Nettleton Community Primary School

Nettleton Community Primary School

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 5 th March 2003

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Nettleton Community 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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Nettleton Community 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. Nettleton Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Moortown Road Nettleton Market Rasen Lincolnshire

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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: November 1997 Nettleton Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 10638 Martin Newell Registered inspector 15181 Meg Hackney Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lynrose Marketing Ltd Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Nettleton Community Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the village of Nettleton about 10 miles from the market town of Market Rasen in Lincolnshire. Most of the pupils that attend the school live quite close by. There are currently 47 pupils attending the school, 22 boys and 25 girls. There is quite a high level of pupil mobility with 12 pupils starting or leaving the school at other than the usual times during the last 12 months. All pupils are of white ethnic origin. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals stands at 18% and this is broadly in line with the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and the percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational need are similar to the national average. Assessment data shows that the attainment levels of children soon after they start school cover the full ability range and are at an average level overall.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many strengths. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher who has played a significant role in its continued development and in creating an excellent team spirit where all staff are committed to ensuring that pupils of all abilities achieve well. The very good attitudes of the pupils, together with the consistently good, and at times very good teaching, create a powerful combination and a very effective learning environment. Good procedures are in place for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and the individuality of pupils is recognised and celebrated. Taking all factors into account, this is a school that is providing good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well. • The quality of teaching is good and at times very good or excellent. • Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a desire to do well. These factors help to create a most positive learning environment. • This is a very caring and supportive school where good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they move through the school. • The school has established a very strong partnership with parents and this is reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school provides. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He is well supported by a dedicated staff and an effective Governing Body.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing. • Pupils’ ability to carry out problem solving tasks and investigative activities in subjects such as mathematics and science. • The standard of accommodation. 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

Nettleton Community Primary School - 7 The school has made good progress since the time of the last inspection in 1997 and has tackled the identified issues for improvement in an effective manner. Standards and provision in design and technology have improved. The school has been successful in gaining finance to improve the quality of accommodation and this has included the building of a new entrance hall, additional corridor and workspace and new office facilities. Despite the best efforts of the school, the school still has a temporary classroom and is still without a school hall, which means that there are no indoor facilities for physical education and assemblies and dining has to take place in classrooms. More opportunities are now provided for pupils to take responsibility around the school and raising pupils’ awareness of cultural diversity is more embedded in the curriculum. In terms of the wider picture, teaching has improved since the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

last inspection, the pupils make better progress and many of the strengths previously identified have been maintained and in some instances built upon. This is a school that is constantly looking at ways it can improve and move on and because of this it is well placed to continue its process of development and improvement.

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STANDARDS

The small size of the school means that only a small number of pupils are entered for the end of Year 2 and Year 6 National Curriculum tests. It is unreliable and unhelpful to draw comparisons between the school’s results and the national test results, or to compare the school’s performance with that of similar schools. The test results vary from year to year because of factors such as the number of pupils in different year groups that have special educational needs and there is a relatively high level of pupil mobility in the school. During the last academic year, for example, 4 pupils left and 8 pupils joined the school at other than the usual times. These factors naturally affect the school’s overall results. The school did, however, gain an Achievement Award from the government in 2000, in recognition of the high levels of attainment that the pupils reached.

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STANDARDS

When children’s attainment is assessed soon after they start school, data shows that the full range of abilities is represented, with attainment overall being at an average level. The children make good progress and by the end of the reception year the majority of children are on track to achieve, and in many instances exceed, the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in most areas of learning.

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STANDARDS

As pupils move through Years 1 - 6, they make good progress in English, mathematics and science, with the school accurately identifying the need to further improve standards in writing across the school and to increase the opportunities for pupils to learn through investigative and problem solving activities. The good assessment, tracking and target setting procedures that are embedded in school practice show that during their time in school, pupils make good progress and achieve well. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good, enabling them to make similar progress to their classmates and good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. Higher attaining pupils are well catered for, and are set appropriately demanding and challenging learning activities. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls that cannot be explained by natural ability differences. Although the school’s trend of improvement is below

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STANDARDS

the national trend, this is because of the previously outlined factors. The school sets challenging targets for literacy and numeracy, clearly targeting pupils that are on track to achieve and exceed the nationally expected attainment levels for 11-year-olds. Nettleton Community Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils of all ages and abilities have very good attitudes to learning and to school. Pupils show a desire for new knowledge and learning and are keen to achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils of all ages behave very well in class and around the school. Pupils show great respect for the needs of others and are very polite and courteous.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal development. Relationships throughout the school are of a high standard and these features add much to the life and ethos of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in the attendance rate which is above the national average.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

