Mugginton CofE Primary School

MUGGINTON CE 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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MUGGINTON CE 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. Mugginton Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Weston Underwood Ashbourne Postcode: DE6 4PL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr R Windsor

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 May 1997 Mugginton Primary School - 4

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Team members

2234 Mr Paul Bennett Registered inspector 9417 Mrs Liz Owen Lay inspector

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Team members

The Kingston Centre Fairway Stafford ST16 3TW

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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 Mugginton 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

Mugginton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a very small, two-class, rural, village primary school serving 47 children from the ages of 4 to 11 years. The school’s popularity has resulted in pupils being attracted from a wider area than the immediate locality, and numbers have risen significantly in the last five years. Currently, the Reception Year comprises five four and five-year-old children. There are more girls than boys in the school and this is most apparent in Years 1 and 5. Most families are from favourable socio-economic backgrounds and very few pupils (generally below the national average) are entitled to free school meals. The great majority of families are of white British heritage and one child is of black African background. No pupils are from families whose mother tongue is not English – this is low by national comparisons. Five pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is below average. Their needs relate

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

to general learning difficulties and one to a physical disability. One pupil has a statement of special educational need and this proportion is broadly in line with the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school where staff serve the pupils well despite the limitations of the accommodation and the difficulties of managing several year groups in each class. The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in Years 3 to 6. The headteacher provides strong leadership which has led to significant improvements in the last nine months. Pupils are very well motivated and behave very well. They achieve standards in English, mathematics and science that are often above national expectations. Despite income and expenditure per pupil being well above the national average, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ attainment is consistently well above that found nationally in speaking, listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of Year 2. • Very good teaching has significantly raised the attainment of pupils in the current Year 6 in writing, mathematics and science. • The headteacher provides strong and purposeful leadership resulting in significant improvements to the management of the school and to pupils’ attainment. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils have excellent attitudes to work and behave very well. • Pupils’ personal, social, moral and cultural development are very good. • The very good relationships between adults and pupils, and the strong sense of teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a happy environment in which to teach and learn. • Parents are involved fully in the life of the school; are well informed; and enabled to support

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What the school does well

their children’s learning. Mugginton Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

• The school building and site are cramped and inadequate, and inhibit aspects of teaching, learning and the management of the school. • Teachers and governors do not monitor, discuss and identify, in a structured way, the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school and the performance of the pupils. • Information and communication technology (ICT) is not used regularly and effectively to support teaching and learning in the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in May 1997 since when there have been two changes of headteacher. At the time of the last inspection, three areas for improvement were identified relating to: planning the curriculum for children under five years of age; pupils’ cultural development; and the redecoration of the interior of the building. All these issues have been addressed successfully and, indeed, cultural development is now a strength of the school. The small numbers in each group result in some fluctuations in comparative levels of attainment over the last six years, but the attainment of the current Year 6 compares favourably with that reported in 1997. Some aspects of strategic planning, performance management, monitoring, target setting and the role of governors do not appear to have developed over the years at the rate found nationally. However, since the appointment of the current headteacher in September 2002 rapid and substantial improvements have

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

been made. Taking all this into account, the school is judged to have made satisfactory improvement since 1997. It has good capacity to improve even more.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

science D E E E highest 5% well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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Key

The very small numbers of pupils in each year group mean that comparative data is unreliable because the results of just one pupil can make a difference of several grades. The marked difference in the grades between subjects in 2002 is largely accounted for by the fact that some pupils achieved Level 5 in English but none achieved the same level in mathematics and science. In Mugginton Primary School - 8 recent years, Year 6 pupils have attained high standards (Level 5) in reading but few have achieved this level in writing, mathematics and science. The current Year 6 are making good progress; most will achieve the expected Level 4 in English, mathematics and science; and a good proportion are working at Level 5 in these subjects, including writing. The most-able pupils are being challenged and extended and have made very good progress this year. Standards of speaking and listening are consistently high. The school is now setting appropriately challenging targets for all pupils.

