Clarborough Primary School

CLARBOROUGH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 27 th November 2002

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CLARBOROUGH 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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CLARBOROUGH 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. Clarborough Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane Clarborough Retford Nottinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th November 1997 Clarborough Primary School - 4

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Team members

27899 Mrs G Beasley Registered inspector 9103 Mrs A Strong Lay inspector 27568 Mrs M Davidson Team inspector

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Team members

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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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 Clarborough 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

Clarborough Primary School is situated in the village of Clarborough just outside Retford. It has 146 girls and boys aged 4 – 11 years. There are 12 children in the reception year, and eight of these attend for mornings only in the preschool class. Overall, the children start school with above average levels of attainment. Pupils come from a variety of social backgrounds, which are generally more favourable than the national picture. About half of the pupils come from Clarborough, and others come from Retford and the surrounding villages. Most pupils are of white UK heritage. No pupils speak English as an additional language. A well below average proportion of pupils have free school meals. Across the school, 23 pupils are identified with special educational needs, which is about average. No pupils have a statement of their special educational needs. This number is below average. The school has been through a particularly

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

unsettled period since the previous inspection. The headteacher appointed a year ago, has only just returned after a long period of absence. The school had two acting headteachers during this time, and three since September 2000 when the previous headteacher left. The school is situated on a split site, about half a mile apart, and this makes the evaluation and monitoring of provision difficult.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a school with many strengths, but there are also some weaknesses in important areas. Standards in English, mathematics and science are much higher than you would normally see in similar schools, and this is due to the commitment of teachers who work very well together to ensure pupils receive a consistent quality of education. Teaching in these subjects is very good and this helps pupils to achieve very well. Particular emphasis is given to developing pupils’ personal development, and this helps them to grow into confident and independent individuals, ready for the challenges with which they are presented. The headteacher provides clear direction for the learning environment she wants to create, and is just beginning to evaluate the school’s performance to help with planning future improvements. However, the school does not yet have formal structures in place to evaluate how well it is doing, or to plan what it needs to do

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

to move forward. Financial planning is not directly linked to need, and weaknesses in curriculum provision and maintenance of the building have not been addressed. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6, and all pupils achieve very well in these subjects. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English, mathematics and science. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good attitudes, behaviour and personal responsibility. • All staff know the pupils well, are sensitive to their needs and provide high levels of care. • Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school provides for their children. • The leadership of the school is good.

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What could be improved

• The school management does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further improvements. • The curriculum does not meet statutory requirements, due to lack of provision for some aspects of physical education throughout the school, and physical development in the reception year. 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

There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection. Despite the changes in leadership, the staff who remain have worked very well together to make sure that pupils received equality and continuity in provision across the school. Assessment procedures have been developed very well and are used effectively by individual teachers to help plan the next steps in learning. This, and the very good quality of teaching, has improved standards in English, mathematics and science to their current high Clarborough Primary School - 7 levels. Pupils have very good levels of independence and behave very well around the school. The day- to-day care of pupils has improved, although there are ongoing concerns with maintenance and improvements to the accommodation, at both sites, but particularly at the infant building. Individual members of the governing body have attended training and they now have a clear understanding of their

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

roles and responsibilities. They are not yet involved enough in identifying priorities for school improvement, which remains unsatisfactory. The school improvement plan lacks detail and precise success criteria, and is not based well enough on the school’s strengths and weaknesses. There are no links between this plan and financial management, so there are no precise plans to deal with the larger than average carry forward figure. Although there are now schemes of work for all subjects, which identify precisely the skills and knowledge pupils will develop, gymnastics and dance throughout the school, and physical development in the reception year, are not taught regularly. This is mainly due to the cramped space available in both buildings.

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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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compared with Key

Performance in: all schools similar schools well above average A 2000 2001 2002 2002 above average B English A A A A average C Mathematics C A A A below average D Science B B A B well below average E

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compared with Key

Children start school with a range of skills, which are generally better than national expectations. They make good progress during the reception year and by the time they enter Year 1, most attain the early learning goals, the expected levels, in all areas of learning. The majority do much better in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in their personal, social and emotional development, and exceed the expected levels. This gives them a good basis on which to build in the infants. However, provision for physical development is unsatisfactory and the children do not make enough progress in their movement skills. They make satisfactory progress in their creative development overall, although there are not enough opportunities for them to express themselves creatively in dance.