The quality of teaching is good and at times very good and excellent. In the Foundation Stage children are provided with many opportunities to learn through practical, hands on, investigative and constructive play activities alongside the more formal teaching of specific reading, writing and mathematical skills. The reception aged children are taught alongside the pupils in Years 1 - 2 and the teaching ensures that the needs of these younger children are fully catered for.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The teaching of English, mathematics and science is good and at times very good across the school. The school has introduced the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies in an effective manner. Carefully chosen texts are often used well to capture the interest and imagination of the pupils. Reading skills are taught in a progressive and systematic manner. The school is increasingly providing opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in other subjects of the curriculum. Activities at the start of numeracy lessons often put pupils’ mental agility to the test in a challenging and thoroughly enjoyable manner. Teaching is particularly effective when exciting and challenging opportunities are provided in mathematics for pupils to learn through investigative, open–ended and problem solving activities. Teaching in subjects such as history, geography, music, information and communication technology or

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

design and technology is good, and at times better, when the teachers’ subject knowledge and expertise or just their natural enthusiasm captivate the interest and motivation of the pupils. The quality of teaching, together with the significant and important role played by the teaching support staff, makes a telling and pivotal contribution to how well pupils achieve and to the good progress that pupils of all abilities make.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum which brings an added dimension to the quality of pupils’ learning. Good provision is made for children in the Foundation Stage. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils are well supported and this enables them to make similar progress to their classmates. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The good quality of provision that the school makes for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development makes an important contribution to their personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a very caring and supportive school where pupils’ well being is given a high priority. The school seeks to nurture pupils’ personal development alongside their academic development. The individuality of pupils is recognised and celebrated. Good procedures are in place for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and for setting targets. These features impact positively on how well pupils achieve.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He has played a pivotal role in the continued development and improvement of the school. He is well supported by a committed and dedicated teaching and non- teaching staff. There is an excellent team spirit evident in the work of the school. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The Governing Body fulfils its responsibilities well and is effective in holding the school to account for the quality of education that it provides. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Appropriate procedures are in place for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning across the school. The school carries out good analyses of test and assessment data and uses the information in an effective manner to set targets for improvement. The strategic use of

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Aspect Comment

resources Good. Good use is made of all available resources to enhance pupils’ learning. Financial planning is of a high standard and the school applies the principles of best value well and effectively when purchasing goods and services. Nettleton Community Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The fact that their children enjoy school. • The quality of teaching, the high expectations that the school sets and the good progress that children make. • The standards of behaviour and the manner in which the school helps children become mature and responsible. • The school’s partnership with parents, the approachability of all staff at the school and the information relating to how children are progressing. • The amount of homework that is set. • How well the school is led and managed • The activities that are provided outside of lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The parental response at the meeting and to the questionnaire sent out before the inspection were very positive and both showed the regard and affection in which parents hold the school. Parents are very appreciative of the quality of education that the school provides and there were no aspects of school life that a significant number of parents would like to see improved. Inspection findings indicate that this is a good school with a number of significant strengths and support many of the positive views of the school held by a significant number of parents. Nettleton Community Primary School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school is small and only a small number of pupils are in each year group. There are, for example, only 7 pupils in the present Year 6 and 6 pupils in Year 2. The National Curriculum test results vary from year to year because of factors such as the number of pupils in different year groups that have special educational needs. In 2000 the school gained an Achievement Award from the government for the high levels of attainment of pupils. A further factor that impacts on attainment levels is the level of pupil mobility. During the last 12 months 12 pupils left or started at the school at other than the usual times. Scrutiny of evidence and data shows that a high percentage of pupils joining the school later in their educational lives have special educational needs whilst pupils that leave the school tend to be higher attainers. The school has good systems in place for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and for setting targets.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

These systems are used very effectively and the school adds much to pupils‘ attainment levels as they move through the school. The data clearly shows that during their time in school pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Assessment data shows that the attainment levels of children soon after they start school cover the full ability range and are at an average level overall. The development of children’s language, mathematical and personal and social skills are appropriately the main focus for staff in the Foundation Stage. Consistently good and at times very good teaching in the Foundation Stage and a curriculum that offers lots of opportunities for children to learn through practical and investigative tasks alongside more formal activities ensure that children of all abilities make good progress in all areas of learning. The very good team work that exists with the staff in the Foundation Stage, together with the sensitive and caring manner in which children’s social needs are met, means that children are developing as confident and enthusiastic learners. By the time that children start in Year 1, many children are on track to achieve, and in some instances

