Cherry Grove Primary School

Inspection Report Cherry Grove Primary School

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111209 Unique Reference Number Cheshire LEA 278620 Inspection number 13 March 2006 to 14 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr Jim Alexander 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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Chapel Lane School address Primary Type of school Boughton Community School category Chester, Cheshire CH3 5EN 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01244 324837 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01244 350556 Fax number 264 Number on roll Mr B Thompson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr C Marron Headteacher 24 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278620 13 March 2006 - 3 to 11 14 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

Cherry Grove is an average size primary school, with 34 children attending the nursery. Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those entitled to free school meals is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Cherry Grove Primary School, 13 March 2006 to 14 March 2006

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Grade: 3

The overall effectiveness, although judged by the school to be good, is satisfactory, and the value for money provided is also satisfactory. Following the previous inspection the school faced a period of disruption caused by staffing difficulties, which resulted in a decline in standards in English, mathematics and science. These problems have now been resolved and the more stable situation within school, and the involvement with the local authority's support programme, is resulting in improvement. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children in the Foundation Stage meet the goals set for children of their age, and the standards pupils reach at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 are above average. The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. There is a good curriculum throughout the rest of the school. Teaching is satisfactory, although work is not always challenging enough for average attaining

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Grade: 3

pupils and those with learning difficulties. Pupils' personal development is good. Pupils enjoy school and attend well. The school cares for them well and keeps them safe, but guidance to help improve their learning is not yet as strong as it needs to be. Leadership, management and governance are satisfactory. Monitoring and evaluation procedures have improved, resulting in a better understanding of what needs to be done to raise pupils' attainment, although the analysis of information gained does not always result in sharply enough defined priorities for action. The school has the confidence of parents who value the caring ethos and sense of community. The positive steps that have been taken recently to raise standards demonstrate that the school has the capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards and accelerate the rate of progress for all groups of pupils, but especially for average ability pupils and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, by making better use of assessment information to set challenging targets and appropriate levels of work. • Ensure that the quality of teaching and learning are improved through more effective evaluation and monitoring.

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Grade: 3

The school correctly judges achievement to be satisfactory. Children enter the nursery with standards that are broadly typical for their age. Progress through Foundation Stage is satisfactory in all areas of learning. Children meet the goals set for pupils of their age by the end of Reception. They make better progress however in their personal, social and emotional development because of the better quality of provision in this area. By the end of Year 2 pupils reach above average standards. Results of the 2005 assessments met targets set and were highest in reading and mathematics. Targets were also met in Year 6 where results in national tests in 2005 were above average, 2 Inspection Report: Cherry Grove Primary School, 13 March 2006 to 14 March 2006 highest in science. These above average standards only represent satisfactory progress, however, when pupils' prior attainment is taken into account, particularly for those at

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Grade: 3

the end of Key Stage 2. Over the past three years standards have been rising slowly and steadily for pupils in Year 6. However average ability pupils and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make less progress than other pupils because work given to them is often not challenging enough. The level of challenge for more able pupils is appropriate and ensures that they make better progress. The school's involvement with the local authority's support programme is helping to identify what needs to be done to raise standards and action being taken to secure improvement is having a positive impact.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good and this includes provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils' self-esteem and confidence grow because they celebrate together the good things they have done. One boy commented 'getting awards makes it a better school, everyone wants to get gold'. Pupils enjoy school and respond well to the calm atmosphere. Their behaviour in lessons and around school is good. Attendance is also good. Pupils' cultural awareness extends beyond their immediate experiences as they learn about different faiths and take part in, for example, Indian dancing. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of taking physical exercise, because its profile has been raised through a very good programme of sporting activities and the involvement of a local football club. Fresh food served at lunch time and healthy snacks also make valuable contributions to supporting healthy lifestyles.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy being consulted about school issues through the newly formed school council. Special responsibilities for the older pupils, such as being a 'recycling officer' or a 'nursery buddy' enable them to make a good contribution to the school community. These activities develop their confidence and independence, qualities that will serve them well in later life.

