Plumpton School

PLUMPTON 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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PLUMPTON 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. Plumpton Primary - 3

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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: March 1998 Plumpton Primary - 4

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Team members

16886 R S Moseley Registered inspector 9883 B Silvester Lay inspector 18027 S Mawer Team inspector

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Team members

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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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 Plumpton Primary - 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

Plumpton Primary School is much smaller than other primary schools, with a total of 83 pupils, consisting of 45 boys and 38 girls. Six per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is below the national average. Pupils come from the local village, but the school is popular and many parents who live outside the catchment area send their children there. The school serves a wide variety of mixed social backgrounds and types of housing. Attainment on entry is above average. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities nor any who have English as an additional language. Six per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school, with many good and very good features. Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science and standards are well above average by the time they leave the school. The quality of teaching is very good. The school has developed a challenging climate for learning and pupils’ attitudes to their work are very good. This is a strongly caring school, where pupils develop a great deal of confidence by the time they leave. Their relationships are very good. The school is very well led and managed and provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. • The arrangements the school makes for the care of its pupils are very good and it provides very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their behaviour and their personal development are very good. • The provision for physical education and music is very good. • The headteacher, staff and governors, provide very good leadership and a clear educational direction for the school.

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What could be improved

• The information provided for parents about the attainment and progress their children are making. 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 was last inspected in March 1998. It has responded well to the weaknesses noted in the last report and has made good improvements. For example, it has improved planning for children under five, developed schemes of work and assessment procedures, improved provision for the support of pupils with special educational needs and it now complies with all statutory requirements. The development of a school orchestra has helped to integrate music well into the whole life of the school. The provision for the teaching of information and communication technology (ICT) has greatly improved. Many new computers, networked together, have been installed and the staff have undergone training. Standards in ICT have improved and the school has achieved accreditation under the Cumbria scheme for raising the level of attainment to national levels. The accommodation has improved with the building of a new infant

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

classroom and the installation of a community play area. Plumpton Primary - 7

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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

2000 2001 2002 2002 very high A* English A* A A B 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

The grades up to the Year 2002, although variable, show either well above average or very high results compared to all schools. Where the results are very high, the school is in the top five per cent of all schools. There are no significant year-on-year variations and high standards are maintained. The school’s results are in line with the results of similar schools, with a similar number of pupils who claim free school meals, apart from in English where they are not quite as high. The school considers that this is because attainment in writing was not quite as strong as that in reading. It has targeted this area for further development and standards in writing are now stronger. The national tests and assessments for pupils at the end of Year 2 in 2002 indicate above average standards in writing, science and mathematics and very high standards in reading.

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Key

The inspection findings indicate that for this year’s pupils in Year 6, standards have been maintained at the same levels in English, mathematics and science. Pupils in Year 2 are also working at the same levels as last year in reading, writing, mathematics and science. All these standards indicate that, from their attainment on entry to the school (which was above average), pupils are achieving well in English, mathematics and science. Standards in numeracy and literacy are well above average. The school has met or exceeded all the targets it set. These targets were appropriate. The school is on track to attain the 2003 targets. It was not possible to make a judgement on attainment in any other subject during this short inspection.

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Key

In the current reception class, pupils are making good progress and are likely to attain standards that are well above those expected for pupils at the end of the reception year.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Almost all pupils are eager to learn and give of their best at all times. They are very responsive and show very good attitudes in all they do.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and adults.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development is very good. Pupils develop a great deal of confidence by the time they leave the school. The school’s very good relationships ensures that pupils care for each other a great deal and respect each other’s views.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Well above the national average. Plumpton Primary - 8

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

As this was a short inspection, only a small number of lessons could be seen. Also, these lessons were not necessarily evenly distributed throughout the school. Nevertheless, inspectors judged that the quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection. Almost all teaching and learning is now good, and half is very good. Strengths are the high expectations teachers have of pupils’ work and behaviour and the methods and ideas the teachers use. These ensure that pupils work hard, concentrate well and persevere to the end of the lesson. Where appropriate, pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning with plenty of investigative work in science and mathematics. Individual research work is regularly encouraged, using books and documents. There is also a steady increase in pupils using ICT to support their learning. All this personal work is ensuring that pupils

