Bow Community Primary School

Inspection Report Bow Community Primary School

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113060 Unique Reference Number Devon LEA 279083 Inspection number 8 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 Inspection dates Peter Griffiths HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Station Road School address Primary Type of school Crediton Community School category Devon EX17 6HU 5 to 11 Age range of pupils 01363 82319 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01363 82642 Fax number 120 Number on roll Mrs Rachel Stanbury Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Hazel Fox Headteacher 15 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279083 8 March 2006 - 5 to 11 8 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school serves two villages and the surrounding rural community. There is some social deprivation within the community. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low. Pupil attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year. The school has observed an increase in the number of pupils entering the school who have language skill problems. A significant proportion of pupils enter the school other than at the start of the reception.

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Key for inspection grades

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

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Grade: 3

The school’s overall effectiveness is satisfactory, but it is improving. Standards have improved and are now average. Teaching is now good and, as a result, so is learning. However, this good learning in lessons has yet to be in place long enough to impact fully on progress in the longer term. Progress is satisfactory overall but is better in English and science than in mathematics. The stimulating approach to early learning is ensuring that pupils in reception are making good progress towards their early learning goals. Throughout the school, pupils show positive attitudes to their work and make good progress in lessons. While the support given to pupils with learning difficulties is good, challenge for higher attaining pupils is not as well developed. The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher is a considerable strength and provides a clear direction for the school. Monitoring and evaluation practices are now outstanding. Classroom observations,

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Grade: 3

the scrutiny of pupils’ work and the monitoring of planning ensure the identification and sharing of strengths. The school also judges itself to be satisfactory, knows what it needs to do to continue improvements and is well placed to do so. There have been considerable improvements on the key issues of the last inspection. The school provides satisfactory value for money. This is a school where every child matters and this is reflected in the quality of the pastoral care, guidance and support for the pupils. Pupils enjoy coming to school where they feel well cared for and safe.

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What the school should do to improve further

Develop the good practice in the school: • so that pupils can improve their mathematical understanding • to ensure that higher attaining pupils are sufficiently challenged.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. When pupils enter the reception class, some have weak communication skills. The good teaching and stimulating and appropriate approach to learning ensures that by the end of the year pupils have made good progress towards the early learning goals. Standards in Year 2 have improved and are now average. Last year’s results were adversely affected by the entry to Year 2 of a significant number of pupils transferring from other schools. Matching the teaching to the needs of these pupils was initially difficult because, for most pupils, the school did not receive academic records from their previous schools. By the time they leave school, the standards reached by pupils broadly match those expected for their age. Pupils are now making satisfactory progress and standards are improving. This is particularly evident in writing where strategies have been successfully introduced to increase the range and quality

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Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: Bow Community Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 of pupils’ work. However, standards in mathematics are not as high as those in English and science; neither is progress as good. The school has an inclusive ethos. Support for those pupils with learning difficulties is good, they make good progress and achieve well. Though there is some good provision for high attaining pupils, this good practice is not consistent in all years. Rigorous assessment procedures and target setting have been successfully introduced. Pupils understand their own achievements and know what to do to improve. The consistent implementation of these procedures is an important contributory factor in the raising of standards.

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Grade: 2

Personal development is good. In the foundation stage, pupils’ personal social and emotional skills are well developed. Pupils learn to make a positive contribution through being class leader. Through circle time, pupils explore how adults such as police officers can help them. Pupils are adopting healthier lifestyles. They all participate enthusiastically in the daily exercise programme and greater choice of sports activities has increased participation rates. All pupils recognise the need to drink water regularly. Both pupils and parents have been involved in the introduction of a healthier lunch menu. More pupils now have a school dinner. Pupils enjoy school. They feel safe and recognise that since the revision of the behaviour policy, bullying is not a concern for them. Pupils know who they can approach if they have problems. The involvement of pupils in the ‘show racism the red card’ project has improved their awareness of the issue; there have been no incidents of

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Grade: 2

racism in the last three years. Pupils’ attitudes towards the school are very good. The revised behaviour policy is understood by the pupils; their behaviour is very good. Relationships are very good. Pupils new to the school settle quickly in part because of the way other pupils seek to include them in all they do. Attendance is satisfactory. The school is working closely with pupils and parents to explain the negative effects a holiday in term time can have. Pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school council makes a very positive contribution towards the school and local community. Pupils have organised and participated in events to raise money for charity. They have also contributed to discussions about such diverse issues as play equipment, the revision of the policy on behaviour and school meals. 3 Inspection Report: Bow Community Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 8 March 2006

