All Saints Church of England Primary School, Coalville

Age group Published Reference no. 4 to 11 years 29 June 2005 275287 Inspection report All Saints Church of England Primary School

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Unique Reference Number 120123 LEA Leicestershire

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Inspection number 275287 Inspection dates 25 and 26 May 2005 Reporting inspector Mrs D Holdaway

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This inspection was carried out under section 3 of the School Inspections Act 1996 and was deemed a section 10 inspection under the same Act.

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Type of School Primary School address School category Voluntary Controlled Diocese of Leicester Age range of pupils 4 to 11 years Ashby Road Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3LB

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Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number 01530 832 608 Number on roll 163 Fax number 01530 813 675 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair of governors Mrs B Lawrence Date of previous inspection December 2003 Headteacher Mrs D May 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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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 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. Introduction

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When All Saints Church of England Primary School was inspected in December 2003, it was judged to require special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education. Her Majesty’s Inspectors of schools (HMI) subsequently visited the school on three occasions to monitor its progress, and reinspected the school in May 2005.

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Description of the school

All Saints is a voluntary controlled Church of England primary school situated in a former mining village in Leicestershire. The school is smaller than average with 163 pupils on roll. Almost all of the pupils are from white British backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. Broadly 10% of the pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is below average. The school has identified 14.7% of the pupils as having special educational needs, a proportion similar to the national average. Five of these pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need. Overall effectiveness of the school

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Description of the school

In accordance with section 14 of the School Inspections Act 1996, I am of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures, since it is now providing an acceptable standard of education for its pupils.

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Description of the school

All Saints Church of England Primary School has effectively tackled its weaknesses. It is an improving school, which is well led and managed. The headteacher provides very good leadership and her decisions are sharply focused on the needs of the pupils. She has driven improvements at all levels and created a united team with shared values. A core group of governors knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school, providing effective support and holding the school to account.

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Description of the school

Standards of attainment are good in the Foundation Stage and in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1. Although standards have improved in lessons, the results of the Key Stage 2 tests remain below national figures. The school has developed suitable systems for assessing and recording the pupils’ progress throughout the year. However, day-to-day assessments are insufficiently matched to the National Curriculum levels to drive short-term planning accurately.

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Improvement since the last inspection

The inspection of December 2003 required the school to address key issues concerned with leadership and management, standards, the quality of teaching and learning and the provision of a broad and balanced curriculum. There has been satisfactory progress in relation to providing a broad and balanced curriculum, and good progress elsewhere.

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Capacity to improve

The school is well placed to improve. The headteacher leads with determination and a keen sense of direction. The leadership team contributes effectively to the school’s drive for improvement, based on open and honest dialogue. A commitment to the pupils underpins the senior management team’s decisions and its principles and values are well-founded. Standards have risen in lessons but improvements in writing are not yet evident in the end- of-key stage test results, particularly at Key Stage 2. A core group of governors is supportive, well informed and prepared to contribute to the school’s strategic development. The local education authority (LEA) provides satisfactory support, while enabling the school to determine its own future. Parents and the pupils have been involved in the school’s recent self-evaluation and contributed to the school’s improvement plan.

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What the school should do to improve further

The key priorities for the school’s development plan are to:

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What the school should do to improve further

 continue to raise standards throughout the school;

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What the school should do to improve further

 improve the regular day-to-day assessment of pupils to determine their specific learning needs and inform planning;

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What the school should do to improve further

 continue to develop a creative curriculum which inspires learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

The end-of-Key Stage 1 test results in 2004 were above the national figures in reading and mathematics; 90% of the pupils achieved the expected Level 2 or above in reading and 93% in mathematics. Almost a third of the pupils achieved the higher Level 3 in reading and mathematics. However, the proportion of pupils gaining Level 2 or above in writing was below the national average.

