Other · Ofsted report

Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School

Inspected — · published 13 Nov 2000 · URN 113064

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Squirrels Drey (lead), Ottery St Mary, West Hill

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Inspectorssingle source
Ottery St Mary, Squirrels Drey, West Hill
URN verified
113064

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+73Very positivemore positive than 73% of reports of this type

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Praiseexcellentvery effectiveeffectivelyvery highimprovedvery welleffectivepositive

Criticismpoorweaknessesinadequatedeficiencieslacknot alwaysbelowmissed

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings2640w+77
What needs to improve1812w+57

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Pages: 20
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Full report text

CHERITON FITZPAINE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 8 th March 2000

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CHERITON FITZPAINE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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CHERITON FITZPAINE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cheriton Fitzpaine Crediton Devon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th October 1996 Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 4

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Team members

Mr W Agnew Registered inspector Mrs J Gallichan Lay inspector Mrs V Emery Team inspector

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Team members

Mr W Agnew Squirrels Drey Higher Broad Oak Road West Hill Ottery St Mary Devon EX11 1XJ

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

• Attainment is higher than the national expectation …. • The teaching is very good …. • The head teacher provides excellent leadership … • Very good, purposeful and productive links …. • The personal development of the pupils is excellent …. • The school provides very good value for money.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 13

• The pupils’ knowledge of information and communications technology …. • The teaching and application of investigative mathematics ….

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number of full-time pupils 111 (below average) Pupils with English as a second language 0% Pupils entitled to free school meals 15% (average) Pupils on the register of special education needs 23 (average) Average class size 28

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Attainment of four-year-olds when they start school is broadly average. Since the last inspection the school has increased from three to four classes.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school with many very good and some excellent features. The pupils’ attainment exceeds the national expectation in almost all subjects. In comparison with other schools the pupils’ attainment at 11 is very high in English and science and above average for mathematics. The pupils have a very positive attitude to learning and their responsible behaviour contributes significantly to their achievement. The staff are hardworking, loyal and committed to the school and are very effectively led by the head teacher. The school fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum except for physical education where the lack of a hall restricts the gymnastics that can be taught. The accommodation is on two sites. It is very poor but is used imaginatively by the staff. Some classrooms are too small to carry out the range of practical activities required by the National Curriculum. The Year 5 and

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

6 pupils are located in the converted schoolhouse that has very small rooms and is on a separate site from the main building. The parents are very supportive of the school. For example, they provide daily escorts for pupils who have to walk along the unpaved and narrow main street of the village to reach the other site. This is a heavy commitment for parents to make. The strengths of the school outweigh considerably its weaknesses.

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What the school does well

• Attainment is higher than the national expectation in almost all subjects and is very high in English and science. • The teaching is very good and staff make best use of resources, buildings and facilities that are grossly unsuitable and inadequate for teaching the National Curriculum. Support staff are deployed very effectively and make a significant contribution to the learning of individual and small groups of pupils. • The head teacher provides excellent leadership, is well supported by the governors and staff in developing and managing the school, and has devised comprehensive monitoring and assessment procedures that are used well for target setting. • Very good, purposeful and productive links are established with parents. • The personal development of the pupils is excellent; they quickly learn to be responsible and trustworthy. • The school provides very good value for money.

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What could be improved

• The pupils’ knowledge of information and communications technology (ICT) and their skills, and the use of ICT to enhance learning in other subjects. • The teaching and application of investigative mathematics to ensure that pupils fully understand mathematical principles and relationships. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Pupils’ standards of achievement at both key stages have improved significantly since the last inspection, particularly in English, mathematics and science. Comprehensive monitoring and assessment systems have been developed to evaluate teaching and learning. The information has been used very effectively to improve progression in teaching and learning, and pupils’ achievement. Lessons have clear objectives and the number of initiatives outlined in the school development plan has been reduced to a manageable size. Recent appointments have strengthened the teaching staff bringing expertise in ICT and geography. The school’s health and safety policy has been updated to include the careful practice exercised by the staff and pupils. The management of the school has continued to draw to the attention of the local education authority the risks to pupils’ safety and the erosion of curriculum time caused by the inadequacies of the accommodation.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A A A* A* well above average above average A B mathematics C C B B average below average C D science A A A* A* well below average E

