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Other · Ofsted report

St Andrew's CE Primary School and Nursery

Inspected — · published 27 Feb 2002 · URN 117444

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  • URN verified

    117444

Page 1 of 21
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+91Very positivemore positive than 94% of reports of this type

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Praiseexcellentvery wellpositiveeffectiveeffectivelystronglyexemplarystrong
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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improveLeadership positive critical
  • Findings3955w+92
  • Leadership971w+87
  • What needs to improve967w+79

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Pages
21
Words of findings
5,863
longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 49, typical 45
Average sentence
17 words
Next steps
8
typical 5
Hedged sentences
2%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

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Findings 63%Leadership 15%What needs to improve 15%About the inspection 6%

Full report text

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 21st November 2001

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SCHOOL

Full 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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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. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Tower Hill Much Hadham Hertfordshire

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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: 18 th March 1997 St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

7230 Rob Crompton Registered inspector 13874 Jane Chesterfield Lay inspector 29959 Kathryn Fleming Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Wessex Education 2 Riverside Athelhampton Dorchester Dorset DT2 7LG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Andrew’s CE 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Andrew's is a Church of England, voluntary aided primary school, in the village of Much Hadham. Since the previous inspection, the school has expanded from five classes to nine, including a nursery and the roll has increased from 145 to 205. Pupils come from Much Hadham, Bishop's Stortford and neighbouring villages and hamlets. Almost all pupils are white. As they start school, children are above average in the development of social skills, their use of language and in mathematical understanding. Twenty-one pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs because of physical, learning or communication difficulties. One of these pupils has a statement of educational need. The proportion of pupils with special needs is below average. The school has strong links with the church community and parental support is high. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is very small.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides an excellent education for all pupils. Challenging teaching leads to high standards. There is an excellent ethos; pupils work hard and enjoy a rich curriculum. Relationships are exemplary and pupils respond very well to the school’s provision for personal development. Parents hold the school in high regard. It gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• High quality teaching leads to very good standards • The headteacher provides excellent leadership, and her vision and determination to sustain and improve standards are shared by all staff • Pupils enjoy the rich curriculum and rise to the challenges offered in lessons and other activities • Pupils have very positive attitudes, try their best in class and behave very well • Parents think highly of the school and contribute much to their children’s education and to the life of the school • Under the excellent leadership of the chair, the governing body fulfils its strategic role very well

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What could be improved

• There are no major issues for the school to address. Effective leadership and high quality teaching, plus frequent monitoring, review and evaluation enables the school to maintain good standards in all aspects of its work. The school has accurately identified priorities for the next stage of development. Reports to parents are good but could be improved further with more detail.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Improvement since the previous inspection in March 1997 has been very good. The issues identified by the last report have been addressed successfully and other improvements have been achieved. • Standards have risen significantly in English, mathematics and science • Teaching is now very good with no weaknesses • The roles and responsibilities of governors in financial planning are now clearly defined • Provision for pupils’ personal development has been extended St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 7 • The school has developed effective systems for self-evaluation

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

As they start school, most children have well developed social and communication skills, and have a good understanding of early numeracy. They achieve well by the end of the Foundation Stage 1 and this gives them a very good base for work in Year 1. Through consistently effective teaching, by the time pupils are seven, they achieve above average results in reading, writing and mathematics. Results are often well above average, particularly in reading where pupils are almost a year ahead compared to the national picture. Building on this, the momentum continues through the juniors so that, by eleven, attainment reaches the highly commendable levels indicated in the above table. A* indicates that scores were in the top five per cent of the national results.

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STANDARDS

The use of literacy in subjects such as science, history and geography enables pupils to practise, consolidate and improve their skills. Their depth of understanding in mathematics is shown by their recall of facts, their confidence in suggesting strategies for solving problems and their use of mathematical terminology. Other subjects, such as science, and design and technology provide ample opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills. Good work was also seen in science, art and design, information and communication technology (ICT) and physical education. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls or of children from different ethnic groups.