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Key

Children enter the Reception Year with a wide range of attainment which is broadly in line with the local education authority and national average, though above average in speaking and listening and below average in writing. Children are making sound progress and likely to achieve and sometimes exceed the Early Learning Goals for five-year-olds. They achieve well in speaking and listening, and in personal, social and emotional development.

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Key

By the age of seven years, pupils generally achieve well above average standards in speaking and listening, reading, mathematics and science. Fewer than average achieve the higher Level 3 in writing. Pupils in the current Year 2 are making sound progress and a greater focus on writing targets has resulted in higher levels of attainment.

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Key

Across the school pupils with special educational needs receive effective support and make sound progress. Attainment in ICT is only just in line with national expectations and is recognised by the school as an area for development.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have excellent attitudes to school and are enthusiastic learners.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good and pupils are mature, responsible, polite and friendly.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils work and play very well together. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good, and based on trust and respect.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Well below average attendance is the result of one long-term illness and the large number of holidays taken during term time.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils are a delight to be with and are a great credit to their parents and the school. Their attendance is generally good apart from the exceptionally high levels of absence for holidays. The school monitors this carefully and reminds parents of the disruption caused by such absences. Mugginton Primary School - 9

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

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Good Very good

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

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

Teachers do a good job in difficult circumstances given that the infant class contains two key stages and three year groups, and the junior class comprises four year groups. They work hard to try to ensure that teaching meets the needs of all pupils. The quality of teaching across the school is good overall with seven out of ten lessons judged to be good or better; and three out of ten very good. Reception children enjoy high levels of adult support which promotes the development of speaking and listening and social skills. Activities are carefully prepared and well structured. In general, they have too few opportunities for good quality role-play, first-hand independent learning activities and outdoor learning and play.

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

Literacy and numeracy lessons are taught well in both infant and junior classes. In Years 1 and 2, pupils benefit from a great deal of adult support; the purpose of lessons is explained clearly; and tasks are matched well to each age group. These pupils have too few opportunities to use ICT to support their learning. The teaching in Years 3 to 6 is of consistently high quality and based on the teachers’ good subject knowledge and enthusiasm. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and the pace and productivity of their work. Pupils respond very well to this teaching and those in Years 5 and 6 work with exceptional concentration and intensity.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and interesting. Currently, the school is not meeting statutory requirements relating to the programme for physical education. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Effective provision is made for these pupils, who receive additional support from teachers and other adults. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision is made for pupils’ personal, cultural, moral and social development. Opportunities for spiritual development outside collective worship, while satisfactory, are less apparent within the life of the school. How well the school cares for its pupils All staff - teaching, non-teaching, catering and administrative - are involved, as a team, in providing good levels of care for all pupils. Procedures for assessing and reporting pupils’ attainment are satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Mugginton Primary School - 10 The lack of space in the school and the condition of the floor in the nearby community hall mean that the school is unable to provide pupils with opportunities for dance and gymnastics which are requirements of the National Curriculum for physical education. For such a small school, a good range of games activities is offered, sometimes in co-operation with local schools.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong and enthusiastic leadership, and leads by example through her high quality classroom teaching. Other teachers lead their subjects well in their own classrooms but have limited opportunities to impact across the whole school. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their responsibilities satisfactorily. Their meetings give much attention to budget, personnel and premises issues. In general, meetings do not focus sufficiently on the curriculum and the performance of pupils. The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher effectively monitors teaching and pupils’ attainment across the school. Other teachers and governors are not yet engaged sufficiently in this process. The strategic use of resources The headteacher and governors manage and deploy the budget carefully in support of the school’s priorities for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

