Evelyn Community Primary School

Inspection Report Evelyn Community Primary School

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104446 Unique Reference Number Knowsley LEA 277160 Inspection number 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 Inspection dates Mrs Jane Hughes CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evelyn Avenue School address Primary Type of school Prescot Community School category Merseyside L34 2SP 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0151 477 8570 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 477 8571 Fax number 239 Number on roll Mrs B Jones Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs C Arnold Headteacher 7 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277160 23 November 2005 - 3 to 11 24 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school has few children from minority ethnic groups and very few who speak a language other than English. Fewer children than average are either eligible for free school meals or have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has achieved many awards including Investors in People 1998, 2000, 2003; Charter Mark 2000, 2003; Quality Mark 2003; Arts Silver Mark 2003, 2005; Healthy Schools 2002, 2003. It achieved Post Graduate Professional Development status (2005) and is part of a Network Learning Collaborative.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Evelyn Community Primary School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 1

This outstanding school provides excellent value for money. Inspectors agree with all aspects of the school's self-evaluation. A very good school when last inspected, its pursuit of the highest quality education for children never wavers. It has maintained consistently high standards and addressed the issues raised. Children achieve exceptionally well. Standards are consistently well above average at the end of Reception and Years 2 and 6. A smaller proportion of children attain the higher levels in mathematics. Nursery provision is good but not yet at the exceptionally high level seen elsewhere. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children reach, and most exceed, the expected standards. Children delight in school because learning is 'fun'. Their attitudes to learning and their behaviour are exemplary. Attendance is high. The care, guidance and support of children are exceptional and emphasise children's emotional health. Teachers squeeze

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Grade: 1

every last drop of creativity from children. The rich curriculum is packed with experiences that fully engage learners. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak a language other than English receive support of the highest quality and achieve equally well. Staff create a magical place to learn where academic rigour and emotional well-being happily co-exist. The challenging, yet charismatic leadership of the headteacher drives the whole school team to 'Reach for the Stars'. Subject leaders extend the scope of their leadership through her insightful guidance. Governors, staff, parents and children share the same vision of excellence for their school, giving it ample capacity for further, innovative, improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

The school has well-planned strategies to raise all aspects of its provision. The school is right to focus on: • targeting children's approaches to problem solving in mathematics • striving to match the good quality of provision in the nursery to the excellent provision elsewhere.

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Grade: 1

Children achieve exceptionally well. By Year 6, children's attainment is much higher than average. Children start school with average standards. They make very good progress and, by the end of Reception, most exceed the standards expected for children their age. Children in nursery achieve well despite recent staff turbulence. Achievement in English, mathematics and science continues to be outstanding. In 2004, the school was in the top one per cent of schools nationally for English and the top six per cent for science. 2005 results are similarly impressive. Relative weaknesses are addressed from year to year. For example, in 2004, the proportion of children reaching the higher 2 Inspection Report: Evelyn Community Primary School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 level in mathematics was still lower than in other core subjects. Rigorous analysis of children's performance has pinpointed strategies to remedy this relative weakness as

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Grade: 1

seen in the improving achievement in 2005. All children, irrespective of their learning difficulties and/or disabilities, level of attainment, ethnicity, gifts or talents, achieve equally well. They respond with determination to very challenging targets. These spur them on to make impressive strides in their learning. Innovative 'health and happiness' targets provide a clear emotional focus for children, staff and parents.

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Grade: 1

Children's personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. Their behaviour is excellent and attendance levels are high. Children clearly enjoy learning. They concentrate very well in lessons and show high levels of independence. Children respond very well to the school's ethos of respect and achievement, showing excellent commitment to the school community. High quality provision ensures children have an extremely good awareness of social and moral issues and an understanding of safe practices. They know that a healthy lifestyle is based on emotional and physical well-being. They remark on the effective techniques that staff use with children to improve their concentration and emotional balance. The school provides an atmosphere conducive to learning through the use of colour, sound and scent. Children embrace their health and happiness targets in addition to

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Grade: 1

those for academic learning. School councillors, 'Wise Owls', appreciate having a say in improving their school. For example, lessons in cycling proficiency were their suggestion. Through the work of the Eco-reps, the children have successfully raised the profile of looking after the environment. The school is famous for its Radio Evelyn, broadcast weekly by different classes to the school. Children participate in local events and organise fundraising projects for charities and the school.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is outstanding and mirrors the school's exceptionally strong commitment to learning. Children learn and achieve exceptionally well. Children said, 'our teachers make lessons fun .we like to learn best when we can solve problems and do experiments'. A focus on teaching problem solving skills is improving learning in mathematics. Skilled teachers are excellent role models for newer staff. Highly effective use of well qualified teaching assistants enhances learning. Teachers and children work well together, agreeing realistic but challenging learning targets. 'We understand what we need to do to reach our targets because our teachers explain clearly', children said. Rigorous planning and assessment ensure that differently aged children in the same 3 Inspection Report: Evelyn Community Primary School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 class make outstanding progress. Specialist teachers develop children's skills in sport,

