Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School

p.1

109161 Unique Reference Number South Gloucestershire LEA 278142 Inspection number 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 Inspection dates Brenda Cusdin HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Hawkesbury Upton School address Primary Type of school Badminton Voluntary controlled School category GL9 1AU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01454 238629 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01454 238629 Fax number 105 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Fen Marshall Headteacher 30 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278142 20 September 2005 - 4 to 11 20 September 2005 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Hawkesbury CE VC Primary School is smaller than most primary schools. The school serves a small village in a relatively advantaged rural area: few pupils are eligible for free school meals. Recently, more pupils have entered or left the school other than at the normal time but mobility is not especially high. The ethnic background of the vast majority of pupils is White British and there are no pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The number of pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities is fairly average for a school this size. Nearly all pupils experience pre-school education and generally their skills on entry are typical for their age.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.3

Grade: 2

Hawkesbury CE VC Primary School is an effective school. The school is well led and managed. The headteacher and staff set a wise agenda for improvements, based on a thoughtful and accurate appraisal of current standards and overall effectiveness. There has been good progress on the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection and the school’s capacity to improve is good. Governors work together effectively and are wellinformed. The school provides good value for money. Standards are very high in Year 6 and achievement is very good. Achievement in Year 2 has improved, particularly in writing. The pupils in the Foundation Stage have good opportunities in all six areas of learning and most reach the standards expected. Constructive teamwork amongst the staff underpins the good quality curriculum and the positive relationships that exist. The quality of teaching is good and there is some outstanding practice. The pupils make particularly good progress in Year 6, where

p.4

Grade: 2

teaching is challenging and focused: progress is generally good in the rest of the school. However, the headteacher recognises that a more focused and ongoing approach to assessment could be useful. Rightly, parents think highly of the school. Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. Pupils enjoy their time at school and are enthusiastic when they talk about what they are doing.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

•make better use of assessment strategies, especially in the younger classes, to ensure that work is always pitched at just the right level of challenge.

p.4

Grade: 2

The school’s results in the national Key Stage 2 tests in 2004 were outstanding in all respects: standards were very high and the pupils achieved very well. The Year 6 pupils in 2005 met the challenging targets set for them: standards were above average and their achievement was very good given their below average starting points in Year 3. The current Year 6 pupils are making very good progress: they clearly know what they should do to achieve well and are not afraid to ask for extra help if they find anything confusing. Pupils in Years 3 to 5 are making good progress. The number of pupils assessed at Key Stage 1 in 2004 was relatively small. Standards were not significantly different from national averages. However, standards in writing and reading were weaker than in mathematics. The school rightly focused on improving writing standards last year and these rose in 2005, particularly in the number of pupils

p.4

Grade: 2

exceeding expectations by achieving Level 3. Wisely, the teachers are not content to leave it there. They are exploring ways to ensure that achievement in Key Stage 1, where there is an unusually large number of summer-born pupils, is as impressive as at Key Stage 2. 2 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 In recent years, most pupils in the Foundation Stage have reached the standards expected at the end of their first year in the school. Generally, they have achieved well in the six different areas of learning specified for this age group. The current children in the Foundation Stage were in their third week in school: they were already familiar with routines and were happy to share resources and work independently. Some of them have relatively good skills in counting and recognising initial sounds in simple words. The pupils identified as having learning difficulties and disabilities benefit from

p.4

Grade: 2

tailor-made interventions and extra teaching support in class: they are making good progress. Grade: 2

p.5

Grade: 1

Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. The pupils enjoy their time at school, taking pride in their work and their school. Many pupils join in eagerly in lessons and in assemblies. Attendance rates are high. There has been no unauthorised attendance in recent years. The school has a clear Christian ethos. One way that this transmits itself is in the way that pupils support each other and work together. The Year 6 pupils are remarkably effective role models for others: they have a mature approach to their own learning and use their initiative to help other pupils constructively. At lunchtime, pupils of all ages mix well. In lessons, pupils work well in pairs and small groups. Typically, pupils show care for each other’s wellbeing. The pupils learn about healthy lifestyles. They are encouraged to eat healthily and recent changes to the menus mean that fresh fruit and vegetables are available every

p.5

Grade: 1

day. The school has gained the Schools for Health award. Many pupils participate in a good range of sporting and other activities; they value them highly and see them as an important part of their time at school. In discussion, the pupils say that they feel safe at school. They work responsibly in lessons and move around the school sensibly. Behaviour is good. There have been a few instances of poor behaviour in the last year which the school has responded to speedily. A few parents expressed concerns regarding behaviour. The school is taking these concerns seriously: the policy about tackling bullying has been reviewed and the school’s approach is being communicated to parents. The pupils make a very positive contribution to the social and cultural life of the village. They invite residents of a nearby retirement home into the school at Christmas and take part in the village show and other local events. The school collaborates with local sports groups, and

p.5

Grade: 1

there are useful links with the village playgroup and after-school club. Grade: 1 3 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan lessons carefully, prepare resources well and clearly link activities to the planned objectives. Some teaching is outstanding. In a very effective Year 6 lesson, pupils were expected to tackle tasks that challenged each of them at their own level: the skilful use of language, clear demonstrations and active checking of progress ensured that all succeeded. Ongoing routines also promote high standards: each Year 6 pupil regularly evaluates how well they have understood ideas, knowing that help is at hand if needed and that such help is confidential and willingly given. Elsewhere, expectations of what can be achieved are appropriate, although not as impressively challenging for all ability groups as in Year 6. The school has rightly identified the need to sharpen the use of information teachers have about pupils’ learning to ensure that work is always pitched at just the right level of challenge. This