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STANDARDS

Results in the National Curriculum tests for eleven-year-olds over the past four years indicate that attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is more than a year ahead of that found in most schools across the country. This commendable achievement is a result of effective teaching, careful assessment, close monitoring of individual progress and the challenging targets set by the school. The pupils themselves, with the support of their parents, deserve full credit for the effort they make in living up to the high expectations the school has for them.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils willingly co-operate and try hard in lessons. They are keen to take a full part in school.

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Aspect Comment

1 The Foundation Stage is from a child’s third birthday until the end of the reception year. At St Andrew’s, this includes children in the nursery and reception classes. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 8 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in lessons and around the school. Pupils are attentive, and co-operate without fuss when working in pairs and small groups. They are friendly, polite courteous and show respect for their school. Personal development and relationships Relationships are very strong and constructive throughout the school. Pupils are very willing to take responsibility and show initiative. Attendance Very good: attendance is well above the national average and pupils arrive promptly.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes and values exert a positive influence on their progress; classrooms have a purposeful atmosphere and teachers are able to concentrate on teaching and learning without dwelling on behaviour. Pupils respect each other’s differences and care for each other, making the school a happy community.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very good 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 in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The high standards owe much to the good start children make in the nursery and reception classes. Baseline assessments indicate that many children are above average in speaking listening and early numeracy when they start school. Social skills develop well as children settle in to school routines and most children use their developing communication skills with increasing confidence. They make good progress in the nursery and reception classes so that they get off to a good start as they begin the National Curriculum in Year 1.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

In Years 1 to 6, the quality of teaching in English and mathematics is consistently high. Basic skills of writing and numeracy are very well taught. Careful planning based on good knowledge of the subjects is a positive feature of the teaching. Teachers are clear about what pupils are to learn and frequently share their objectives with them. Involving pupils in the assessment of their own progress and in setting targets for improvement promotes academic progress, as well as responsible attitudes to learning. Stimulating and interesting work means that pupils are enthusiastic and keen to progress. Planning takes account of the needs of all pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported to ensure their inclusion in activities.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Classroom assistants make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. They are well briefed by teachers and form productive relationships with pupils. Pupils at all levels of attainment benefit from their support.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Pupils benefit from a rich curriculum which enables them to flourish, improve where they need to and to experience a wide range of activities. The formal curriculum, together with extra activities, combine to provide a stimulating and challenging St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 9 learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs are identified early and given very good support by class teachers and learning assistants. Provision for pupils with specific social and communication difficulties is particularly effective.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good: lessons provide opportunities for pupils to think about meaning and purpose in the natural world and in human achievement. The school grounds are used effectively to promote spiritual development. Moral and social development is promoted very well through the day-to-day life of the school. Art, drama and literature are used to promote cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well: A caring atmosphere pervades the school. Staff know pupils very well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. There is very strong support for pupils’ self-esteem. Assessment procedures are thorough and used to carefully track the progress of individual pupils and year group. Procedures for child protection are effective.

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Aspect Comment

A very strong partnership with parents contributes to pupils’ academic and personal development. Parents support their children at home and provide help in lessons. Curriculum evenings, sharing assemblies, consultations and social functions are well attended. The parents and friends association is very active and raises lots of money for the school. The information provided by the school is plentiful and informative, although reports could provide more information about how children are doing in relation to others in their age group.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides excellent leadership. Her vision and determination are major factors in the school’s continuing drive for improvement. Curriculum leaders do a very good job; they keep a close eye on their subjects and successfully move things forward.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Under the excellent leadership of the chair, governors fulfil their responsibilities very well

