Priorswood Primary School

Priorswood Primary School Inspection report

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123709 Unique Reference Number Somerset Local Authority 314682 Inspection number 18 March 2009 Inspection date Chris Grove Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 95 School (total) 29 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 6 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Anne Jordan Chair Bryan White Headteacher 8 November 2004 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Wedlands School address Taunton TA2 7AD 01823 284897 Telephone number 01823 331357 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 18 March 2009 Inspection date 314682 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is much smaller than average in size. The great majority of pupils are from White, mainly British, backgrounds. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, principally to do with speech, language and communication, is well above average. The proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language has risen and is about average. About half of these pupils are at an early stage of acquiring English. The Early Years Foundation Stage provision consists of a pre-school for pupils aged two to four, which is managed by the governing body, and a Reception class. A new Early Years Foundation Stage Unit is currently being built to house both the pre-school and the Reception class. There is a breakfast club, also managed by the governing body. The school is an Investor in People, and holds the Activemark award. It is recognised as a dyslexia-friendly school. An acting headteacher currently

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Description of the school

leads the school, pending the arrival of the headteacher (designate) from April 2009.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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Grade: 2

Priorswood Primary is a good school. Parents respond well to the school's friendly ethos, and attest to the approachability of the school staff. One parent referred to the school's 'family values'. Another wrote that it is a 'very caring, kind school'. The partnership with parents is accordingly good. Links with other organisations, for example, the Somerset Area Sports Partnership to enhance provision for physical education and sports, and also with outside agencies and other schools, are good. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils show considerable enjoyment of school. They display good attitudes to learning and good levels of attentiveness in lessons. They behave well in class and around the school. Relationships with adults and between pupils are very good. Pupils have good opportunities to exercise responsibility within the school. Pupils' achievement is also good. On entry to the school, their knowledge and skills are variable

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Grade: 2

but generally are exceptionally low, especially in language and mathematics. Pupils make good progress in the Foundation Stage, but enter Year 1 with well below average standards. Their good progress in Key Stage 1 results in further improvement. By the end of Year 2, standards are below average, especially in reading and mathematics. Good progress continues from Year 3 to Year 6. By the end of Year 6, pupils' overall standards have improved further and are broadly average. They are not as high in English as in mathematics. Teaching and learning are good, and this makes an important contribution to pupils' good progress. Teachers build well on their good relationships with pupils and set high expectations for work rates and attention to tasks. They make their lessons lively and interesting. Praise is well used to encourage pupils. Lessons are well planned and paced, and mostly cater well for the wide range of attainment in

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Grade: 2

the mixed-age classes by setting different tasks for pupils of different abilities. The curriculum is satisfactory. Positive aspects include very well-organised provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and better support for the development of reading and writing skills through phonics work. Curriculum enrichment and extra-curricular activities are also good. However, the school acknowledges that it has not made enough progress on the introduction of cross-curricular work to help pupils to make better links between different subjects. Similarly, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply their skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) in other areas of the curriculum. Care, guidance and support are good. Pastoral care is a strength of the school. Staff know the pupils very well, and the parent and family support advisers provide very good help and guidance

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Grade: 2

for families and pupils with particular needs. Good academic guidance is given to pupils through marking. Leadership, management and governance are good. In a short space of time, the acting headteacher has had a positive impact on the school, and has been well supported by other staff. Monitoring has led to effective self-evaluation. However, the school's use of challenging targets is only satisfactory as whole-school targets have not been used stringently or consistently enough to raise standards, especially for the higher attaining pupils. Effective steps have been taken since the last inspection to implement improvements required, including improving the quality of teaching. Attendance is about average, which is also an improvement. The school has a good capacity to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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Grade: 2

There is a calm and caring environment in the pre-school. Adults provide children with good support which develops their independence and communication skills. All welfare requirements are met. The partnership with parents is good. There is a good balance between activities which the children themselves initiate and those which the adults start for them. Staff plan experiences which excite children's interests. The 'pathway folders' provide a clear record of children's stages of development and the next steps in their learning. Many children enter Reception with skills which are exceptionally low compared to those expected for their age, particularly in skills relating to communication, language and literacy and in calculating. They make good progress in their learning and development, although few achieve the national goals set for the end of Reception, except in physical development. In spite of temporary classroom arrangements resulting from construction work, children in

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Grade: 2

Reception can move freely between inside and outdoors. This supports their learning well. Teaching and learning are good. The assistants provide good support so that all children are fully involved. For instance, one assistant developed children's interest well by showing them how to skip, and then supporting them learning to do so. The children behave well, and share the use of equipment well. They can select their own resources, for instance to support their sorting and counting experiences. The adults provide good care which ensures the children's welfare and helps them to understand the importance of healthy living. The leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are good. The good provision meets the needs of the children well and ensures that everyone is included. This results in their good personal development and good achievement. Although the pre-school and the Reception class each provide good experiences for children,

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Grade: 2

they do not share all their planning and practice, which could contribute to a smoother transition between the two settings.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise pupils' standards, particularly in reading and mathematics in Key Stage 1, and in English in Key Stage 2. ■ Improve the curriculum through better links between subjects and better opportunities for pupils to apply key skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT. ■ Make better use of challenging school targets in order to raise pupils' standards.

