Stanton Under Bardon Community Primary School

Stanton Under Bardon Community Primary School Main Street, Stanton-under-Bardon, Markfield, LE67 9TQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy 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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children get a good start to school life in the early years class. Exciting activites help them develop skills and make good progress.  Throughout the school, pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils currently in Year 6 are working at above expected standards.  Teachers make sure lessons are lively and interesting. Their good subject knowledge enables teachers to ask probing questions which move pupils forward rapidly in their learning.  Pupils behave well in and around school. Pupils of all ages get on well together and older pupils look out for younger ones. Pupils are enthusiastic and keen to talk about their lessons.  Pupils are completely safe when they are in school because of the good care adults take of them. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in different situations, such as when using the internet and on the roads.  The school is well led by the headteacher. She knows all the pupils and rigorously checks that none

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

are falling behind.  Leaders make sure that the quality of teaching is good and that all groups of pupils make rapid progress.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is particularly good. Their needs are accurately identified and the effective support they receive helps them thrive and match the progress made by their classmates.  Governors are very supportive and have high aspirations for the school. They ask the headteacher challenging questions to make sure she is improving the school.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although leaders have refined the way that literacy and mathematics are taught, these changes are not yet fully embedded in all classes. This means that pupils do not make the really rapid progress that some are capable of achieving.  While some support staff ask pupils questions which extend and deepen their learning, not all support staff have such good questioning skills.  Governors’ systems for checking how well the school is doing are not systematic enough. They do not allow them to report their findings as clearly as they need to.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Stanton Under Bardon Community Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 October 2013. When its predecessor school, also called Stanton Under Bardon Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall.  Although an academy, it is referred to as a school.  The inspector observed pupils’ learning in eight lessons, four of which she observed together with the headteacher.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other staff, a group of pupils and two governors.  The inspector held informal discussions with pupils and parents.  The inspector took account of the 13 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View, the 21 responses to Parent View in paper format, as well as the replies to the school’s own parental questionnaire, pupils’ questionnaires and the 14 completed staff questionnaires.  During the inspection, two classes were off-site on an educational visit for one day. Pupils in Years 3, 4

p.2

Information about this inspection

and 5 went to swimming lessons for the afternoon on the first day of the inspection.  The inspector observed the school’s work and reviewed a range of documentation including: the school’s checks on its performance; its analysis and tracking of pupils’ progress; records of behaviour and safety; school improvement plans; records relating to classroom observations and the management of staff performance; safeguarding arrangements; and records of meetings of the governing body.  The inspector also looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and checked information on attendance.

p.2

Inspection team

Susan Hughes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Until September 2014, the school took pupils up to the end of Year 5. Currently, pupils stay until the end of Year 6; July 2015 will be the first instance of pupils leaving the school at the end of Key Stage 2.  Children in the early years attend full-time in the Reception class at the beginning of the year in which they are five.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than in most schools and no pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium, which is additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority, is below average.

