Horsley CofE (Controlled) Primary School

Horsley Church of England (Controlled) Primary School Church Street, Horsley, Derbyshire DE21 5BR

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a good school

 The headteacher is passionate in his pursuit of excellence for his pupils and staff. He leads the school with integrity and a fierce sense of ambition.  The strong Christian ethos of the school underpins all decision making and daily school life.  Pupils make good progress during their time at Horsley and achieve standards that are in line with, or higher than, national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children in the early years make good progress. The school provides regular visits and play sessions at the school prior to their start. As a result, children settle quickly.  The vast majority of teaching in every class is good or better. Leaders recognise that it is consistently strongest in Key Stage 2.  The headteacher has established a culture which ensures that all pupils, regardless of their needs or abilities, are provided with the richest opportunities to shine.  The wide range of creative and sports activities is

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This is a good school

a particular strength of the school.  Pupils are very proud of their school. They try their best because they feel safe and valued.  Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes because of the school’s ‘can do’ attitude and are encouraged to have high expectations.  Governors bring a high level of skill and commitment to the leadership of the school. They know the teachers, pupils and families well, and work hard to provide the headteacher and staff with the resources which they need.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all pupils in Key Stage 1 are developing a strong enough enjoyment of reading or love of books.  Leaders do not always effectively communicate how they are monitoring the impact of their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of the teaching of reading in Key Stage 1 by: giving pupils opportunities which ensure that they develop a love of reading and experience a wide range of good-quality books and stories informing parents about the school’s approach to the teaching of reading and how they can support their child at home.  Accelerate the rate of further improvement at the school by ensuring that: leaders effectively communicate how the school is monitoring its work so that governors and parents have a clear view of the impact of its actions.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher continues to provide the school with stability and a clear vision for future improvement. He remains relentless in his efforts to offer the very best education and care to all pupils. He takes particular pride in ensuring that the needs of the most vulnerable pupils in school are at the forefront of everyone’s thinking. As a result, pupils who arrive at the school with a complex combination of needs quickly blossom in both their well-being and academic achievement.  The headteacher is held in high regard by governors, staff and parents, and also in the wider community. He is respected by professional colleagues across the local authority and contributes to the development of leadership in other schools.  The headteacher expects a great deal of himself and of everyone who works in his school. He carries out an effective ongoing programme of lesson observations and short visits to all the classrooms. The setting

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of targets for staff ensures that teachers are held to account for their pupils’ learning and that standards remain high.  Leaders ensure that the school remains outward looking and are continually seeking ways to make their school even better. There have focused most recently on preparing all staff to introduce a system to assess the performance of pupils in line with new national guidance. This work has been supported through their close partnerships with other local schools.  The morale of staff at the school is very high because they feel valued and have a shared vision of providing the highest possible standards of education and care for all of their pupils.  The school’s plans for improvement identify the actions necessary to sustain the strong outcomes in English and mathematics at Key Stage 2 and to improve elements of teaching in Key Stage 1. The headteacher has an in-depth understanding of what needs to be done, but written plans do not always

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

make it clear how specific actions will be monitored. As a result, it is not always easy for governors to check that actions and resources are having the rapid impact intended.  Leaders have accurately identified the aspects of teaching, learning and assessment in Key Stage 1 which need to be strengthened. Individual teachers have benefited from the practical support given by the most experienced colleagues in the school and from training about the teaching of literacy. There are clear signs that this is beginning to reap rewards and that the quality of teaching is improving.  The school promotes a love of learning through an exciting curriculum based on its question-led approach to teaching. Key questions are used as starting points for individual topics ranging from ‘What was it like to live in Horsley in the past?’ to ‘How can Usain Bolt move so quickly?’ and ‘Why would a dinosaur not make a good pet?’ This reflects the creativity of leaders and their drive to ensure that lessons at Horsley

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

are challenging and exciting for all pupils. This approach appears to particularly motivate most-able pupils in both key stages and as a result they produce work of a very high standard.  The headteacher recognises that a minority of parents do not feel that they have an accurate view of the school’s approach to the teaching of reading, and that there is room to improve the current systems for sharing information with families about the life and work of the school. The school is currently updating its website and reviewing the format of its newsletters.  The school’s strong Christian ethos effectively supports pupils’ understanding of British values, and pupils of all ages have a very clear understanding of the importance of mutual care, tolerance and respect.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptionally strong. Pupils develop a good understanding of different faiths and have learnt a lot from recent visits to different

