Longmoor Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 8 Mar 2006

Inspection Report Longmoor Primary School

p.1

112585 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE LEA LEA 278968 Inspection number 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr. David Speakman LI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Newstead Road School address Primary Type of school NG10 4JG Community School category 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0115 9733368 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0115 9733368 Fax number 294 Number on roll Miss.Joyce Marshall JP Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Sally Buczkiewicz Headteacher 8 May 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278968 7 March 2006 - 3 to 11 8 March 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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 three Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a larger than average sized primary school. Attainment on entry to the nursery is in line with that expected for children of this age. Most pupils come from White British backgrounds, with others coming from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is average and the number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below average. The school has achieved the basic skills award, health promoting schools awards, ECO school award ( helping pupils to take responsibility for their own environment) and the award of good practice against bullying.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Longmoor Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

The inspectors agree with the school's assessment that its effectiveness is satisfactory. Pupils make satisfactory progress and, by the end of Year 6, achieve average standards. However, the quality of pupils' writing is a weakness. Pupils' personal development is good. They become self-confident, show respect and behave well. They are proud of their school. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Assessment procedures are good, but the information gained is not always used effectively enough to ensure work is sufficiently well matched to the wide range of ability in teaching sets and classes. There are too few opportunities for pupils to work independently or in groups, to plan challenges and solve problems for themselves. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall and there is a strong commitment to pastoral care and pupils' personal development. There are new systems in place to track pupils' achievement

p.4

Grade: 3

carefully. These have been recently implemented and have not yet had a full impact on standards, although there are signs of improving attainment by the end of Year 6. The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. Library facilities are inadequate. The school provides good value for money. There has been a satisfactory level of improvement since the previous inspection and improvement in information and communication technology (ICT) has been good. The school's self-evaluation accurately identifies the most important areas for improvement. The capacity to improve is satisfactory.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

- Provide planned opportunities for pupils to write for a range of purposes and in different styles in all subjects, to raise achievement in writing. - Plan lessons to include different planned learning outcomes for pupils of different abilities. - Provide more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning through engaging them in problem solving and independent learning activities. - Improve the stock of library books and create a dedicated library space.

p.4

Grade: 3

Children start school with nationally expected levels of attainment. Achievement is satisfactory and attainment is average at all stages of the school. Children in the Nursery and Reception achieve satisfactorily in all areas of learning and most achieve the nationally expected goals, with about a fifth exceeding them. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2 and, by the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are average. In Years 3 to 6, achievement is satisfactory and overall standards are average. Pupils with learning difficulties make sound progress because the support provided for them by the special needs co-ordinator is good. However, other work in class does not effectively support these pupils because it does not focus accurately enough on their needs. Results in English dipped last year. The proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining the higher level (Level 5) was below average. The school's

p.4

Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: Longmoor Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 target was not met because of a weakness in writing. This year's targets in English indicate average standards and show an improvement at both Levels 4 and 5. Achievement in mathematics and science has improved and is average overall. 'Setting' in ability groups and focused teaching in mathematics have helped to raise standards and school assessment data indicates further improvement. In science, the development of investigative methods and a focus on the interpretation of findings have led to greater understanding. As a result of significant development, standards in ICT have improved and are in line with national expectations.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. They grow in self-awareness and self-confidence, show respect for others and behave well, although the short attention span of some younger pupils has to be carefully managed. Pupils are courteous towards visitors and talk about their school with enthusiasm and pride. The clear school rules are observed. There have been no exclusions and pupils say there is little bullying. 'Playground pals' in Year 6 show patience, kindness and a willingness to help others. Pupils say that their intervention has helped to make playtimes more harmonious. Older pupils acting as 'peer tutors' help younger children with reading and play with them too. Relationships are good. Pupils appreciate individual differences. They acquire a good knowledge of their own cultural heritage and of major world religions, but only a satisfactory

p.5

Grade: 2

awareness of life in multi-cultural Britain. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils clearly enjoy school and, for those who take part, the extra-curricular activities. Pupils have a thorough knowledge and understanding of healthy living. Many choose to walk to school and take part in physical activities. Pupils are well informed about matters of personal safety. They contribute to the school community in many ways, raise money for charity, and the choir performs publicly. The satisfactory development of basic skills and teamwork prepares them adequately for their next steps and future well-being.