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Key

The school achieves very high standards in English and science that are in the highest five per cent nationally. Standards of achievement in mathematics exceed the national expectation. The overall trend over time shows improvement in all three subjects. This trend is reflected in the work seen during the inspection where teachers and pupils continually strive to attain the best they can. The school carefully evaluates each pupil and sets realistic but challenging targets.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are eager to learn and try to do their best at all times. They are highly motivated and have a mature sense of responsibility. Levels of application, interest and sustained concentration are high.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 8 Personal development and relationships Personal development is excellent. The pupils quickly learn to become responsible for their own behaviour, to organise themselves and to act sensibly to cope with the difficulties posed by the accommodation. Pupils work very well together. Relationships throughout the school are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory and the school is working to improve this.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Very good Good Very good

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The teachers set high expectations and the teaching of basic skills is highly focused and matched to pupils’ abilities. Lessons are well planned, organised, managed and implemented. Lessons are conducted at a lively pace and the teaching is challenging and rigorous. Pupils’ oral and written responses are assessed and very effective use is made of the information to guide the teaching and the planning. The teaching of the youngest and oldest age groups in the school is particularly effective.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and relevant and makes very good provision for the wide range of pupils’ abilities. A specific priority is given to the teaching of English. A good range of extra- curricular activities caters for pupils’ interests and provides practical experiences that extend the pupils’ understanding of the wider world.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The needs of the pupils with special educational needs are very well met in the classroom and through the deployment of the high calibre support staff.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Excellent. Staff provide good role models. Codes of behaviour are very clear and pupils have a mature understanding of their responsibilities. Social and moral development is particularly strong. A well conceived rewards’ system recognises a wide range of achievement.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school makes excellent provision for the care of its pupils. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent ethos created by the head teacher and the whole staff strongly supports high quality learning. Monitoring of teaching effectively raises the quality of teaching and the pupils’ attainment.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities and are actively supportive of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school makes a detailed analysis of its performance, particularly teaching and attainment and makes very effective use of the information to make improvements.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Staff and support staff are very effectively deployed. Very good use is made of learning resources to support pupils’ learning. The school provides very good value for money

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • Good teaching. School is well led and managed • School is approachable. • A small minority of parents wanted more homework and a similar minority wanted less. • A small minority of parents did not feel sufficiently well informed about progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team endorses the positive comments of the parents. The amount of homework that the teachers set is consistent with government guidelines and is considered to be appropriate. Teachers are available to meet parents informally at the start and end of each day, although this is not always convenient for either teachers or parents. There are two formal occasions when parents discuss their children’s work with staff. The annual report on each pupil’s progress is comprehensive and informative. The recent introduction of the home/school book has improved communications particularly between the school and those homes where both parents work. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 10

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high in English and science

1. The pupils achieve well above average standards in the National Curriculum tests at Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics. At Key Stage 2, they achieve very high standards in English and science and above average standards in mathematics.

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high in English and science

2. In the reception and Year 1 class, the pupils are introduced to challenging scientific concepts such as making predictions based on information that has been previously acquired and fair testing. Making use of knowledge gained in previous lessons and scientific investigation are evident throughout the school. The pupils in the Year 1 and 2 class drew heavily on their joint knowledge on the use of batteries to complete an assignment and Year 5 and 6 pupils demonstrated their ability to carry out an experiment, record and predict accurately.

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high in English and science

3. The pupils enjoy stories and most quickly learn to read. By the age of seven they know how to tackle unfamiliar words and derive joy from reading different forms of writing such as stories and poems. The older pupils read for pleasure and have clear preferences for authors and styles. They also read to gather information to extend their own interests. Effective use is made of reading skills to support learning across the curriculum.

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high in English and science

4. Writing skills are taught very well. Younger pupils form letters correctly and the higher attaining ones write independently and spell simple words accurately. By the time they are 7, their writing communicates meaning clearly and the higher attaining pupils write at length and communicate ideas logically and in detail. Full stops and capital letters are used correctly and common words are spelt accurately. Older pupils write for a range of purposes using a wide range of vocabulary and accurate punctuation and grammar.

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high in English and science

5. ICT skills have improved significantly since the last inspection. Pupils use computers from an early age. Year R pupils type their name and mark whether they are having lunch on the computer and then print out the information as part of the registration period. They also estimate distances, predict outcomes and write a series of instructions for a programmable robot. Older pupils make effective use of a word processing program to record their scientific observations and interrogate a CD-ROM for research into their history topic.