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

exceed, the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals, and demonstrate a capacity to develop and extend their knowledge, understanding and skills. The reception aged children are taught in the same class as the Year 1 and 2 pupils but the good quality of teaching and curriculum provision ensure that the needs of these younger children are fully met and that they achieve well. In addition, as the reception aged children move up into Year 1 they present themselves as good, enthusiastic and keen learners and role models to the next intake of reception aged children.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. As they move through Years 1 - 6, pupils of all abilities continue to make good progress in English, mathematics and science. Their progress is enhanced by the consistently good and at times very good teaching, particularly for the older pupils in school, which ensures that the needs of individual pupils, and groups of pupils, are fully met. The National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies have been effectively implemented in all classes and these provide a good framework for pupils’ learning. Throughout the school the pupils are set targets that they are to aim for and learning is closely geared toward pupils achieving and at times exceeding these targets. Teaching takes good account of the different ways in which individual pupils learn and this attention to detail plays an important role in how well pupils achieve and the good progress that is made. The evaluation of what has or has not worked enables teachers to amend future

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

curriculum planning which again has a very positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning. The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum and plenty of opportunities are provided for pupils to express their views and opinions whether it is about Victorian Nettleton Community Primary School - 12 school life, the Earth in Space or making a bag or purse. Pupils know that their opinions will be respected and valued and this adds much to the very effective learning environment that pervades the life of the school and helps pupils in their aim to achieve well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The provision that is made for pupils with special educational needs is good across the school and this enables these pupils to make good progress. The school’s procedures for identifying pupils who have special educational needs are good, and the early identification of pupils by their teachers ensures that they receive the additional support that they need as soon as possible. Individual education plans are of good quality and contain relevant, measurable and challenging targets. Teachers and support staff use these plans well when planning work. Higher attaining pupils make equally good progress and achieve well. The work that is set for these pupils is often demanding and challenging. Questioning is often sophisticated with teachers always expecting pupils to expand their answers or to use the correct technical language. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that high expectations are set both in terms of the quantity and the quality of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

work that they are expected to produce. What pupils are expected to achieve or how they should improve is made crystal clear to them and they invariably rise to the challenge. All these features play an important role in helping to ensure that higher attaining pupils fulfil their potential.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching is good and at times very good or excellent.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The quality of the teaching throughout the school is consistently good and at times very good or excellent and makes a significant and important contribution to the good progress that pupils of all abilities make and to the quality of pupils’ learning. During the week of inspection, teaching was good or better in almost all lessons and very good or better in almost three out of ten lessons.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good with some very good features. The support assistants play a significant role in the teaching of the reception aged children and are very successful in ensuring that their academic, personal and social needs are fully met in a sensitive and yet challenging manner. Many opportunities are provided for children to learn through practical, hands on activities, such as making pancakes or making ladybirds. These opportunities are skilfully exploited to enhance children’s communication skills and to further their personal and social development through stressing the importance of working together, sharing resources and taking turns. Alongside this, the teaching carefully introduces specific skills, such as how to hold scissors properly to ensure more accurate cutting or the importance of accurate measuring of ingredients to make the pancakes tastier. Learning for these children is

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

often good fun, with the children thoroughly enjoying themselves as observed when the children took part in a mini carnival, swaying from side to side as they moved to the different music. Teaching also pays much attention to the more formal development of language, communication and mathematical skills and this ensures that by the time that children are ready to start in Year 1, many have attained or exceeded the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in these areas of learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Teaching in Years 1 - 6 is good with some very good features and this, together with the very good attitudes to learning of the pupils, forms a powerful combination which helps to ensure that pupils achieve well. Reading skills are taught well. From an early age the pupils are provided with a good range of books and teaching promotes in pupils a love of literature. Pupils are taught a good range of reading strategies that enable them to tackle new words and phrases with confidence. These skills are systematically Nettleton Community Primary School - 13 built on as they move through the school, with the older pupils directly taught how to skim and scan for information, how to locate information at speed and the higher attainers provided with the skills to help them read beyond the literal level and to examine the nuances of text. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 places a good emphasis on the development of pupils’ phonic skills. This is often done through well planned and