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Grade: 2

Standards in Year 2 have been steadily improving for three years but were still below average in 2008, particularly in reading and mathematics. Few pupils gained the higher Level 3. Nevertheless, the pupils progress well, especially in writing, given their low starting points. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make good progress. In national tests at the end of Year 6, pupils' standards are broadly average. In 2008, results were lower than in the previous year, especially in English, but this reflected their lower starting points. In mathematics, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard, and the higher Level 5, was average. Present standards in Year 6 remain broadly average, and are similar to those attained in 2008. The high proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and also those pupils who are learning 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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Grade: 2

English as an additional language, make the same good progress as all other pupils, because of the effective support which is given to them.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their moral development benefits from teachers' good management in classrooms. Group work and 'talk partners' make good contributions to pupils' social skills and development. Pupils reflect on their own development, for example when asked in assembly to consider the links between their own perseverance and achievement. However, their understanding of other cultures is more limited. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and participate well in the range of extra-curricular sporting activities and in physical education in school time. The Breakfast Club provides a good start to the school day for those who attend it. Members of the school council say that there is no bullying in school. Older pupils act as playground leaders to help others to feel safe, and assist with any minor problems which arise. Pupils contribute well to the school

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Grade: 2

and the community through their recycling activities, sponsorship of a Ghanaian boy and participation in local events, such as the Taunton Children's Carnival. Their future economic well-being is well supported by the personal and social skills that they develop, but is also limited by their standards in literacy and numeracy.

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Grade: 2

Good planning ensures that clear learning objectives are identified. There is a firm structure to lessons, which are well organised and managed. This leads to the productive use of time. In one good lesson, for instance, the teacher first discussed with pupils the characteristics of a good adventure story, before they were asked to identify these features in a familiar story. Although tasks are mostly well matched to pupils of different ages and abilities, practice is not consistently good. Most teachers use questioning well so as to probe pupils' ideas in order to deepen their thinking and assess their understanding. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good because teaching assistants are confident and set appropriate challenges. Local authority staff provide good support for those pupils who are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language.

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Grade: 3

The school has rightly continued to focus on English and mathematics, but because of this, not enough attention has been paid to developing other aspects, especially cross-curricular links, to enhance pupils' learning. However, this is starting to happen. An example of good practice was seen when pupils in Years 1 and 2 wrote stories about an adventure in space, following preparatory speaking and listening work through drama and artwork. These experiences aroused their interest and stimulated them to record ideas well in their writing. Pupils' personal development has been well supported by introducing material to enhance their social and emotional understanding. Physical education has improved considerably as a result of the involvement of the local sports partnership. A programme of visitors and visits, including 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009 residential camps, enhances pupils' learning well. Lunchtime and after-school clubs include a

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Grade: 3

good range of sports as well as opportunities to do artwork and use computers.

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Grade: 2

Teachers and support staff provide conscientiously for pupils' welfare. Staff work effectively as a team to create the positive atmosphere which pervades the school. There is early identification of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and good measures are taken to meet their needs. The nurture group supports vulnerable younger pupils well. The breakfast club provides a good start to the day for those who attend it, and this supports the improving levels of attendance. The school meets current safeguarding and child protection requirements. Procedures to assess risks are well established and assessments are appropriately detailed. Pupils' progress is carefully tracked. The school's use of assessment and marking helps to improve pupils' progress, but target setting is not as rigorous as it could be.

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Grade: 2

The school's leadership has been successful in ensuring that pupils achieve well. The acting headteacher has quickly identified issues which needed to be addressed. By checking on major aspects of the school's work, he has developed a good awareness of strengths and weaknesses in provision. Other leaders, including the literacy and special educational needs coordinators, have also made good contributions in checking their areas of responsibility. Consequently, the school has an accurate view of its performance through good self-evaluation. Whilst pupils make good progress and standards are average at the end of Year 6, it is clear that they could be higher. The targets set for attainment are not yet challenging enough, especially for the higher attaining pupils. The school's contribution to community cohesion is satisfactory. However, pupils' direct links with other communities in Britain and overseas are

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Grade: 2

limited. Governors are supportive of the school, but also provide good challenge, for example to improve teachers' access to interactive whiteboards, and to improve the impact of the assessment of pupils. The governing body has recently taken on the management of the pre-school, which is well led by its supervisor. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 March 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Priorswood Primary School, Taunton, TA2 7AD We would like to thank all of you, and your teachers, for your help during the inspection. We enjoyed seeing you in your classrooms and talking to you. Priorswood Primary is a good school and a happy place for children. Many of your parents wrote to us about how you enjoy school, and about its good features. These are the most important and positive things to say about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school is a place where everyone is made to feel welcome.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have very good relationships with the adults who take good care of you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your personal development, including your behaviour, is good. You feel safe in school, adopt healthy lifestyles and contribute positively to school life. ■ The acting headteacher and the other school leaders are doing a good job. They do a lot of checking up, so they know what is good about your school and how to improve it. ■ You are making good progress in your learning, and standards by the end of Year 6 are broadly average. ■ The teaching in your school is good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teachers' marking gives you good guidance about how to improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school has a satisfactory curriculum and provides you with good extra-curricular activities. Lots of you get involved in these activities. ■ The overwhelming majority of your parents are very pleased with the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school has good relationships with your parents, and with other schools.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The acting headteacher and the other leaders have worked very hard to make the school a good place for you. We have asked to make things even better by continuing to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ raise your standards, particularly in reading and mathematics in Key Stage 1, and in English in Key Stage 2 ■ improve the curriculum so that you get more opportunities to see the links between subjects and apply your literacy, numeracy and ICT skills ■ use the school's targets better to raise your standards.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help by continuing to work hard and taking advantage of the improvements that your teachers will be making. We wish you every success in the future. Yours faithfully Chris Grove Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Priorswood Primary School, 18 March 2009

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