Staverton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Staverton Church of England Primary School School Lane, Staverton, Trowbridge BA14 6NZ

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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, ably supported by senior leaders and governors, provides determined and effective leadership. This has led to significant improvements in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection and better progress for pupils.  Leaders have developed a strong and cohesive teaching team. They provide effective support and challenge that ensures teaching is good.  Governors challenge the school and hold senior leaders to account systematically. They have a thorough knowledge of the school because they check its work for themselves.  Teachers’ high expectations of pupils and increasingly challenging work ensure that pupils achieve well.  Attainment is rising in both key stages. All groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  In the early years, children make good progress from their starting points because of the well- planned provision. The large majority develop the

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This is a good school

knowledge and skills that they need to start Year 1 as confident learners.  Pupils behave well at all times. The school is successful in promoting good attitudes to learning so that pupils are keen to succeed.  Pupils say that they feel very safe and most parents agree that the school is a safe place for them to learn.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teaching does not stretch pupils to the full in their thinking or in their writing in subjects other than literacy.  Subject leaders do not yet make a full contribution to monitoring and developing teaching in their areas of responsibility.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen teaching to improve pupils’ achievement by ensuring that teachers set work that challenges pupils’ thinking and enables them to extend their skills in writing across subjects.  Extend the skills of subject leaders so that they make a fuller contribution to the monitoring and development of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The determined headteacher has instilled a strong sense of ambition for all pupils and established effective teamwork across the school. Since the previous inspection, significant changes to the leadership and staff have led to a marked increase in the rate of improvement in all aspects of the school’s work. As a result, the quality of teaching is good and pupils are achieving well.  Leaders, including governors, work well together to drive forward improvements. A strong feature of the school’s leadership is the way all leaders are committed to sharing their knowledge and skills to improve teaching, learning and assessment.  Plans for improvement are sharply focused with precise targets and timescales to ensure that they have the required impact. Leaders monitor the plans rigorously and adjust actions astutely to increase the effectiveness of their work. This gives them a very accurate view of the school’s strengths and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

weaknesses.  Leaders check the quality of teaching thoroughly and frequently, which they follow up with suitable training and support. They have introduced effective initiatives to improve teaching in English and mathematics, and been successful in helping to speed up pupils’ progress.  The way senior leaders track and evaluate the outcomes for different groups of pupils is comprehensive. The frequent checking and reviewing of pupils’ attainment and progress enables leaders to judge clearly the impact of new teaching strategies and hold teachers to account more readily for pupils’ progress.  Teachers’ targets for improving their performance are challenging. They know that any salary increase is linked to the progress their pupils make, ensuring that only good practice is rewarded.  The newly designed curriculum successfully engages pupils’ interests, particularly those of boys. Effective learning is promoted through topics such as ‘The animal kingdom’ and ‘Disasters’ in science week, while

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupils’ aspirations are raised through working with artists and musicians.  Subject leaders, some very new to their role, have not yet had sufficient opportunities to check on the quality of provision and pupils’ progress in their areas of responsibility. This limits their effectiveness in improving teaching as they do not yet provide additional support or challenge to staff.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well and tackles discrimination of all kinds effectively. The school tailors its support for disadvantaged pupils effectively, using additional funding to maximise learning through individual support or small-group work.  The leader for special educational needs has transformed the school’s provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. She has introduced carefully researched strategies that are helping these pupils overcome their difficulties, and close monitoring shows they are making rapid progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The physical education and school sports fund is used to good effect. Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of sports competitions and after-school clubs which are especially motivating for boys. Staff work alongside specialist coaches to improve their teaching skills.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills well. The school’s core values, such as friendship, compassion, humility and thankfulness, are firmly embedded throughout the curriculum. These are seen in pupils’ daily interactions with each other and with adults.  Pupils demonstrate very effective relationships and a secure understanding of modern Britain and its values. Pupils talk about the ‘Staverton way’ with clear rules and expectations of behaviour that are integral to effective learning and a positive ethos.  Most parents are positive about the work of the school. They are appreciative of increased opportunities