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

differentiated games which produce high levels of interest and excitement amongst the pupils, with pupils not always aware just how much they have learnt when the lesson is brought to an end amidst groans of disappointment.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Good direct teaching skills in Years 3 - 6 often produce good outcomes. In a Year 3 and 4 lesson the pupils are expected to use a theme of a story but change the characters. The pupils are encouraged to be creative and to use powerful adjectives. Very effective questioning and the teacher's own use of arresting language capture the imagination of the pupils. The end result is that pupils create imaginative stories with well conceived obstacles for their characters’ progress and vocabulary that hooks the attention of the listener. In a very good literacy lesson for the pupils in Years 5 and 6, the teacher used the story of ‘’The Queen’s Pig’’ as a stimulus for illustrating the difference between literal and figurative speech. The text was not only an excellent choice in terms of supporting the lesson objective but also captured the interest and humour of the pupils. The text was used imaginatively to explore issues, such as revolution and prejudice, as

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

well as improving pupils’ technical ability in writing rhyming couplets and complex sentences. By the end of the lesson, the pupils had produced work which showed a very good understanding of the differences between literal and figurative speech.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. Throughout the school, strengths of teaching include the quality of relationships and the management of pupils. Teachers, support staff and pupils are relaxed in one another’s company. Pupils are confident in asking and answering questions and they know that their views and opinions will be valued by staff and by classmates. This results in many lively and good-natured discussions and debates in many lessons. The very good management techniques used by all teachers mean that lessons can quickly move from whole class discussions to focused group work with no loss of time or pace to the lesson. Pupils know what is expected of them in terms of quality and quantity of work and invariably rise to the challenge. The work that is set for pupils takes good account of their ability level and, as a result, tasks that are set are often demanding for pupils of all abilities.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Teaching is good in mathematics and science. A feature of many lessons is the quick fire question and answer session at the start of the lesson to sharpen pupils’ mental agility skills. These are successful because they are fun as well as really pushing on pupils’ learning. The pupils are very well motivated and these opening sessions set the scene for the rest of the lesson. The good quality of teaching encourages pupils to look at the different strategies that they can use to come to an answer. These strategies are often shared with the rest of the class and so the learning of all pupils is advanced. In science lessons on materials and the 'Earth in Space', teachers use questioning in an effective manner to explore and then build on pupils’ previous knowledge. Teaching is effective in building up pupils’ scientific knowledge. In the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 teaching constantly seeks to extend the pupils’ knowledge of the wider

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

world. It does this through practical activities, through using the local environment and community and in placing Nettleton in the context of the wider world and looking at similarities and differences between Nettleton and other places around the world. Throughout the school, teachers use their subject knowledge well to motivate and enthuse the pupils. Whether it is in geography, design and technology, music, information and communication technology or history, teachers impart good levels of knowledge and skills in an interesting and lively manner. The pupils often listen Nettleton Community Primary School - 14 spellbound and cannot wait to put the newfound knowledge and skills to the test whether it be finding out more information about exotic places of the world to write a travel brochure, making a bag, cooking pancakes or composing their own piece of music. In an excellent history lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, the teacher read from

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

the school log book with great animation and gravitas and created a terrific atmosphere for pupils to think about life in Victorian times and compare it to their own. The pupils could not wait to carry out their own research and eventually did so with great success.

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

desire to do well. These factors help to create a most positive learning environment.

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

11. The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and to school in general. They show a thirst for new knowledge and learning and a desire to do well. The pupils clearly love coming to school and this is reflected in the attendance rates which are above the national average. The attitudes of the pupils and their eagerness to achieve well play a very important role in the good progress that pupils of all abilities make.

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

12. In the Foundation Stage, the staff work hard to help the children become accustomed to the routines and demands of school life. Some children start school with relatively limited personal and social skills but the efforts of teaching and non-teaching staff, together with the help provided by classmates, lead to good levels of enthusiasm and interest and very soon children respond positively to staff’s expectations of achievement, participation and behaviour. During their time in the Foundation Stage, children show increasingly good levels of concentration and work on tasks for prolonged and productive periods of time. The children show good levels of social interaction and share and swap resources when they are making pancakes, painting ladybird models that they have made or playing with water and sand.

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

13. The children in the Foundation Stage clearly enjoy all the activities that they take part in. The consistently good quality of teaching ensures that the resources for different activities are well prepared and encourage in the children a good level of inquisitiveness that adds to the quality of learning. The staff in the Foundation Stage do much to build up children’s confidence and self-esteem and teach them the importance of listening to others. A very good example was observed where children, dressed up in costumes, confidently performed a carnival dance that changed as the pace and mood of the music changed. All the children took part with great gusto and had the confidence to perform in front of one another whilst also valuing the contribution each was making to the collective dance.

