Hodthorpe Primary School

Inspection Report Hodthorpe Primary School

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112650 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE LEA LEA 278982 Inspection number 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 Inspection dates Mr. David Simpson LI Reporting inspector

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

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Queen's Road School address Primary Type of school S80 4UT Community School category 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01909 720315 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01909 720315 Fax number 99 Number on roll Mr.Ian Johnson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Wayne Parkinson Headteacher 25 November 2003 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278982 23 May 2006 - 3 to 11 24 May 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Hodthorpe Primary is a smaller than average school. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportions of the pupils who are entitled to free school meals, have statements of special educational needs or have learning difficulties or disabilities are above the national average. Pupils are usually taught in four mixed age range classes. However, as a result of a teacher returning from maternity leave, the school is teaching Years 5 and 6 separately until the end of this academic year. Interviews for a new management post of lead teacher are due to take place at the end of the week of the inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hodthorpe Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006

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Grade: 3

Hodthorpe is a satisfactory school with many strengths. It has the capacity to improve and is doing so rapidly. It accurately judges its performance and has a clear understanding of the priorities for future improvement. Parents value the hard work of staff and the effective guidance and support which results in very good personal development; pupils are welcoming, courteous and caring. Pupils enter the school with broadly average standards and as a consequence of recent improvements make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage. Attainment over the last few years in the Foundation Stage has been in line with national averages. Historically attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 has been below average. However, in 2005 results were in line with national averages and standards seen during the inspection were often above average, particularly in Key Stage 1 and Years 5 and 6. The school is beginning to

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Grade: 3

address a legacy of underachievement and the progress of all pupils is now at least satisfactory and sometimes good. As a result achievement is satisfactory. The school is rightly ambitious to aim for consistently good progress and has taken appropriate action to improve achievement and to set challenging targets for the future. Teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Where teaching is most effective, teachers encourage the pupils to speculate and take responsibility for their learning. Where teaching is less effective pupils' enthusiasm to learn is not fully exploited and the class is taught as a whole for too long. The curriculum is satisfactory and the school is introducing more creative experiences for pupils, for example in drama and dance. However, information and communication technology (ICT) is not used regularly enough to promote effective learning. Leadership and management are sound. The headteacher

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Grade: 3

enjoys the confidence of the school community and has established high expectations. He has accurately judged the need to increase further the capacity of leadership and management by appointing a lead teacher and developing the role of subject leaders. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Continue to raise standards particularly in ICT by providing enough opportunities for pupils to use ICT equipment. - Increase the opportunities for pupils to take greater responsibility for their own learning through working independently or in groups in order to maximise the amount of progress they can make. - Implement the plans to develop the role of the lead teacher and subject leaders to ensure consistency of high expectation and performance throughout the school.

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory and inspection findings indicate that they are improving. Pupils enter the school with broadly average levels of attainment and make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage. Assessment in the Foundation 2 Inspection Report: Hodthorpe Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 Stage is becoming increasingly rigorous and children are experiencing a balanced curriculum which is developing all their skills. As a result they are starting to make good progress. The results of Key Stage 1 and 2 tests and teacher assessments show that standards are in line with the national averages. Results have improved in recent years and current standards in Key Stage 1 and Years 5 and 6 are above average. This is a clear demonstration of the school's successful work to overcome a legacy of underachievement. Overall pupils make satisfactory and sometimes good progress, particularly in English. They meet the challenging targets set for them based on their

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Grade: 3

prior attainment. However, in order to raise standards further, the school has identified the need to ensure that the assessment of the pupils' progress is more accurate throughout the school.

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Grade: 2

The pupils' personal development and well-being are particularly good. Pupils are friendly, open and keen to do well. In lessons they are eager to contribute, provide pertinent responses and attend well to the contributions of others. They cooperate very well with one another. They enjoy school and their attendance is well above the national average. Behaviour around the school is good. Hodthorpe is an orderly community where pupils enjoy the opportunities provided to help one another, for example, by organising the 'playground pals' rota. The school council takes pride in 'getting things done' and speaks positively about the improvements to lunchtime play arrangements and the planned refurbishment of the toilets. Pupils' moral and social development is good and is well supported by the school's use of 'circle time' and a behaviour policy based upon the pupils actively making choices about their conduct.