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Governors are well informed about how the school compares to others. The head and deputy closely monitor progress and provide very detailed analysis of performance from year to year.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are used extremely well. Financial decisions are centred on careful whole school planning. Central grants are use effectively and the school is successful in acquiring extra funds for special projects.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher is strongly supported by the deputy and key staff. Everyone’s contribution is valued. Because of this, staff willingly take on management roles and share a commitment to maintaining high standards. The last inspection report has been used very well to move the school further forward. The school has very good procedures for ensuring that it gets the best value from the available resources. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 10 St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The quality of teaching and the progress children make • Pupils’ behaviour and their responsible attitudes • The school management and the positive partnership with parents • The information provided about children’s progress • Children enjoy coming to school and work hard • About a quarter of parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire think the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection strongly endorsed parents’ positive views. The concern about activities outside lessons is not well founded. The curriculum is enriched by educational trips and residential visits. Visitors to the school provide an added dimension and there are good opportunities for children who wish to develop their individual talents. In response to parental requests, the school’s sporting activities have been extended. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 12

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

1 The attainment of seven-year-olds and eleven-year olds over the past four years has been well above average in English, mathematics and science. The school has consistently enabled each year group of pupils to build on their good base on starting school to achieve standards much better than those found nationally and in schools with similar characteristics. This good progress is the result of excellent leadership, careful planning and, especially, the high quality of the day-to-day teaching. Thirteen of the nineteen lessons observed were very good or excellent and the other six were good.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

2 Children thrive in the nursery and reception classes. Teaching staff work well together in the nursery and have created a very stimulating environment for young children. Relationships are excellent and staff know all the children well. Resources are of good quality and plentiful; they are clearly set out and easily accessible by both children and teachers. The spacious indoor area and the well-designed outdoor space are used effectively to group children in various ways during the day. For example, during a very good nursery session, the teacher skilfully taught children the ‘sound of the day’ referring to a display of items beginning with the letter f. Children participated with great enthusiasm as they said the letter and joined in actions, which reinforced their learning. The delightful relationships that staff have established with the children was evident as each child had a brief conversation about their

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

chosen task, choosing items from a box to represent what they were to do – such as a cassette for listening to a recorded story, a paint brush for painting, a cup for playing in the ‘café’ and so on. The teacher and nursery nurse focused on specific groups as individuals worked independently. All children were suitably challenged because the activities had been carefully chosen.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

3 Pupils in the reception work happily in an attractive classroom and are on course to meet or exceed the early learning goals 2 by the end of the school year. For example, their knowledge and understanding of the uses of electricity in the home was evident as they discussed the various items the teacher had brought in. Following individual work, their understanding was consolidated when they were asked to put items in the correct places in a dolls’ house. In another lesson, children’s well-developed literacy skills were evident. They ‘helped a doll from China’ to say words correctly using the appropriate initial sound and later formed all letters correctly as they wrote underneath the teacher’s writing.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

4 Teaching in Years 1 and 2 successfully builds on the good start made in the nursery and reception classes. Lessons are well planned. Teachers are very clear about what they want pupils to learn and often make this known at the beginning of a lesson. Planning takes into account the different levels of attainment in the class, so that all pupils can build on what they already know and confidently tackle more challenging work. Teachers make the point of each lesson obvious by writing the learning objectives on the board, discussing them at the beginning and reviewing them at the end. This occurred in a very good lesson in Year 2 where pupils were ‘consolidating subtraction facts for 14 and 15’. Pupils clearly understood that the lesson was to ensure that ‘we really, really know it’.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

5 Teachers use resources that appeal to pupils, such as the colourful ‘butterflies’ used to illustrate number work in a Year 1 class. Pupils spotted a pattern in the number of ways of making six - 6+0, 5+1, 4+2 and so on - noticing the ascending and descending number sequences. This level of understanding is unusual at this age. Pupils in Year 2 also illustrated

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

2 Early learning goals set out targets for the end of the foundation stage. This runs from the child’s third birthday to the end of the reception year. The areas covered are personal and social development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, and mathematical, physical and creative development. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 13 their well above average attainment in English during a lesson where they where asked to link familiar stories with their own everyday experience. The teacher had an excellent relationship with the pupils and read a story expressively, capturing the pupils’ imagination. Her focused approach ensured that pupils increased their understanding of the story’s theme of being lost and enabled them to make very good attempts at writing their own stories with the same theme.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