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compared with Key

Standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics have improved since the previous inspection. Results of the 2002 national tests showed that standards were well above average in reading and writing and very high in mathematics when compared to all schools nationally, and to those with a similar number of free school meals. Work seen during the inspection confirms the well above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. There are no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls. Achievement in these subjects is very good.

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compared with Key

Standards at the end of Year 6 are well above average in English, mathematics and science. This is confirmed by the 2002 national tests. When compared to schools with a similar number of free school meals, standards are well above average in English and mathematics, and above average in science. Particular emphasis is given to developing pupils’ scientific enquiry skills and therefore pupils make very good progress in this aspect. Pupils with special educational needs receive very well-focused support during lessons and they make very good progress in these subjects. Higher attaining pupils are challenged during lessons and this ensures more pupils than usual attain well above average results. Achievement in these subjects is improving and is very good overall.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes. They listen very well in lessons and are keen to find out more about the things they are learning. They are enthusiastic when talking about their work and are keen to share this with visitors. Clarborough Primary School - 8 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour around the school is very good. Pupils are polite towards each other and adults, and are very sensible when moving around the school. They show very good levels of concern for the feelings of others. There have been no exclusions. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils enjoy working in groups and this helps them consider the views of others when doing things for the first time. They are developing very good levels of independence, and use their initiative to find their own things and carry out jobs. Attendance Satisfactory. The school monitors attendance well and always checks when

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

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

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

The quality of teaching in English, mathematics and science is good in reception and very good throughout the rest of the school. All lessons seen during the inspection were at least good and many were very good. One lesson was excellent. High expectations are a feature in all lessons, work is very well matched to the needs of individuals and this, coupled with the very good levels of support from learning support assistants, means that all pupils, including those with special educational needs make very good progress in these subjects.

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

The quality of teachers’ planning is very good. Key skills, knowledge and vocabulary are identified in lesson plans so teachers and learning assistants, and the pupils themselves are clear about what they are expected to learn. Learning objectives are reviewed throughout lessons to reinforce this expectation to pupils at each stage of their learning. Lessons are interesting and this motivates all pupils to take part. Literacy skills are taught very well, especially the way that writing is used to record learning in other subjects. Numeracy skills are taught very well. Pupils recall facts quickly and use these to help solve problems. ICT is used effectively in many lessons for pupils to research and record their work. Homework is used well to support learning in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality of the curriculum is unsatisfactory and does not meet statutory requirements. Gymnastics and dance are not taught regularly enough. Provision for literacy and numeracy is very good. All pupils have equal access to a range of otherwise very well planned learning activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs are provided for well, and their needs are carefully considered in lessons. The special educational needs co-ordinator often plans activities with teachers and this means pupils build on their learning in measured steps. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. Provision for cultural development is good. The staff work hard to create a colourful, stimulating and welcoming learning environment inside

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Aspect Comment

How well the school Procedures for child protection are very good. Pupils are given high levels of Clarborough Primary School - 9 cares for its pupils support by staff who monitor their needs rigorously. However, there are some concerns about the fabric of both buildings and although this is safe, the general maintenance is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well with parents. In return, they hold very positive views about the school and what it does for their children. Many parents help in school and this, and the active ‘Friends of Clarborough’, make a positive contribution to the children’s learning and progress.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher gives clear direction on the quality of learning expected across the school and this is driven forward by a set of agreed principles with all staff. Infant and junior managers and subject co-ordinators have made sure that pupils received very good provision in English, mathematics, science and personal development during the headteacher’s prolonged absence. However, management is currently unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Recent training has helped them understand their statutory responsibilities, although there are still some omissions from the governors’ annual report to parents. They do not know the school’s strengths and weaknesses clearly enough.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Unsatisfactory. There are no formal procedures for monitoring the school’s performance in a systematic way and therefore weaknesses are not addressed quickly enough. This is made more difficult by the split site. There is no long-term plan, which identifies clearly the priorities for development.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Unsatisfactory. Although the secretary manages the day-to-day finances very well, financial planning does not help the school address its weaknesses. There are no procedures for the school to apply the principles of best value to guide its work.