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

places of worship. They are proud to talk about the ways in which they fund-raise for local and national causes including collections for the Padley Centre in Derby and Children in Need.  Music and dance are strong features of the school curriculum. A large number of pupils are learning to play the guitar and Year 3 pupils came second in a regional dance competition recently.  The pupil premium is used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make rapid progress in their learning. Leaders have focused on the deployment of additional staff to give high levels of one-to-one and small-group support for pupils who are at risk of falling behind. This is highly effective because all support staff are well trained, have a strong subject knowledge and recognise their contribution to achievement across the school. However, leaders acknowledge that they do not always communicate the impact of individual programmes of support in enough detail to give governors and parents a clear view

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of how well this additional funding is being spent.  The extra funding given to schools to promote sport is used to great effect. Leaders ensure that the input from specialist sport coaches is increasing the confidence and independence of school staff in delivering an impressive variety of sports to pupils of all ages and abilities. Staff have seen an increase in the confidence of their pupils when competing in regional sporting events.  The governance of the school Governors know their school well. There is good attendance at meetings and they visit the school regularly. Many of them have been involved with the school for several years and their long-standing commitment contributes to its continuing success. Governors have a wealth of professional skills and expertise which benefit the school greatly. Governors are extremely proactive and have been successful in securing funds for the recent extension to school buildings and for the next stage of building works to further improve the outdoor

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

learning environment.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Members of the governing body have a high level of skill in this area and work in strong partnership with the headteacher to ensure that all staff receive the necessary training and that policies and practice are robust. Documentation shows that any concerns about the well-being of pupils are quickly acted on. Leaders work effectively with other agencies and go out of their way to support families at times of need.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers plan lessons well. Questions are used effectively to check pupils’ understanding, to extend their thinking and as starting points for longer pieces of work.  Teachers and teaching assistants have sound knowledge of the subjects they are teaching. They also understand how children learn best and as a result they are very skilled at presenting work in ways which capture pupils’ interest and secure their best efforts. Examples of this were seen in a Key Stage 2 class where pupils proudly described their work about rainforests and explained the importance of ‘the protection of these ecologically important environments’.  All staff apply the school’s marking policy consistently. Consequently pupils are very clear about what they need to improve and mistakes in their work are not repeated. Teachers in Key Stage 1 frequently pose additional questions in their marking to challenge pupils’ thinking and develop their skills further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Year 1 pupils now receive more phonics teaching in small groups where work is matched more closely to their individual levels of understanding. This appears to be speeding their progress in reading and writing.  The increasingly strong teaching of phonics is enabling pupils to become confident at reading unfamiliar words and longer pieces of text. However, some pupils in Key Stage 1 are not enjoying books and reading as much as they might because they are not excited by them. The school library is not inviting and books are not displayed in a way which supports younger pupils’ understanding of different types of books or authors effectively. A small number of parents are unclear about the school’s approach to the teaching of reading.  Mathematics is taught well across the school. A number of pupils told the inspector how much they enjoy the online resources and how these are helping them improve their calculation skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Pupils in Key Stage 2 are very positive about the homework they are given and told the inspector how it gives them the opportunity to revisit work which they struggled with in class, and also gives them the chance to explore their own interests.  Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils enjoy their work because they know that their efforts are always valued and they like and admire their teachers.  The vast majority of parents who spoke to the inspector, as well as the 32 who completed the online parent questionnaire, have high confidence in the quality of teaching at the school and feel that their children make good progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe and happy at school because they know that the adults will always help them and that they will be listened to.  Pupils develop a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy, and have a basic understanding of how to stay safe online. However, leaders have already recognised that pupils need a deeper understanding of the dangers of cyberbullying.  The headteacher encourages older pupils to discuss and take account of national and international news events and as a result pupils have an impressive knowledge of current affairs.  Break times are planned well and the friendship bench and buddy system ensure that pupils never need to be lonely or isolated.  The curriculum and daily school routines support pupils’ personal, emotional and physical well-being and daily assemblies are used as a peaceful time to reflect at the end of each busy school day.

