Davenham CofE Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 28 th January 2003

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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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. Davenham C of E Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Charles Avenue Davenham Northwich

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Revd. R. Munro

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1998 Davenham C of E Primary School

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Team members

23742 Colin Henderson Registered inspector 9542 Brian Jones Lay inspector 23221 Lynda Parkinson Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Davenham C of E Primary School

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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

Davenham C of E Primary serves the village community of Davenham, near Northwich. Most pupils come from the local village. The school is highly regarded locally and is over-subscribed each year. It has received national Achievement Awards for the last two years. The school currently has 234 pupils on roll (122 boys and 112 girls). This is an average-sized primary school and the number on roll is greater than at the last inspection. Pupils come from a mixture of private and rented housing. Many children have benefited from pre-school education and their attainment on entry is above average. Pupils are almost all of white, United Kingdom ethnic background. Four per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is well below the national average. The school has 23 pupils (10 per cent) on its register of special educational needs. They have a broad range of different learning, physical and sensory needs. There are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

four pupils (1.7 per cent) with specific Statements of Special Educational Need. This is average within the local education authority’s area.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Davenham is a very good school. It is a caring, supportive and harmonious school community that is highly valued by parents. Pupils have very good attitudes and are keen to learn. Relationships and behaviour are excellent throughout the school. Pupils attain standards that are well above average, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Teaching is very good and promotes high standards. The very good leadership of the headteacher has established a very effective team approach, focused strongly on maintaining high standards. The school makes very good use of its resources and gives excellent value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain standards that are well above the national average. • Teaching is very good. It is often excellent for older junior pupils. • The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He is very well supported by an influential deputy headteacher, a strong staff team and an active and supportive governing body. • Excellent relationships and very good personal development promote excellent behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to learning. • The school provides a very good range of learning activities for infants and juniors. • Staff know the pupils very well and provide high quality care for their safety and welfare. • The partnership with parents and the local community is very good and contributes successfully to pupils’ learning. • Classrooms are bright and attractive. They stimulate learning and pupils’ enjoyment of school.

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What could be improved

• Pupils do not always present their work neatly and accurately. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good progress since the last inspection in March 1998. It has successfully addressed all key issues. Considerable improvement has been made on the provision for children under five, particularly on developing their literacy and numeracy skills. The range of curriculum activities has improved, including the development of personal, health and social education. It is now matched very closely to pupils’ needs, especially for more-able pupils and those with special educational needs. Pupils are attaining consistently higher standards. Strengths identified in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, leadership and management, teaching, the provision for pupils’ personal development and links with parents and the community have been maintained at a high level. Davenham C of E Primary School

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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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Key

English A* 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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Key

A* indicates that the school’s standards are in the highest 5 per cent nationally.

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Key

Pupils attain standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 that are well above the national average. They have improved since the last inspection. These high standards are reflected clearly in the results of the national tests for seven and eleven-year-olds over the last few years. The school has attained well above average results for seven-year-olds. Year 6 pupils have consistently attained standards that are in the top 5 per cent nationally. For example, in the 2002 tests in English, all pupils attained the nationally expected Level 4 or above compared to the national average of 75 per cent. Sixty-five per cent attained Level 5, compared to the national average of 29 per cent. Pupils attained similar results in mathematics and science. The school sets it itself very challenging targets for the proportion of pupils to attain Level 4 or above in English and mathematics, for example, 96 per cent in 2002 and 95 per cent in 2003. It exceeded

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Key

its target last year and inspectors found that it is likely to achieve its target this year. The proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining above average levels is consistently high. Inspectors found that children make good progress in the Foundation Stage, especially in literacy and numeracy aspects. They are likely to exceed the expected Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Pupils make very good progress throughout the school, particularly in Years 2 and 6. Pupils have very good skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology, promoted by very good teaching. They use them successfully to attain above expected standards in other subjects, for example, history and geography. Some do not always present their detailed work neatly or accurately. Pupils have well above average skills of scientific enquiry and use them effectively to carry out challenging investigations. An analysis of pupils’ work in

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Key

folders and on display showed very high standards in a very good range of subjects, particularly in art and design.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes. They clearly enjoy being at school. They work hard and are keen to learn and succeed.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. Pupils are friendly, polite and helpful. All pupils get on well together in lessons and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships are excellent throughout the school. They contribute strongly to the warm, caring and harmonious school ethos.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Attendance levels are above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

The school maintains high standards in all aspects of pupils’ personal development. These contribute significantly to pupils’ positive attitudes and excellent behaviour and promote high attainment. Davenham C of E Primary School

