Townley Primary School

Inspection Report Townley Primary School

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110630 Unique Reference Number CAMBRIDGESHIRE LEA LEA 278472 Inspection number 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Colin Henderson LI Reporting inspector

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

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Crown Drove School address Primary Type of school PE14 9NA Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01354 638229 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01354 638229 Fax number 68 Number on roll Mr.John Garlick Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Robert Glozier Headteacher 1 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278472 8 June 2006 - 4 to 11 9 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small school that mainly serves its local village community and the surrounding area. All pupils are of White British background and speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is broadly average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average, with high levels in some years. Attainment on entry varies due to the small numbers of pupils in each year. It is below average overall, with many children having weak language and literacy skills.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Townley Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school in which pupils achieve well. It is valued highly by parents and pupils and gives good value for money. Children get off to a good start and, by the end of Reception, they attain nationally expected levels in most areas of learning except literacy. Pupils make good progress overall as a result of good teaching, their desire to learn and the good quality support they receive. Pupils behave well and clearly enjoy learning. Standards of attainment vary significantly each year due to the small numbers of pupils and the high proportion who find learning difficult in some year groups. Pupils this year are attaining standards that are below average overall by the end of Year 2, with many having started school with particularly weak language and literacy skills. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain average standards overall, although spelling weaknesses limit the accuracy of their writing. Standards are improving

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Grade: 2

significantly as better tracking of pupils' progress helps teachers to meet pupils' learning needs. Good support from teachers and teaching assistants helps all pupils to achieve well, particularly those who find learning difficult. Teachers help pupils to know how to improve their work, although this is not consistently effective in each class. Townley Primary is a caring and supportive school that works hard to ensure that all pupils are included fully in its good range of activities. The school rightly views itself as good and its process of self-evaluation is satisfactory. The headteacher leads the school well and provides a good focus on raising standards. Improvement since the last inspection has been good and the school is well placed to continue to improve. There is a strong and supportive team of staff and governors, although procedures to check how well the school is doing are not always rigorous enough.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Improve pupils' spelling by increasing accuracy to further raise standards in writing. - Help pupils to know what they need to do to improve their work. - Develop the effectiveness of teaching by improving governors' and subject leaders' understanding of its effect on pupils' learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well. Many start in Reception with below average attainments, especially in literacy. Reception children make good progress as they benefit from good teaching, a lively curriculum and from working alongside their Year 1 classmates. They attain nationally expected standards in most areas of learning, with the exception of literacy. Standards in Year 2 are below average this year; the year group has a very high proportion of pupils who find learning hard. The consistently good and often outstanding teaching helps pupils in Years 2 to 4 to make good progress. This is built on successfully in Years 5 and 6. By the end of Year 6, inspection evidence shows that pupils are attaining average standards overall. This is an improvement on the school's results in national tests over the last two years. Detailed assessments show that an 2 Inspection Report: Townley Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

increasing number of pupils are now attaining above average levels. The school met its challenging targets in 2005 in English and mathematics, a year group that had almost 50% of pupils with learning difficulties. Teachers match activities to pupils' learning needs so achievement is good. More able pupils are required to extend their skills and knowledge and more are attaining above average levels in tests. Gifted and talented pupils successfully apply their skills and knowledge, for example, in mathematical challenges. Pupils who find learning difficult receive good quality individual support from teachers and effective teaching assistants. They make good progress towards their learning targets and many attain nationally expected levels.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are promoted successfully in a caring, supportive atmosphere that is valued highly by parents. One parent said, 'The school feels more like a family'. Relationships are very good as pupils are effectively taught to value and respect each other. Their enjoyment of school is shown clearly in their positive approach to learning and their good behaviour. Older pupils take on responsibilities willingly, for example, looking after younger ones at lunchtime. Attendance is satisfactory overall, although it has dipped recently due to high levels of illness and the limited attendance of a very small number of pupils. Pupils have a good understanding of safe and healthy lifestyles and many are involved in a good range of sporting clubs and activities. The active school council gives pupils an effective voice in helping to improve the school, for example, by improving play resources. They