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

14. Pupils in Years 1 – 6 continue to have very positive attitudes to work and to school. Many recognise the importance of a good education and are keen to play their part in ensuring that they work hard and achieve their potential. Pupils concentrate well in lessons and are keen to take a full and active part. Pupils work well on their own and in small groups. All pupils are ready to share and value one another’s ideas or to discuss the best ways of completing a task. Such examples were seen in Years 1 and 2 when the pupils were discussing how control and technology is all around them, in Years 3 and 4 when pupils were discussing different climatic conditions in places they were researching and in Years 5 and 6 when a pupil concluded after listening about school life in Victorian times, ‘’at least we can learn without fear or humiliation.’’ Such examples show pupils’ readiness to listen to others and also that they can learn new

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

knowledge and gain a deeper understanding from the contributions of their classmates. Nettleton Community Primary School - 15 15. Pupils enjoy taking part in musical tasks, designing and making wallets, hats or miniature chairs, studying the work of famous artists, such as Picasso, Van Gogh or Gainsborough, and learning about the Celts, the Tudors and the Victorians. They enjoy widening their knowledge and understanding of the wider world in which they live through a range of geography topics and through learning about other world faiths, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism. Pupils can be relied upon to get on with their work once a task has been set. Many examples were observed of pupils helping a classmate if the teacher was providing direct teaching input into another group of pupils. Many of the lessons seen during the inspection were characterised by pupils’ high level of enthusiasm and the high quality of relationships that exist amongst pupils

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

and with their teachers. The very positive attitudes and strong work ethic displayed by pupils contribute significantly to the quality of life in the school.

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

16. Behaviour across the school is very good. The school emphasises from an early age the importance of good behaviour and how pupils are expected to behave. A strong emphasis is also placed on the importance of self-discipline and the notion that pupils are responsible for their own actions and behaviour. Pupils have a good understanding and appreciation of the impact of their actions on others. Behaviour is equally good at break and lunch times. In the playground pupils play very harmoniously with one another. Older pupils befriend younger pupils and both older and younger pupils play with a sense of fun and enjoyment whilst constantly showing an awareness of the needs of others and genuine concern when a child falls over. Staff are often seen in the playground at lunch and break times, joining in with games or engaging pupils in conversation, both of which add to the strong sense of community that exists within the

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Pupils behave very well, have very good attitudes to work and to school and show a

school. Despite the fact the school has no school hall and the pupils have to eat their lunch in classrooms, pupils show a high degree of maturity and do all that they can to make lunchtimes pleasant social occasions.

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

17. The school is not merely concerned with the academic development of pupils. It provides a very caring and supportive environment where pupils’ well being is fostered and nurtured alongside their academic development. It is a school where the individuality of pupils is recognised and celebrated.

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

18. Effective procedures are in place to promote good behaviour and attendance and the effectiveness of these systems is reflected in the above average attendance rates and the very good standards of behaviour that are evident within the school. Appropriate procedures are in place for Child Protection, with the headteacher to undertake additional training in this area in the near future. Effective procedures are in place for ensuring pupils’ health and safety with regular risk assessments carried out. All staff in the school are first aid trained and there are clear procedures in place for recording any accidents should they occur. The school has good links with outside agencies that visit the school to support pupils’ personal and social development. Such visitors include the school nurse, the emergency services and the Education Welfare Officer. The pupils are also kept well informed about the dangers of drug misuse with the school about to

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

have a big emphasis during the next 12 months on healthy and safe living.

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

19. The quality of relationships in the school is such that the pupils know that they can approach any member of staff should they have a problem. Discussions with the pupils demonstrate that they feel very confident that staff would listen to them sensitively and Nettleton Community Primary School - 16 that any concern they may have would be dealt with quickly and fairly. The level of care and concern in the school helps to build up pupils’ self esteem and confidence and greatly enhances the quality of the learning environment. The school is a fully inclusive school where there is an expectation that pupils will fully contribute to the life of the school as a community. The school ensures that pupils are made aware of issues relating to equality in terms of gender and ethnicity.