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

Quality of teaching 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: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is very good. It is often excellent for older junior pupils. There was no unsatisfactory teaching observed. The high quality of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection. It is a key factor in maintaining high standards, especially in English and mathematics. Teachers make very good use of assessment information to match learning activities to the full range of pupils’ needs. They work very effectively with learning support staff to ensure that all pupils are included fully and given good quality individual and group support. Teachers challenge pupils to apply their literacy and numeracy skills successfully to support work in other subjects. They use their very good subject knowledge, for example, in art and design, science and information and communication technology, to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall. It is often very good in

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

some aspects, for example, teaching basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes and efforts to which they respond very well. Some teachers do not have such consistently high expectations of the way in which pupils present their work. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. They benefit from very good support, both in class and when withdrawn for support activities. They make very good progress towards their learning targets.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good for infants and juniors. The school has retained a broad and relevant curriculum. It is enhanced considerably by good extra- curricular activities, visits and visitors. The Foundation Stage curriculum is sound overall, although some opportunities to promote children’s learning are not developed fully.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Very good management enables teaching and good quality support staff to work closely together to meet these pupils’ needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good in all aspects. This underpins the school’s caring and supportive approach and promotes pupils’ personal development very successfully. It fosters respect and increases pupils’ appreciation of the beauty, values and traditions of the world in which they live.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. This is a very caring school. Staff know their pupils well and show great concern for their safety, welfare and education.

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Aspect Comment

The very good curriculum activities enable all pupils to be included fully. It is enhanced successfully by very good links with parents and the community and extra-curricular activities to meet the full range of pupils’ interest and abilities. Davenham C of E Primary School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The very good and influential leadership of the headteacher ensures that high standards are maintained. He works in close partnership with a very effective deputy headteacher and senior management team. They have established a strong staff team who support each other very well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body meets its statutory responsibilities effectively. Governors are supportive and actively involved in working with the headteacher and staff to shape the direction of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has developed very good procedures to monitor and evaluate pupils’ attainment. It uses the information very successfully to set improvement targets and improve teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources A good development plan and the very good use of staff and resources ensure a stimulating and high quality education. The school uses its funds very efficiently to target improvement priorities. Governors monitor spending levels closely and make very good use of the principles of best value.

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Aspect Comment

The very good leadership and strong team approach are key factors in establishing a positive ethos and maintaining high standards. An active friends’ association raises valuable funds to benefit pupils’ activities and learning. The high standard of accommodation and displays of work promote pupils’ enjoyment.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parental responses are from 165 questionnaires (71 per cent), written comments and comments from the 24 parents who attended the meeting. Parents’ views were very positive and the very good links with parents makes a strong contribution to the high standards.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • The school is very well led and managed. • Teachers have high expectations and teaching is very good. • Standards of behaviour are very good. • The school works closely with parents and keeps them well informed. • A small number of parents disagree with the amount of homework that is set.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence fully supports these positive views. Inspectors found that teachers use homework effectively, in line with the school policy, to support the work done in school. Davenham C of E Primary School

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils attain standards that are well above the national average.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Pupils attain standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 that are well above the national average. The results of the national tests for seven-year-olds and eleven-year-olds over the last four years show that almost every pupil achieved the level expected nationally for their age. A very high proportion of pupils achieved above these levels in all subjects. For example, in the 2002 tests, 62 per cent of Year 2 pupils achieved above the expected Level 2 in reading compared with the national average of 30 per cent. Seventy-nine per cent of Year 6 pupils achieved above the expected Level 4 in science compared with the national average of 38 per cent. The school sets itself very challenging targets for the proportion of Year 6 pupils to achieve Level 4 or above in English and mathematics. For example, in 2002, the target was 96 per cent – the school achieved 100 per cent. In 2003 and 2004, the targets are 95 per cent, with a very high proportion of pupils targeted to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

attain above average levels. Inspectors found that the school is likely to achieve these targets. Very good teaching, very effective use of support strategies and the very positive attitudes are all key factors in promoting these high standards.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Inspection evidence from lesson observations and an analysis of pupils’ work reflects these test results. Standards of attainment are higher than those reported at the last inspection. Pupils have very good literacy skills. They use them well to achieve very good work in English and a range of other subjects, for example, history, geography and religious education. Pupils throughout the school read confidently, accurately and with good expression. They talk enthusiastically about books they have read and favourite authors, such as Dick King-Smith and J. K. Rowling. All of the pupils heard to read by inspectors had a good range of strategies to tackle unfamiliar words or phrases successfully, for example, ‘plummeted’ and ‘accounted for’. Pupils write very well, using a very good range of descriptive words, such as ‘prodigious’ and ‘masterly’, and phrases. For example, a Year 6 pupil described ‘The Storm’ as ‘its icy claws grip the house as