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What the school should do to improve further

The end-of-Key Stage 2 national test results in 2004 were variable. The proportion of pupils reaching the nationally expected Level 4 in English rose from 64% to 76%. The pupils were significantly weaker in writing than in reading. In mathematics, the proportion of pupils gaining Level 4 or above fell from 80% to 64%, and in science from 96% to 73%. A quarter of the Year 6 pupils gained the higher Level 5 in English and mathematics, but only 9% of the pupils gained the higher level in science. The proportion of pupils achieving Level 4 or above in all core subjects was well below average.

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What the school should do to improve further

The pupils enter the Foundation Stage with below average attainment but they make good progress during the year. A significant proportion of them recognise and write initial sounds and blends; attempt to spell unknown words using their knowledge of phonics; use partner talk to clarify their thinking; listen carefully and speak confidently. They name, recognise and count numbers beyond ten and perform simple addition and subtraction operations. Knowledge and understanding of the world is taught particularly well. For example, the pupils spoke knowledgeably about the development of tadpoles kept in the classroom; they categorised creatures found on a nature walk; and described simple geographical features using their model gardens. Classroom displays, including wormeries and aquariums, attracted the pupils’ interest and curiosity.

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What the school should do to improve further

Standards of achievement were satisfactory or better in all but two lessons. There were examples of good standards in both key stages and the Foundation Stage. The quality of the pupils’ learning has improved in line with the quality of teaching. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when standards were judged to be poor. Personal development

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What the school should do to improve further

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good in the Foundation Stage, good throughout the rest of the school and satisfactory in Year 6. This improvement is a result of teaching which interests and challenges the pupils. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, apply the school’s code of conduct rigorously and use the procedures consistently. Individual pupils are well managed by teachers and teaching assistants. The pupils apply themselves readily to work. They concentrate well and work co-operatively with partners and in groups. In practical lessons, pupils organise themselves quickly and persevere because the work interests them. They are generally enthusiastic, well motivated and have good attitudes to learning, but they are not yet confident independent learners.

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What the school should do to improve further

There were nine fixed-term exclusions between 2003 and 2004, but there have been no exclusions in the current year. Attendance has risen from 94.4% in 2004 to 95% in 2005. This reflects the school’s efforts to work with parents to improve attendance and the pupils’ increasing enjoyment of school.

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What the school should do to improve further

Pupils take responsibility within the school. They act as monitors and assistants in the library, assemblies, dining hall and classrooms. Each class has representatives on the school council. The pupils’ views on the areas of the school which require improvement have been taken into account.

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What the school should do to improve further

The overall provision for the pupils’ social, moral and cultural development is good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Pupils’ experiences and interests are extended through a range of clubs and activities and frequent educational visits to the local discovery park, Victorian garden and town centre. Cultural activities involving drama, dance and art, some jointly with other schools, build pupils’ confidence. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils discuss choices and the impact they have on others. Assemblies provide a suitable period of reflection; stories and readings help the pupils to focus on meaning and to develop their empathy for others.

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What the school should do to improve further

The pupils’ health and well-being are satisfactorily addressed through relevant activities such as road safety training for Year 1 and fire safety with Year 5. Fruit is provided for pupils in the lower years and drinking water is readily available for all. The school is committed to providing good quality conditions to support learning and personal development.

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What the school should do to improve further

The quality of teaching was satisfactory or better in all lessons; of these, three quarters were good or better and one third was very good. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection, when the quality of teaching and learning was judged to be poor. Regular monitoring of lessons and the dissemination of good practice have improved the quality of teaching. The teachers plan lessons with a clear focus on learning. Imaginative teaching methods and activities interest and engage the pupils. In the most effective lessons, the pupils investigated, explored, observed and applied their skills to new situations. The planned activities consolidated new learning, broadened knowledge and deepened understanding effectively. Partner talk helped the pupils to respond to questions thoughtfully and the teachers used questioning well to probe for deeper understanding.

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What the school should do to improve further

The school has established a sound system for tracking the pupils’ progress over time. The information from tests and assessments is analysed and used to group pupils according to their ability during lessons. Day-to-day assessments, based on national curriculum levels, have been recently introduced but have not had time to have an impact on learning. The quality of marking is good. The teachers often provide specific feedback, which refers to the learning objectives and includes useful development points. However, the pupils do not consistently make good use of the comments; improvements are not always evident in later work and the pupils do not correct their errors. Comments frequently praise the pupils’ efforts.