p.6

Grade: 2

commitment is particularly relevant to the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 classes where the school is keen to ensure that standards continue to rise. Grade: 2

p.6

Grade: 2

The school offers a broad curriculum with an appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy. Thoughtful organisation provides specialist teaching in some subjects and the older, mixed age classes are taught in separate year groups some of the time. Modern foreign languages teaching, provided by a local secondary school and including Japanese, adds an extra dimension. The curriculum is enriched further through a varied programme of visits and visitors. Resources for information and communication technology have improved and are increasingly incorporated into the teaching of many subjects. The rapid expansion and availability of such resources means that the staff, as in many other schools, need more time to reap the full benefit from them. Curricular planning for the mixed age groups is not easy, especially as variations in pupil numbers in each year group may mean splitting classes in different ways in

p.6

Grade: 2

successive years. The school is rightly keen to ensure that the required topics are taught to all pupils and has set up a mechanism for tracking that this happens. Grade: 2 4 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.6

Grade: 2

Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive and based on mutual respect. The staff and pupils clearly enjoy working together. The adults know the pupils well and provide support and care effectively. Without exception, parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire felt that their children were safe and well cared for while at school. There are appropriate child protection procedures in place. There are well understood reward systems for pupils who have worked well or tried hard. These are valued by the pupils who are eager to gain them. The pupils are aware of whom they should turn to if they have a problem. There are effective links with a number of external agencies; for example, the school works well with the local authority to ensure that the pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities are well supported. These pupils do receive effective support in lessons and the school carefully notes their progress. There are productive strategies

p.7

Grade: 2

to introduce pupils to the next stage of education and pupils feel well prepared for secondary schooling. Links with the education welfare service are effective, though the need for intervention in this area is infrequent. The staff monitor attendance closely and governors have set targets to improve the already high attendance rate. The overwhelming majority of parents are content with the way that the school communicates and consults with them. However, a small number said that communication is not always as frequent and informative as it should be; for example they would appreciate termly meetings with staff to discuss their child’s progress. Grade: 2

p.7

Grade: 2

The headteacher is an effective leader. His experience and skills in managing the curriculum in a small school have been recognised by the local education authority (LEA) and he has advised other new headteachers. The headteacher’s analysis of the school’s strengths and weaknesses corresponded closely with that of the inspection team. Many staff have key responsibilities; these are often shared in order to encourage debate and make a more even workload. The staff, teaching and non-teaching, work together constructively. Day-to-day organisation runs smoothly. The buildings are clean, the grounds are well maintained and the site is attractive. Thoughtful touches, such as the yellow painted footprints that guide you to the main entrance, immediately make visitors feel welcome. The school has made good progress in realising the targets in its development plan, which details appropriate priorities. Nevertheless, the staff are determined not to

p.7

Grade: 2

become complacent. Information from assessments at the ages of 7 and 11 is used sensibly to pinpoint key priorities relating to standards. Staff have made appropriate 5 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 use of national programmes designed to raise standards in literacy. However, they recognise that the tracking of standards of writing in the younger classes could be developed further. The headteacher is actively forward planning to ensure that the good quality curriculum can be sustained even if the numbers on roll fluctuate. Governance is effective. Governors meet regularly and are supported by a clear committee structure. They are well informed about the school and constructively challenge the school to improve its performance. Grade: 2 6 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School, 20 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.9

Overall

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

p.10

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 2 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

p.10

Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.10

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

p.10

learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 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 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.10

needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.10

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.

p.10

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

p.11

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

p.11

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

p.11

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

p.11

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

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Thank you for making us so welcome. We had a lovely day joining in your lessons, and talking with you and your teachers. We think that your school is good and agree with your parents’ high opinions of it. Mr Marshall runs the school very well. The teachers, assistants and other adults work as a team and this makes everything tick along smoothly. We were very impressed by the teaching in Year 6 and thought that standards were very high there. Teaching in other classes is pretty good, too, but we would like to see as much challenge in the younger classes as in Year 6. We know that you like doing well and are really proud when you cope with tasks that seem difficult at first. Your attitudes to school are very good. The Year 6 pupils show how you can get the very best from school; they take learning very seriously and thoughtfully look for ways to help everyone else. All of you share your ideas in lessons and you look after each other at playtimes. You take

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

part in village events and try to be a good neighbour to others outside school. These are some of the reasons why we said that “your personal development is outstanding”. One or two of your parents are worried about behaviour. We found that your behaviour is normally good. You and your teachers know that bullying is wrong. You told us that you feel very safe at school and that you know what to do if it happens. Your teachers try hard to make sure that no-one is ever bullied. They have been checking with you that all is well. But if you are ever worried about bullying, we want you to promise to tell someone because they will sort it out. Your teachers know that there are ways they can make your school even better. They are right. But your school is really good already. Keep smiling, enjoy your time at school and work hard. Very best wishes Brenda Cusdin and Wilf Hudson Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools

p.12