Claytons Primary School

Inspection Report Claytons Primary School

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110326 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire LEA LEA 278407 Inspection number 21 June 2006 to 22 June 2006 Inspection dates Vanessa Ward AI Reporting inspector

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

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Wendover Road School address Primary Type of school Bourne End Community School category SL8 5NS 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01628 525277 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01628 552779 Fax number 324 Number on roll Mrs Rachel Oliver Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Orford Headteacher 27 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278407 21 June 2006 - 3 to 11 22 June 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

Claytons Primary School is larger than average. The pupils come from a range of backgrounds, many being socially advantaged. Most pupils come from White British backgrounds and a small number come from minority ethnic backgrounds and are bilingual. Very few are at the early stages of learning English. A small number of pupils are entitled to free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is below the national average. The school has a department for 12 pupils who have social and communication difficulties, which leads to the number of pupils with statements of special educational need being above average. Both the headteacher and deputy have been appointed in the last two years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Claytons Primary School, 21 June 2006 to 22 June 2006

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Grade: 3

The inspection findings support the school's view that it provides a satisfactory education, with many good features. The headteacher and deputy are implementing a number of initiatives which are beginning to improve the school's provision and raise standards. The care, guidance and support that the school provides are good and enrich the pupils' personal development. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and behave well. The school ensures that pupils feel safe and happy. The good curriculum engages their interest, as well as contributing to their enjoyment of school. The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Pupils enter and leave the school with standards that are above average, which represents satisfactory progress. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, with some good features. Recent improvements in teaching are helping to raise standards. However, the level of work

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Grade: 3

provided does not always challenge pupils sufficiently to enable them to make consistently good progress, especially in writing and mathematics. The school has introduced some new and effective assessment and marking procedures, which involve pupils in understanding how well they are doing. However, these procedures are not used consistently in all classes. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory, with some significant strengths. As the result of thorough analysis by the headteacher and deputy, the school is very aware of what needs to be done to improve its effectiveness. However, the school has not yet established processes for checking on the success of its improvement initiatives. Satisfactory progress has been made with the issues raised at the previous inspection. Recent improvements indicate that the school is well placed to improve further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide more challenging work in order to raise achievement and standards, with regard to writing and mathematics in particular • Ensure that assessment procedures are fully implemented in all classes • Establish procedures for monitoring and reviewing the outcomes of new initiatives

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children enter the Foundation Stage with skills that are better than those found in most three-year-olds. Pupils make satisfactory progress from the Nursery to Year 6, where their standards in English, mathematics and science are above average. The school has recently begun to track and analyse pupils' achievement more thoroughly and has identified where standards could be raised. This has led to changes in teaching, and standards have begun to improve as a result. Mathematics and writing are the weakest areas, with a current priority being 2 Inspection Report: Claytons Primary School, 21 June 2006 to 22 June 2006 to raise achievement in writing. Although pupils make satisfactory progress, more are capable of attaining higher levels. The school is beginning to set more challenging targets and to achieve them, but it realises that it could do more. Pupils with learning

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Grade: 3

difficulties, including those in the department for 'Social and Communication Disorders', make satisfactory progress towards their individual targets. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language are supported well and enabled to make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Teachers and other adults create an inclusive community where pupils feel safe and free from harassment. This enables them to express their concerns, feelings and beliefs free from intimidation. Pupils respond well to the opportunities provided for them to reflect on spiritual and moral issues and to develop their self-awareness. They increase their knowledge of other cultures and traditions through several subjects. Pupils value their good relationships with their teachers. One pupil commented 'They're the kindest people to help you'. The pupils feel valued and develop positive attitudes to school. This is reflected in good behaviour and above average attendance rates. Pupils understand the need to eat healthily. Many pupils participate in lunchtime activities and sports clubs, and sometimes cycle or walk to school. They willingly take

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Grade: 2

on responsibilities within school and participate in fund-raising activities and charity events. The school's focus on literacy and numeracy, and opportunities to work collaboratively, help to prepare pupils for adult life. The school has rightly identified the need to provide more opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology (ICT) skills as part of this preparation.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school, and this accounts for the satisfactory progress that pupils make. During the inspection, some good teaching was observed and, in these lessons, pupils made good progress. Pupils preparing to write a formal report about an argument made good progress in understanding and explaining the perspective of each of the people involved. A strength in the teaching is the quality of relationships between pupils and teachers. Pupils feel secure in this atmosphere and want to learn. Recent changes have improved teaching. For example, teachers share with pupils the purpose of the lesson, so that they know what they are expected to learn. Improved planning means that teachers plan work based on pupils' differing abilities. However, they do not always provide sufficient challenge, particularly in writing and mathematics. On these occasions, pupils do not