Resources for teaching and learning are generally good but the school site and building are inadequate in several respects.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher has rightly identified several key priorities for improvement and these have already resulted in the higher levels of attainment in writing, for example. Governors are keen to ensure a good balance between cost and quality when agreeing expenditure on staffing and other resources. The school building and site do not provide satisfactory facilities for physical education; outdoor learning for the youngest children; disabled toilet facilities; and confidential meeting and management space for the headteacher. Some aspects of the security of the site are a cause for concern and have been discussed with the headteacher and governors.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children are happy and secure, and like the school. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • The teaching is good and children behave well. • The school is well led and managed. • The school works closely with parents who • Five parents feel that children do not get the right amount of work to do at home. Mugginton Primary School - 11 are kept well informed.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The partnership with parents is a real strength of the school. Inspectors agree with the many positive features recognised by parents. With reference to work that children are asked to do at home, inspectors feel that sensible and appropriate amounts of work are set for different age groups across the school. Mugginton Primary School - 12

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Pupils’ attainment is consistently well above that found nationally in speaking,

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

2. Four-year-old children enter school with generally above average skills in speaking and listening. In the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2, the high levels of support mean that pupils have lots of opportunities to converse with adults during group work. The teacher has high expectations for active listening during whole-class sessions where the youngest children are encouraged sensitively into good habits by adult supporters. They are able to maintain concentration and attention for longer than might normally be expected. The class teacher uses questioning skilfully to engage all pupils and to give them confidence to respond. Older, more-able pupils are expected to answer more fully. For example, in a science lesson about materials, where pupils were asked to choose the most absorbent paper, Year 2 pupils not only had to identify the paper but explain why they had chosen it. They responded well to this challenge, speaking confidently and thoughtfully in front of the

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

3. The high levels of attainment in speaking and listening are maintained in Years 3 to 6. Pupils are attentive and maintain good eye contact with speakers. A particularly positive feature of their listening is the way in which older pupils respect and value the answers and comments made by younger pupils. Most pupils are confident when speaking and keen to offer ideas and opinions. Generally, pupils take turns to contribute and listen carefully to questions and instructions. Older pupils have a good sense of audience when conversing formally and informally with adults. The School Council gives pupils the opportunity to engage in discussion and form persuasive arguments. They are also enthusiastic about public performance and recall with excitement school productions in the community hall.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

4. Attainment in reading is consistently high across the school. Children enter school with a range of skills that are broadly similar to that found nationally. Through the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2, less confident readers are given additional individual support by the teacher and other adults. All pupils participate in group guided reading activities where frequent discussion with adults develops their recognition of words, understanding of text and confidence as independent readers. Pupils also benefit significantly from the active support and involvement of parents when reading at home. All pupils make good progress in reading. In 2002, the very small group of seven-year-olds recorded levels of attainment in reading within the highest 5% nationally.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

5. In Years 3 to 6 additional time is allocated to group reading where, with good levels of adult support, pupils explore text and characters. Many pupils are confident and enthusiastic readers who can talk knowledgeably about favourite authors and genres. They continue to make good progress in reading. In statutory tests for eleven-year-olds in recent years, pupils’ attainment in reading has been consistently well above the national average. Mugginton Primary School - 13 6. Four-year-old children enter school with a range of attainment in mathematics and, in two of the last three years, assessments at the start of the Reception Year indicate that overall attainment was above the national average. The teaching of mathematics in the Reception Year and in Years 1 and 2 is of good quality. Work is planned carefully with clear objectives, drawn from the National Numeracy Strategy where appropriate, relating to the

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

different year groups and the prior learning of the pupils. Pupils receive good support during group activities and key teaching points are reinforced thoroughly. More-able pupils are set challenging tasks and their mathematical thinking is extended well. In the current Year 2, more-able pupils add and subtract up to 100; recognise faces, edges and corners of two- and three-dimensional shapes; record data in simple block graphs; investigate weight using kilogrammes; recognise halves and quarters; and sort information using Carroll Diagrams. Pupils make good progress in mathematics and, in the statutory assessments for seven-year-olds in 2002, standards of attainment were within the highest 5% nationally.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

7. Very good teaching has significantly raised pupils’ attainment in the current Year 6 in writing, mathematics and science.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

8. In recent years, while most eleven-year-olds in the school achieved the expected Level 4 in statutory tests in writing, mathematics and science, few attained the higher Level 5. This resulted in the school’s performance in these subjects being identified as well below the national average. Changes in teaching personnel and the re-organisation of teaching so that Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6 are taught literacy and numeracy in separate groups, have significantly enhanced the quality of teaching and standards of attainment.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