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

contribution to the learning of individual and small groups of pupils.

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

6. In over half of the lessons, the teaching is very good or excellent and in the remainder the majority is good. The major features of excellent and very good teaching are high expectations, a lively and brisk pace, effective use of resources and accommodation, activities that are carefully matched to the range of pupils’ abilities and the deployment of the support staff. Excellent and very good teaching occurs mostly for the younger and older pupils. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 11 7. Where the expectations are high, pupils are required to recall previous learning in detail and to relate it to the lesson in progress. Year R and some Year 1 pupils were expected to remember the procedures and sequences for writing instructions for a robot. In a science lesson for Years 5 and 6 the pupils were expected to understand and use accurately a wide range of specific language such as residue and evaporation. They were also required to make use of their recently acquired

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

knowledge about how specific mixtures can be separated to suggest ways in which similar mixtures might be separated.

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

8. The teaching of the older pupils is particularly lively and brisk. Lessons begin promptly and at a sharp pace. The pupils know that they have to be ready and prepared and they are given precise allocations of time for completing their tasks. The momentum in lessons for the younger pupils is effectively maintained through the use of a range of different learning activities that are linked to the main point. In a few lessons, the lesson pace drops when the pupils are engaged for too long on a single task.

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

9. In almost all lessons carefully selected equipment and resources are used to support the pupils’ learning. Videos, computers and computerised robots, musical instruments, batteries and commercial worksheets and ones prepared by the teacher are used to match the learning activity to the pupils’ abilities. As a result, the pupils make good progress. Using a battery operated robot, younger pupils were able to test their predictions and estimations and from the outcomes their ability to estimate distances and their orientation capabilities improved during the lesson. Staff work hard to overcome the problems of the accommodation. To be able to use a robot, the chairs and tables had to be stacked to create sufficient floor space for the activity to take place in the small Year R and Year 1 classroom. The space in the classroom for Year 5 and 6 pupils (two bedrooms with the dividing wall removed) is woefully

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

inadequate for the nature of practical work that pupils of this age need to undertake. As a result, the small adjoining rooms and those downstairs need to be utilised. The supervision problems that this deployment creates are overcome by the sensible and responsible behaviour of the pupils.

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

10. Tasks are well matched to pupils’ abilities. Following the introduction to the ICT lesson using a battery operated robot, tasks had been prepared at three different levels. In a mathematics’ lesson for lower Key Stage 2, some pupils consolidated their knowledge and understanding of multiples of two, five and ten and searched for repeating patterns as others conducted a mathematical investigation that required them to double very large figures. At this point, they were taught how to use the “constant function” facility of a calculator.

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Curriculum. Support staff are very effectively deployed and make significant

11. The teachers’ deployment of the support staff is very effective and the support staff make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning in small groups. For example, one member of the support staff recorded the contributions that her group made during a whole class teaching session and used these as starting points for individual pupils during the small group work that she supervised. Key Stage 2 pupils who are members of the additional literacy support group receive expert supervision where their progress is carefully tracked and recorded by one of the support staff. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 12

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monitoring and assessment procedures that are used for target setting

12. The head teacher has a very clear vision for the school’s development and has established effective strategies to achieve this. The governors actively support the school and fulfil their statutory responsibilities. The school’s aims are fully reflected in the work of the school for example, to provide a rich and stimulating education. Excellent systems for monitoring planning, teaching and learning have been developed and are used very effectively to set individual targets for pupils and to improve teaching. They make a significant contribution to raising pupils’ standards of achievement. The monitoring of teachers’ plans for geography, for example, have ensured appropriate coverage of the National Curriculum requirements.

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monitoring and assessment procedures that are used for target setting

13. The school development plan now includes a realistic number of initiatives that are planned in detail and include monitoring and evaluation strategies to ensure that they are successfully implemented. Prudent financial planning effectively supports these educational priorities. Very effective use is made of the specific grant for small schools to overcome, for example, the deficiencies of the accommodation as far as is possible.

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monitoring and assessment procedures that are used for target setting

14. Induction procedures for new teachers are very good. Recent staff appointments have extended the expertise and interest of the staff overall. The coordinators have been allocated time for monitoring the teaching of their subject responsibilities and this has helped to raise the quality of the teaching and has contributed to improvements in pupils’ attainment.

