Almondsbury Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Almondsbury Church of England Primary School

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109157 Unique Reference Number South Gloucestershire LEA 278141 Inspection number 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006 Inspection dates Paul Sadler AI Reporting inspector

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

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Sundays Hill School address Primary Type of school Bristol Voluntary controlled School category BS32 4DS 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01454 612517 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01454 202080 Fax number 266 Number on roll Mrs Celia Madle Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Paul Smith Headteacher 9 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278141 20 March 2006 - 4 to 11 21 March 2006 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

Almondsbury CE Primary School serves the village of Almondsbury, which is close to the junction of the M4 and M5 motorways, and surrounding villages. The area is economically advantaged. The proportion of pupils receiving free school meals is low, as is the proportion with learning difficulties. The school admits 38 pupils in each year, a number which presents challenges in the organisation of classes.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Almondsbury Church of England Primary School, 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which provides good value for money. Pupils make good progress in their work and achieve above average standards. Their personal development is good; some aspects are outstanding. These are the pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development and their understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Teaching is good, especially in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. The curriculum is satisfactory. A very good range of enrichment activities is provided but more needs to be done to ensure that pupils of the same age are taught similar material. Pupils with learning difficulties are supported well and make good progress. Pupils are cared for well and are told about areas where they need to improve their work; however, they are not always taught how to do this. Leadership and management are good. The recently appointed headteacher has made a good start in identifying the school’s

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Grade: 2

strengths and weaknesses but as yet has had insufficient time to complete this task. Currently the school’s understanding of its overall effectiveness, strengths and weaknesses is satisfactory, and agrees with the inspectors’ analysis in most areas. The Foundation Stage gives pupils a good start to their education and is well led. The school has made satisfactory progress in tackling the matters raised in the last inspection and is now well-placed to make further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Improve the quality of guidance to pupils on how to improve their work. •Improve the quality of planning and monitoring to ensure that pupils of the same age have common learning experiences.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress throughout the school. Their skills on starting school are above average, and they attain standards which are above average at the end of each stage of their education. In the Foundation Stage, pupils make good progress and by the end of Reception Year most can read and write a sentence. Their social skills are well developed and they talk to adults with confidence. This good progress continues in Years 1 and 2 and by the end of Year 2, they can solve simple mathematical problems and write in paragraphs, using correct punctuation for speech. In Key Stage 2, progress continues to be good, although it is more variable than in the earlier classes. In 2004 and 2005, there was some decline in the standards attained in English and mathematics in the tests taken at the end of Year 6, and challenging targets were not met. The staff have identified the reasons for this and have taken

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Grade: 2

effective action to ensure this decline is reversed. The work of current pupils shows good progress. In Year 6, groups of pupils collaborated to write beautiful poems in the Haiku style. They then set these to music which they composed themselves, and 2 Inspection Report: Almondsbury Church of England Primary School, 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006 performed them to the rest of the class. Inspectors were moved by this work, which was of a very high standard. Pupils with learning difficulties make equally good progress but those of below average ability sometimes do less well. The school has recognised this and is tackling the issue, for instance by successfully encouraging more able pupils to support those who find the work more difficult.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Some elements, such as their spiritual, moral and social development, and their adoption of healthy lifestyles, are outstanding. There is a strong Christian ethos in the school which is reinforced through assemblies and excellent displays of pupils’ work. Pupils’ behaviour is good. Attendance is above average and the school is good at encouraging pupils to attend; pupils enjoy coming to school because of the wide range of activities they are offered. They are keen to learn. They understand how to keep themselves safe, for instance by avoiding unsuitable material on the internet. They are very enthusiastic about keeping healthy; indeed, the school council monitors the healthiness of school meals and has organised the sale of fruit in the playground. All pupils have at least two hours of physical activity each week. They have plenty of opportunities to take responsibility and to become

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Grade: 2

independent learners. They make a good contribution to the community through links with the village church and through collections for charity. The skills pupils will need in adult life and at secondary school are developing well. Pupils have a very good understanding of the value of art, music and theatre but their understanding of the range of cultures present in modern British society is less well developed.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good; it is consistently so in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 but is rather more variable in Key Stage 2. Teachers prepare well and make good use of resources and information and communication technology (ICT). They provide opportunities for pupils to work individually, in groups and as a whole class. They use a variety of strategies to engage the pupils and, in most lessons, do this effectively. Care is taken to provide for pupils of different abilities and ages, as occurred in a Year 3 mixed age class in which a teaching assistant and a parent supported the teacher in providing effectively for the different ages and abilities. In a few lessons, different tasks are not provided for pupils of different abilities and in these instances some pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Teachers organise support staff well so they make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Grade: 2