9. The two teachers involved in teaching the junior pupils work very well as a team, and have a good balance of skills in English, mathematics and science. Teaching is characterised by detailed and thoughtful planning of lessons; good use of resources; high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and the pace and productivity of work; a really good rapport between teachers and pupils; and good subject knowledge which is evident in the clarity of explanations and the range of questions which are used to make able pupils think more about concepts and issues. Pupils respond very well to this teaching, and work hard and enthusiastically. There is a great work ethic in the current Year 6, and pupils are making very good progress.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

10. In a very good literacy lesson focusing on narrative story writing, the teacher encouraged pupils to think about the introduction, build-up, main event, dilemma and conclusion. They demonstrated very good understanding of subject, person and audience. They planned their stories rapidly, working intensively on individual whiteboards and then completed pieces of high quality, and generally well-presented writing within a period of only about half an hour. Other examples of work in pupils’ books include poems, diary writing, play scripts, reports, letter (formal and informal), autobiography, biography, retelling in modern idiom and instructions. Pupils’ writing is often lively and thoughtful, and words are chosen adventurously and for effect. Spelling and punctuation are accurate and writing is often neat and legible. Year 6 pupils are making very good progress in their writing, with most attaining Level 4 and some now working at the higher Level 5.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

Mugginton Primary School - 14 11. In numeracy lessons, pupils have covered a very good range of work including different techniques for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages; probability, ratio and proportion; positive and negative numbers; the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes; and co-ordinates in all four quadrants. In a very good numeracy lesson, Years 3 to 6 explored angles and reflective symmetry at several different levels, making good use of ICT to support their learning. For example, Years 5 and 6 used an on-screen protractor to develop their skills in measuring angles. The lesson was well-planned; tasks were matched well to the age and ability of the pupils; teachers demonstrated good subject knowledge and used questioning very well to extend thinking; pupils worked hard and at a good pace; and evident gains were made in their knowledge

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

and understanding of symmetry and angles. Again, Year 6 pupils have made very good progress during the year and there is much evidence of work at Level 5.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

12. In a very good science lesson on forces, Years 3 and 4 explored resistance and friction when pulling weights over different surfaces while measuring with force meters. Years 5 and 6 investigated air resistance with spinners, measuring the time it took them to fall with digital stopwatches. They were encouraged to measure accurately, think scientifically and explain, not just describe, the patterns emerging from their results. Pupils demonstrated a good understanding of the principles of fair testing. Work over the year shows good progress in scientific investigations and several examples of attainment at Level 5.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

13. The headteacher provides strong and purposeful leadership resulting in significant improvements to the management of the school and to pupils’ attainment.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

14. The headteacher took up her appointment in September 2002, and ‘leads from the front’ a small and committed team of teaching and non-teaching staff. In eight months she has made significant improvements to teaching and learning, the management of the school, and pupils’ attainment.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

15. She provides a very good standard of classroom leadership. She is a key member of the very successful teaching partnership in Years 3 to 6, and brings particular expertise in mathematics and science. She has high expectations of the pupils, who respond very well to her encouragement. As a result of the very good teaching that they receive, Year 6 pupils are achieving levels of writing, mathematics and science that have not been attained consistently in previous years.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

16. The headteacher has undertaken a perceptive evaluation of the school’s performance and introduced some important changes to the organisation of teaching and the management of the school. She recognised that too few pupils were achieving Level 5 at the end of Year 6. Apart from raising expectations and providing very good teaching, she recommended to the governors a change in the organisation of Years 3 to 6, so that they could be taught literacy and numeracy in two distinct groups. This involved increasing the hours of a part-time teacher as well as the headteacher’s own teaching commitment. The resulting high quality teaching and improved levels of attainment are evidence of the success of the strategy and the wise expenditure of funds. Mugginton Primary School - 15 17. Similarly, the headteacher has recognised that attainment in ICT is variable across the school and only just meets national expectations. She has secured the appointment of a part-time

