The Priors School

The Priors School Independent school inspection report

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DCSF registration number 937/6098 Unique Reference Number (URN) 131055 Inspection number 344420 Inspection dates 10-11 March 2010 Reporting inspector Marian Harker HMI

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Published: 12 April 2010 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090070 Independent school inspection report

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A 1 of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005 2 , the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

This Warwickshire school in Priors Marston was closed by the local authority and reopened as an independent primary school in 1996. It is a member of the National Association for Small Schools and the Independent Special Boarding International Schools (ISBI). The school is a registered charity run by a board of trustees providing free education for children living in the parishes of Priors Marston and Priors Hardwick. Some discretionary bursaries and scholarships are available for pupils outside the immediate and neighbouring parishes. There is a nursery and a playgroup which open in the morning and afternoon which were subject to inspection in January 2005. The last school inspection was in May 2007. The current headteacher was appointed in January 2010. There are 39 pupils on roll and 21 children are currently in receipt of the nursery education grant. Six pupils have been identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Evaluation of the school

The Priors School provides a satisfactory quality of education. The curriculum and the quality of teaching and assessment are satisfactory. As a result, the progress made by pupils, including those in the Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, as is their behaviour. Safeguarding requirements are met. The welfare, health and safety of the pupils are satisfactory, as is the overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The school now complies with all of the regulations, including those not met at the previous inspection.

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Quality of education

The quality of the curriculum across the school and Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory. In Key Stages 1 and 2 the curriculum is broad and balanced, and takes account of National Curriculum and International Primary Curriculum expectations. In the Early Years Foundation Stage the curriculum closely follows national requirements. Curriculum plans are in place for all subjects and an appropriate emphasis is given to the teaching of literacy and numeracy. However, a number of

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Quality of education

1 www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2002/ukpga_20020032_en_14#pt10-ch1-pb4-l1g162 2 www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2005/ukpga_20050018_en_15#sch8 Independent school inspection report curriculum policies are in need of updating. The mathematics curriculum is primarily based around a structured workbook scheme which limits opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts. Particular strengths of the curriculum are French and swimming where specialist teachers make a positive contribution and pupils benefit from regular lessons in these subjects. Pupils reading skills are also enhanced by regular visits from local volunteers who work alongside pupils and develop their reading competence. The school has an appropriately sized hall and a large playing field on site. These facilities are regularly used to ensure that physical education lessons can take place throughout the year. The school’s provision

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Quality of education

for information and communication technology is satisfactory. The curriculum for personal, social and health education (PHSE) is good and ensures that pupils have a secure understanding of their rights and responsibilities. Pupils enjoy and benefit from a wide range of stimulating visits and activities that enrich the curriculum. In particular, the school is rightly proud of its links with the local community and parish church.

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Quality of education

The quality of teaching and assessment across the school, including the Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Work seen in pupils’ books, and discussions with them indicate that pupils are making satisfactory progress. By the time they leave the school attainment is above average. Classrooms are generally well organised and there are some colourful displays of pupils’ work. Lesson planning follows a common format, but learning outcomes are not always clear or shared with pupils and this can limit progress. Teachers know their pupils very well and use suitable questioning to assess and challenge pupils during whole class sessions. Opportunities are sometimes missed to provide appropriately challenging work and develop independent learning skills. For example, too many workbooks are used in mathematics. Basic skills including spelling and handwriting are taught regularly and the small class sizes enable teachers to provide individual support. However, on

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Quality of education

occasions teachers’ expectations are not high enough and the quality or quantity of work produced by the pupils is variable. The school has a suitable assessment framework in place that includes end of unit tests and National Curriculum assessments. Pupils’ books are regularly marked with positive comments, but it is not always clear what pupils need to do to improve their work further. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate support in lessons and as a result make similar progress to their peers.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

The spiritual, social, moral and cultural development of all the pupils is good. Personal development is a strength because teachers successfully nurture the individual qualities of each child through praise and good quality care. One parent commented, ‘I would like to say how well the school creates a happy and caring environment, as a result, my child loves school.’ Pupils are proud of their school and their achievements. For example, they talked with pride about their role as house captains and took their responsibilities of looking after the younger pupils at lunchtimes seriously. Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are articulate and well-mannered; Independent school inspection report their behaviour is good both in lessons and on the playground. Pupils report that they enjoy coming to school and have many friends. In lessons, pupils settle quickly to their work and when tasks are appropriately challenging and interesting they

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

apply themselves diligently. They increasingly develop a sense of responsibility as they undertake jobs such as house captains, play leaders, milk monitors or meter readers, contributing to their self-esteem and strong sense of school community. Pupils and their families are regularly involved in fundraising activities to support the work of the school. Pupils report that they would like to contribute even more to decisions made about their school. This is a harmonious school community where everyone is respected. Pupils are developing a good understanding of different cultures, which is fostered through assemblies and the religious education curriculum. Through the social and emotional aspects of the learning programme, pupils are developing a keen empathy for others whose lives are very different from their own. Attendance is slightly above the national average for primary schools. Pupils take part in different sports both within and out of school and learn about