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Grade: 3

3 Inspection Report: Claytons Primary School, 21 June 2006 to 22 June 2006 make as much progress as they should. In some lessons, the teachers' expectations do not demand enough of the higher attaining pupils. Support staff contribute well to the progress of pupils with learning difficulties. The school has comprehensive procedures for marking pupils' work, involving them in understanding their academic targets and evaluating how they are progressing. However, these procedures are not yet applied consistently in all classes.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and contributes significantly to the pupils' enjoyment of learning. Statutory requirements are met and the curriculum is broad and balanced. It is enhanced by the provision, for example, of French for the older pupils, residential and day visits and by opportunities for both music and sport. The school band and choir are both very successful. A wide range of well-supported activities is available to all pupils, both at lunch time and after school. The school now provides single year group teaching in English and mathematics as part of its drive to raise standards in these subjects. The school has appropriate plans to increase the use of ICT within other subjects. Good use is made of individual education plans for pupils in the department to adjust the curriculum to meet their needs. Pupils' personal development is supported well through personal, social and health education.

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Grade: 2

The good care, guidance and support given to pupils ensures that they have a safe and supportive atmosphere in which to learn and develop their personal qualities. Parents are very appreciative of all that the school does. One parent commented that 'The staff deal with all concerns with the utmost compassion, care and thought'. Procedures to promote good behaviour and attendance are effective. Careful attention is paid to health and safety, risk assessment and child protection arrangements. The support provided for pupils with learning difficulties, and those with statements of special educational needs, is good, and the school works well in collaboration with outside agencies to meet pupils' specific needs. Systems are in place to help pupils understand how well they are doing and to involve them in setting their own targets. However, these processes are not consistently applied throughout the school to provide

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, with some significant strengths. The headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy, has an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. He has identified important issues to be tackled and has begun a series of initiatives to bring about improvement and raise standards. These are beginning to have a positive impact, 4 Inspection Report: Claytons Primary School, 21 June 2006 to 22 June 2006 and there is good understanding of how further improvement can be achieved. Although the school is working hard to implement new initiatives, its processes for monitoring and reviewing their progress are not sufficiently established. The school's self-evaluation is well founded and accurate. Staff and governors have begun to play a more significant role in reviewing the school's performance and planning for improvement. The views of parents and pupils are sought and acted upon.

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Grade: 3

Staff responsibilities for leadership and management have been revised, but the school recognises that, for staff to contribute more effectively to school improvement, their roles require further development. The teachers' professional development is given high priority and is used well to improve their individual skills and to promote school initiatives. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities conscientiously and have a good understanding of, and involvement in, school development. The school has made satisfactory progress with the key issues raised at the previous inspection. A strong sense of teamwork has developed and there is good capacity to improve the school further. 5 Inspection Report: Claytons Primary School, 21 June 2006 to 22 June 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: Claytons Primary School, 21 June 2006 to 22 June 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 3 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

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 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 2 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 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

Pupils I am writing to tell you what we found out when we visited your school recently. We spoke to some of you, and we would like to thank you for making us feel welcome and for talking to us about your school. It was very useful to listen to what you had to say about what you enjoy doing. Your school is a happy place and your parents and carers speak very well of it. Your teachers give you lots of interesting things to do. You told us that you enjoy being in school, feel safe there and know that the grown ups will always help you if you are upset or worried. When they mark your work, your teachers help you to understand how well you are doing. Also, some of you have learning targets and know what you have to do to reach them. We have asked your teachers to help you more in these areas. You enjoy your work and try hard, but we know that some of you could achieve more. Your teachers will be helping you to do this, especially in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

writing and mathematics. Your headteacher and deputy, with the help of other teachers and the governors, are good at finding ways to improve your school. They are going to do more checking up to see how well the new ideas are working. You behave well, eat healthily in school and are involved in lots of sports. All of these things are good. You also show that you care for each other, and this helps all of you to enjoy learning. We hope you will carry on enjoying school and working hard. Yours sincerely Vanessa Ward Lead Inspector

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