p.3

Information about this school

 The headteacher takes responsibility for leading the teaching of literacy and the learning of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  The school works closely with other schools in the Symphony Primary Partnership. This is a group of 13 Leicestershire school whose staff share expertise and check that each other’s assessments are accurate. The school also works with the Enrich partnership, which is a group of local schools who provide additional learning and sporting opportunities for pupils.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to raise standards by embedding and developing current good practice, particularly with regard to the way literacy and numeracy are taught, to help pupils make even better progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Train support staff so that they can all ask the kinds of probing questions that help pupils develop a deeper understanding of what they are their learning.  Make sure that governors have good systems for checking how well the school is doing and that their findings are clearly reported.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s drive and commitment are evident in the school’s improved teaching, pupils’ good behaviour and motivation, and the rising academic standards the school has seen over recent years. She rigorously tracks pupils’ progress. As this is the first year that the school has had a Year 6 class, she has made sure that that these pupils’ good achievement is a key school priority. Her success in this regard means that they are effectively equipped for their move to secondary school.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Senior and subject leaders make sure that the different subjects are all taught to a high standard. They work alongside less experienced staff and lead training sessions to help staff develop their expertise. Leaders make good use of the school’s data on pupils’ progress to check the impact of teaching and regularly check pupils’ work to make sure they are all achieving well.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The appraisal system, which rewards teachers with a pay rise only when their pupils achieve well, contributes to the continually improving teaching. Leaders make their expectations of what teachers must achieve very clear and provide staff with good training and support to help them achieve them. All staff who completed the questionnaires agree that the school makes appropriate provision for their professional development.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s involvement in the Symphony Primary Partnership provides good opportunities for staff to share experiences and expertise, which they readily take. Group training sessions and meetings also help teachers refine their teaching skills and check that their assessments of pupils’ achievement are accurate and match those of other schools.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school uses the primary physical education and sport premium very effectively to provide high quality coaching for pupils and to help teachers improve their own teaching of sports and physical education. Pupils are extremely enthusiastic about physical education and develop secure sporting skills. During the inspection, pupils in the Reception and Year 1 class demonstrated how well they had progressed with batting and fielding skills in a rounders game led by the coach. The school’s involvement in the Enrich partnership has allowed it to provide many more opportunities for pupils to work with, or compete against, pupils from other schools. The school has recently been successful in local football and county cricket tournaments.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school uses the pupil premium effectively to help disadvantaged pupils achieve at least as well as their peers. The school has used much of this funding to provide additional adult support for pupils, either in lessons or on a one-to-one basis, as needed. It has also used it to make sure that no pupil is excluded from school trips or is unable to afford a school uniform.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school supports disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs particularly well. Teachers and support staff work well together to make sure that pupils receive the help they need in lessons, in small groups or individually when necessary. The school’s strong links with external agencies mean that it can provide specialist support to pupils with specific needs.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The subjects pupils learn are exciting and interesting. Teachers are increasingly using pupils’ enthusiasm for the topics they study to develop their literacy and numeracy skills even further. The recent refinements they have introduced into their teaching in these subjects are beginning to make a marked difference to pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics. For example, pupils in Year 6 debated the pros and cons of animals being kept in zoos during literacy lessons, and designed their own plans of zoos using area and perimeter knowledge in mathematics lessons. The school recognises, however, that these refinements are not yet fully embedded in all year groups across the school.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school provides plenty of opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Links with other schools in different areas, such as the City of Leicester, the United States of America and India, give pupils the chance to mix or communicate with those from different backgrounds. Stories, posters and messages around school focus pupils’ attention on the differences and similarities that characterise the backgrounds and faiths of the different groups of pupils in the school and in the local community. From as early as the Reception class, children learn about and celebrate different cultures. They quickly embrace key British values, such as understanding and respect for the beliefs and views of others. They see the democratic election of the school council as a fair system and older pupils showed a lively interest in the recent national election. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern, multicultural

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s positive drive to promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination is evident in the way pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and needs are supported by the school. By encouraging them to talk about their different emotions, the school helps pupils to understand why they react in different ways and how to respond appropriately to sometimes stressful situations. The school motto ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’ is displayed in all classrooms and encourages pupils to have faith and confidence in themselves. They respond well to this and spoke confidently to the inspector about how they enjoyed school and felt able to express their opinions.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Leaders ensure that the school’s safeguarding arrangements are robust and meet statutory requirements. All staff are well trained and make sure that any concerns about pupils’ well-being are reported and diligently followed up.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 School leaders regularly seek the views of parents through questionnaires and informal discussions at school events. Parents are very positive about the school. One commented on the positive way that leaders respond to parents’ suggestions, saying, ‘It is more than a paper exercise.’