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Aspect Comment

The external fabric of both buildings is poor. The accommodation lacks the space required for a whole class to do gymnastics in both buildings, but particularly in the infants’ building. The library in the junior building is too small for pupils to browse for books and research for information.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• All parents feel that teaching is good and would be happy to approach the school with questions or a problem. • Parents say all children like school and are making good progress. • Most parents say the school is well led. • Many parents feel behaviour is good. • Many feel that the school expects their children to work hard and do their best and is helping their child to become mature and responsible. • Many parents feel that the range of extra curricular clubs should be improved.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents in most areas. Although there are many good opportunities for the oldest pupils to take part in a number of team competitions, including football, cricket, netball and swimming, and an annual residential visit, the range of extra curricular clubs for all pupils is currently unsatisfactory. It agrees that leadership is good. However, management is currently unsatisfactory and Clarborough Primary School - 10 does not support the school’s continuing development well enough. Parents report correctly that it is difficult to manage the dropping off and picking up of their offspring when they have children who attend both sites. Clarborough Primary School - 11

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

all pupils achieve very well in these subjects.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

1. Standards in English, mathematics and science have been rising steadily at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 since the previous inspection. This is due to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in these subjects, more structured schemes of work, increased support in lessons from well-trained learning support assistants and improved resources. Pupils’ achievement is still improving and is very good overall in these subjects. The very high standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 are also due to the recent focus given to this subject in improving pupils’ ability to calculate totals accurately and quickly, and use these and a range of strategies to solve real life problems. As a result, by the time they leave the juniors, pupils work very well together to discuss the best way to solve problems. They look carefully for pattern and relationships between numbers and this has helped them to gain a deeper understanding of the way numbers work.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

They have a very good understanding of the relationships between addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and use these facts to help them investigate a range of number problems. They cover a very good range of work during the year.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

2. At the end of Year 2, pupils write with a clear, joined and neat style. Pupils use their extensive vocabulary to help them choose words, which will add interest to their work. Reading is very good and a significant number are working at higher than expected levels in this aspect. This is due to pupils’ very good knowledge of letter sounds, and very many opportunities to develop a wide range of strategies for working out new words and understanding the meaning of what they are reading. In mathematics, pupils handle numbers confidently. They add and subtract numbers accurately due to the range of strategies they have learned in previous lessons. In science, pupils take part in a range of practical experiments. This makes sure that they learn from first hand experience, noting what happens directly from their observations. They show great fascination when exploring things for the first time and watch in wonder as things change. For example in

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

one excellent science lesson, pupils explored the way that light changed the appearance of a range of materials. Because they were able to explore this themselves, their level of learning increased significantly so that by the end of the lesson, all pupils were able to describe what happened and some higher attaining pupils were beginning to suggest why.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

3. At the end of Year 6, pupils’ writing is organised and clear. During literacy lessons, a range of texts are analysed for their style, content and structure and used as a starting point to help pupils structure their own writing. Consequently, pupils have a very good sense of audience, and writing is structured with paragraphs and a wide range of punctuation is used correctly. Pupils who require additional support in some aspects of their learning, often work in small groups with teachers and well trained learning assistants. As a result of focused spelling groups, pupils are beginning to use their target spellings correctly in their written work. Links with reading are well established so that pupils’ reading experience is used to give pupils ideas for their writing. For example, one higher attaining Year 6 pupil used the story of The Sheep Pig as a basis for his own animal adventure. The animals all escaped in the nick of time, just before the farmer was about to

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

descend. The suspense and excitement of the story built up into a strong climax, which provided the reader with a clear picture of what was happening. Twists of irony are used at the end of some stories, which reflect high levels of maturity for pupils of this age. Pupils’ reading is confident and they read for pleasure and to research a particular topic. Although the library is small, pupils know how to locate books and have good skills for choosing the ones they think they would like to read. In science, pupils have very good scientific enquiry skills. They have a very good understanding of the conditions seeds need to grow into healthy plants, and already know in Year 3 that the parts of each plant is used for a particular purpose. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a very good understanding of materials. In one very good lesson, they planned their own Clarborough Primary School - 12 experiments to purify water, relating this to their own experience and thinking about the reasons

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

why they need to do this. Higher attaining pupils apply their knowledge and understanding of condensation and evaporation to help them in their investigations, while others in the class successfully complete the challenge through filtering and sieving. 4. The school places very good emphasis on pupils developing suitable vocabulary to support their learning. To this end, pupils talk about their work with confidence, using correct terminology. They discuss issues in groups and are not afraid to express their opinions in front of the class. For example, Year 2 pupils talked openly about their feelings when discussing what they thought about ‘the dark’. The discussion was linked to a story they had listened to in literacy, and this gave them a good context for their discussions. As a result, all pupils contributed very well and listened carefully to each other’s feelings in thoughtful silence. In assemblies, pupils are eager to be