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

20. The school has put in place good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science and other subjects of the curriculum. Target setting and assessment are particularly strong in writing for the older pupils in school. Good use is made of the assessment data to look for any patterns of weakness in subjects, by groups of pupils or by individual pupils. Any whole school issue becomes an item to be tackled on the School Development Plan. The school is effective in the manner in which it sets targets for individual pupils. Pupil/ teacher conferences contribute much to the setting of specific targets and in monitoring progress towards them. Feedback and the targets themselves are written in pupils’ books and this enhances pupils’ learning and acts as a reminder that pupils too have some responsibility for their own learning. In terms of the wider picture of target setting, if a pupil looks like he or she may not

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

reach a particular target then additional support is provided. If a target looks like it could be exceeded then the teacher ensures that additional and more challenging activities are provided that will enable the pupil to achieve at a higher level. All the information relating to assessment and target setting is put to good use in ensuring that pupils’ progress is closely tracked and checked as they move through the school and also enables the school to quantify the ‘value addedness’ for each individual pupil during their time in school. This is particularly important because of the high level of pupil mobility within the school, with a relatively high percentage of pupils who start or leave the school at other than the usual times. The school targets that are set for literacy and numeracy are challenging and realistic and the governors are kept fully informed about target setting procedures. This enables them to have a good grasp of the standard that

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assessing pupils’ attainment, setting targets and tracking pupils’ progress as they

21. The school has good quality procedures in place for assessing children’s attainment soon after they start school. The information is used well to guide and inform curriculum planning and to identify at an early stage children who may have special educational needs or who may need to be set more demanding and challenging tasks. Good procedures are also in place for assessing and tracking the progress of pupils with special educational needs. The information is used well to help set targets, that are both challenging and realistic, in pupils’ individual education plans. Progress towards these targets is carefully monitored.

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

22. The school has established a very strong partnership with parents where the school keeps the parents fully informed about the life of the school and the progress that their child makes. These factors do much to add to the sense of community that pervades the life of the school. They also enable and encourage parents to play an active role in supporting their child’s learning.

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

23. The school provides a good quality prospectus that outlines the work of the school. The school is keen to keep parents informed and with this in mind sends out good quality and informative newsletters. In addition, meetings are organised to provide parents with Nettleton Community Primary School - 17 information regarding aspects such as National Curriculum tests, how literacy and numeracy are taught and induction meetings for children and parents new to the school.

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

24. The reports that teachers write outlining the progress that pupils make are of good quality because they not only state what pupils do well but also indicate areas for development and improvement. Opportunities are also provided for parents to come into school on a more formal basis to discuss the progress that their child is making. These meetings are held twice a year and are very well attended. During these consultations, the teacher reports on the child’s progress, highlights strengths and weaknesses and discusses with parents future targets for their child. In addition, parents are made more than welcome to visit the school at any time during the year should they have any concerns about their child’s academic or personal or social progress.

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

25. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept fully involved in and informed of the progress being made by their children. Parents are always invited to termly and annual reviews. Parents are also sent copies of their child’s individual education plan and this helps to keep them fully informed about the school’s aims and the targets for learning that have been set for the individual child. The fact that parents are fully involved in these processes means that they can play an active and important role in supporting and enhancing their child’s learning.

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

26. The parents appreciate the partnership that the school has established with them and, as a result, parents feel happy and comfortable in becoming involved in the life of the school. Parent volunteers help out in the classroom on a regular basis with others helping out at after school clubs for recorders and sports activities. Parents are also eager to help out at Christmas parties and trips out of school. There is an active and successful ‘Friends of the School Association’, which meets on a termly basis and helps to raise funds for the school as well as strengthening the school’s links with the local community by organising events, such as soup lunches for the older members of community.

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

27. It was clear from the meeting with parents held before the inspection and the response to the questionnaire that parents are very happy and proud of the quality of education that the school provides. All the parents that responded to the questionnaire stated that their child likes school, that the quality of teaching is good, that the school is well led and managed and that the school helps children to become mature and responsible. A very high percentage of parents feel their child makes good progress, gets the right amount of homework, that parents are kept well informed, that the school is very approachable and works well with parents, provides an interesting range of activities out of school and that behaviour in the school is good. An important statistic is the very high number of parents that strongly agree with the categories on the questionnaire. These statistics show the high regard in which the parents hold the school. The