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are very supportive and know the school well. They visit often and talk to staff and pupils to seek their views. Governors refer to school data on pupils’ progress confidently and they regularly question the headteacher to make sure that all groups of pupils are making good progress. They check that the pupil premium is supporting disadvantaged pupils effectively and know that most are working at similar levels to their school peers. Governors also appreciate how successfully the sports funding is used to encourage pupils to take part in sporting activites and develop strong sporting and physical education skills.  The headteacher regularly reports to governors on the quality of teaching in the school. Governors make sure that the appraisal system only rewards good teaching and that appropriate support is provided to address any weaker teaching.  While the governors know the strengths of the school and how it can improve, individual governors’

p.5

The leadership and management are good

checks are often done informally and are not always reported in full to the full governing body. Governors appreciate that systems to check how well the school is doing are not as robust as they could be in demonstrating their accountability to parents.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are courteous and polite to adults and to each other. All ages get on well and older pupils routinely keep an eye out for younger ones. During the inspection, pupils showed care and consideration for each other and they assured the inspector that this is normal, everyday behaviour.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils say behaviour is good. They are aware that some of their peers have very specific behavioural needs. They maturely told the inspector that some pupils ‘couldn’t help it’. They say that lessons are rarely disrupted and are very supportive of the few who find behaving well difficult. Most pupils’ behaviour improves considerably as the result of the consistent way teachers implement policies and the sensitive support provided by adults and their classmates.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils are very enthusiastic about their learning. They try hard in lessons and work equally well when on their own as they do when they are with other pupils. From the moment they enter Reception, pupils learn to listen to each other’s ideas and help each other. For example, when a pupil in Year 1 was unsure about how to set out her work when partitioning numbers into hundreds, tens and units in a mathematics lesson, her classmate automatically stepped in to help in a friendly and sensitive way.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils readily take on jobs, such as being ‘Little Rotters’ who collect recycled waste for composting on the allotment. Pupils in Year 6 take their seniority very seriously. One pupil told the inspector, ‘We have to be responsible as we are the new Year 6’. Other pupils see them as good role models.

p.6

Behaviour

 The school works closely with parents to encourage good attendance and punctuality. As a result, attendance is consistently above average and many pupils celebrate 100% attendance each term.

p.6

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe in school and told the inspector that this is because all the adults look after them. They gave examples of how attentive staff are in escorting pupils to their classroom at times when the gate is open for arrivals.

p.6

Safety

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe on the roads and older pupils learn to cycle safely. The Junior Road Safety Officers, who are older pupils trained especially in road safety, run regular quizzes and competitions to encourage safe behaviour. Before every holiday, pupils are reminded about safe places to play and to keep their parents informed about where they are at all times.

p.6

Safety

 Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. They appreciate why precautions are necessary and what to do if they have any concerns. They also know how use of technology for unkind reasons can constitute cyber bullying.

p.6

Safety

 Pupils demonstrated to the inspector that they fully understand what bullying is and the different forms it can take. Those spoken to during the inspection said there is very little bullying in school, and that the rare incidents that do occasionally occur are dealt with well by the adults. All pupils felt that there was always someone they could go to if they had a problem.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge, which helps them provide clear guidance for pupils about how they can improve their work. Teachers consistently make helpful comments when marking books and regularly discuss with individual pupils the next steps they need to take. Teachers also ask probing questions to check pupils’ understanding and deepen their knowledge. Pupils are routinely expected to explain how they came to an answer or why they have a particular view about something.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils learn about interesting topics in all year groups and individual teachers use these topics very effectively to develop pupils’ writing and numeracy skills in different subjects. For example, pupils in Years 4 and 5 wrote their own quest stories, having first discussed ancient tales when studying the Vikings. Reception children and pupils in Year 1 used their knowledge about traditional tales to write their own fascinating versions of the Three Little Pigs. Not all teachers, however, are wholly confident of their ability to teach literacy and numeracy in the imaginative and practical way that the school intends. Leaders recognise that there is more to do before its new approach is working as successfully in all classes as it is in the most effective.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Writing is taught well. The school has recently started to focus more closely on different types of sentence structure to help pupils make their writing more interesting. This has been highly successful and the standards of writing in the school are improving at a rapid rate. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Years 4 and 5 learnt to construct complex sentences that included reference to position, place, subject and actions in their main and subordinate clauses. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 used the sound of the sea to help them choose the most effective words to convey the right atmosphere in a seaside poem.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics is also good. Pupils learn basic mathematical skills and then use them to solve the interesting, practical problems that teachers set them. For example, during the inspection pupils in Year 6 tackled complex puzzles, which involved algebra, to crack the combination of some padlocks. Earlier in the year, pupils in Years 2 and 3 had used their knowledge of measurements to work out the tallest viable robot monster.  The teaching of reading is very effective. In the Reception class and as pupils move through Key Stage 1, phonics (the sounds letters represent in words) is taught well. Pupils quickly learn how to use these skills to read unfamiliar words. As they become more fluent, pupils learn to deduce what the author means, even if the text is not explicit. During the inspection, a pupil in Year 1 confidently sounded out the words ‘attishoo’ and ‘peaceful’. Older pupils maturely discussed different genres of books and which type they