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

healthy diets. They are learning to take responsibility for their own safety and are well prepared for moving on to the next stage in their education. The good PHSE curriculum and citizenship lessons contribute positively to pupils’ knowledge of democracy and being a good citizen.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

Provision for all pupils’ welfare, health and safety is satisfactory. The school provides a calm and nurturing environment. Small class sizes and appropriate staffing levels mean that pupils are supervised well at all times. Staff recruitment procedures follow guidelines and all staff and volunteers have undergone enhanced checks with the Criminal Records Bureau to confirm their suitability to work with children. Appropriate attention is given to health and safety through routine fire evacuations, checks on equipment and first aid procedures. Although all regulations have been met, staff are not always vigilant in identifying possible risks in the outdoor areas of the school grounds. For example, pupils were not given clear guidance when selecting plants for a lunchtime activity. A small number of health and safety risks were also reported to the school for them to address. Staff have received appropriate training in safeguarding and external courses are imminent for the

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

recently appointed headteacher. Pupils report that they feel safe in school and any concerns that they may have are quickly dealt with by staff. Parents too report that they appreciate the safe, caring, family environment provided by the school. The school promotes healthy living and eating and strives to ensure that all pupils have healthy snacks and nutritious packed lunches or hot meals.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The premises are generally clean and maintained well and the pupils benefit from attractive outdoor areas, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The school has sensible plans in place to improve accessibility and Disability Discrimination Act requirements are met. Independent school inspection report

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Suitability of the proprietor and staff

The school fully complies with the regulations in respect of the checks made on prospective employees with regard to their identity and suitability to work with children.

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School’s premises and accommodation

The school is located in an original village school building. The premises have been modernised to provide appropriate internal teaching areas. There is a small hall which is used for indoor physical education lessons, assemblies and as a dining area. Library resources are also situated in the hall and are rather limited. However, the outdoor areas are generous for the size of the school and all pupils benefit from a community funded adventure play area located within the school grounds. The outdoor facilities for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have recently been modernised and provide a safe and secure play area.

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

The school has established good links with parents, the local authority and the local secondary school. Parents are kept well informed about their child’s progress through regular written reports and informal meetings. These reports are a helpful summary of progress in the key areas of learning. The prospectus has been updated and fully meets requirements.

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Procedures for handling complaints

The school has a clearly written and fair complaints procedure which meets the requirements. There have been no formal complaints in the last 12 months.

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Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

The overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory, as is the provision and the leadership of this phase. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In the best examples, learning takes place through enjoyable, interactive games. This approach is not yet consistent across the phase. Curricular planning is monitored by the phase leader to ensure there is appropriate breadth and challenge. The classrooms are attractive with a suitable range of resources and children are encouraged to explore their own ideas and to be creative. Opportunities are occasionally missed by staff to intervene in child-led activities and enhance learning further through questioning or modelling. The outdoor play area is generous in size and well used. By the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage the children are well Independent school inspection report prepared for the next stage of their education. Assessment procedures are

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Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

appropriately developed and children’s progress is closely monitored through tracking booklets. Parents report that their children settle quickly into school life because the provision is caring and welcoming. Children learn the class routines quickly and develop positive relationships with staff and each other. There are occasions when the staff do not always apply a consistent approach to behaviour management and as a result opportunities are missed to reinforce good behaviour.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended (‘the Regulations’).

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development:

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What the school could do to improve further

 Ensure that all lessons have clear learning objectives that are shared with pupils and progress is checked at the end of the lesson.  Raise expectations so that all pupils achieve as well as they can and produce work of appropriate quality and quantity.  Ensure that pupils know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work. Independent school inspection report Inspection judgement recording form outstanding good satisfactory inadequate

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What the school could do to improve further

Overall quality of education  How well the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of pupils 

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What the school could do to improve further

How effective teaching and assessment are in meeting the full range of pupils’ needs 

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What the school could do to improve further

How well pupils make progress in their learning 

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What the school could do to improve further

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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What the school could do to improve further

Quality of provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 

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What the school could do to improve further

The overall welfare, health and safety of pupils 

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What the school could do to improve further

The quality of the Early Years Foundation Stage provision How good are the outcomes for children in the EYFS?  What is the quality of provision in the EYFS?  How effectively is the EYFS led and managed?  Overall effectiveness: how well does the school meet the needs of children in the EYFS?  Independent school inspection report

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School details

Name of school The Priors School DCSF number 937/6098 Unique reference number (URN) 131055 Type of school Primary, including nursery Status Independent Date school opened September 1996 Age range of pupils 3-11 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 14 Girls: 12 Total: 26 Number on roll (part-time pupils) Boys: 6 Girls: 7 Total: 13 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £3630 (Reception to Year 3) £4530 (Years 4 to 6) Address of school School Lane Priors Marston Southam Warwickshire CV47 7RR Telephone number 01327 260527 Email address thepriorsschool@btconnect.com Headteacher Mr G Murrell Proprietor Priors Marston and Priors Hardwick School Ltd. Reporting inspector Marian Harker HMI Dates of inspection 10-11 March 2010

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