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

chosen to act out certain stories and situations, showing very good levels of self-confidence and high levels of self-esteem. They used a wide vocabulary and showed very good ability to express themselves through speaking.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English, mathematics and science.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

5. Teachers plan very exciting lessons, which effectively capture the interest of pupils. They know exactly what they want pupils to learn and why, and careful thought is given to how they will make this happen in lessons. Consequently, a full range of teaching methods is used effectively to gain pupils’ motivation and sustain their concentrate. This helps them develop very good levels of independent learning skills. Following careful analysis of pupils’ work and test results, key vocabulary is always identified in planning, and this helps pupils to use the correct terminology when talking about their work. This was demonstrated in one very good science lesson when the teacher used the digital microscope to spark the pupils’ fascination in the way different plants had sucked up coloured water through their roots and stems to colour the petals and leaves. Consequently pupils were able to explain that ‘ the veins of the leaves had changed colour

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

because the cells in the stem had absorbed the coloured water’ . Knowledge and understanding is planned alongside the subject skills, and because of the interesting content, this makes sure that pupils are actively involved in their learning.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

6. Teachers have high expectations of learning and present these in a positive manner. This means that pupils rise to the challenges and put in a great deal of effort to complete things on time and to a very good standard. Teachers monitor pupils’ work carefully to make sure that they have done what is expected, giving them positive feedback, both orally and through focused marking and, at the same time, explaining what they now need to do next to improve. Therefore, pupils have a very good knowledge of their own learning. This is supported very well by the carefully thought out target setting procedures. Pupils are clear about what is expected and discuss with teachers what they need to do next to reach their targets.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

7. Teachers use questions very effectively to probe pupils’ understanding and assess their learning. They build on pupils’ answers further by using questions like ‘Why did you do that? What did you see?’ and ‘Why do you think that happened?’ targeting some towards particular individuals, thus bringing them into discussions. Teachers use assessment information carefully to help plan lessons and match work precisely to individual needs. Higher attaining pupils are provided with challenging work and are expected to plan their own way forward in some lessons. Computers are used effectively as motivators for some pupils to write. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported in lessons, by teachers and well-informed learning assistants who know pupils equally well. Some activities are carefully planned with the special educational needs co-ordinator so that these pupils work towards individual targets in measured

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the end of Year 6 and

8. Resources are used very effectively as a stimulus to learning. Mirrors left on tables while Year 1 and 2 pupils were investigating how their torchlight travelled through a range of materials, were Clarborough Primary School - 13 put to good use by one group of pupils who tried to make a kaleidoscope pattern. They were fully engrossed in their task and were eventually successful.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

attitudes, behaviour and personal responsibility.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

9. Every opportunity is taken to build pupils’ self-confidence and self-esteem from the moment they start school. As a result, pupils approach all new learning with confidence and this helps them to make immediate good gains in their learning. Relationships are very good and this encourages pupils to work hard and remain on task when working in groups, and individually. Teachers present very good role models by always treating pupils with care and respect, and this fosters the pupils’ own respect for the feelings of others. Pupils are fully involved in their learning and this helps them to develop very good attitudes to their work. This is supported further by the interesting contexts through which they learn. The basketball activity is an example of this. Pupils co-operated well, listening to the coach carefully even though it was a very cold day.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

10. Opportunities to wonder at the world of nature are planned in most science lessons and this supports pupils’ spiritual development very well. Learning is practical and involves pupils in first hand observations of the way things change as they grow, or the fascination of water getting clearer as it becomes cleaner. Therefore, pupils have a very good understanding of the importance to look after the environment. They learn how to care for their immediate surroundings and to make sure that the living things in the school grounds are looked after. The school follows a key principle that pupils should be excited by their learning. This is evident in many lessons. For example, younger pupils were fascinated to find that the light from their torches changed colour when it travelled through some coloured transparent papers. The excited conversations as the pupils shared what they had found out, reflected their wonder of what had