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

tightly as a sealed bag’. Most pupils spell accurately and make good use of punctuation. Pupils write in many different styles. For example, there were many examples of high- quality work when Year 6 pupils wrote ‘a manuscript’ in the style of the classic story ‘Treasure Island’ and Year 4 described Tutankhamun and Cleopatra. Pupils use their very good numeracy skills, knowledge and understanding to solve challenging number problems, for example to work out the area of carpet needed in a house and the cost involved. Teachers make very good use of questions in mental mathematics activities to require pupils to explain the strategies they used to work out a problem. They also ensure that pupils apply and extend their number skills in other subjects, for example, when using force meters to measure and record in science.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Pupils have very good skills of scientific enquiry. Teachers make very effective use of a wide range of interesting investigations to capture pupils’ attention and extend their skills, knowledge and understanding. Most pupils have a clear understanding of predicting and fair testing and apply them well to attain high standards. Pupils use their good skills in information and communication technology to support work successfully in a good range of subjects. Observing lessons and samples of their work showed that pupils have many opportunities to apply their skills, for example word processing in history, creating graphs in English and using a mapping program in geography. Pupils’ high-quality artwork makes an outstanding contribution to support their work in other subjects and to create stimulating displays. They paint and draw in the style of famous artists, for example, Matisse, and other artistic cultures, such as Aboriginal art, with great effect. They use their artistic skills

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

to create accurate and detailed drawings of the Parthenon and the Trojan Horse. Pupils in Davenham C of E Primary School the art club learn styles and techniques from traditional arts and crafts in India, Africa and Australia.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Teaching is very good. It is often excellent for older junior pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. Eighteen lessons were observed. Teaching was good in nine lessons. It was very good in five and excellent in a further three lessons. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Teaching has been maintained at the high quality reported previously. Good teaching was observed in all years from reception to Year 6. Examples of consistently very good and often excellent teaching were evident in Years 5 and 6. The analysis of pupils’ work confirmed the very good teaching, particularly in the development of literacy and numeracy skills. Teachers use assessment information very effectively to ensure that they match learning activities to the needs of different groups of pupils. For example, they plan at least three different activities for literacy and numeracy sessions. Most prepare extension activities to challenge more-able pupils when they have completed their initial activity. Teachers expect and encourage pupils, especially the more-able, to use lively and

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

interesting vocabulary, for example, when the teacher challenged Year 6 pupils to use ‘special’ words to show onomatopoeia. This allows them to achieve consistently high standards, although some teachers do not expect the same high quality in the way pupils present their work. Teachers work very well with very good support staff to teach and support pupils with special educational needs. This allows these pupils to make very good progress in class and group activities and almost all achieve standards expected for their age.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Teachers use questions successfully to encourage pupils to contribute their ideas in class discussions. Some are very effective in using follow-up questions to challenge pupils’ initial answers and to require them to explain how they used a particular strategy, for example, to solve a mental mathematics problem. Teachers use a very good range of questions to enable pupils of different abilities to be fully included in whole-class activities. For example, in a very good Year 5 numeracy session, the teacher targeted specific questions on percentages to enable all pupils to contribute. On occasions, teachers do not always sustain a brisk pace to the questioning sessions as pupils wait for others to reply rather than being challenged with a different question or to suggest a different strategy. Teachers manage their classes very well. Relationships between teachers and their pupils are excellent. These enable pupils to respond immediately to instructions and teachers

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

very effectively to re-direct or extend pupils’ thinking. Many teachers have high expectations of pupils’ involvement in, and contribution to, their own learning. For example, in a junior practical science activity, the teacher expected pupils to organise themselves quickly into groups, discuss ideas and agree their method to investigate how different forces affect a piece of paper spiralling to the ground. Pupils were very enthusiastic, quickly organised themselves and carried out a detailed investigation. The teacher used prompts and questions very effectively to extend pupils’ ideas and knowledge, for example, of the factors involved in making a fair test. This promoted pupils’ independence and personal development successfully and also extended their scientific knowledge considerably.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use it effectively to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. During the inspection, this was evident in many subjects, including English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, history and art and design. For example, in a Year 4 history lesson, the teacher used her very good knowledge of different artefacts to extend pupils’ understanding of life in Victorian schools. Davenham C of E Primary School

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The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He is well supported by an influential

deputy headteacher, a strong staff team and an active and supportive governing body.