6 Pupils benefit from teachers’ expertise in a range of subjects. For example, during a Year 3 art lesson, the teacher drew on her own knowledge to bring a lesson on optical art to life. After looking at pictures by Bridget Riley, Basserilli and other artists, pupils made very good attempts of their own, mixing colours well, experimenting confidently with pastels and oil based crayons, and thoroughly enjoying the work. Several pupils used a painting program to produce ‘op art’ on the computer, demonstrating above average skills in ICT and producing some effective images; a good example of how the school integrates the use of ICT with other subjects. During a highly effective science lesson in Year 4, the teacher used her excellent subject knowledge to help pupils investigate teeth. Pupils were fascinated as they identified the various types of teeth by holding mirrors to their mouths. Encouraged by the teacher, they

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

expressed themselves very clearly using appropriate scientific terms, such as ‘decay’. Pupils were absorbed in a variety of tasks, including looking at and commenting on an x-ray. They learned a lot during the lesson and had an above average knowledge and understanding at the end. During an excellent mathematics lesson in the same class, the teacher used her expertise in mathematics to draw out pupils’ understanding of the link between the equivalence of fractions and division.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

7 Literacy and numeracy are taught extremely well. This was evident during an excellent lesson in Year 5 on instructional texts. When reviewing what they had learned in the previous lesson, pupils identified the distinguishing features of such texts, mentioning imperative verbs, the use of the present tense and features of layout, such as numbering and text direction. Knowing the pupils’ capabilities, the teacher used sophisticated vocabulary throughout and set challenging tasks. Pupils of all abilities were supported well. At the end of the lesson, all pupils were fully involved. They had smiles of anticipation and were eager to read out their own instructional texts. Their work was of very good quality. This lesson was an example of teaching and learning at their best. Teaching was equally effective in an excellent mathematics lesson in Year 6. During the introduction, pupils demonstrated their very good

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

understanding of algebraic expressions, substituting different values for x in expressions such as 2x – 1 and 15x – 5 . They were similarly confident when they went on to plot points in all four quadrants using co-ordinates. They had clearly been taught very well, as they used appropriate mathematical terms such as origin, x axis, vertical axis and quadrant . All pupils rose to the high level of challenge offered by the tasks. They were extremely well motivated and eager to learn.

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High quality teaching leads to very good standards

8. Across the whole school, a potent combination of stimulating teaching and positive response contributes much to the well above average standards achieved.

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The headteacher provides excellent leadership and her vision and determination to

sustain and improve standards are shared by all staff.

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The headteacher provides excellent leadership and her vision and determination to

9 The headteacher has a clear vision for future development and plays a pivotal role in moving the school forward and in sustaining high standards. She is enthusiastic and fully committed to continuing and extending the school’s role at the centre of village life. Her knowledge of every child enables her to keep a watchful eye on individuals and this is much appreciated by parents.

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The headteacher provides excellent leadership and her vision and determination to

10 The headteacher is ably supported by the deputy head. All staff take on additional responsibilities and do so willingly and effectively. All involved in the school feel valued. A common sense of purpose contributes to the positive atmosphere that permeates the school. Staff with major curriculum management responsibilities provide excellent role models for St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 14 colleagues. Their exemplary teaching not only benefits pupils but also provides a rich source of expertise for other teachers.

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The headteacher provides excellent leadership and her vision and determination to

11 Successful strategies have been introduced to monitor teaching. The headteacher and subject co-ordinators observe colleagues teaching and provide constructive feedback. Observations often have a specific focus, such as evaluating the teaching of numeracy across the school. The headteacher and deputy head support staff in their professional development through regular discussions to review progress and agree future targets. Teachers have benefited from this process and it is having a positive effect on standards.

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The headteacher provides excellent leadership and her vision and determination to

12 The headteacher and assessment co-ordinator carefully analyse the results of National Curriculum tests and other assessments to enable the school to identify whole-school and individual targets. Children’s progress is tracked from the time they start school so that teachers know what progress should be expected of individual pupils. This often results in extra support for those pupils who appear to fall behind and contributes to their overall success at the end of the key stage.