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What the school should do to improve further

The curriculum meets the statutory requirements; the school is developing a curriculum which demands transferable skills and links subjects where appropriate. The pupils use information technology in the computer suite and there are a number of interactive whiteboards in the classrooms. However, the breadth of study in information technology is narrow. The pupils lack the necessary confidence to vary their presentations and records of work according to different purposes, characteristics and audiences. The curriculum is enriched with regular educational visits.

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What the school should do to improve further

All Saints is an inclusive school. The management of and provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The pupils’ needs are identified and reviewed regularly, including those pupils who have particular talents.

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What the school should do to improve further

Links with parents and the community are good. A number of events throughout the year enable the parents to talk about the pupils’ work or join in school festivals and special days. Parents have recently been consulted on the school’s future developments and areas of improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

The leadership of the school is very good. The headteacher provides clear direction based on a systematic understanding of the school’s needs. Regular monitoring and realistic evaluations enable the headteacher to plan future improvements strategically. She has motivated the staff and governors; provided appropriate training and support; directed their improved performance; and created a strong team and positive ethos. All staff have a clear view of their roles and responsibilities and they are aware of their accountability, within the performance management system, for raising standards further.

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What the school should do to improve further

The leadership team collects and analyses evidence to determine future priorities and communicate clearly what needs to be achieved. The leadership team effectively incorporates the views of the pupils, parents, staff and governors. As a consequence, the vision of the school is understood collectively and everyone shares in the responsibility for its future success.

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What the school should do to improve further

The management of the school is good. Curriculum responsibilities are gradually being delegated to members of staff as they acquire the necessary skills. Managers at all levels reflect on their work and seek to implement the necessary improvements. The school’s policies and procedures are not unduly bureaucratic and they are reflected consistently throughout the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

The governing body meets regularly and a core group of governors has a clear understanding of its roles and responsibilities. Overall, governors are supportive, well informed and prepared to contribute to the strategic development of the school. While the governors’ expertise and ability to hold the school to account are improving, not all governors are sufficiently involved.

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What the school should do to improve further

The LEA has provided satisfactory support and expertise through its advisers and consultants. The advisers know the school well and regular reviews of the school’s progress help to direct its work. The LEA adviser has conducted informative, paired lesson observations with the headteacher and monitored the school’s progress against its action plan. Since the school has developed its own capacity for improvement, the LEA has, appropriately provided support as directed by the headteacher. Appendix – Information about the inspection

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What the school should do to improve further

All Saints Church of England Primary School was inspected under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 by a Registered Inspector and a team of inspectors in December 2003. The inspection was critical of many aspects of the work of the school and, in accordance with that Act, the school was made subject to special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.

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What the school should do to improve further

The school was visited by HMI in May and November 2004 and in February 2005 to assess the progress it was making to implement its action plan and address the key issues in the inspection report of December 2003.

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What the school should do to improve further

In May 2005, two HMI returned to inspect the school for two days. The inspection was carried out under section 3 of the School Inspections Act 1996, which gives Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 10 inspection under the same Act.

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What the school should do to improve further

Sixteen lessons or parts of lessons and two assemblies were inspected. The pupils’ conduct was observed around the school and on the playground at break and lunchtimes, and samples of their work were inspected. Discussions were held with the headteacher, the leadership team, the chair of governors and a representative from the LEA and informally with other staff. A wide range of the school’s documentation was scrutinised. Account was taken of the evidence from previous monitoring inspections.

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What the school should do to improve further

The inspection assessed the quality of education provided and the progress the school has made, in particular in relation to the main findings and key issues in the inspection report of December 2003 and the action plan prepared by the governing body to address those key issues. procedures set out in the leaflet 'Complaining about HMI-led Ofsted inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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What the school should do to improve further

part, for non-commercial purposes, provided the source and the date are acknowledged.

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