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Grade: 1

the arts and French. Parents value high quality teaching that enables their children to be excellent learners. One commented 'Evelyn has high expectations of the moral and academic development of each child'. Outstanding teaching of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities helps them make excellent progress. Teachers view children as partners in learning and they grow in confidence. Very well planned opportunities to use literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology in other subjects enables children to develop the basic skills needed for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. It goes far beyond statutory requirements by offering diversity and excitement much valued by children and parents. Learning through creative activities is excellent, enhancing children's personal, spiritual and cultural development through sport, art, drama, dance and music. One parent commented on the school's 'Excellent commitment to improving every child's learning through the wide range of opportunities'. Excellent partnerships support the school's mission to provide diversity and richness of opportunity. This includes French language lessons, sports competitions, arts events, theatre trips and a residential activities week. Children appreciate the multifarious exciting learning experiences. 'We try hard with our lessons because we know our teachers give us lots of interesting things to do that help us to be good at learning', they said. Children and parents value the positive opportunities to learn important life

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Grade: 1

skills, such as living a healthy lifestyle and awareness of risks and hazards.

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Grade: 1

There is outstanding care, support and guidance for children and the whole school community. Adults offer just the right levels of challenge so children consistently improve. The school embraces innovative approaches in its relentless quest to improve children's well-being, with emotional intelligence as a consistent focus for the school. The arrangements for child protection are known to all, as are rigorous health and safety procedures. Conscientious administrators, kitchen and lunch staff along with caretaking personnel complement the high quality provision. Highly effective links with outside agencies and other schools, coupled with in-house research projects, ensure children and parents are offered cutting edge support. The nurturing physical environment, complete with discrete 'bliss areas' for each class, ensure all children find the emotional support they need in order to function even more effectively as

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Grade: 1

active learners. Much exemplary practice is found here and key staff often share their skills with colleagues in other schools. 4 Inspection Report: Evelyn Community Primary School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 1

The school enjoys leadership and management of the highest quality. Undaunted by the challenge of meeting and exceeding exceptionally high targets each year, the headteacher is a fine example of the benefits of life-long learning. Her constant endeavour to improve her own practice as an innovative leader of an exceptional school is truly inspirational and the whole school community follows her example. The enthusiasm of senior and subject leaders ensures that staff constantly evaluate their already high quality work in an effort to improve still further. The headteacher looks beyond education to improve her practice. Mentoring links with a national business provider benefit the leadership teams of both organisations. The school constantly evaluates its own performance. It identifies correct development priorities to maintain the hard won excellence it has successfully enjoyed for many years. For example, the much improved nursery provision continues to be a priority.

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Grade: 1

Leadership does not shy away from celebrating the many first class elements that make this such a vibrant and successful school. It regularly seeks parental affirmation that it is providing just what parents want for their children. One parent commented 'The headteacher is not afraid to get stuck in with the rest of the staff. They work as a brilliant team'. Never complacent, the school is self-improving as it listens and acts on the voices of its many partners. The conscientious governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities very well. Governors are impressively knowledgeable about the school's many strengths and where their efforts are best placed to ensure future maximum impact. 5 Inspection Report: Evelyn Community Primary School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Evelyn Community Primary School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 1 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 1 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 1 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We were delighted to meet you during our recent visit to your school. Thank you for being so friendly and telling us about all the wonderful things you do. There are so many excellent things to be proud of in your school. Here are some we liked the most - Mrs Arnold and everyone in school look after you so well. - You all make outstanding progress at school because your teachers prepare exciting lessons and you all work really hard. - The classrooms and corridors are full of beautiful displays and there are many 'nooks and crannies' where you enjoy 'blissful moments' and quiet times. - Radio Evelyn is a super way for you to learn how to work as a team and present information to an audience. - The 'Inspire' activities are great fun, allow you to be very creative and to see just how good the grown-ups are at junk modelling! This is what we have asked your school to do now so it will be even better - Help everyone to become even better at mathematics - you told us you really like problem

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

solving in lessons, so you should enjoy this! - Carry on making the nursery an even more exciting place to learn in when you're only little. You probably guessed that we had a great time in your school. Carry on working really hard and enjoying every minute.

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