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

for them to become involved in their child’s learning and also they praise the approachability of staff.  Effective support from the local authority has helped to develop leaders’ skills in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work. Leaders have used support from other schools, in the collaborative trust and further afield, to support the successful implementation of new teaching strategies.  The governance of the school Governors have taken decisive steps to improve their effectiveness since the previous inspection. With the help of the local authority adviser, they have developed the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their responsibilities and provide challenge to school leaders. They monitor the school’s work very thoroughly alongside school leaders, which helps them judge the school’s performance compared with national standards. They have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching in the school, of how the performance of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

teachers is managed to tackle any underperformance and how good practice is rewarded. They set challenging targets for the headteacher’s performance. Governors’ financial management is sound. They know how the additional funds are being spent to help disadvantaged pupils and to develop sport. They have a clear overview of the impact on pupils’ achievement and physical well-being.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All policies and procedures are up to date and all staff are well trained in this respect. Parents support the view that their children are kept safe in school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is typically good and has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils learn effectively because teachers plan purposeful activities that develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding well. The consistently good teaching, although not reflected yet in published data, is reflected in the standard of work in pupils’ books, assessment information on their progress and the positive reports from the local authority.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ achievement and their behaviour. They use the information from assessments routinely to devise tasks that will increase progress rates for pupils. They make sure that for most of the time and for most pupils, the work is both challenging and enjoyable. For example, Year 6 pupils were required to explain their understanding of quadrilaterals during an investigation about shapes. They did this knowledgeably and with confidence, developing their reasoning skills well.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers use their subject knowledge well to devise tasks that build on pupils’ prior learning. They explain and question skilfully to develop the learning further, often adjusting tasks and clarifying their instructions to speed up progress.  Pupils respond positively to comments from teachers, given orally and in the marking in books, to make improvements to their work. They say that they usually find the work quite hard. However, teaching does not always stretch pupils’ thinking deeply enough about their learning.  Mathematics is taught well. Pupils are achieving higher standards due to the increased focus on developing pupils’ mental arithmetic skills and improving their problem-solving and reasoning skills.  Strategies to ensure that boys read as well as girls are proving successful. New literature in topics such as ‘Vikings’, ‘Dragon hunter’ and ‘Dinosaurs and fossils’ helps to engage boys in reading. As result, reading

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

standards across the school have improved.  The programme for teaching phonics (sounds that letters make) is very rigorous. For the past two years, a greater proportion of Year 1 pupils than average have reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. This ensures that pupils quickly become proficient in reading and spelling.  The newly introduced strategy for teaching writing is having a good impact and standards are rising across the school. For example, the Reception children showed themselves to be capable writers in their stories about ‘The enormous turnip’. However, teachers are less effective in extending pupils’ skills to the full through writing across other subjects.  Teachers and teaching assistants work closely as a cohesive team, supporting and challenging each other well in their regular meetings to develop effective practice. As ‘champions’ of disadvantaged pupils and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

those who have special educational needs or disability, they plan tasks effectively to meet their differing needs and successfully focus their efforts on raising their achievement.  Teachers are very keen to improve their practice further. They benefit from observing more experienced colleagues and from effective training programmes provided by the collaborative trust and the local authority.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The relationships between adults and pupils and between the pupils themselves are extremely effective. These contribute greatly to the pupils’ enjoyment of school. ‘We like our teacher very much’ was one such typical comment from a younger pupil and others agreed with her.  Pupils undertake a variety of roles, such as leading play activities or being a house captain, very sensibly and with obvious pride. They enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as organising events like the regular cake sales, to raise money for charity or to buy resources for their playground.  Pupils are positive that they are very safe in school. Parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, or who spoke to inspectors agree that their children are well looked after.  Pupils are clear that bullying and derogatory or aggressive language are rare and not tolerated. They

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Personal development and welfare

understand what constitutes bullying, such as physical bullying or cyber bullying, and talk knowledgeably about strategies for keeping themselves safe from harm.  Pupils receive good training for maintaining their personal safety, both in and outside school. Pupils of all ages are taught how to stay safe on the internet through regular reminders and the ‘Internet safety day’ training.  Staff are very skilled in addressing pupils’ personal and emotional needs. They know the pupils very well and are quick to respond sensitively and appropriately to support pupils’ specific needs, especially those pupils considered vulnerable.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are polite, friendly and keen to talk about their work with visitors to school. They demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning which represents a marked improvement since the previous inspection.  Pupils respond well to the teachers’ high expectations of learning and behaviour. They enjoy the challenging tasks teachers set and find their targets for improving their work useful. As a result, they are making better progress.  Pupils say that behaviour is managed effectively. The recently introduced ‘Staverton way’, with its clear structure of rewards and sanctions, helps them to follow the rules and behave well.  At times, a few pupils in some classes still need reminders to pay attention and work harder, but these instances are reducing due to the effective guidance from adults.  Attendance is average and persistent absence is low. Punctuality shows improvement over the last year