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

become confident learners by the time they leave the school. Teachers’ planning is detailed and of good quality with clear learning objectives. These are usually shared with the pupils so that they have a clear idea of what they are to learn. The planning outlines work for the different levels of attainment in the class and meets the needs of pupils well. This is important as all pupils work in mixed-ability and mixed- age classes. The teaching and provision for children in the reception class are of very good quality. The arrangements for the reception children to work with Year 2 pupils each morning and with those in Year 1 each afternoon are effective. Throughout the school, the teaching of literacy and numeracy is at least good and often very good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. Teachers provide every opportunity to make pupils’ learning experiences, both in school and during the many visits out, rich and vibrant. The school ensures that all pupils are included in all aspects of school life.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. These pupils experience a full curriculum. The school’s very good caring arrangements and the general ethos and tone of the school ensure that all these pupils are supported and cared for.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. All aspects of school life develop pupils’ personal skills, including the skills of friendship and tolerance. The sporting and other types of competition pupils engage in with other schools is a very good provision, which contributes much to pupils’ personal development. The constant celebrations of their successes ensure the development of a great deal of confidence by the time pupils leave the school. The provision for spiritual and cultural development is good and that for moral and social development is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Lessons which specifically contribute to pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) are a strong feature of the timetable and contribute much to pupils’ understanding of themselves and others. Plumpton Primary - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has developed a very strong sense of purpose amongst the staff. All teachers, classroom assistants and non- teaching staff work very well together to develop new initiatives and lead the school forward.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very well. The chair of the governing body is supportive and works closely with the headteacher and many other governors make valuable contributions to the running of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. All staff and governors engage in a constant review of all they do and set a clear agenda for school improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Resources are readily available and used very well. All money is spent wisely and carefully and the school applies the principles of getting the best value for its pupils very well.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their child is making good progress. • The teaching is good. • Their child is expected to work hard and do their best. • The school is well managed. • The school helps their child to become more mature and responsible. • A few parents felt that their child was not getting the right amount of work to do at home. • Some parents felt they were not kept well informed about how their child was getting on. • A few parents felt that the school did not work closely with them. • A good number of parents felt that the school did not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors support parents’ positive views of the school. The inspectors also judged that the amount of homework given was satisfactory and that in most areas, the school works closely with the parents. However, they agreed with parents that, although the curriculum is well enhanced, with many visits out of school and visitors in, the number and range of extra-curricular activities is not untypical of a school of this size. They also agreed with parents that pupils’ reports, apart from in English, do not give a clear picture of attainment and progress in subjects. Plumpton Primary - 10

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

above average standards in English, mathematics and science.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

1. Almost nine out of ten lessons seen during the inspection were judged to be at least good, with half judged to be very good. However, judgements on teaching are not just based on the small sample of lessons seen but also on a study of pupils’ work over a longer period and on a study of teachers’ plans. Teachers’ very good planning indicates that they develop their own skills well. They identify precise learning objectives. These are shared with pupils at the start of the lesson. Often, they are displayed on the board. This helps pupils to be clear about what they are expected to learn. Lessons proceed at a good pace and are well structured with a step-by-step approach. This results in pupils being motivated and sustaining their interest up to the end of the lesson. These features, together with the teachers’ enthusiasm about their work and their very good management and discipline techniques, contribute significantly to the standards attained and the

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

2. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and this enables them to ask appropriate questions and effectively challenge pupils of all abilities. For example, in a science lesson, for pupils in Year 2, pupils were asked to explain what they had previously learned about friction. The teacher’s good knowledge of forces, together with a good collection of resources such as large and small toy cars and ramps, enabled her to make comments and suggestions, which brought all pupils into the initial discussion. This helped all in the class to move effectively on to investigative work, building well on their previous knowledge.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