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

11. Pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively in groups in many lessons and this makes a very good contribution to their social development. Pupils do this in a co-operative way, listening to each other’s ideas and opinions with respect and interest. In literacy, younger pupils worked together on a phonics task, helping each other to identify the number of sounds in each word and showing this with a dot underneath. Behaviour in lessons and on the playground is very good. Pupils share footballs and play amicably together. During the inspection, the playgrounds were very muddy and even though pupils did not have the usual equipment outside, they joined in with each other’s games amicably. Year 2 pupils play with the children in the preschool class, and make sure that they are happy and fully included in playtimes. Adults supervising often organise games for pupils to play, and the level of enjoyment is reflected in the high numbers that take part.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

‘In the river’ is a particular favourite.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

12. Assemblies make a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development. Themes are built on the school’s particular needs by discussing openly behaviour in and around the school from day to day. This careful monitoring of good behaviour enables the school to reward those who make a positive contribution to the school and also teaches pupils how to resolve any potential conflicts themselves. Religious education provides good opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding and respect for the beliefs of others. They listen openly to descriptions of the way others celebrate their beliefs and festivals. In one lesson, pupils listened carefully to how Jewish people follow traditions to recognise their Sabbath, and by the end they all had a deeper understanding of the meaning and purpose of this particular religion’s practices.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

13. Circle Time, when pupils sit in a circle with their teachers and talk about what they like and any concerns they may have, is used effectively to discuss important issues, which affect the pupils’ lives and feelings. This helps them develop a very good sense of self worth and to consider the impact of their actions on others. The school fosters a child in Kenya, and this is a practical way through which the pupils are able to demonstrate their care and understanding for those less Clarborough Primary School - 14 fortunate than themselves. They have a good understanding of different cultures through studying literature, art and design and music from different countries. Through religious education lessons and assemblies, good opportunities are provided for pupils to talk about the different festivals that take place due to the wider religions and cultures in British society.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

14. Competitive sporting activities make a very strong contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. Pupils are proud to be a part of the teams and talk animatedly about recent and past successes. They recount the football, cricket, netball and swimming successes in some detail, reflecting the pride they feel in representing the school. All pupils go swimming and their achievements are displayed prominently in the hall, helping them to celebrate their success with the whole school.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

All staff know the pupils well, are sensitive to their needs and provide high levels of care.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

15. Pupils are cared for very well by dedicated staff. The school has made sure that all staff are aware of child protection procedures and know what to do in an emergency. Every step is taken to make sure that pupils are safe and supervision levels are good. Regular checks are made of electrical equipment and day-to-day health and safety. All staff members follow procedures diligently and make sure that the safety and care of pupils come first in everything they do.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

16. The school monitors the behaviour and personal development of its pupils very well. Because the school acts promptly when they are informed of any minor issue pupils may have experienced at school, any issues are dealt with quickly and resolved positively. This adds to the congenial atmosphere both in lessons and when pupils are outside at play. Staff make sure that pupils are fully included in activities and that they all get a chance to carry out small jobs around the school.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this fosters the very good

17. Mention a pupil’s name and staff members will always find something positive to say about his or her achievements. This is because the school celebrates these publicly both in lessons and in assemblies. If pupils have a particular need, the school makes sure that the relevant support is in place to make sure they are included in activities. This includes support in lessons with their learning, positive behaviour management to help them concentrate and play a full part in group work, or making caring arrangements to make sure those with a physical need are welcomed back into school.

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Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school

18. Parents hold very positive views of the school and its work, and recognise how well the school helps their children to make good progress. They report that the school is approachable and that staff always find time to talk to parents if they come into school. This welcome is valued very much by parents. Those asked were particularly pleased with their children’s attainment and that, despite the recent changes of headteacher, these have continued to improve. There was some concern expressed about the recent fall in the number and range of after school clubs, although parents welcome the headteacher’s attempts to improve this now she has returned to her post.

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Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school

19. The friends of Clarborough play a positive role in involving parents in the life of the school. Those parents asked say they are pleased with these opportunities and although some are not able to serve as a member of the committee, welcome the opportunity to support the school through social and fundraising events. Several parents help in school and this is valued greatly by the school. Parents support homework activities well, whether it is helping with mathematical problems, hearing their children read or supporting research activities. Parents make a very good contribution to their children’s learning both at school and at home.