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Behaviour

and fewer pupils are late for school.  Pupils understand that a few of their classmates need extra help, and appreciate the sensitive way that adults offer support so that learning in lessons is not disrupted.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 From their various starting points, pupils are making good progress and attainment is rising above national expectations. Over the past year, improvements to teaching show a marked impact on learning, resulting in better outcomes for pupils.  From the school’s own unvalidated assessment information, the learning observed in lessons and the work in pupils’ books, progress is speeding up across the school. By the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, more pupils than previously are on track to reach the expected standard for their age or better. This prepares them well for the next stage in their education.  The most-able pupils make good progress as their work requires them to extend their thinking and apply their knowledge well. They are able to explain their ideas clearly in lessons and discuss their work with increasing confidence.  Disadvantaged pupils attain as well as other pupils in school from similar starting points. These pupils

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Outcomes for pupils are good

make increasingly good progress as the help they receive is more carefully targeted to suit their needs.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability, and those who need to catch up, have made rapid progress since the introduction of carefully tailored support. Programmes that help pupils improve their attitudes to learning and raise self-esteem are successful and help them to speed up their academic progress.  Pupils develop effective mental arithmetic and reasoning skills in mathematics. They say they enjoy the ‘Chilli challenges’ which help pupils work at the right level of difficulty and which lead to faster progress.  Younger pupils quickly become fluent readers due to the rigorous teaching of phonics. Older pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of their reading and enjoy books. They like the range of literature on offer in the library and speak knowledgeably about different authors.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Achievement in writing is much improved. The quality of writing in pupils’ English books is impressive, with accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar. However, these high standards are not replicated in their writing across other subjects.

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Early years provision is good

 Parents appreciate the good arrangements for their children’s transition from pre-school settings and home to starting school. Children soon become self-assured and comfortable in their new environment as daily routines and expectations are quickly established. As a result, they settle happily into school, behave well and enjoy their learning.  The majority of children join the school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. They make good progress, especially in their communication and language development. They start Year 1 as confident learners, with most demonstrating the skills and understanding expected for their age.  Teaching is good. Teachers make the learning interesting to capture children’s attention. For example, teachers were highly effective in developing children’s mental arithmetic skills in a way that fully engaged the children.  Children benefit from well-planned adult-led teaching in phonics which underpins early reading skills

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Early years provision is good

successfully. The story-telling approach to teaching writing is effective and enables children to produce good-quality stories of their own, such as those about ‘Peter and the wolf’.  There is an appropriate balance of activities that arise from children’s own interests and those directed by the adults. The adults check children’s learning carefully and use this information to ensure that those who have special educational needs or disability, and others considered vulnerable, have their needs supported well. The most-able children in early years are usually suitably challenged although, very occasionally, opportunities to extend their thinking further are not provided.  Good leadership and management have created a cohesive staff team that works well together. Staff receive appropriate training so that they support children’s learning effectively. They keep the learning environment under constant review so that it continues to stimulate and excite children’s curiosity.

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Early years provision is good

 Parents have regular opportunities to talk to staff about their children’s progress. They welcome initiatives to involve them in their children’s learning, such as the good guidance they receive in helping with phonics, reading and mathematics.  Safety and welfare are given good emphasis. The adults supervise children well at all times. Children are encouraged to take responsibility and develop independence, such as putting on their outdoor clothes by themselves.

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School details

Unique reference number 126360 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10009237

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 254 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sally Butler-Marchese Headteacher Mark Bartlett Telephone number 01225 782388 Website www.staverton.wilts.sch.uk Email address admin@staverton.wilts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 22–23 January 2014

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Information about this school

 This school is broadly average in size. Pupils are organised in nine classes, seven of which are single-age group. There is one mixed Reception and Year 1 class, and one mixed class of Years 2 and 3 pupils.  The school is part of the Trowbridge collaborative trust of twenty-one local schools.  Almost all pupils have a White British background.  The headteacher took up his post in September 2014.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. This is the additional government funding to give extra support to those pupils who are eligible for free school meals or children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average.  The school provides care for pupils through the breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection took place over two days. Inspectors observed teaching and learning across the school, some in conjunction with the headteacher. In addition, they made visits to classrooms, assemblies, the dining hall and the playground.  Meetings were held with pupils, members of the governing body and school leaders. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority who supports the school.  Inspectors took account of the 48 responses to Parent View, as well as consulting informally with parents at the start and end of the school day. They also took account of the 18 responses to the Ofsted staff questionnaire and of the views of staff gained from formal and informal discussions.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans. They examined information on current pupils’ progress, minutes of the governing

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Information about this inspection

body meetings, safeguarding procedures and the plans for the use of the primary physical education and sports premium.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, talked to them in classrooms and evaluated samples of their work.

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Inspection team

Sandra Woodman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Matthew Cottrell Ofsted Inspector Janet Maul 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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