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

assistant, with expertise in ICT, to support teaching and learning throughout the school. Again, this is clearly focused targeting of the school’s resources towards an area of comparative underachievement. It is too early to evaluate the impact of this appointment.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

18. The headteacher has also recognised that pupils’ attainment in writing across the school has not been as good as it should have been. Apart from the improvements in the organisation of teaching in Years 3 to 6, she has also introduced a process of setting targets in writing for all pupils, and tracking their progress towards these. This system is based upon strategies used by a local Beacon school and represents one of several ways in which her own management has benefited from the experience of working effectively with a local cluster of schools. The combined effect of improved teaching and focused targets for writing is having a positive impact on pupils’ attainment. There is already evidence of more pupils attaining Level 3 in Year 2 and Level 5 in Year 6.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

19. Mugginton CE Primary School now has a detailed school improvement plan containing a set of clear priorities for improvement which the headteacher has discussed with governors. She has also established a programme of monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and standards of attainment. In the first year, this programme has involved exclusively the headteacher. The plan for future years rightly includes other members of the teaching staff. The headteacher recognises the need to involve teachers and governors in a more systematic programme of monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance, in order to identify effectively the key strengths and weaknesses.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

20. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils have excellent attitudes to work and behave very well.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

21. Teachers expect pupils to behave well and the pupils understand this. Pupils enter school happily and settle quickly to classroom routines. They are attentive to instructions and explanations, and keen to respond to questions and offer ideas and opinions. On the rare occasions when the behaviour of individuals falls below the expected level, teachers remind pupils quietly and firmly. A strength of the management of behaviour is the way in which all teaching and non-teaching staff apply consistent expectations. There are no mixed messages.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

22. Across the school, the very highest standards of behaviour are evident. Children in the Reception Year have settled well into the school’s routines, sit attentively and work well as a group. All pupils work well independently and in co-operation with others. They are courteous and move around the school’s limited space with care and self-control. The current Year 6 pupils also provide the school with really good leadership in terms of setting standards for behaviour and attitudes. They have an impressive work ethic, completing tasks with great concentration and at speed. They are polite, enthusiastic and respectful of other people’s opinions. They work together well and demonstrate genuine friendship. Mugginton Primary School - 16 They are a delight to be with and embody the school’s new motto – ‘Living, Laughing, Learning Together’.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

23. Pupils’ personal, social, moral and cultural development are very good.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

24. Since the last inspection in 1997, the school has done much to improve the provision for pupils’ cultural development. It has maintained the strong links with the community in developing pupils’ awareness and understanding of local and national traditions and festivals. Pupils are involved in celebrations of major Christian festivals with the village church. They engage in sporting activities with local schools. Through art, music and literature they begin to appreciate the cultural influences of different periods of time and different regions and countries. In this relatively isolated and monocultural location, the school has done much to raise pupils’ awareness of the diversity of faith and culture in modern Britain. For example, pupils have visited a mosque, accessed a website for a virtual visit to a synagogue and participated in a Hindu workshop in school. As a result, cultural development is now very

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

good and pupils work and play in an environment free from racial harassment or oppression.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

25. The school has maintained the very good moral development of pupils. A strong sense of right and wrong is promoted through lessons, the relationships between adults and pupils, the personal example of all staff, assemblies, religious education and the ethos of the school. Pupils develop a strong sense of fairness and justice, and are aware of the importance of values such as trust, honesty and sharing. They show respect for each other’s opinions in discussions and are aware of the effect that their actions and words may have on others.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

26. From their first days in school, children learn successfully to work and play together. The example set by older pupils is critical to this process. In mixed-age groups, Year 6 leaders maintained high standards of behaviour reminding younger pupils of what was expected in quiet but firm tones. Pupils learn to work independently and, by Year 6, do so with great concentration. Through team games and performance, pupils learn the importance of working together towards shared goals. They play together well at playtimes and lunchtimes, and the ‘buddy’ system encourages older pupils to take responsibility for the care and welfare of younger children. Some pupils also gain experience of discussion and decision-making through membership of the School Council. This has provided them with real opportunities to influence decisions about resources and the development of the school site. Overall, pupils’ social development is very good and has a positive impact on their

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

27. The school aims to ‘develop each child’s capacity for self-respect, social awareness, respect and tolerance towards others and to enable the children to leave the school with a high standard of integrity, a sense of moral values and an idea of service to others’. It is very successful in achieving these aims.