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The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He is well supported by an influential

7. The headteacher continues to provide strong and very effective leadership. He has an excellent knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. He is continually in and around classrooms and teaches regularly in many classes. He is known by, and easily accessible to, all pupils. Parents value the very high quality of leadership and management. The headteacher works closely with his very good deputy headteacher to provide a very strong influence on maintaining the high standards and traditions of the school. They monitor teaching and learning very effectively, together with other members of the senior management team, to identify areas for development and to target their improvement, for example pupils’ spelling. The school has a strong staff team and an active and supportive governing body, who are clearly committed to raising standards even higher. Everyone promotes the school’s aims and ‘Statement of Belief’

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The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He is well supported by an influential

consistently. They are reflected clearly in its work and day-to-day life. This underpins a strong sense of community based on Christian principles and values.

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The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He is well supported by an influential

8. The headteacher and his deputy headteacher continually assess the school’s effectiveness and influence the work of the school. They maintain a very good range of assessment information and use it very successfully to set improvement targets for the school and for each class – no-one is allowed to become complacent! Subject co- ordinators are given some time each term to monitor standards in their subjects, identify any areas for improvement and draw up detailed action plans. The headteacher and governors use these to establish a detailed school improvement plan and to ensure that funds are focused efficiently on priorities. Their efficient financial procedures have enabled the school to maintain high quality educational provision and also ensure that funds are available to support the school’s strategic development. The school uses performance management to promote staff development effectively and to support school

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The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He is well supported by an influential

improvement. The strong team approach encourages all staff to share ideas and good practice and to maintain high quality teaching and learning.

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

9. Pupils clearly enjoy school. They behave excellently in lessons and around the school. The school has maintained the high standards reported at the last inspection. The school expects all pupils to be friendly and to show respect. This reflects clearly in the friendly and courteous manner in which pupils talk to teachers, visitors and each other. Pupils know the ‘Seven Golden Rules’ and keep to them very well. Relationships are excellent throughout the school. The headteacher provides a clear lead by knowing each pupil and regularly encourages him or her to contribute their ideas. However busy, staff find time to answer a pupil’s question or concern. Parents and pupils value the friendly and caring approach – one parent commented that ‘You can smell the warm and friendly atmosphere as you walk in the door!’

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

10. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to participate and to succeed. This is an important factor in their very good achievements. Pupils’ personal development is promoted effectively through very good teaching, personal, health and social education activities, assemblies and well-ordered procedures and routines, including opportunities to take responsibility around the school, especially for older pupils. For example, most Year 6 pupils help with the younger pupils, for example, at lunch and break times and by helping to set out large equipment for physical education. Teachers use art and music effectively to extend pupils’ understanding and appreciation of the world in which they live, for example, different artistic and cultural traditions, such as the Australian Aborigines. Many teachers have high expectations of pupils’ involvement and Davenham C of E Primary School

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

contributions in lessons which promote more independence in their learning, particularly for the juniors. Teachers do not always provide enough opportunities for younger pupils to develop independent learning, for example, in the Foundation Stage.

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

The school provides a very good range of learning activities for infants and juniors.

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

11. The school provides a very broad and relevant curriculum to meet the full range of learning needs for infant and junior pupils. It has implemented very effective strategies for promoting pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. The school has maintained a very good balance to the curriculum. Pupils are involved in an interesting range of learning activities that provides for their all-round development. This is clearly reflected in the wide range of pupils’ work in folders and on display around the school. These included high standards in art and design, design and technology and aspects of personal, social and health education, for example, children’s rights and health and safety issues. Teachers provide many opportunities in the curriculum for pupils to apply and extend their skills in information and communication technology, for example, to research historical and geographical information on the Internet. The curriculum for children in the Foundation

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

Stage is sound overall with some good aspects, particularly in promoting early literacy and numeracy skills. The use of outdoor facilities to provide more opportunities to extend children’s progress consistently in all areas of learning, for example through role-play, physical skills and aspects of spoken language, is not developed enough. The school is planning to improve these facilities. It provides very effectively for pupils with special educational needs in class activities and when withdrawn for additional support. They are included fully in all aspects of the curriculum. A good range of extra-curricular activities, charitable fund-raising events, visits and visitors enhances the curriculum very well. For example, there are French clubs for Year 1 and Year 6, art, craft and embroidery clubs and musical and sporting activities. Pupils in Years 2, 4 and 6 participate in residential visits, for example, to Beeston and to the Menai Centre. The school also makes very good

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

use of its links with the local community and other local schools to extend the range of facilities and learning opportunities for pupils.