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Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school

The leadership of the school is good. Clarborough Primary School - 15 20. The school has gone through a difficult period due to the prolonged absence of the newly appointed headteacher. Since her return to work full time, she has worked with the staff to establish a set of key principles for teaching and learning and on how the school will deliver the curriculum. These will inform the aims and objectives to be reviewed with governors shortly. The principles have already been adopted in all classes and are reflected in the very good quality of teaching and learning, and the welcoming atmosphere created by the colourful displays and organisation of resources. They build on the already established, and very good relationships between adults and pupils, and between pupils themselves. This clear direction is helping the school to identify more precisely its priorities for development. The headteacher is building

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Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school

relationships effectively with pupils by taking assemblies at both sites, and visiting classes regularly. However, while this is essential, the journey between the sites, takes up valuable time.

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Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school

21. The school has an effective staffing structure where the roles and responsibilities of individual teachers are defined clearly. Due to this, the teachers responsible for the infants and juniors have worked together very well to make sure that identified improvements to English, mathematics and science have been driven forward since the previous inspection. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been implemented very effectively and monitored closely to measure how successful the action taken has been. The decision was made to teach science in year groups, and this has helped teachers focus on individual pupil’s learning and match tasks to their needs. This has been a major factor in improving results in science across the school. The curriculum is organised so that pupils revisit learning several times in these subjects during their time in school. This helps them to remember knowledge and skills before starting new work. Additional teacher

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Parents support the school very well and are very positive in expressing how much the school

assistant time means that pupils get adult support when working in small groups and this helps keep their attention focused clearly on what they are learning.

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The school does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further

22. Due to the absence of the headteacher, a number of important management tasks have not been implemented. There are no systematic procedures for evaluating and monitoring what the school does well and therefore it has no mechanism for identifying what it needs to do to improve and develop. Consequently although satisfactory improvement has been made since the previous inspection, there are still some issues, which have not been addressed.

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The school does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further

23. The school monitors some aspects of its work well. For example, the infant and junior managers have made sure that the new schemes of work have been implemented effectively, and have monitored standards, and teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science carefully. However, these improvements have not been supported by clearly planned priorities, carefully costed and with identified measures so that the school knows how successful it has been. This remains a weakness since the previous inspection. There are no systematic procedures for evaluating how well the school is doing in other subjects, or in monitoring the quality of the curriculum overall. Therefore, although the school is aware of weaknesses, it has not acted to put these right.

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The school does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further

24. The split site makes monitoring more difficult. The infant and junior managers do a good job managing the day-to-day procedures, but time taken to travel between the two sites adds an unnecessary burden. This is especially so at the moment when the headteacher is trying to establish key principles of teaching and learning, and wants to make sure that new staff have a clear understanding of what these mean. Although the headteacher makes every effort to visit both buildings on a daily basis, the additional time it takes to travel between the two sites means that time is taken away from other important management tasks. Clarborough Primary School - 16 25. The governing body is aware of the needs of the school and is now fully involved in important decisions relating to policy and procedures. Recent training has made governors more aware of their roles and responsibilities, and as a result they are acting more as a ‘critical friend’, asking

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The school does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further

questions of the school about its performance. However, it is not yet involved enough in identifying the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and the subsequent planning of future improvements to the school’s work. This is a weakness that remains since the previous inspection.

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The school does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further

26. Although the day-to-day management of finances is very good, financial planning is unsatisfactory. Because there are no identified priorities for development based on secure school self evaluation procedures, the budget does not support school improvement well enough. The school makes sure that funds are set aside for staffing and day-to-day running costs, but other groups of spending respond to short-term and essential needs only. This means that improvements to the fabric of the building have been delayed unnecessarily and provision for physical education remains unsatisfactory. Teachers of the youngest children are fully aware of the need for better use of the outdoors to support the children’s learning. However, there have been no mechanisms for any improvements to be planned, or to be put into place. The school makes some enquiries into costing when purchasing large items of equipment. However, it does not use the principles of best

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The school does not look carefully enough at how well it is doing, to help plan further

value well enough to compare its costs with other schools of the same type, or to evaluate whether spending has made any improvement on standards and the quality of education for its pupils.