p.5

Grade: 3

The impact of the quality of teaching on learning is satisfactory at all stages of the school. Teachers have high expectations of pupils' conduct and consistently apply agreed behaviour management procedures, resulting in good behaviour in lessons. This is based on good relationships between pupils and adults and enables pupils to feel comfortable and at ease in lessons. Teaching assistants are well deployed, work well with teachers and make an important contribution to teaching and learning. Assessment is satisfactory. There are good procedures which enable teachers to judge accurately the levels that pupils reach. The information is used well to place pupils in groups of similar ability, but is not always used well enough to plan work that is well 3 Inspection Report: Longmoor Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 matched to different abilities, both in mixed ability classes and teaching sets. Lesson

p.5

Grade: 3

planning does not always provide work that is sufficiently focused on different ability to enable the more capable pupils to move onto higher levels and for lower attaining pupils and those with learning difficulties and disabilities to proceed confidently. Marking of pupils' work is clearly focused on what pupils learned in a specific lesson. Through the recording of targets achieved, pupils are informed well of how they are doing and what they need to do to improve. There are not always enough opportunities for pupils to work independently or in groups. The more effective lessons seen during the inspection focused on pupils taking some control over and responsibility for their own learning.

p.6

Grade: 3

The quality and range of learning opportunities are satisfactory. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and provides for satisfactory academic achievement and good personal development. There is good provision for personal, social and health education, including sex and relationships education and advice on how to stay healthy. Provision for ICT has improved since the previous inspection. There are good cross-curricular links between ICT and other subjects but planned opportunities to improve writing in other subjects are underdeveloped. The school has good arrangements to provide extra support for identified pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and for those identified as gifted and talented. Arrangements to withdraw these pupils from class for support are good. The curriculum is enriched well through activities such as Arts Week, a residential visit, visits and visitors linked to a wide range

p.6

Grade: 3

of subjects, and a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities which add enjoyment to pupils' life in school.

p.6

Grade: 2

The arrangements for ensuring pupils' well-being are good and pupils feel safe in school. Supervision is good, staff are vigilant and child protection procedures are secure. Risks are carefully assessed and suitable action taken to minimise danger. There is a strong commitment to supporting pupils, and participation in the Extended Schools Pilot Project has strengthened provision. As a result, pupils and parents are able to tap into sources of external support. Staff work productively with parents and external agencies to support pupils' personal development. Pastoral care is good, and pupils are confident that they always have someone to turn to for help, including other pupils. Pupils' views are valued and the school ensures they influence school life. Additional support to help boost pupils' progress is given where the need is identified. A nurture group is proving successful in boosting pupils' self-confidence and personal

p.6

Grade: 2

skills. There are early indications that the setting of individual and group targets is becoming effective in improving academic achievement, but these have been recently implemented and need to be consolidated into school practice. 4 Inspection Report: Longmoor Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006

p.6

Grade: 3

Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory, with strong features. The headteacher has good team-building skills and has created a unified leadership team which shares a common purpose to provide for both pupils' academic and personal achievement. Pastoral leadership is good and there is a strong commitment to pupils' well-being, which is shared by all staff. The unified team approach to leading and managing the school enables individuals to feel valued and that they are making a positive contribution. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and draws from a wide range of views, including staff, governors, pupils and parents. It forms the basis of realistic school improvement planning in which targets for improvement are carefully prioritised and only the most important included. The school improvement plan is evaluative and includes long-term developments in outline. There are new systems in

p.7

Grade: 3

place to track pupils' academic progress but it is too early for them to have had a full impact on sustained improvement. Because the data is still accumulating, it is not yet used sufficiently well by subject leaders in their subject audits and planning for development. Subject leadership is therefore satisfactory overall. Governance is satisfactory. Governors have their own improvement plan which focuses on important areas of school life. They meet their commitments well in supporting the school and are challenging in discussion. Governors have links with subject leaders to raise their awareness of school improvement. Direct involvement on a day-to-day basis is limited but the chair and vice-chair are regular visitors to the school. Accommodation is managed satisfactorily, but provision for the library is inadequate. 5 Inspection Report: Longmoor Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 .

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Longmoor Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006

p.8

Overall

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

p.9

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

p.9

Achievement and standards

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

p.9

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

p.9

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 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

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

p.9

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.9

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 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

p.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We were delighted to meet you when we came in to inspect your school. Thank you very much for talking to us, making us feel welcome in your school and classrooms, and helping us find out about you and your school. The headteacher, teachers and all other adults working in your school give you a secure start to your education. They look after you well and we noticed that, in turn, you look after each other. The teachers make sure that you enjoy school and get good opportunities to mature into sensible, confident young people and to grow up fit and healthy. You had good things to say about your school, your teachers and friends, and it is obvious that you enjoy being there. We thought your behaviour, manners and attitudes to learning were good. We have asked your headteacher and governors to help you improve the quality of your writing, especially those who are capable of really good work. To give you greater opportunities

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to be independent in your learning, to plan work which matches your abilities more closely, and to improve the library. We wish you well in the future.

p.11