St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hadleigh

St Mary’s CofE VA Primary School, Hadleigh Stonehouse Road, Hadleigh, Ipswich IP7 5BH

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Inspection dates 30 September – 1 October 2015

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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 Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher, leaders and governors have created a strong culture of good teaching, learning and behaviour across the school. They have driven school improvement forward successfully, especially in the teaching and learning of mathematics and writing. Under their leadership, the school is continuing to improve.  Leaders are taking effective action to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their physical well-being.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good throughout the school. Teachers create a positive ethos for learning. Their high expectations and good subject knowledge ensure that pupils acquire new skills quickly. The staff provide good support for pupils and use resources well. As a result, pupils learn well and make good progress.  Pupils are keen to come to school and have good attitudes to learning. Their attendance and punctuality are both good. The school’s caring

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This is a good school

atmosphere promotes all aspects of pupils’ welfare effectively. Safeguarding is effective.  Pupils across the school make good progress from their different starting points in English and mathematics and across a range of subjects. There are no significant differences between the progress of any groups of pupils.  Good leadership, teaching, learning and assessment enable children to make good progress in all areas of learning in the early years. Their behaviour is good and they stay safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The school has not yet developed systems for assessing the progress pupils make in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Occasionally, teachers miss the opportunity to extend the thinking of a few more-able pupils.  Pupils do not always focus enough on grammar, spelling and punctuation in subjects other than English or know how to improve these aspects of their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop and implement systems for assessing the progress pupils make in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Improve the quality of teachers’ assessment and pupils’ achievement by making sure that teachers always: – extend the thinking of more-able pupils – inform pupils about the quality of their grammar, spelling and punctuation and how to improve these aspects of their work when writing in subjects other than English.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders have created an atmosphere of high expectations for pupils and staff, which is reflected both in lessons and in pupils’ work. This has led to good improvement since the last inspection. The school has taken effective action to raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, particularly in mathematics, so that gaps are narrowing.  Good systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating teaching as well as managing teachers’ performance. Staff value the support they receive which helps them to improve their practice and raise achievement. Newly qualified teachers in particular greatly value the training and support they are receiving from the school to enable them to develop their teaching.  Leaders at all levels, including subject leaders and governors, are making an effective contribution to improving teaching, learning and assessment and raising achievement. As a result, the teaching and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

learning of writing and mathematics have improved considerably since the last inspection, enabling all pupils to achieve well.  Partnerships with other schools are good. Leaders meet regularly with their local pyramid of schools to plan joint training and to develop resources. The school has devised a new mathematics calculation policy to share with other schools. Subject leaders attend meetings with others from partner schools and use these opportunities to check that teachers are accurate in their understanding of the standards that pupils are working at.  Leaders make good use of funding for disadvantaged pupils to provide additional group and one-to-one support so that disadvantaged pupils make good progress. They are catching up with their classmates as well as with other pupils nationally. The funding is also used effectively to provide pastoral support and to finance work with outside agencies. This enables the more vulnerable disadvantaged pupils to re-engage

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

successfully with their learning.  Primary sports funding is used well to provide sports coaching and extra resources, to fund trips, to purchase physical education kit and to provide more sports clubs and events. There has been a notable increase in the number of sports clubs since the previous inspection, including girls’ running and tag rugby. As a result, pupils’ participation in sport has increased significantly.  Leaders have implemented a good curriculum, which is suitably broad and balanced and which captivates pupils’ interests. The wide range of visits includes a residential trip to enrich pupils’ learning and experiences. Strong partnerships with other schools and with the local community enhance pupils’ learning and progress. A wide variety and growing number of lunchtime and after-school clubs enrich pupils’ learning experiences and enjoyment. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of educational visits.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Reading, writing and mathematics ‘cafés’ provide good opportunities for parents to support their children’s learning both outside the classroom as well as at home.  The curriculum promotes pupils’ behaviour, personal development and welfare effectively. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strongly promoted, particularly through the school’s values. These include British values of tolerance, democracy and the rule of law. The curriculum enables pupils to develop and appreciate diversity through religious education, art, music, history, French and well-chosen topics in personal, social and health education. The curriculum also provides good additional support and strong links with outside agencies such as the local care centre, to support learning and well-being and promote pupils’ safety.  Leaders support staff effectively to promote equality of opportunity. Pupils and staff appreciate and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

celebrate different cultures, faiths and traditions. They do not tolerate discrimination or prejudice of any kind.  Leaders have not yet developed assessment systems in subjects other than English and mathematics to measure pupils’ progress and track this from their starting points.  The governance of the school – Governors are providing good support and challenge for the school’s work through regular, focused visits to evaluate the progress the school is making against the priorities in the school improvement plan. They attend book scrutinies, review data and participate in joint visits to lessons with senior leaders. As a result, they have an accurate understanding of the quality and impact of teaching and learning. – Governors have good arrangements in place for managing the headteacher’s performance, with targets linked to the school improvement plan. Governors make sure good teaching is rewarded and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