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Grade: 3

The school judges teaching and learning as good; inspectors disagree, judging them to be satisfactory. This is because teaching is not always challenging or stimulating enough and this affects adversely pupils' progress, especially for those who need a more structured and supportive learning environment. Some teachers' expectations are not focussed enough and tasks do not always keep pupils' interest and maintain concentration. In some lessons, teachers talk for too long at the beginning, causing some pupils to become passive and restless. In a few lessons teaching is good or better. Here, lessons are stimulating and challenging and, as a result, pupils enjoy their learning and make good progress. The use of good questioning to develop pupils' thinking and extend their understanding promotes learning well, especially for more able pupils. In 3 Inspection Report: Cherry Grove Primary School, 13 March 2006 to 14 March 2006

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Grade: 3

the best lessons, activities are tightly structured to match the needs of all pupils. The relationship that staff have with pupils is good. The assessment of pupils' progress and attainment in English and mathematics is satisfactory and teachers are beginning to use the information well to set targets for groups of pupils. The assessment of pupils' progress in other subjects is underdeveloped.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum provided is good, meeting pupils' needs well. There is a good emphasis placed on English, mathematics and science and this contributes to sound progress by pupils. Art and design has been maintained as a strength and pupils' work brightens the school. Provision for the performing arts, especially music is also good. Pupils thoroughly enjoy learning to play the guitar and singing in the choir. Their performance for parents in assembly was outstanding. Other subjects of the curriculum are adequately covered although evidence of the use of modern technology to support different curriculum areas is limited. The school is successfully developing its curriculum through the introduction of French. Issues to do with healthy lifestyles and safety are well covered. There is a good range of clubs in the school and visits to places of interest such as a French restaurant. These are much appreciated by pupils.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are robust and reviewed regularly. Consequently, pupils say they feel safe and valued and can rely on adults to look after them. One pupil commented, 'I like the company of teachers because they listen to you and always help you.' Rare incidents of unacceptable behaviour are dealt with rapidly and appropriately. Guidance for pupils in their academic progress is satisfactory. The school is committed to monthly meetings between parents and teachers where targets are set for literacy and mathematics. However, the targets are group based rather than specific for each child and this limits their overall effectiveness. Those with learning difficulties benefit from satisfactory levels of support. Parents agree that their children feel safe and well cared for within the family atmosphere of the school. One parent commented, 'I am very happy with

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Grade: 3

the experiences my child is having at this school.'

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory rather than good as the school judged them to be. This is because following the last inspection the headteacher and senior leadership team were not sufficiently rigorous in the monitoring and evaluation of the 4 Inspection Report: Cherry Grove Primary School, 13 March 2006 to 14 March 2006 school's performance, mainly due to difficult staffing issues that took time to resolve, and standards fell. The staffing situation is now more stable and the school has a reasonable view of its effectiveness and the quality of provision. The headteacher leads the school in a calm and systematic way, and in partnership with the local authority's support programme, has recently introduced a new tracking system to ensure a consistency of progress across each year group. This is beginning to have a positive effect and in the past three years there has been slow but continuous

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Grade: 3

development in the progress Year 6 pupils make, the most significant improvement occurring last year. The subject leadership of English and mathematics is strong and these teachers have a clear understanding how to raise standards further. The newly appointed deputy headteacher is also effectively supporting the training and developing needs of other subject leaders well. The governing body uses its expertise well to support the school and ensure statutory requirement are met. Its procedures for checking school performance are becoming more robust. The school's involvement in the local authority's support programme has provided a strong steer for improvement; the positive impact of this demonstrates satisfactory capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Cherry Grove Primary School, 13 March 2006 to 14 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: Cherry Grove Primary School, 13 March 2006 to 14 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 3 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 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 3 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 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 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 very much for being so welcoming when we recently visited your school. You were all polite and friendly and your good behaviour impressed us. We were pleased to see how well all the adults and children got on together. This is a big help to you in your lessons. Your teachers and other staff have worked together well recently to keep improving your work. They plan a lot of interesting things for you to do and make sure that you are safe and well cared for. You told us that you really enjoyed your lessons and all the other activities in school. To help you to do even better, we have asked teachers to make lessons more stimulating and exciting and to set you challenging targets and let you know how to achieve them. We have also asked your school to keep a careful check on how well you are doing to ensure Cherry Grove becomes an even better School. We very much enjoyed talking with you and your teachers, and wish you and the school the

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