 Excellent relationships between children and adults ensure that they kept safe and feel secure. Adults’ expectations of good behaviour and the clear routines they have established ensure that children behave well and respect each other, resulting in their well-developed personal and social skills.

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The early years provision is good

 During the inspection parents were very positive and spoke highly of their children’s experience of school and of the information which they receive on their progress.

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The early years provision is good

 The setting is led and managed effectively by the newly appointed early years teacher. She has an accurate view of how well children are doing and what needs to be done to improve further. Examples of children’s own work are annotated and detailed assessment notes are collated in individual ‘learning journals’ so that everyone know how children are progressing and what they will learn next. Staff track children’s progress carefully and carry out regular observations in order to plan work that builds on their interests and abilities.

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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 122012 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 453170

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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. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 119 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Dresner Headteacher Lynda Bowyer Date of previous school inspection 7-8 December 2010 Telephone number 01780 470259 Fax number 01780 470947 Email address bursar@kingscliffe.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 .

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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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