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and support staff work together well to help all pupils make good progress. In general, additional adults are well briefed and many have had good training in how to support disable pupils and those who have special educational needs. They provide good support for these pupils in the classroom, while making sure that they do not become too dependent on adult help. On occasions, specific support is given on a one-to one basis to prepare pupils for future lessons or revisit learning that they initially found difficult.

p.7

The quality of teaching is good

 Some support staff are skilled in asking questions which lead pupils to an answer or deeper understanding. Some, however, too readily accept simple answers or give pupils too much information without enabling them to work the answer out for themselves.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. However, in the most recent years their personal, social, emotional, and language skills have been less well developed than their other skills. Nevertheless, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development is just above average and increasing year on year.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils generally start in Key Stage 1 with secure standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The results of the most recent screening check on how well Year 1 pupils understand phonics were above average, representing an improving trend over recent years. In 2014, standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1, while being still broadly average, had improved on the previous year. The upward trend in standards has continued with the current Year 2 pupils.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils currently in Year 6 are working at above expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. School tracking data provides strong evidence that they have made good progress since entering Year 3. A high proportion of pupils have made considerably more than expected progress since they left Key Stage 1, especially in writing and mathematics. School data suggests that pupils in other years have made equally good progress since the start of this academic year.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make particularly good progress. This is because their needs are identified early and the experienced headteacher appreciates when the school can provide the support that is needed or when expert external help is needed. Support for pupils is checked regularly to make sure that it is effective.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The number of disadvantaged pupils who are supported by the pupil premium across the school as a whole and in individual year groups is small. School data and the inspector’s own observations indicate that they make very good progress, and in many cases are working at or above the level of other pupils in the school.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils make good progress. Teachers ensure that their work in lessons builds effectively on what these pupils already know, then extends and deepens their knowledge. An above average proportion of pupils is working at levels higher than those expected for their age.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 The early years staff provide a safe, vibrant environment in which children thrive and learn effectively. Despite coming from many different pre-school experiences, children quickly settle into school routines and make friends. The caring staff help them feel safe and grow in confidence so that they enjoy their learning and consistently behave well.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Teaching is good and all adults work closely together to support the children in their care. This ensures that the great majority of children make good progress in all the required areas of learning. Children work happily alongside pupils in Year 1, but also have dedicated time on their own so that staff can develop their specific needs and strengths. The imaginative and well-planned activities that adults provide, such as puppet making, inventing super-heroes for a ‘Super-Hero Bureau’ and playing musical instruments, excite children’s interest and help develop their love of learning.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 The leadership of the early years phase is good. The leader ensures teachers’ assessments of children’s progress are accurate and tracks their progress rigorously to make sure that they are developing the skills they will need as they move through the school. The leaders and staff quickly identify any children who have specific needs and provide support to help them succeed alongside their classmates. Parents are encouraged to share their children’s successes from home so that they can be included in their learning journey and celebrated at school.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 An above average and improving proportion of children achieve a good level of development year on year. This, and the effective way the early years staff foster positive attitudes to learning, prepares children well for their move into Key Stage 1.

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing

p.9

Grade Judgement Description

to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.9

School details

Unique reference number 140251 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 450367

p.10

School details

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

p.10

School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 91 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Milner Headteacher Frances Baker Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01530 242377 Fax number 01530 242377 Email address office@stanton-u-b.leics.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.11

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.11

School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

p.11

School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.11

School details

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

p.11