3. Other aspects of teaching are developing well. For example, resources are used effectively to support teaching and learning in a variety of subjects. The library has a good collection of books, which are used for research in subjects like history, geography and science. Pupils’ skills in information and communication technology (ICT) have been developed well and computers are used often to support learning across a range of subjects. The school has a well-developed computer suite and each classroom has a number of computers. They are all linked together. In 2002, the school achieved accreditation under the Cumbria ICT scheme indicating that pupils’ attainment is in line with that expected for their ages at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The subject is very well supported by the talented subject co-ordinator and uses the very good services of a part-time well-qualified teaching assistant for four hours per week. The school has identified the

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

need to use computers more effectively to support learning in a wider range of subjects. This it is beginning to do well and good examples were seen where ICT was used to support English and mathematics.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

4. The core subjects of English, mathematics and science are taught particularly well. In English, the National Literacy Strategy has been implemented well and teachers move through a good range of activities in each lesson giving good, planned opportunities for speaking, listening, reading and writing. Teachers make English lessons stimulating and exciting and give pupils plenty of opportunities to use their imagination when writing and develop their expressive and understanding skills when reading. This was seen in a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 2. Pupils used the story, “What is behind the shed” to develop their own writing skills. The teacher gave appropriate guidance about the importance of the introductory sentence. She explained that this had to catch the reader’s attention very quickly. Pupils understood this well and expressed some very good ideas. They then worked independently for a considerable period of time, writing out many

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

imaginative sentences. The end of the lesson was used very well as pupils shared their ideas with others. The teacher encouraged plenty of discussion between pupils about their ideas and how they could be improved. The work planned by the teacher was different for the range of abilities in the class, thus ensuring that all pupils were challenged and made good progress. The quality of teaching and learning in English is at least good, sometimes very good. In spite of this, the school has identified writing as an area for further development and improvement as standards in writing Plumpton Primary - 11 are not quite as high as those in reading. It has introduced measures to give pupils more opportunities to write at length and for a wide range of purposes, not only in literacy lessons, but also in other subjects across the curriculum. For example, work seen in the history books belonging to pupils in Year 6, demonstrated some imaginative report writing about, “What Britain

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

was like after the War”. The teachers have also recently introduced writing assessment sheets so that they can track the progress made in writing by individual children. One minor weakness in English is the handwriting. Although many pupils write neatly and clearly, quite a high proportion are not using joined writing early enough. This slows the speed at which they can write.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

5. In mathematics, the teachers have introduced the National Numeracy Strategy very well and all areas are taught effectively and in depth. The teachers take every opportunity to make the subject practical and well linked to pupils’ own lives. For example, work seen in the Year 2 classroom, showed a good link between pupils’ everyday interests and graph work. Pupils had surveyed the class to find out, for instance, what range of pets was owned, what was the pupils’ favourite food and drink, and how many brothers or sisters they had. They collected and used all this data and presented the results in a range of forms such as column graphs, pie charts and linegraphs. Teaching in numeracy is good, often very good and a real strength is the emphasis placed on the thinking process. Pupils know that they will not only have to try to find the right answer to any problems but they may also be asked to explain their thinking and their approach to the problem.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

This raises pupils’ ability to think logically and tackle more difficult problems with ease. The school’s mathematics team has twice taken part in County Championships with some good successes. Many pupils find numbers fascinating and take part in maths games with a great deal of enthusiasm. They demonstrate a strong competitive spirit.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

6. In science, teachers introduce as much experimental and investigative work as possible. Not only are pupils challenged to “find out”, they are encouraged to do so independently with the minimum of direction from the teacher. This helps pupils to use their knowledge and skills, either independently or in close co-operation with others as they predict what might happen, select their own apparatus, carry out a fair test and reach valuable conclusions. This was seen to very good effect in a science lesson for pupils in Year 6. They were given the challenge of finding out the effect of gravity and friction when trying to drag a weight up a slope. The teacher linked this well to the challenge faced by the Ancient Egyptians dragging large blocks up a ramp when building a pyramid. A range of apparatus was made available in the classroom, such as heavy weights strapped to balsa wood bases, Newton force meters for measuring the drag and small wooden

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

slopes. The pupils set about the investigation well, working with a partner and taking accurate measurements. They found their results interesting and informative. For instance, they found out that the influence of gravity, which was increased by the steepness of the slope, had a greater effect on the drag than the effect of friction from the surface. The science curriculum is enhanced well by many visits out to places of scientific interest such as the Fellside Outdoor Centre.