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other activities

13 The school achieves a very good balance across the subjects of the National Curriculum. Links between subjects feature strongly, particularly for younger pupils. The skills learned in literacy and numeracy are used regularly in other lessons. For example, a small group of Year 6 pupils, very well supported by a learning assistant, used their reading skills well when studying information about Roman roads. Year 2 pupils had used their writing and presentation skills well during a survey of houses in the village.

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other activities

14 Art features strongly in the curriculum and skills in ICT are mostly learned through activities directly related to current work. Year 6 pupils, for example, use a computer program to consolidate their work on co-ordinates and pupils in Year 3 had researched optical art using the Internet.

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other activities

15 An extra impetus is given to many subjects because of the imaginative way they are approached. There are numerous examples: • Language and drama are enhanced by the weekly drama club, visiting puppeteers, authors and illustrators, visits to theatres and by encouraging pupils to enter literary competitions. • Artists in residence and visits to local and national galleries contribute to work in art. An artist was commissioned to produce a piece in glass to commemorate the Millennium. • With the help of a specialist the school grounds are used effectively for conservation studies and as a source of inspiration for pupils’ work in environmental art. Year 1 and Year 4 pupils visit a local field studies centre regularly to support work in geography and science. • History is brought to life by visiting teachers who work in role. • The Science and Technology Regional Organisation (SATRO) supports much of the school’s work and provides ideas and stimulating resources.

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other activities

• Pupils take part in a local athletics competition and many attend the football and netball clubs. Professional rugby and cricket clubs provide activity sessions and the pupils take part with other schools in a fitness day involving basketball, tennis, dance and long-distance running. • Music features strongly in the school. Pupils can learn the piano, recorder and brass and woodwind instruments. Choral groups from Cambridge and the USA have visited recently and pupils are taken to music festivals and professional concerts. The annual production and other concerts provide a good outlet for pupils’ musical talents. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 15 16 Good provision for special educational needs ensures that all pupils benefit from the stimulating learning environment. Teachers provide highly suitable work in lessons and the part-time specialist works closely with the co-ordinator, class teachers and learning

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other activities

assistants. The liaison governor supports developments and monitors progress. Outside agencies make a valuable contribution to the school’s consistent and successful approach.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes, try their best in class and behave very well

17 The school’s provision for personal development has a very good influence on pupils’ positive attitudes. Their social development is very well supported and the school is successful in helping pupils to become responsible individuals who get on well with each other. Relationships throughout the school are very good and underpin all its work. Staff know pupils very well and take every opportunity to boost their confidence. Pupils feel cared for and valued.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes, try their best in class and behave very well

18 Following the previous inspection, a behaviour management system was introduced. One assembly each week is used to celebrate pupils’ achievements. Two pupils from each class can earn ‘discs’ for good work, effort or positive behaviour. All pupils have the opportunity to be rewarded in this way and teachers ensure that, over time, each pupil’s contribution to the school is recognised.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes, try their best in class and behave very well

19 Pupils are keen to come to school. Attendance rates are very high and there were no unauthorised absences last year. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good and pupils take responsibility well. Pupils are spontaneously polite and respectful but not obsequious.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes, try their best in class and behave very well

20 The school’s success in helping pupils to develop a high level of maturity is evident to any visitor. They are lively, confident, enthusiastic; delightful to be with and a credit to the school and their parents.

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and to the life of the school

21 The school has developed a very successful partnership with parents. Parents of children starting school for the first time are invited to a tea party run by the Parents and Friends Association (PFA). Parents appreciate the outline of topics to be covered in each subject, which is sent each term and welcome the various leaflets that the school produces about helping their children at home. Curriculum evenings and open days are well attended Parents have every opportunity to communicate with the school, either at consultation evenings or more informally at the beginning and end of the day. The headteacher makes a point of being at the school gate to greet children and their parents at least three times each week. At the pre-inspection meeting for parents, tribute was paid to the school’s open and friendly approach.