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Grade: 2

improve their economic awareness by working together to plan a fund raising event and managing a budget. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school makes good use of assemblies and class discussions to encourage pupils to reflect upon their feelings and their contributions to the school and local village community. The school makes good use of visits to enhance pupils' cultural development, for example, to a mosque in Peterborough.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall, with some outstanding features. Most lessons are lively, well planned and resourced. Teachers use a good range of styles to ensure pupils of all abilities learn well. This leads to pupils' enjoyment of learning and their good progress, reflected in a parent's comment that, 'Our children have an eagerness to learn more due to enthusiastic teachers'. Teachers know their pupils very well and use assessments effectively to match learning activities to pupils' needs, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This is supported well by detailed planning for mixed age classes and a successful partnership between teachers and teaching assistants that helps all pupils to achieve well. Teachers use questions skilfully to encourage pupils to contribute their ideas, although they do not consistently use more challenging questions that 3 Inspection Report: Townley Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

require more able pupils to extend their knowledge. Assessment procedures have improved, especially in English, mathematics and science. Teachers use information increasingly effectively to track pupils' achievements and to identify groups of pupils that need support. This contributes considerably to pupils' improving standards. At the end of lessons, some teachers encourage pupils to assess how well they think they have achieved and to check on their improvement targets. This process helps pupils to understand what they need to improve. However, this technique is not implemented consistently in each class. Teachers' marking of pupils' work is positive and encouraging, although it rarely indicates how pupils can improve.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good throughout the school. Reception children make good progress because learning activities closely match their needs and interests. Adults strike a successful balance between teacher directed activities and helping children to choose activities for themselves to ensure that they experience all areas of learning. The curriculum is varied and planned in detail to meet pupils' different learning needs, especially those who find learning difficult. The good opportunities for more able pupils and those with particular gifts and talents enable an increasing number to attain above average standards. Pupils enjoy participating in the many additional activities that the school organises, for example, sporting and musical activities. A good range of trips and visits, for example, the very successful recent residential trip to Derbyshire, enhances pupils' personal development and extends their learning well. The school

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Grade: 2

makes effective use of its extensive outdoor facilities to support its good range of activities.

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Grade: 3

Teachers and other staff provide good personal care and support, although guidance to help pupils improve their work is not sufficiently well established. There are effective systems for ensuring pupils' safety and security, for example, good child protection arrangements. Pupils trust the adults in school and are confident to approach them with any concerns. The school has good links with other agencies to provide additional support for pupils who find learning difficult. The monitoring of attendance is good and the school works hard to encourage parents to ensure their children attend regularly. Pupils are encouraged to work hard and behave well through gaining stickers and TOPS awards in the weekly celebration assembly. The links with a local high school and the nearby preschool unit are good. This helps pupils to transfer smoothly to their next stage of schooling, for example, when Year 6 pupils use their information and

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Grade: 3

communication technology skills to prepare a personal presentation to be given at their new school. 4 Inspection Report: Townley Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides good leadership. He has a good understanding of what needs to be done and is developing systems that help check pupils' progress better in key subjects. These are raising standards of attainment. He monitors teaching regularly. This helps to maintain the good quality, although procedures to rigorously evaluate how teaching extends pupils' learning are not consistently established. There is a strong staff team, supported well by governors, who are working hard to improve the school and increase pupil numbers. Funds are used well to improve provision, for example, by more effective classroom support and better facilities in the Foundation Stage. Procedures to check on how well the school is doing are becoming more effective, although the school recognises the need for a greater involvement of subject leaders and governors. The school increasingly takes into account the views of parents

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Grade: 2

and pupils and contributes very well to local village community events. Good leadership and an effective staff team, supported well by improving management and self-evaluation procedures, are raising standards rapidly and put the school in a good position to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Townley Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 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: Townley Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 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 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 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

Thank you for being so friendly and making me feel welcome when I visited your school. I enjoyed talking to you, looking at your work and watching you learn. What is good about your school: - Your teachers and other adults care about you as individuals, make sure that you are safe and listen to your opinions about school. - You get on well together and are kind to each other. I particularly like the way older pupils help the younger ones at lunchtime. - You behave well and clearly enjoy school. This means that teachers can get on with the job of helping you learn. - Your lessons are interesting and all the adults put a lot of effort into helping you do well. You enjoy your work and try hard to do what you are asked. I think you learn well. - The school puts on extra activities to help you have fun, such as the clubs and trips out of school. I know you enjoy these very much. - Mr. Glozier, the teachers and governors have good ideas

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

about how to make your school better. They are working hard to make this happen. - Your parents think it is a good school, and I agree. What I have asked the school to do now: - Help you to improve your spelling and use it accurately in your writing. - Help you to know what you need to do next to improve your work. - Provide more opportunities for governors and teachers to look carefully at lessons and see where they can help you to achieve even better. I hope that you continue to be happy at school and carry on working hard.

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