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

Staff know their pupils well and provide high quality care for their safety and welfare.

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

12. The caring and supportive approach is reflected very strongly in the high quality procedures for ensuring pupils’ health, safety and welfare. All staff know the pupils very well. They provide consistently very good support and guidance to enable pupils to enjoy school. The school is successful in achieving its aim of creating a caring and orderly environment, supported by Christian values, to encourage children to achieve their full potential. This was confirmed by the views of many Year 6 pupils. They felt that they ‘always benefit from teachers’ help and support’ and that they ’could go to any teacher if they had a worry and they would be helped’. One pupil was concerned about the work he may have missed during an absence. He received all the information he needed to catch up quickly, including an e-mail about the extra-curricular French club activities! The school has very good procedures to ensure that the school site is safe and that staff are well-

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behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They have very good, enthusiastic attitudes to

trained and qualified to deal with any emergency. Parents appreciate that their children are cared for very well in a safe and secure learning environment.

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The partnership with parents and the local community is very good and contributes

13. The school is successful in achieving its aim of establishing ‘strong and effective working relationships between school and the home to strengthen the opportunities afforded to all’. Parents’ views confirm that the school works closely with them. Many appreciate that they are encouraged to contribute to their children’s learning. The school continues to offer an ‘open-door’ policy to parents, as reported previously, and very quickly and successfully addressed the key issues arising from the last inspection. Parents are now offered one Davenham C of E Primary School consultation evening each term and pupils’ annual reports show how their children are achieving in comparison with nationally expected levels for their age. These improvements have enhanced the strong parental partnership identified at the last inspection. Many parents help in school. Most parents give good support to the school in

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The partnership with parents and the local community is very good and contributes

ensuring that homework is completed and handed in as required. A very active Friends Association (FODS) holds several social and fund-raising events each year. These are very well attended and raise considerable funds that are used to benefit the children’s education. The school continues to build on and make very good use of its strong and traditional links with the local community. It is very much a community school and has established close links with the parish church and other community organisations. The school buildings continue to be used regularly by village clubs and organisations. The partnership between the school, the parents and the local community is valued by all partners and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Classrooms are bright and attractive. They stimulate learning and pupils’ enjoyment of

14. The school moved into its present building in 1995. The excellent condition of the premises reflects the care and respect shown by all members of the community and the hard work of the site manager and cleaning staff. The building is clean, safe and secure. The hall is maintained in top condition despite its many and varied uses, including dining facilities, physical education lessons, sports clubs and school assemblies. Classrooms and the open areas are bright and attractive. Staff use a very good range of high-quality displays to recognise pupils’ achievements and motivate them to achieve high standards. Pupils expressed their pride and delight at being able to show to inspectors where a piece of their work was on display. The school has created an enjoyable and stimulating learning environment which promotes pupils’ enthusiastic attitudes to work.

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Pupils do not always present their work neatly and accurately

15. Pupils’ enthusiastic approach to work enables them to sustain their interest and to work hard. They often produce a considerable amount of work, for example, in extended pieces of writing or completing a large number of questions in mathematics. However, too few take consistent care in presenting their work neatly and accurately. This does not always ensure that the quality of the work reflects their efforts. An analysis of pupils’ work showed that some did not always write down their working out clearly when solving number problems. On occasions, this led to mistakes being made or teachers not being able to identify how the pupil worked out the answer incorrectly. In some extended written work, pupils wrote in considerable length and detail. Their eagerness to develop their ideas led to untidy written work and inaccuracies in punctuation and spelling. Pupils do not have high enough expectations of themselves to ensure that they always take pride in the way

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

16. In the context of its many strengths and the high quality of education it already provides, the headteacher, staff and governors should: (1) ensure that pupils consistently present their work accurately and neatly. Davenham C of E Primary School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 17 28 50 5 0 0 0 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 more than five percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 234

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 8 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 24

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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 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Davenham C of E Primary School

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 14 15 29

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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 14 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 97 (90) 100 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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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 14 14 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 100 (94) 86 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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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)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 13 21 34

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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 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 21 21

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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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 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 21 21

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Davenham C of E Primary School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Davenham C of E Primary School

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.3 Financial year 2001/02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 428,742

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 413,158

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 118 Expenditure per pupil 1,820

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 49,476

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 65,060

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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 FTE means full-time equivalent. Davenham C of E Primary School

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 69 30 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 66 34 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 42 8 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 61 35 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 82 17 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 75 24 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 64 31 4 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 79 21 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 73 25 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 40 7 0 5

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