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listening and reading by the end of Years 2 and 6, and in mathematics by the end of

28. The very good relationships between adults and pupils, and the strong sense of

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

happy environment in which to teach and learn. Mugginton Primary School - 17 29. Pupils enjoy high levels of support in lessons from teachers, a teaching assistant, a special needs assistant and several volunteer helpers. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good. During the inspection, most lessons in both classes involved three or four adults, each with a responsibility for a group of pupils or individual children. All adults were clear about the purpose of the lessons and ensured that pupils understood the tasks and activities. In the junior class, in particular, the two teachers allowed the pupils to work independently, intervening either when help was requested or, more subtly, to ensure that concepts were understood.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

30. A significant feature of the school is the way in which all adults work together as a team taking on various roles as circumstances demand. For example, special needs and teaching assistants supervised pupils on the playground and when crossing the lane; a teacher served food to younger pupils during lunchtime; and a mid-day supervisor remained as a voluntary helper to support teaching and learning in lessons one afternoon. The school benefits greatly from a skilled secretary who ensures that daily administrative routines are conducted efficiently in a very cramped working environment. She is also an active and knowledgeable governor. Her very efficient management of the budget and monitoring of attendance, for example, enable the headteacher to sustain a level of teaching commitment that is unusually high and benefits significantly the older pupils. The school cook produces high quality lunches and knows the pupils well. She is very much part of the staff team.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

31. The strength of the staff team has a major impact on the positive conditions for learning in the school and the improving standards of attainment.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

32. Parents are involved fully in the life of the school; are well informed; and enabled to support their children’s learning.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

33. The very positive comments and responses made through the parents’ meeting and questionnaires indicate the high regard that parents have for the school. Many have made a deliberate choice to send their children to Mugginton rather than schools nearer to their homes. Several express their personal commitment to the school and demonstrate this through involvement in the governing body and the Friends’ Association, and as volunteer helpers in classrooms.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

34. Parents indicate that they have the opportunity to be involved fully in the life of the school. They feel welcome to come into classrooms at the beginning and end of each day, and this was evident in the conversations that took place between teachers and individual parents each day. Parents also express pleasure in the regular and accessible newsletters which inform them of events, organisational matters and curriculum issues. Parents also welcome the formal parents’ evenings and annual written reports which they feel provide frank and detailed information about their children’s attainment and progress. Inspectors did note that some reports from previous years lacked telling detail about progress as opposed to what pupils had done.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

35. Parents are generally happy with the amount of homework their children receive and believe there is a good balance of tasks, and scope for pupils to work at different levels. A small Mugginton Primary School - 18 number of parents expressed some concern over the variable amount of homework provided but inspectors feel that, overall, pupils are given homework appropriate to their age. In general, homework books are used effectively as a means of communication with parents.

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teamwork involving teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteer helpers, ensure a

36. Parents have received useful information about the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, and are given guidance on how to help their children with reading at home. Their involvement in their children’s learning was evident, for example, when a Year 2 pupil described how her mother had helped her in finding examples of maps on the Internet. Other parents talked about a school topic on toys that had prompted family visits to a museum of childhood.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

37. The school building and site are cramped and inadequate, and inhibit aspects of teaching, learning and the management of the school.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

38. The school building comprises little more than two classrooms, a small office, a kitchen and infant and junior toilets. A good-sized hard play area is located on the other side of a quiet lane but there is no grass area for play and games. While staff work hard to make the most of the limited accommodation, it is inadequate in several respects.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