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Grade: 2

Cultural development is good, for example, pupils spoke positively about visits to places of interest, visitors who come to speak to them about special topics and their recent work on Rosa Parks. Spiritual development is satisfactory overall. Pupils respond well to visitors who give them the opportunity to reflect on issues which affect them but the school has yet to establish what it wants all pupils to experience and how this will be systematically provided. Pupils are very aware of how to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which is well supported by the school's provision of fruit and the choice of food at lunchtime. Pupils look after one another and consider safety issues maturely, for example, when conducting a science experiment on friction. Pupils make a good contribution to the community including raising funds for a school in Uganda and helping the school to recycle its waste. Preparation for pupils' future economic

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Grade: 2

well-being is strengthened by the school's work to improve standards and the links with businesses, for example, work done around a visit to a local quarry. 3 Inspection Report: Hodthorpe Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and sometimes good. The best teaching quickly gets pupils engaged in their learning, provides planned opportunities for pupils to enquire, investigate and problem solve, and encourages them to accurately use the technical vocabulary of subjects. The teachers' good subject knowledge and well paced delivery is well matched to pupils' enthusiasm and desire to learn. Once pupils move onto group activities, teaching assistants are well deployed to maintain the pace of work. In the lessons that were satisfactory, teachers kept the pupils together as a whole class for too long, spent too long checking prior learning and did not make sufficient demands on pupils to take the initiative or to provide challenging extension activities. Marking is diligent but does not sufficiently indicate what pupils have achieved or what the next small steps to improvement are.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and the focus on literacy, numeracy and science is having a beneficial impact on standards. The school has identified appropriate additional activities for more gifted and talented pupils but knows that it needs to confirm that all planned experiences have taken place. The school is making satisfactory progress in the revision of its curriculum so that links between subjects are more cohesive and pupils taught in mixed age classes have more opportunities to develop their skills in subjects such as drama, food technology and dance. However, pupils have too few opportunities to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding in ICT. The lack of a broadband connection is limiting the school in its ability to improve this aspect of its work. Education about other cultures and faiths has improved since the last inspection although the school recognises that it now needs to plan more

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Grade: 3

systematically to maintain and extend current provision. A high proportion of the pupils are involved in the extra-curricular activities and clubs provided by the school. These have been thoughtfully organised to provide for different interests and age groups. Pupils spoke positively about their experiences, including their current participation in a play to be performed to the school community before the end of the term.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The appointment of a learning mentor has strengthened aspects of the school's work. For example, she has run anger management sessions, worked with identified pupils to increase motivation and established effective links with parents and other organisations. This includes supporting pupils' transition to secondary schools and improving attendance. Clear child protection procedures are 4 Inspection Report: Hodthorpe Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 in place and arrangements for annual training of staff are good. The school has recognised the need to appoint a new governor to be responsible for this area following the resignation of the previous post holder earlier this year. Targets to improve pupil performance are shared with parents. The school is rightly planning to improve partnerships with parents, for example by running workshops on its new homework

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Grade: 2

policy to help parents play a fuller part in their children's education. A small minority of parents are concerned about behaviour and bullying. The school is taking appropriate actions to address their concerns. For example, governors now meet with parents of children exhibiting unacceptable behaviour so that everyone can work together to remedy problems. However, the vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school. The views expressed by one parent summarise the views of many, 'We love Hodthorpe Primary. The environment is well disciplined and very caring and you feel that your views and concerns are listened to and addressed. All the children are friendly and respectful and the older children look after the little ones which is indicative of the nurturing, friendly atmosphere in school.'

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Grade: 3

The leadership and management of the school is satisfactory. The headteacher has provided good leadership and enabled the school to make significant progress since the last inspection. He is ambitious for improvement, rigorous in his evaluation of the school's performance and provides clear direction for the school community. School improvement planning takes account of the views of pupils and parents. He has been developing the role of subject leaders and the literacy and numeracy coordinators have begun to take appropriate action to raise standards based on analysis of the performance of pupils. However, the school recognises that subject leaders need to be more fully involved in decision making and whole school development. Furthermore, the imminent appointment of a lead teacher has the potential to significantly strengthen the school's management and increase its capacity to improve. The chair of governors has a good knowledge of the school and the governing body is playing

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Grade: 3

an increasingly significant role in monitoring the school's performance and setting high expectations for the future. However, it is too soon to judge the impact of the lesson observations recently conducted by governors and the role of governors attached to specific aspects of the school's work on raising standards. 5 Inspection Report: Hodthorpe Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 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: Hodthorpe Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 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 3 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 2 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 for welcoming me to your school. I learned a lot about the school through talking to you, seeing how you were getting on in your lessons and sharing your assemblies. I could see that you enjoy your education, work enthusiastically and help each other. Well done! Your school has many strengths, not least your keenness to learn. The adults who work in your school know you well. They care that you make 'a good start to your learning adventure.' I think you have had some excellent ideas to make your school better, such as improving lunchtime arrangements and refurbishing the toilets. It is also impressive that you organise the playground pals rota yourselves and work alongside the lunchtime assistants. In lots of ways you show that you can maturely look after one another. Mr Parkinson and I agree that there are a few things that would help you all get on even better than you are doing now! We both realise that you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

could use ICT more often as part of your learning, that you could spend more of your time in lessons working in groups or on your own, and that the adults who work at the school could make sure that you make good progress every year that you're at Hodthorpe. Thank you again for being so helpful and friendly.

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