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reflected in the very high levels of parental satisfaction with all that the school

partnership means that many parents show a readiness to take on board learning initiatives and suggestions that the school makes as well as adding to a real sense of community where both school and parents value and appreciate the contributions that each other make.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

is well supported by a dedicated staff and an effective Governing Body. Nettleton Community Primary School - 18 28. The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. He has played a significant and pivotal role in the sustained development and improvement of the school and in ensuring that all pupils achieve well, whatever their ability. He shows a determination to continue to move the school forward and there is no evidence of complacency or resting on laurels. He has been very successful in moulding together a team of staff that works impressively well together and whose driving desire is to provide the best quality of education for all the pupils in their care. The headteacher is always ready, together with the staff, to first of all identify and then tackle any issues, which are pertinent and relevant to school improvement. He offers good levels of professional support to all staff and this results in all adults in school feeling valued. The

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

small size of the school means that the headteacher has a considerable teaching commitment each week. He combines the role of class teacher and headteacher very well and he contributes much in terms of the quality of teaching to how well pupils learn and achieve. The school benefits from a very efficient school secretary who carries out her duties in a highly effective manner, ensuring that the school runs smoothly as the headteacher constantly seeks to strike the desired balance of leader of the school and class teacher. The very positive ethos of the school, the progress that pupils make and the clear vision for school development and improvement all indicate that the headteacher has indeed struck the right balance.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

29. The school has made good progress since the time of the last inspection. Following the inspection the school drew up an appropriate action plan to address the identified issues for improvement. As a result, the curriculum provision for design and technology improved and this in turn led to an improvement in the standards attained by pupils. More opportunities are now provided for pupils to take responsibility in and around the school and a greater emphasis is now placed on raising pupils’ awareness of cultural diversity. Looking at school improvement from a wider perspective, teaching, pupils’ progress and the quality of learning have all improved since the last inspection. The school’s desire for and commitment to further improvement through continual self- evaluation indicate that the school is well placed to continue to move forward and add to an already good number of strengths.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

30. Good procedures are in place for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. The headteacher monitors teaching and learning in all classes and the school’s LEA adviser also carries out observations. Staff scrutinise pupils’ work and work together very closely to ensure that what is planned to be taught is taught and that all aspects of different subjects are taught in sufficient depth to enable all pupils to make the progress of which they are capable. Any areas for development that come out of lesson observations or scrutiny of pupils’ work are formally recorded and become a focus for improvement and are re-visited subsequently to evaluate whether improvement has been secured. The school is seeking to improve the monitoring process further by offering class teachers as well as the headteacher an opportunity to monitor and support lessons in subjects for which they have a lead responsibility.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

31. Performance management is well established and lesson observations are also a part of this process. Good procedures are also in place for analysing test and assessment data. The headteacher leads this process by analysing all available data and using the information to identify any area for development or improvement. The small size of the school means that teachers know pupils very well and the assessment data is used in an effective manner to track the pupils' progress by gender, by year group and for individual pupils. Good target setting procedures are also in place. Challenging and realistic targets are set for year groups and for individual pupils. Pupils’ progress towards their targets is closely monitored with additional support provided where Nettleton Community Primary School - 19 needed or more challenging and demanding tasks set if it appears that pupils could exceed their stated target.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

32. The Governing Body is very supportive of the work of the school and plays an effective role in holding the school to account for the quality of education that it provides. The Governing Body meets regularly to discuss issues pertinent to school improvement and the standards that pupils attain. The Governing Body is kept very well informed by the headteacher and relationships between the governors and school are very good. Once a term governors visit the school to observe lessons in each class and then report back to the next Governing Body meeting. Governors take a particular interest in literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology and special educational needs. Governors also play a very active and effective role in health and safety issues and the headteacher’s performance management where governors’ professional skills are put to good use. The governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities well and make

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

an important contribution to how well the school is led and managed.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

33. The School Development Plan is a good quality, working document. All staff and governors contribute to drawing up the identified priorities. The plan is geared towards constantly looking at ways of improving standards and the quality of teaching and learning. All priorities are clearly costed and have appropriate time scales. Financial planning is of a good standard and there is a good match between spending patterns and educational priorities outlined in the School Development Plan. The headteacher and the school secretary review the school’s financial situation every fortnight and a financial report is included on the agenda at every Governing Body meeting. The headteacher deploys staff and resources well to have the best possible impact on the quality of pupils’ learning. The school applies the principles of best value well. Comparison is carried out through analysis of test results against all and similar

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. He

schools. The school is keen to consult with parents. Commercially, the school is a discriminating purchaser, well aware of the need for a competitive approach. All the recommendations of the latest auditor’s report have been acted upon, with the report commending the school’s financial procedures. Taking all factors into account this is a school that is providing good value for money. Nettleton Community Primary School - 20