39. The classrooms are too small to provide appropriate space for indoor physical education, particularly dance and gymnastics. Until recently, the school has used a local community hall for such activities. However, a risk assessment has indicated that the floor and other aspects of this hall represent potential safety hazards. As a result, it is no longer appropriate to use the hall for physical education lessons. Currently, the school is not providing pupils with access to dance and gymnastics which are statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. The headteacher is aware of the situation and is exploring the viability of alternative arrangements.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

40. Children in the Reception Year are taught in a class with Years 1 and 2 pupils. Despite a recent extension, the classroom provides limited space for large play and construction equipment. The room lacks an imaginative role-play area which is a common feature of most Reception classes. Similarly, the youngest children have no immediate access to a dedicated outdoor learning area that is feature of teaching and learning for many three to five-year-old children nationally. The hard play area opposite the school is used exclusively by the infant pupils for fifteen minutes each afternoon. Its remoteness from the classroom means that it cannot be used throughout the day as a natural extension to the range of teaching and learning experiences for the youngest children.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

41. At present, the junior toilets are used by pupils and staff. There is no separate provision for staff or for disabled pupils or adults. The lack of properly equipped, disabled toilet facilities is a serious omission of which the governors are acutely aware. They have considered various plans to address the issue and recognise that the situation now needs to be tackled urgently. Mugginton Primary School - 19 42. The headteacher and secretary share a very small office. There is little personal space and nowhere for the headteacher to hold confidential discussions with parents, staff and pupils without the secretary having to leave. Similarly, the headteacher has no space, free from interruptions, to concentrate on strategic planning and curriculum development. The location of the office also means that infant lessons are interrupted regularly by adults or pupils involved in administrative tasks – for example, taking registers to the office or collecting

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

43. Aspects of the security of the site are a cause for concern and have been discussed with the governors. For example, there is no safety barrier between the front door and the lane, which represents a potential safety hazard at home time when many cars are in the area. Staff are aware of these hazards and supervise pupils carefully. Governors are investigating different security options for the site.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

44. The school playground is surrounded by a secure fence and hedges. It has an adequate gated access and some good play resources. Currently, the playground surface is uneven in several places as a result of natural erosion and root damage. Also, leaf debris in wet conditions makes the surface slippery. During the course of the inspection, one or two pupils received minor cuts and grazes as a result of slipping or tripping on the surface. Pupils remarked that this was a common occurrence.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

45. Teachers and governors do not monitor, discuss and identify, in a structured way,

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

46. The headteacher has analysed the results of statutory assessments and has undertaken lesson observations in both classes. While other subject leaders discuss issues formally and informally with the headteacher, they have not yet had the opportunity to observe lessons or to carry out a thorough scrutiny of pupils’ work. As a result, they do not have a secure understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of teaching and learning in their subject areas. Similarly, they have limited knowledge of the range and quality of work being undertaken by pupils in each year group outside the class in which they teach. The headteacher recognises the importance of providing such opportunities and has planned a programme of observations, involving subject leaders, for the next academic year.

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

47. Governors are committed to the life and work of the school, and voluntarily dedicate much time to fulfilling their statutory duties. Parent governors particularly have regular contact with the school and are well informed about parents’ views of the school. Discussions with governors and reading the minutes of their meetings indicate that they give much attention to, and have a good understanding of the key issues relating to personnel, finances and premises. Their minutes rarely record discussions relating to the curriculum or the performance of pupils. Similarly, the headteacher’s reports to governors focus largely on organisational issues, financial information and details relating to the building and resources. Few governors have visited the school to participate in lessons; none have attended training related to literacy, numeracy or other curriculum matters. The literacy and numeracy

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

Mugginton Primary School - 20 governors have quite recently taken on their curriculum roles. The governors do not have a curriculum committee, and subject leaders have not had the opportunity to inform the full governing body about the quality of teaching and learning, and pupils’ attainment across the school, in their subjects.