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Personal development and welfare

 Attitudes to learning are generally very positive. However, some pupils in Key Stage 1 are not enthusiastic about reading because teachers have not successfully harnessed a love or excitement of books.  Pupils are encouraged to aim high and their dreams about future lives and careers are respected and encouraged. A Year 6 girl proudly told the inspector that she wants to become a doctor and a boy in Year 5 is already very sure that he wants to become an architect.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are adamant that there is no bullying in the school but that if silliness does happen there are clear expectations that ‘you need to apologise and put things right’.  Pupils of all ages are able to explain the five school values: kindness, respect, honesty, independence and determination. It is clear that they underpin what all adults and children expect of one another at Horsley.  Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons, at playtimes and when moving around the school.  Attitudes to learning are very strong because teachers make lessons interesting. One Year 1 pupil proudly showed their mathematics book to the inspector and confidently stated that ‘I like maths – it’s fun.’  Pupils’ overall attendance is good and currently in line with national averages.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 2 are consistently in line with or above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Information for current pupils in the school indicates that the vast majority are making expected or more than expected progress from their individual starting points in all subjects.  The standards achieved by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in July 2015 were in line with national averages in writing and mathematics, and just below for reading. The proportion of pupils successfully achieving the required level in the national phonics check at the end of Year 1 was above the national average.  The school is working hard to improve the picture of achievement in reading at Key Stage 1. The new arrangements for the teaching of literacy through increased small-group and individual support appear to be positive, but it is too early to have a true picture of their long-term impact.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils in Key Stage 1 are now making better progress because the quality of teaching is improving and expectations of teachers are higher.  The school’s own records indicate that the introduction of the new grammar programme across the school is improving standards in writing in both key stages.  Leaders have identified clear targets for pupils’ progress and attainment within their new assessment system. Teachers revisit these each half term in order to plan their programmes of work and lessons. Most pupils are clear about their targets and what they need to do to achieve them.  The number of disadvantaged pupils in each year group is extremely small. Consequently it is not possible to make comparisons with national averages. However, records do show very clearly that they are making good or better progress and that by the end of the academic year in 2015 there were no differences in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils in the school for English or mathematics.  The school has successfully implemented a record system which assesses the needs of all new children joining the school outside the usual admission times. This ensures that appropriate targets are identified and that any additional support begins quickly.  The school prepares pupils for their next stage of education extremely well. Parents see this, quite rightly, as a strength of the school.

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Early years provision is good

 There are only a small number of Reception children at the school. As a result, they are taught in a mixed-age class alongside Year 1 pupils.  The quality of teaching and learning in the early years is good. Children listen and behave well because adults make learning fun and plan activities which build upon children’s individual interests and strengths.  The proportion of children who achieved a good level of development in July 2015 was significantly above the national average. Children achieved particularly well in mathematics but less well in speaking, listening and reading, although still above national averages.  Children settle quickly into school life because of the excellent systems in place before they start. All children have the opportunity to attend an early years play club twice a week before they enter school. As a result, children and parents establish close relationships with staff and become very familiar with school

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Early years provision is good

routines. It also enables staff to gain a clear view of each child’s needs in the key areas of communication, and personal and physical development.  The leader for the early years is passionate about giving all children the very best start to their education and ensures that she receives information from any nursery or pre-school which they have attended prior to coming to Horsley.  Teachers make careful assessments and observation of children’s learning. This process begins with a baseline assessment which is completed when each child has been in the class for three weeks. Information for the current year indicates that the majority of children started Reception with skills just below those typical for their age in all areas apart from communication and language where the majority of children displayed skills broadly typical for their age.  The atmosphere in the class is warm and supportive and children have fun in their learning. There are

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Early years provision is good

rich opportunities to learn from their self-chosen activities both inside and outdoors as well as planned group sessions where adults establish the important early skills for literacy and numeracy.  On occasion, some parts of the indoor and outdoor environment are not as well organised or as well cared for as they need to be and do not model the high expectations which staff demonstrate in the rest of their practice.

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School details

Unique reference number 112830 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10003133

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 94 Appropriate authority Derbyshire Chair Andrea Corley Headteacher Paul Leeson Telephone number 01332 880782 Website www.horsley.org.uk Email address headteacher@horsley.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 9–10 July 2012

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Information about this school

 Horsley Church of England Primary School is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in four mixed-aged classes.  The vast majority of pupils live outside the village and are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is extra government funding to support the education of pupils who are eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils entering the school at other than usual times is higher than in most schools.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set out minimum requirements for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in each of the four classes jointly with the headteacher and visited another six lessons. She observed the teaching of phonics and heard pupils read.  The inspector spoke to pupils about their school, observed playtimes and pupils’ conduct inside the school, and looked at work in their books.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and teachers with responsibility for English, mathematics, the early years and special educational needs. She also spoke with members of the governing body and had a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector spoke to parents informally in the playground and took account of the 32 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View.  Questionnaires from eight staff were considered.  The inspector examined a range of documents including the school’s own systems for the tracking of pupils’ progress, the school improvement plan, safeguarding policies and records of attendance.

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Inspection team

Clare Cossor, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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 .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

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

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