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

34. From an early age the children are taught the basic skills of writing and of the importance of grammar, spelling and punctuation. This is built on as pupils move up through the school. The school provides opportunities for pupils to write for a variety of audiences and purposes such as reports, instructional writing, articles, poetry, playscripts as well as other factual and imaginative pieces of work. The writing is often well presented with appropriate attention paid to spelling and grammar. The weaker element is that there are times when the writing lacks a little sparkle or creativity or an expressive vocabulary. Stories often start off well but some tend to fizzle out or the writer lacks stamina to sustain the plot or character over time. The school has concentrated over the last 12 months on the direct teaching of specific writing skills to help enable pupils to write well for a variety of different audiences and purposes.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Evidence indicates that these strategies are increasingly having an impact on how well pupils write and if they continue to be taught in this systematic and rigorous manner then there is every indication that standards will continue to rise. Although there are some good examples of pupils’ writing skills being enhanced and promoted in other subjects of the curriculum, such as history, science, geography, design and technology and religious education, this good practice is not as consistent as it could be and there are some missed opportunities where pupils’ writing skills could be extended.

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Pupils’ ability to carry out problem solving tasks and investigative activities in

subjects such as mathematics and science.

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Pupils’ ability to carry out problem solving tasks and investigative activities in

35. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy in a most effective manner and this has had a positive impact on how well pupils achieve in mathematics. The school ensures that all aspects of mathematics are covered well, which enables the pupils to have a good knowledge and understanding of the different elements of the mathematics curriculum. The school has accurately identified that there is a need for more regular and systematic opportunities to be provided for pupils to put their mathematical knowledge to the test in problem solving and investigative activities, as this is the weaker element of pupils’ attainment. A similar picture emerges in science. Pupils build up a secure base of scientific knowledge but experience more difficulty in using this knowledge to hypothesise, to make predictions or to explain why things happen as they do. Some good examples were seen in pupils’ work of investigative and

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Pupils’ ability to carry out problem solving tasks and investigative activities in

problem solving activities that were well planned and challenging and led to immediate advances in pupils’ learning and understanding. There is a need to ensure that this good practice is disseminated across the school.

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Pupils’ ability to carry out problem solving tasks and investigative activities in

36. The school and the Governing Body have constantly over the years sought ways to improve the quality of the accommodation. This was a key issue identified at the time of the last inspection. The school has been successful in gaining finance which has resulted in the building of a new entrance hall, new office facilities and a corridor that is used as an additional teaching space. The school still has a temporary classroom, which is situated adjacent to the playground. The main weakness, however, remains the fact that the school does not have a school hall. This restricts the school’s ability to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum in physical education because pupils cannot take part in gymnastics or elements of dance. Whole school assemblies have Nettleton Community Primary School - 21 to take place in a classroom which necessitates moving furniture and then returning it. The school is left with no choice but to ask pupils to eat their lunches in classrooms

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Pupils’ ability to carry out problem solving tasks and investigative activities in

which means that lunch times are often a little rushed because classrooms have to be cleaned at the end of the session in readiness for the afternoon lessons. The situation is far from ideal as it has a negative impact on pupils’ learning in physical education, prevents lunchtimes from being as socially pleasant an occasion as they could be and it is only the commitment and enthusiasm of staff and pupils alike that enable acts of collective worship to be as uplifting as they are.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

37. In order to build on the school’s many strengths and good quality of education that it provides, the Governing Body, headteacher and staff should:

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1) improve standards in writing by:

• continuing the systematic and progressive direct teaching of specific writing skills to enable pupils to write for a variety of audiences and purposes; • ensuring that opportunities are consistently and fully exploited to extend and enhance pupils’ writing skills in other subjects of the curriculum.

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3) continue to examine and evaluate ways in which to improve the

accommodation, particularly the provision of a school hall. Nettleton Community Primary School - 22

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 11

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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 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

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Attendance

School data 4.6 School data 0.3 Nettleton Community Primary School - 23 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Nettleton Community Primary School - 24

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

This table has been omitted as there were 10 or fewer pupils in the cohort.

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

This table has been omitted as there were 10 or fewer pupils in the cohort.

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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. Nettleton Community Primary School - 25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.4 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 13.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 164810

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 151770

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 83 Expenditure per pupil 2710

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 9590

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 22630

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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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) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Nettleton Community Primary School - 26

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 78 19 0 3 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 69 28 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 44 6 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 63 34 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 16 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 81 16 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 63 34 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 88 12 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 31 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 59 38 0 0 3

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