Teachers create a good working environment to which pupils respond well. They answer and ask questions willingly and collaborate well. Teachers mark work regularly, keep good records and set appropriate targets. Pupils appreciate the value that teachers 3 Inspection Report: Almondsbury Church of England Primary School, 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006 place on their work, but feel that although areas for development are identified, they are not always taught how to improve them.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. In the main, it provides equal access to all pupils, including those taught in mixed age classes. Although the arrangements are better than at the time of the previous inspection, they still have their limitations and do not always ensure that pupils enjoy similar experiences; the school recognises this and is taking steps to remedy it. Communication about provision for pupils in some mixed age classes is too limited. The needs of children with learning difficulties are recognised and met. Their individual education plans are of good quality and are discussed with parents. The scheme for personal, social, health and citizenship education is effective in preparing children to live safely and healthily. The school provides a very good range of after-school clubs and enrichment activities, which are well balanced between sporting and cultural activities. Music is particularly strong, the choir having achieved

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Grade: 2

The school rightly prides itself on the good care it takes of its pupils. Pupils speak highly of how well they are looked after and how positively staff respond to any worries or concerns they may have. Parents also appreciate the happy and friendly environment in which their children learn. Good arrangements for child protection are in place. The school has trained pupils well in how to respond to emergencies. Pupils move around the school and handle equipment with an assured calm. The school has appropriate safeguards for the use of computers. Some minor health and safety shortcomings were raised with management during the inspection. Pupils with disabilities or learning difficulties are well known to staff and are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants. The school has good links with outside agencies. Older pupils willingly help younger pupils, taking the support they receive from their teachers as the example.

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Grade: 2

Assessment is good and recording systems are detailed. Analyses of test results are being used to track pupils’ progress and set targets, though these targets and the means by which pupils can achieve them are not always specific enough to help pupils improve. Pupils are inducted into school well. They are also prepared well for the transition to secondary school.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, who had been in post for six months at the time of the inspection, has made a good start by gaining the confidence of staff, parents and pupils, and by correctly identifying the priorities for development. 4 Inspection Report: Almondsbury Church of England Primary School, 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006 These include aspects of teaching, assessment and the organisation of classes. He has consulted parents and pupils and has monitored the quality of teaching and learning, so a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses is developing. Parents in particular welcome the improvements in the quality of communication between home and school since his appointment. He has strengthened the religious and spiritual ethos of the school. The school’s evaluation of its own performance is broadly accurate although inspectors judged the teaching as better than, and the

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Grade: 2

curriculum not as good as, the school’s own judgements. The quality of middle management is more variable although most areas, including the Foundation Stage, are managed well. This contributes to the limitations in the school’s ability to monitor the curriculum offered to pupils of the same age in different classes. Governors support the school very well but their approach sometimes lacks challenge, for instance when targets are set. The school has made satisfactory progress in dealing with the matters raised in the last inspection and under the new headteacher’s leadership is well placed to make further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: Almondsbury Church of England Primary School, 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006 .

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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: Almondsbury Church of England Primary School, 20 March 2006 to 21 March 2006

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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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 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 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 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 2 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 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

The inspectors who visited your school very much enjoyed talking and listening to you and seeing your work. We want to thank you for spending the time to do this. This letter is to tell you what we thought of your school and how it can be even better. We think your school is a good primary school. The best things about the school are: you are taught well and you make good progress in your work all the adults at the school take good care of you your behaviour is good and we especially liked the ways in which older pupils help the younger ones the school makes good use of its links with the church you enjoy school because there are lots of interesting things to do, especially in music and drama you are taught to lead safe and healthy lives, for instance through sports activities and healthy eating the teachers, your parents and yourselves are right in thinking that the new headteacher is doing a good job.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To improve the school further, we have asked your teachers to give you a clearer idea of how you can improve your work. We have also asked them to make sure that pupils of the same age in different classes are taught similar things

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