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monitoring and assessment procedures that are used for target setting

Very good, purposeful and productive links are established with parents.

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monitoring and assessment procedures that are used for target setting

15. The parents appreciate the regular newsletters that keep them informed about developments and those pupils who have been successful. Regular communication between teachers and parents occurs through the home/school book where homework is noted, expectations are set and teachers and parents make comments. A small number of volunteers provide regular and valued help in classrooms and many others are available when specifically asked. The Parent/Teacher Association is very supportive of the school and the financial assistance they provide makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

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The personal development of the pupils and their attitudes and behaviour are

excellent; they quickly learn to be responsible and trustworthy.

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The personal development of the pupils and their attitudes and behaviour are

16. In all lessons, the attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are at least good and in nearly three-quarters of them they are very good or excellent. This is a particularly strong feature of the school. From the pupils early days in Year R they learn how to behave in a class, how and when to ask questions, to apply themselves with concentration to their tasks, organise their resources, do their best and, above all, to enjoy learning. Throughout the school, the pupils are keen to learn, eager to ask questions and readily contribute to lessons. The older pupils are trusted to be sensible and to work conscientiously when not directly supervised. All pupils cooperate very effectively in pairs and small groups where they share resources and work together to complete a common task. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 13

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The school provides very good value for money

17. The school provides very good value for money. The intake at the age of five is broadly average and by the age of 11 pupils’ attainment in English and science is very high and is above average for mathematics and most other subjects. The teaching is very good overall and some is excellent. The pupils’ personal development and their positive attitudes to learning and responsible behaviour are excellent. The head teacher provides excellent leadership and is ably supported by the staff and governors. Financial planning is prudent and funding is clearly targeted to underpin educational priorities. Unit costs per pupil are average. The school makes very effective use of resources to support learning and works very hard to overcome the deficiencies of the buildings and sites.

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The pupils’ knowledge of information and communications technology (ICT) and their

skills, and its use to enhance learning in other subjects.

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The pupils’ knowledge of information and communications technology (ICT) and their

18. Improvements have been achieved in the provision and teaching of ICT and pupils’ knowledge and skills have been developed since the last inspection. Teachers’ lesson plans show that pupils regularly use computers and other ICT equipment. During the inspection the pupils wrote a set of instructions for a battery operated robot, used a word processor and searched a CD-ROM for information. Pupils’ with access to a computer at home generally have greater knowledge and skills. These pupils often act as consultants for other pupils when they run into difficulties. This is a productive relationship but care needs to be taken that neither the “experts” become too dominant or the others too dependent on them for help.

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The pupils’ knowledge of information and communications technology (ICT) and their

19. As the pupils’ knowledge and skills develop and the staff become fully conversant with the possibilities that ICT offers further consideration needs to be given to the ways in which ICT can enhance learning across the curriculum, particularly through writing, data handling, research, creative artwork and logistical thinking and planning.

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The teaching and application of investigative mathematics to ensure that pupils fully

understand mathematical principles and relationships.

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The teaching and application of investigative mathematics to ensure that pupils fully

20. The results of the National Curriculum tests for 11-year-olds show that standards are not as high as for English and science although they exceed the national average. Less than half of the pupils who attain level 5 (above average) in English and science achieve Level 5 in mathematics. However, there has recently been marked improvement in the numbers achieving Level 4, the national expectation. To achieve improvements the teachers are providing daily opportunities for pupils to practise mental arithmetic to speed up their ability to calculate. The same rigorous monitoring procedures that have been applied to improving spelling need to be applied to mental arithmetic and mathematics to refine individual target setting for those pupils who ought to be capable of attaining Level 5.

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The teaching and application of investigative mathematics to ensure that pupils fully

21. Monitoring of lesson plans and teaching needs to ensure that pupils are taught to fully understand mathematical principles and relationships, and to apply these across the curriculum, where appropriate. For example, the pupils need to recognise patterns of numbers such as those embedded in some of the multiplication tables and to have the confidence to use this knowledge to generate further answers to questions. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 14

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE?

i. develop the ICT curriculum to meet fully the National Curriculum requirements and to enhance learning in other subjects, where appropriate;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE?

ii monitor the teaching of mathematics to identify weaknesses and to ensure that mathematical principles are fully taught and understood, and that mathematical investigatory work underpins learning in other subjects, where appropriate. Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School - 15

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