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

48. The headteacher is well informed about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The school lacks satisfactory monitoring and evaluating processes involving governors and teachers. As a result, governors are not sufficiently well informed about the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and pupils’ performance.

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

49. ICT is not used regularly and effectively to support teaching and learning in the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2.

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

50. ICT is identified as a priority for development within the school improvement plan. The headteacher has drawn up a comprehensive ICT development plan which aims to improve resources, the quality of teaching and learning, and pupils’ attainment over the next three years. Substantial investment in the last two years has ensured that the school has sufficient computers, and classrooms are linked to the Internet. An assistant has recently been appointed to work for one day per week to support teaching and learning in and through ICT. Staff changes in the last twelve months mean that the teachers have not completed together the whole of the national training programme for ICT. They also feel that the training that was provided through this programme was of unsatisfactory quality and limited value.

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

51. Staff have varying levels of confidence and personal expertise in the use of ICT. Similarly, pupils demonstrate a wide range of attainment in the subject with some very confident and able, and others with quite limited skills. Pupils’ levels of attainment are influenced significantly by the experiences that they have with using ICT at home. Overall attainment is just in line with national expectations and is stronger in the junior class.

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

52. Evidence from pupils’ work and lesson observations shows that ICT is used effectively in the junior class to support teaching and learning. In the infant class, little regular use appears to be made of ICT and pupils find it hard to talk about activities or programs they have used. Other than a display of mouse control work and some word-processed sentences in books, there is little recorded evidence of ICT in this class. Similarly, weekly and termly planning contains limited reference to the use of ICT in support of other subjects. During lessons that were observed, no use was made of the computers even though they could have readily supported teaching and learning relating to number recognition, understanding the language of position in mathematics, and sentence building in English. The youngest children were given no opportunities to develop mouse and keyboard skills through independent

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the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided by the school

activities. As a result, pupils in the Reception Year and in Years 1 and 2 are not having the necessary range of experiences or making the progress in developing their skills which are needed to raise further the levels of attainment in ICT.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Mugginton Primary School - 21 53. In order to improve further the quality of education and standards of attainment, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Explore ways of improving accommodation and facilities with particular reference to: • opportunities for pupils to participate in dance and gymnastics activities; * • an outdoor learning area for the youngest children; * • separate staff, junior and disabled toilet facilities; * • an area for confidential meetings and uninterrupted management tasks; • safety and security at the front of the school; * • the surface of the playground. * (Paragraphs 37-44)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Implement a systematic programme of monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning, and pupils’ attainment and progress that involves teachers and governors. * (Paragraphs 45-48)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Ensure that resources for ICT are used regularly and effectively to support teaching and learning throughout the school, but especially with children in the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2. * (Paragraphs 49-52)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* These areas are already identified for development within the school’s current improvement plan. Mugginton Primary School - 22

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of lessons observed 10 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 0 3 4 3 0 0 0 Percentag e 0 30 40 30 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) n/a 47 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals n/a 4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs n/a 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register n/a 5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3 Mugginton Primary School - 23 Attendance

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % % School data 6.9 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

There were fewer than 10 pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 in 2002. In keeping with national policy and for reasons of pupil confidentiality, the results of statutory tests are not published for these year groups.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Categories used in the Annual School Census No. of pupils on roll No. of fixed period exclusions No. of permanent exclusions White – British 46 0 0 White – Irish 0 0 0 White – any other White background 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 0 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Indian 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0 Chinese 0 0 0 Any other ethnic group 0 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0 Mugginton Primary School - 24 The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.7 Financial year 2001-2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Average class size 23.5 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 147,473 Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 113,155

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 49 Expenditure per pupil 2,631

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance brought forward from previous year 18,700

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 34,318

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Mugginton Primary School - 25 Results of the survey of parents and carers

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child is making good progress in school. 72 25 3 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Behaviour in the school is good. 72 28 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 47 31 16 0 6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 38 3 6 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 72 22 6 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 31 0 0 10

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school works closely with parents. 56 38 0 6 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is well led and managed. 72 16 12 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 34 0 0 10

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 50 6 0 0

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