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and to the life of the school

22 Parents make valuable contributions to the life of the school. Many volunteer their help during the school day. In addition to supporting teachers in lessons, because of the difficulties in recruiting supervisors, they have organised a rota for assistance during lunchtimes. Parents support special projects, such as the SATRO workshops and art activities, and accompany pupils on the many visits made further afield. The important part the school plays in community life is evident from the many photographs of village events around the school. The flourishing PFA provides many extra resources and helps in very practical ways, such as its involvement in the building modifications and the new ICT suite.

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and to the life of the school

23 The school prospectus and the governors’ annual report for parents are comprehensive and readable, and guidelines about helping children at home are well- St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 16 presented, concise and informative. End-of-year reports are good, although they could be improved further. There are formal targets for improvement in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science but little indication of how well a child is doing in relation to others of their age. Comments on progress in other subjects are very brief and targets are sometimes too vague, such as ‘continue to make a positive contribution in class’.

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and to the life of the school

24 In summary, the school’s commitment to working in equal partnership with parents is evident in its day-to-day life. Pupils benefit from this in numerous ways; any anxiety about starting school is much reduced, support at home and in lessons helps academic progress, involvement in out-of-school activities enhances pupils’ social development and the funds raised add to the quality of education. The school fulfils the aim expressed in the prospectus - ‘We place great emphasis on home/school liaison and we welcome the involvement and participation of parents in the life of the school. We believe this is a key factor in motivating children to do well.’

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role very well

25 The chair of governors is held in high regard by the school and the parent community. The headteacher and staff appreciate her energy, drive and unfailing support. She has daily contact with the school and is the driving force behind many projects, for example, the development of the school grounds as a rich learning resource for pupils.

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role very well

26 The governing body works very effectively. Governors are well aware of how the school performs compared to others and adopts a strategic approach to planning. The development plan precisely identifies the intended benefit to pupils of each target, together with the time scale and the resources necessary to achieve it. Governors have a wide range of expertise. This was used to good effect during the recent alterations to the school building. The extra teaching spaces, the new entrance and the attractive inner courtyard owe much to the expertise of governors in ensuring that modifications were in keeping with the existing building, parts of which are listed as of special architectural interest.

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role very well

27 Governors use the income from a trust fund effectively to supplement central funds. There is a common aim to provide the best possible resources and this money is used effectively for major projects. Greatly helped by the £12000 raised by the PFA and an anonymous donation of £10000, governors are fully involved in the design and building of a new ICT suite.

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role very well

28 The school is well on the way to becoming fully self-evaluative. The governors’ role in acting as critical friends is an important part of this process. They monitor the quality of teaching through the headteacher’s regular reports and by inviting subject leaders to make presentations at their meetings. Each governor takes a special interest in one subject and receives feedback on developments regularly from the subject leader.

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role very well

29 Governors have a clear idea of the educational values they wish the school to reflect. They have a commitment to support pupils of all levels of attainment. This is evident in the provision of extra support, particularly for those pupils with special educational needs. Governors are successful in their desire to provide a broad education within a strong Christian ethos. They make an important contribution to the work of the school. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

30 The evaluative culture throughout the school should be maintained. Staff and governors should remain focused on how they can improve further. The existing school development plan should be used as a basis for future improvement, with the emphases on:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• maintaining the overall high standards in numeracy, literacy and science • continuing to focus on the writing element in English; • developing the curriculum, teaching and resources in ICT.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Minor weakness End-of-year reports are good but they could be clearer about how children are doing in relation to their age and targets for improvement are sometimes too vague. (paragraph 23) St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents five percentage points

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 22 183

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals na 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 13

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 15 15 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 13 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 90 (96) 93 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 13 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 93 (100) 93 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 16 15 31

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 14 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 15 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 94 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 13 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 15 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 87 (80) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2000-1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 422692

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 410057

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 105 Expenditure per pupil 2041

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 1331

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0.5 Balance carried forward to next year 13966

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 12.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. All pupils attend nursery part-time

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 21

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 60 38 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 49 3 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 44 7 2 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 48 8 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 31 11 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 34 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 41 50 8 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 60 39 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 45 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 47 18 8 8

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