weaknesses are dealt with effectively. – Governors promote safeguarding thoroughly by ensuring that all legal requirements are met, that policies and training are up to date and that the school follows the procedures laid down by the local safeguarding board. – Governors ensure that the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, including British values. – Governors hold the school to account effectively for its additional spending on both pupil premium and the PE and sports premium to ensure good value for money.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Robust procedures are in place to check the suitability of staff and visitors to work with children. The school checks rigorously that all staff read updated guidance on keeping children safe. This has created a safe culture within the school, and leaders engage with parents, carers and outside agencies appropriately to ensure all pupils are supported and safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan sequences of lessons well to enable pupils to learn effectively. They set high expectations for behaviour and usually challenge pupils’ thinking in lessons. Skilful questioning enables pupils to build rapidly on their prior learning and deepen their understanding.  Teachers provide good levels of support for pupils, including those who have fallen behind and who need to catch up quickly, disadvantaged pupils and those with disabilities and special educational needs.  Teachers make good use of well-chosen resources, especially in mathematics, to improve learning, enabling pupils to make good progress.  Teaching across a range of subjects such as art, physical education, computing and music is good, as seen in lessons throughout the inspection, in additional learning activities and in pupils’ work over time.  Teachers provide good feedback and marking in line with the school’s marking policy. Pupils usually learn

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

from their mistakes and are keen to find out new information to deepen their knowledge in lessons and after-school clubs. Pupils’ books demonstrate that most are committed to improving their work.  Parents rightly say that the school provides them with accurate and detailed information about how well their children are progressing against the standards expected of them and what they need to do to improve in most aspects of their work.  Teachers set homework appropriate to the ages and abilities of each pupil. Pupils say that they enjoy homework because it is challenging and helps them to improve their learning.  Teachers are developing pupils’ reading and writing well across the curriculum, and many examples of good pieces of writing across a range of subjects are displayed around the school. Effective teaching of phonics helps both younger pupils and those struggling with reading to learn the sounds that letters

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

make, in order to be able to read words and improve their spelling.  Teachers promote equality of opportunity and diversity well in lessons by ensuring that different pupils have access to learning at their particular level of ability. Occasionally, teaching does not challenge the thinking of more-able pupils enough. When this happens, the learning of these pupils slows.  Teachers set high expectations for behaviour and usually challenge pupils’ thinking in lessons. Skilful questioning enables pupils to build rapidly on their prior learning and deepen their understanding.  Teachers have not yet developed or implemented assessments for all curriculum subjects, which prevents the opportunity to use information from curriculum projects and activities to extend learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Parents, pupils and staff agree. Personal values are emphasised strongly at every opportunity and embedded in the school’s work. Parents and staff are very positive about pastoral support. Parents say that pupils are particularly well prepared for moving on to secondary school.  Staff provide pupils with clear messages about the impact of bullying and prejudiced behaviour on the well-being of others. Bullying is rare and dealt with effectively when it does occur.  The school’s caring and welcoming culture promotes all aspects of pupils’ welfare and safeguarding thoroughly and is at the core of its work. The work of the pastoral care team itself, as well as the strong links with outside agencies such as the children’s centre, ensure more-vulnerable pupils re-engage with learning. This develops their emotional well-being effectively and enables them to develop a much more

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Personal development and welfare

positive attitude to school, their behaviour and attendance. This contributes to the good progress of all pupils.  Good processes are in place to ensure pupils’ safety and, as a result, pupils are safe and secure. Pupils use technology safely and learn how to stay safe and healthy. Parents highlight good safeguarding procedures in school.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils reflect on the importance of good behaviour and take responsibility for the effect their actions have on each other, the whole school and the wider community. They have good relationships with one another and with staff. They are polite and courteous to visitors.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are well behaved in all school activities including breakfast club and other clubs. Classrooms are orderly, enabling learning to take place. Pupils behave sensibly when moving from one area of the school to another.  Pupils were well behaved in lessons and their conduct was good during the inspection. Records of behaviour, discussion with pupils, staff and parents show that this good behaviour is typical of pupils’ behaviour across the school. Disruption in lessons is rare because most pupils focus on their learning, showing respect for teachers, listening carefully and following instructions. Only on a very few occasions did minor disruption occur in lessons where a few pupils were given work which was too easy.  Pupils' attendance has improved steadily since the last inspection and is above the national average. Pupils arrive punctually and well prepared for lessons. Pupils want to be in school and very few pupils are

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils throughout the school are making good progress in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Current pupils in all year groups are developing secure knowledge, skills and understanding regardless of their starting points.  Children get off to a good start in in the early years. They join the school with skills that are broadly typical for their age in most areas of learning and make good progress so that most reach a good level of development. As a result, they are well prepared for entry into Year 1.  An above-average proportion of pupils in Year 1 achieved the expected standard in the phonics reading check. This has steadily improved since the last inspection. Although boys did better than girls in 2014, girls did better than boys in 2015.  Throughout Key Stage 1, pupils build on this progress so that by the end of Year 2 in 2015, pupils reached above-average standards in reading, writing and mathematics as seen in the unpublished