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

7. The strong teaching, together with the attitudes of the pupils, has resulted in well above average standards by the time pupils leave the school. For example, in the 2002 National Curriculum tests, pupils in Year 6 attained well-above average standards in English, mathematics and science. In science and mathematics, all the pupils reached the expected Level 4 or higher. Over the last three years, pupils have reached either well-above or very high standards. The very high standards attained put the school in the top five per cent of all schools. Care is necessary in interpreting all these results, as in most years there is only a fairly small number of pupils. Sometimes pupil numbers in a year can be as low as seven and are rarely higher than 16. This means year-on-year comparisons are more difficult to make as small number of higher attaining or lower attaining pupils can affect the overall results. Nevertheless, in spite of this, the results have been

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Strong teaching helps pupils learn very effectively and achieve well. This has resulted in well

consistently high and better than the national trend. Analysis of the work of pupils in the present Years 2 and 6 indicates that they are likely to attain similar standards as last year. As attainment on entry to the school is above average, these standards indicate that pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science and maintain these standards throughout. The teaching has significantly improved in the school over the last five years so that, currently, learning is very good. Although the achievement of the current Year 6 pupils is good rather than better, the indications from the inspection were that achievement will also rise as the very good teaching raises standards further. Plumpton Primary - 12

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

behaviour and their personal development are very good.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

8. The procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. The school has an effective health and safety policy. The provision for the support of pupils with special educational needs is very good. These pupils make good progress. The school’s provision for the moral and social development of pupils is very good. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong and to respect the views and feelings of others. The school encourages high self-esteem and discipline. Staff provide a strong moral code. They give clear guidelines for acceptable behaviour. The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development. For example, older pupils are given the responsibility of caring for younger pupils. They do this at lunchtimes where Year 6 pupils are expected to serve the food for their table and care for the younger pupils in their ‘family’ group. Also, at specific times, older pupils listen to younger pupils read. In addition, pupils are

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

encouraged to answer the telephone and deal appropriately with the call. These arrangements encourage a strong sense of responsibility in older children.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

9. The caring ethos of the school, together with the provision for personal development and the moral and social emphasis, has resulted in very good behaviour. This has a very positive impact on learning. Pupils respect each other’s contribution to lessons. They listen quietly to each other. For example, in a physical education lesson for pupils in Year 2, pupils listened very well to other pupils’ comments about how to improve their gymnastic performance. The headteacher and staff have also developed very good relationships in the school. Pupils are polite and helpful to each other. They wait and hold doors open to let others through before themselves. They share resources during lessons and work very well together, giving mutual support and help.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

10. In addition to the general tone and ethos of the school day, which contributes greatly to pupils’ development, each class has a specific time set aside for a discussion of personal, social, health and citizenship issues. This is a highly successful provision, is well organised and planned and carried out with great sensitivity and thoughtfulness. This was seen to good effect in one lesson where pupils gave examples of the achievement they were most proud of, such as winning a local English prize or becoming the county champion in an aspect of swimming. The teacher joined in as well and skilfully led the discussion round to the realisation that we are all special and we can all be proud of our achievements. The lesson led to a very strong conclusion, which is typical of the school’s caring attitude. One pupil was chosen and all others had to write positive thoughts and comments about this particular pupil which, although they would be anonymous, would be

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

collected together and presented to the pupil at a later date, in a file entitled, “This is your life”.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