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aspects of physical education throughout the school, and physical development in the reception

27. Pupils do not currently take part in regular gymnastics and dance lessons due to the cramped space available in both buildings, the poor state of the fabric of the infant building, and protruding radiators in the junior building, which caused concerns about health and safety. The caretaker has made good improvements to the hall in the juniors and this is now safe for pupils to do physical education, although due to lack of space elsewhere, this is still reduced by the storage of dining tables and the library. The school compensates well by organising a wide range of games activities for the pupils to take part in. The teams experience great success, building on the traditions built up by the school over the years. All pupils go swimming and standards are well above expected levels with over 80 pupils gaining some kind of distance award, including some from the infant classes. Seventy-seven pupils can already swim 25 metres, the expected standard

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aspects of physical education throughout the school, and physical development in the reception

for pupils at the end of Year 6. Older pupils enjoy basketball and they all know the rules of this game well. Those who play netball found the differences in rules between the two games very challenging but worked hard to overcome initial difficulties. All pupils are developing good levels of tactics and techniques and have good skills of dodging, tackling and passing the ball. All pupils are confident players of a range of sports by the end of Year 6.

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aspects of physical education throughout the school, and physical development in the reception

28. Pupils in the infants make unsatisfactory progress initially in gymnastics, dance and games skills. This is because there are not enough opportunities for them to take part in physical education lessons on a regular basis. During the winter months, the playground is very muddy and covered in leaves, thus making regular planned activities outside impossible. Although they make better progress when they get older, the current provision is unsatisfactory and does not meet statutory requirements.

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aspects of physical education throughout the school, and physical development in the reception

29. There is no designated area for the youngest children to go outside to learn about the world in which they live, or to use the outdoors to support their creative and physical skills and development independently. This is an unsatisfactory aspect of otherwise good provision for children in the reception year. By the time they reach Year 1, many pupils are not running, jumping, hopping and skipping as confidently and competently as they should for children of the same age. This is because there not enough planned opportunities for them to take part in physical development Clarborough Primary School - 17 activities on a regular basis. They do not have enough opportunities to move imaginatively to music or to develop their creative dance ideas. The space designated as a hall is too small and until very recently the windows were in such a poor state of repair, they were a hazard to the children’s safety.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve the quality of education for all pupils, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve strategic management of the school by: • Planning a cycle of formal review of the school’s performance in all subjects and aspects; • Developing and implementing procedures to evaluate the school’s performance in all aspects; • Working together to develop and implement a school improvement plan which is fully costed, and which details clear priorities for improvement, measurable outcomes so the school knows whether and how well it has succeeded, realistic timescales for completion, management responsibilities and a realistic review date; • Developing and implementing systematic procedures for financial planning which support the priorities identified in the school improvement plan. (Paragraph Numbers 22. 23. 24. 25. 26)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the quality of the curriculum by: • Providing opportunities for all pupils to take part in regular gymnastics and dance lessons; • Implementing the PE scheme of work; • Developing a secure outdoor area as a learning resource for children in the reception year; • Developing and implementing a scheme of work for the use of the outdoors. (Paragraph Numbers 27. 28. 29) Clarborough Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 16 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 1 6 9 0 0 0 0 Percentage 6.25% 37.5% 56.25% 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than six percentage points .

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Pre-school YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 4 138 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 9 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Pre-school YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 23

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of 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 Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5.3% School data 0.1% National comparative data 5.4% National comparative data 0.5% Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Clarborough Primary School - 20

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 8 10 18

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 8 8 8 level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10 Total 18 18 18 Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 8 8 8 level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10 Total 18 18 18 Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 8 12 20

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 8 7 7 level 4 and above Girls 12 11 12 Total 20 18 19 Percentage of pupils School 100 (89) 90 (94) 95 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 9 7 7 level 4 and above Girls 11 9 11 Total 19 16 18 Percentage of pupils School 95 (72) 80 (94) 95 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Clarborough Primary School - 21 Clarborough Primary School - 22

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exclusions

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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exclusions

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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exclusions

Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 0 0 0

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exclusions

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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exclusions

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

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exclusions

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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exclusions

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

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exclusions

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. Clarborough Primary School - 23

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.3 Financial year 2001/2002

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 369760

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 359167

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 24 Expenditure per pupil 2427

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Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Balance brought forward from previous year

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Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 41068

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Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

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Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total number of education support staff 1

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Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total aggregate hours worked per week 15

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Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult 8 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Clarborough Primary School - 24

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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. 46 52 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 33 59 6 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 54 10 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 44 6 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 35 0 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. 60 34 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 27 63 10 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 50 42 2 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 33 61 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 21 35 38 0 6

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