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Outcomes for pupils are good

national results and the school’s own data.  In 2015, the unpublished results show that attainment was broadly average at Key Stage 2, but below average in mathematics. However, the school’s robust data show that these pupils made good progress in Year 6. There had been a legacy of underachievement for these pupils lower down in the school, especially in mathematics, and their prior attainment was well below average. Currently, pupils are making at least expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics and a significant number are making more than expected progress relative to their different starting points.  Disadvantaged pupils are making good progress and progressing at a faster rate than their classmates in reading and writing. Although the unpublished results in 2015 show that their attainment was approximately two terms behind all pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics, this

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Outcomes for pupils are good

represented a significant narrowing of the gap from 2014.  Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress from their lower starting points because good support is provided to meet their needs.  More-able pupils are making good progress and achieving at least expected levels from their higher starting points. This was seen in their work and in the school’s accurate data. Very occasionally, teaching does not challenge the thinking of more-able pupils.  Those who enter the school other than at the usual times of admission make good progress because they receive appropriate support to enable them to catch up quickly.  Pupils make good progress in reading and writing across the school. They use phonics well to read and write unfamiliar words. Pupils are making much better progress in mathematics across the school than they were at the time of the last inspection, because teaching and learning in mathematics has improved

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Outcomes for pupils are good

considerably.  Pupils make good progress in physical education and stay fit and healthy because the school makes good use of its primary sports funding. Pupils are successful in competitive games and have performed well in local competitions in running, tag rugby, cricket and football.  Pupils’ work shows that they are making good progress across a range of subjects such as art, computing, history, religious education and music. Many have gained discovery awards from the Arts Council.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years provision is good because of effective leadership which ensures that all children make at least expected progress in all areas of learning. This includes disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs, the more able and those who need to catch up quickly. The school’s accurate data for 2015 show that children enter the Nursery with broadly typical attainment for their ages, but slightly lower in communication, language and literacy.  The early years leader ensures that assessments are accurate. As a result, children’s needs are identified quickly and staff use this information well to provide the support children need, working closely with outside agencies and professionals as required. Their use of assessment to track progress is accurate and used well to move children’s learning forward.  Staff work closely with parents, who contribute to the initial assessments of their children’s starting

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Early years provision is good

points. Parents rightly agree that they are well informed about their children’s progress.  Leaders provide a range of interesting and stimulating activities to nurture children’s curiosity. This helps them to learn effectively and make good progress in each area of learning and to settle into their routines quickly.  Children enjoy learning and enthusiastically engage in their activities, listening carefully to the staff. Children’s behaviour is good and they learn to appreciate each other’s differences. Leaders promote children’s safety and welfare effectively.  Teaching is good and teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants is strong. High-quality adult support ensures that all children make good progress relative to their starting points.

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School details

Unique reference number 124760 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10001873

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Turnbull Headteacher Andrew Frolish Telephone number 01473 823268 Website www.stmaryshad.co.uk Email address admin@stmaryshad.co.uk Date of previous inspection 18–19 September 2013

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Information about this school

 St Mary’s is a little smaller than the average-sized primary school. The early years provision consists of a full-time Reception class and a part-time Nursery class where children attend for the morning only and are taught alongside Reception children.  Most pupils are White British and very few speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who receive support from pupil premium funding is above average, which is a significant increase since the last inspection. The pupil premium is extra funding to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government floor standards, which are the minimum expectations set for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 More pupils than average start or leave the school part of the way through their primary school education.  Since the previous inspection, the school received two monitoring visits by Ofsted to determine how much progress it was making in meeting its areas of improvement.  Since the last inspection, a few new staff have been appointed and a new Chair of the Governing Body has taken up post.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 12 lessons jointly with senior leaders to determine the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning. They also observed a small number of lunchtime and after-school clubs, including the breakfast club. Inspectors also visited lessons, looking at examples of pupils’ work in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Inspectors examined the school’s data and pupil tracking information to determine the progress pupils were making in different year groups and in different subjects. This included data in the early years.  Inspectors also analysed samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects jointly with senior leaders, including children’s work in the early years.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils to seek their views of the school, including a meeting with Year 6 pupils to discuss their learning and progress since the last inspection.  Inspectors took account of the 47 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and met a

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Information about this inspection

groups of parents informally who had accompanied their children to school. Inspectors also examined 25 completed Ofsted staff questionnaires.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including safeguarding policies and procedures, particularly in relation to the qualifying complaint, the school improvement plan, the school’s self- evaluation, minutes of governing body meetings, records of behaviour and attendance figures.

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Inspection team

Declan McCarthy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Judith Olivier Ofsted 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

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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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