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Grade: 2

The quality of both teaching and learning is good. As a result, pupils show very positive attitudes to their work and make good progress in lessons. Lesson planning is extremely thorough. However, while the planning ensures that the needs of pupils with learning difficulties are well met, it does not consistently identify appropriate challenges for higher attaining pupils. The assessment and tracking procedures introduced by the headteacher have enabled teachers to be more specific about pupils’ targets and to plan more effectively to meet their needs. Pupils with learning difficulties receive particularly well-targeted support and as a result make good progress. The excellent information and communication technology (ICT) room and the use of interactive whiteboards have been supported by appropriate staff training. All teachers are making good use of ICT. The effective use of teaching assistants to work with pupils is another significant factor

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Grade: 2

in enabling them to learn as well as they do. Lesson plans ensure that they are well briefed to provide support where it is most needed.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum well matched to the needs of the majority of the pupils. The school has adopted an innovative approach to curriculum development. The quality of long and short term planning is good. Teachers work well together and the use of a common planning format has helped them to focus on key issues such as differentiation of resources and teaching to meet pupils’ needs. The headteacher has successfully developed the ICT room and provided interactive whiteboards so that ICT can enhance learning opportunities and raise the achievement of all pupils. To ensure that the pupils have opportunities to access all areas of learning, the school is reorganising the Foundation Stage learning environment. Currently, the lack of cover prevents the outside area from being used to its full potential. Pupils participate enthusiastically in the good range of clubs, activities and trips

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Grade: 2

available to them. Such activities and visits successfully promote social as well as educational aims.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The progress of individual pupils is carefully monitored through the well developed and effective tracking system. The individual targets are regularly reviewed and shared with parents and pupils. For pupils in the 4 Inspection Report: Bow Community Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 Foundation Stage, teachers make very good use of the information gathered from parents and the village pre-school group. Parents are invited to visit the school every term to discuss their child’s progress. They are also invited to the weekly open morning to see their child’s work. Both events are extremely well attended and valued by parents who feel that communication with the school is good and that any problems will be quickly resolved. The anti-bullying policy was recently reviewed. Since then, bullying incidents have been rare. In common with other developments, the school discussed the proposals with pupils and parents taking

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Grade: 2

note of their concerns and suggestions. Training in managing pupil behaviour and in counselling skills has been provided for teaching and mealtime assistants and for administrative staff. This has increased the school’s capacity to have adults available at all times to help pupils. Very good child protection procedures are in place; all staff have received appropriate training. Health and safety procedures are good.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher, who has been appointed relatively recently, has achieved a common sense of purpose in all staff and has provided a clear direction for developments in the school. There have been considerable improvements since the last inspection, for example, in the development of ICT, and the school is well placed to improve further. Monitoring and evaluation procedures are outstanding. The headteacher leads the school in reviewing its performance by observing lessons, scrutinising pupils’ work and analysing teachers’ planning. The regular observations of teaching are followed by detailed feedback and support for the teachers. Performance management for all staff is also making a very useful contribution to whole school improvement. The administrator of the school is very effective. She has successfully taken on a new role of line managing cleaning and caretaking staff. Governors have a good

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Grade: 2

understanding of their strategic role and all statutory requirements are met. They provide very good support for the school and for the headteacher in particular, but do not do this without question. The learning resources and accommodation have improved dramatically during the last year and this has helped to raise expectations of quality in all areas of school life. Spending decisions relate to priorities in the school improvement plan. The school provides satisfactory value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Bow Community Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 8 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: Bow Community Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 8 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 NA 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 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 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 1 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 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 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 NA 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

Bow Community Primary School Station Road Bow Devon EX17 6HU 10 March 2006 Dear Children, Thank you for welcoming us so warmly when we visited your school. We thought you would like to know what we liked about your school and how we thought it could get even better. What we liked about your school: • The standard of your work is improving • Your teachers and teaching assistants work very hard to make sure that you get the right sort of help you need to help you learn • Both you and your parents know how well you are doing in your work and what you need to do to improve • You show positive attitudes to your work and make good progress in lessons • Through the school council you have made contributions to the school and the community • You enjoy coming to school • You all behave very well around the school, you play nicely with your friends and speak very politely to your teachers and visitors • You enjoy taking part in after school activities • You are well cared for and feel safe • Your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

headteacher runs the school well. What we have asked your school to do now to make it even better: • give you opportunities to improve the quality of your work in mathematics • ensure that those of you with particularly high abilities are sufficiently challenged. Yours sincerely, Peter Griffiths Her Majesty’s Inspector

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