11. Many other arrangements contribute well to pupils’ personal development. For example, the school has a longstanding link with a school in Nepal. The children communicate by letter and e-mail and a Nepalese teacher visited the school for about three weeks. This project is giving a strong insight into the culture of another country. It also makes a good contribution to the provision for pupils to have a greater understanding of the culture and ethnic diversity of British society. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 go to the Fellside Centre on a well-organised residential visit. This develops pupils’ confidence and extends their social skills away from the home environment. The whole school celebrates all pupils’ achievements on regular occasions so that all feel proud and valued.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

The provision for physical education and music is very good.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

12. The teaching of physical education and the provision for sport are strong. A wide variety of sports are provided, so that most pupils can experience a sport they enjoy. The school also makes every effort to include all pupils in all sports if possible. For example, both boys and girls play football and the school enters inter-school competitions where six pupils take a turn to captain the team. Many pupils play netball and the school enters a team in a local inter-school league where all children, including interested boys, have the opportunity to represent the school. Other sports include cricket, rounders, chess, unihoc, cross country, tennis and orienteering. Swimming is a Plumpton Primary - 13 strength of the school. All pupils are able to swim 25 metres by the time they leave the school and most are able to swim much further. Most of these activities take place during curriculum time and are an integral part of school life. All sporting successes are celebrated during assemblies and a

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

good number of pupils regularly do well in the county competitions in various sports. For example, five pupils qualified this year for the Cumbria County Championships in chess. Other pupils have achieved county successes in swimming. Only two lessons of physical education could be seen. Pupils’ attainment was above that expected for their ages. In a gymnastics lesson for pupils in Year 2, pupils were seen developing good skills in balancing, taking off, landing, turning and rolling. They were able to perform short, linked sequences that show a clear beginning, middle and end. Most pupils in the class were able to sustain physical activity for long periods of time. They demonstrate an ability to discuss their performance and state how it could be improved. The subject is supported very well by the co-ordinator, who has ensured that resources are good and that teachers have had the necessary training to improve their skills. Parents make a good

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

contribution by running the netball team and helping with football coaching. This is deeply appreciated by the school. Outdoor and adventurous activities take place during the annual residential visit. The school grounds and local area are used for the development of orienteering. Due to the quality of the overall provision for physical education, the school has applied for an Active mark under the Sports England Active School scheme.

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very well for their moral and social development. This ensures that pupils’ relationships, their

13. In music, many pupils participate in the school choir and orchestra. The orchestra comprises guitars, violins, keyboard, clarinet and treble and base recorders. Guitar and violin lessons are provided by the school. The school has a good reputation locally for its musical performances. For example, the orchestra and choir perform at a local elderly people’s home and the annual pantomime involves a great deal of music making. Pupils value the contribution music plays in the life of the school. They are aware of the skills needed to play instruments. Those who do not play sing effectively and in tune. The subject is very well supported by the co-ordinator, who is fairly new to her post. She is very talented herself and is bringing a great deal of enthusiasm to this subject.

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The headteacher, staff and governors provide very good leadership and a clear educational

14. The headteacher is a very good leader. He has developed a strong sense of purpose amongst the staff and has encouraged all teachers, classroom assistants and non-teaching staff to feel part of a team. He has taken decisive steps to maintain all the strengths identified in the last inspection, has brought about many further improvements since that time and is totally committed to the school and to the pupils. He leads by example and is fully involved in all aspects of school life, despite having a very full teaching programme. He has developed a school where pupils are supported and helped and where they want to learn. This has not only resulted in high standards in a number of important subjects, it has also encouraged pupils to become more mature, responsible and confident by the time they leave the school. He has also enabled other teachers to develop their leadership roles effectively. This is not easy, as, being a small school, teachers

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The headteacher, staff and governors provide very good leadership and a clear educational

have responsibilities for more than one subject. Nevertheless, he has created an atmosphere in which the teachers are totally dedicated and work very hard for the sake of the pupils. There has been a particular focus in recent years on English, mathematics, physical education, music and ICT. The co-ordinators in these areas have been particularly effective.

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The headteacher, staff and governors provide very good leadership and a clear educational

15. The headteacher monitors the quality of the teaching from time to time and gives written and verbal feedback. He also works informally with teachers to support them. This has been effective as the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection.

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The headteacher, staff and governors provide very good leadership and a clear educational

16. The governing body gives very good leadership and provides good support. Almost all the governors work full time and cannot visit the school regularly during the school day. Nevertheless, they are well qualified and bring their individual skills to the help of the school. For example, one governor is a builder who checks all aspects of the building on regular visits. The governor with a responsibility for health and safety and the finance governor are also effective. The governors are fully aware of the strengths of the school and the improvements that have been made, and are involved in setting the educational direction planned for the school. Plumpton Primary - 14 17. The leadership has developed a very good ethos in the school. This is exemplified by the very good attitudes to work, the very good relationships and the commitment by all to maintain the very good standards. There is a commitment to equal opportunities and inclusion for all pupils in all aspects

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The headteacher, staff and governors provide very good leadership and a clear educational

of school life. The school has a sound policy for promoting race equality. Careful financial planning effectively supports educational development and priorities. The school uses the money at its disposal wisely and the headteacher and school secretary are aware of the need to get the best value for pupils. The staff are deployed well and the headteacher has ensured that all non-teaching staff contribute a great deal. For example, the school secretary and other adults make very valuable and regular contributions to learning in the classroom. They give a great deal of support. Although the school has a slightly high carry over figure at present, this is prudent as extra funding for the infant classes will shortly be lost and the small numbers of pupils in some years make future planning more difficult to make. The management systems now in place, including the very good leadership by the headteacher and the dedicated team of teachers, support staff and

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The headteacher, staff and governors provide very good leadership and a clear educational

governors, have ensured many improvements since the last inspection. The school has a very good capacity to maintain these and continue to develop very well.

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The information provided for parents about the attainment and progress their children are

18. The parents’ questionnaire and comments made at the parents’ meeting indicate that parents have a good regard for the school and recognise that the school has many strengths. However, a significant minority of parents feel that they are not kept well informed about how their child is getting on. The inspectors agree that this is a weakness. For example, pupils’ reports give very little information about the levels of attainment and progress pupils are making in the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Although more information is given about English, where reports give some indications of pupils’ achievements, generally, in other subjects, the reports only give details of the work pupils have covered, rather than how well they have done it. In addition, there is only one parents’ evening per year and some parents feel that this is not enough. It must be pointed out that the school is a very open one and parents are welcome to come into

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The information provided for parents about the attainment and progress their children are

the school at any time to discuss their child’s progress. Nevertheless, a number of parents feel that they cannot do this during the school day and would like to have a more regular and clearer picture of their child’s achievements, in order that they might be able to contribute to his or her learning more effectively. Plumpton Primary - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

To maintain the quality of education and promote further development, the governing body, head- teacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Devise more opportunities to ensure that parents are better informed about the attainment and progress their children are making in the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. (This is indicated in paragraph 18) Plumpton Primary - 16

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 83

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Plumpton Primary - 17 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2 9 4 13

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 92 (100) 92 (100) 92 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (84) 85 (86) 90 (91)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 92 (100) 92 (100) 92 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

* Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. * Numbers of pupils are not included in the table as totals for both boys and girls add up to less than 11

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 6 6 10 16

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 100 (93) 100 (93) At NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (71) 87 (87)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 100 (93) 100 (93) At NC level 4 or above National 72 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

* Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. * Numbers of pupils are not included in the table as totals for both boys and girls add up to less than 11 Plumpton Primary - 18 Plumpton Primary - 19 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 2001/2002

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 233,147

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 213,860

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 27 Expenditure per pupil 2,546

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance brought forward from previous year 12,463

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 19,494 Plumpton Primary - 20 Recruitment of teachers

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Plumpton Primary - 21

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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. 73 22 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 49 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 27 52 16 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 30 15 9 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 35 4 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. 76 20 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 39 39 17 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 22 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 63 35 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 18 33 11 13

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