Horrabridge Primary & Nursery School

Inspection Report Horrabridge Community Primary School

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113253 Unique Reference Number Devon LEA 279125 Inspection number 12 June 2006 to 12 June 2006 Inspection dates Tom Simpson AI Reporting inspector

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

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Walkhampton Road School address Primary Type of school Horrabridge Community School category Yelverton, Devon PL20 7SZ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01822 852605 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01822 855297 Fax number 105 Number on roll Captain D Fall Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Becky Crispin Headteacher 11 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279125 12 June 2006 - 4 to 11 12 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 two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a small community primary school serving the village of Horrabridge near Yelverton in Devon. The pupils are nearly all white and none are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. Attainment on entry varies from year to year but is around average overall. Slightly fewer pupils than typical have learning difficulties and disabilities. The number entitled to free school meals is below average. The school has experienced considerable leadership difficulties in the recent past – as there were four headteachers and acting headteachers during a period of two years. This has now been resolved with the appointment of a substantive headteacher from last September. There has also been a period of significant teaching staff turnover.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Horrabridge Community Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 12 June 2006

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Grade: 3

Although currently satisfactory, Horrabridge School has improved rapidly in the recent past and has a good capacity to improve even further in the future. This matches the school’s own analysis. One parent wrote convincingly about the school’s ‘snowballing respect in the community’ and described it as having a ‘positive and determined feel’. The inspection team fully agrees. The main reason for this is the inspirational leadership provided by the recently appointed headteacher. Other significant factors include the commitment of the staff and governors, the support of the parents and the local community and the positive attitudes of the pupils themselves. The school provides satisfactory value for money. Although a lot has been done in the recent past, the school recognizes that much of this has not yet had time to fully impact on standards and progress and that more needs to be done, including developing effective assessment systems and the role of

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Grade: 3

subject managers. However, test data has been analysed and teaching has been rigorously monitored in order to identify strengths and highlight areas where there could be further improvements, and a good, detailed strategic improvement plan has been drawn up. These strategies are already impacting well, but the legacy of staff turbulence at all levels means that achievement for most pupils is currently only satisfactory. Also, whilst the quality of teaching is improving, it is held back by the lack of effective systems for assessing pupils’ progress, which is the main reason why work in lessons is not always tailored to the needs of all ability groups. As a result, although standards are average and pupils with learning difficulties are doing well in response to good support, higher ability pupils are not yet doing as well as they should, particularly in English. There are already some real strengths, however. Pupils’ personal development is

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Grade: 3

particularly good. They enjoy being at the school, behave well and have a good understanding of how to lead safe and healthy lifestyles. They are well cared for, guided and supported. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is also good; good teaching there is ensuring that children are making good progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

Raise achievement by ensuring that work in lessons is consistently challenging and meets the needs of different ability groups, especially the higher attainers and especially in English. Further develop the role of subject coordinators, particularly in monitoring teaching and analysing pupils’ progress, so that resources can be focused where they are most needed.

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Grade: 3

When pupils enter Reception, their attainment varies from year to year but is now broadly average overall. By the time they leave the school, their standards are still 2 Inspection Report: Horrabridge Community Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 12 June 2006 broadly average. In 2005, the Year 6 national test results were average overall. Science scores were slightly above average, while English scores were slightly below – mainly because not enough pupils gained the higher Level 5. Some more able pupils are not making the progress they should, particularly in English. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall. However, it is not consistent throughout the school. For example, children in the Foundation Stage now make good progress. Pupils in the current Year 2 did not make as much progress as they should have done in the recent past because of teaching instability – a situation which has now been resolved. The overall satisfactory achievement of the pupils in the current Year 6 is

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Grade: 3

mainly due to the good progress they have made during this school year. The headteacher and staff have put in place a number of strategies to achieve further improvement. These are beginning to have a positive effect but have not had time yet to fully impact.

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Grade: 2

The pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. They are friendly, behave well in and out of lessons and are proud of their school. They express their views very honestly and openly, giving lively examples of what they enjoy most. As one seven-year-old said to an inspector, ‘I like it so much at this school, I could almost live here.’ The pupils have good attitudes towards their work and are keen to learn. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe and healthy and show respect for themselves and others. One Year 6 pupil, for example, said ‘I told my Dad about smoking so he’s given up.’ They value the responsibilities that are given to them. The school council, for instance, plays an active and relevant part in the life of the school and the pupils feel that their views are taken seriously. The ‘healthy tuck shop’ was one of their ideas: ‘Now we are increasing the range.’ The spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Grade: 2

development of the pupils is good while attendance is slightly above average.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory, although there are examples of good teaching in some lessons. Teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection and now has the potential to impact well on pupils’ progress. There are particular strengths in the teaching of the oldest and the youngest pupils. Specific strengths within lessons include teachers’ infectious enthusiasm, the effective management of their pupils and the way in which these are encouraged to want to try hard. Relationships are good at all levels. In some lessons, however, teachers plan to cover too much – which adversely affects the pace of pupils’ learning. Also, assessment procedures are not well enough developed and, consequently, the outcomes of assessment are not used enough to 3 Inspection Report: Horrabridge Community Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 12 June 2006 inform what goes on in lessons. This means that work set is not always closely enough

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Grade: 3

matched to the needs of pupils with different levels of ability.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and ensures that pupils’ basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) prepare them satisfactorily for their future life. Staff plan well to consolidate these skills through regular practice within the different subjects of the curriculum, but a relative weakness is that pupils in Year 2 do not yet have enough opportunities to write longer pieces of work. There is good provision to develop personal skills through personal, social and health education lessons and a wide range of other activities. There is a growing number of enrichment visits to places such as the Hindu and Sikh temples in Bristol and a good range of extra-curricular clubs and sporting activities. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are well provided for and as a result they make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The pupils are known and valued as individuals by staff and are very secure in the knowledge that they have adults around them who care for and support them well. Staff act quickly to support pupils when they are in trouble and the pupils themselves speak readily about how the headteacher and other staff are always prepared to listen to them when they have problems. Very good attention is given to pupils’ health and safety and to child protection. Guidance on personal issues is very good. However, academic guidance through, for example, marking and the use of lessons objectives is not as securely established. This means that opportunities for pupils to be clear about what they need to do next to improve their work are sometimes missed.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has gone through an unsettled period in the recent past. This situation is now well resolved. The recently appointed headteacher provides effective and inspiring leadership which is moving the school forward rapidly. She also has a very good understanding of what the school needs to do next. In particular, the school’s ethos has improved considerably, with staff, parents and pupils alike now being fully confident in its successful future. Teaching is being monitored by the headteacher and the results are being successfully used to identify and remedy any individual or common weaknesses. The governors – including the knowledgeable and proactive chair – are very supportive and well involved in the life of the school at all levels – especially in strategic planning and monitoring. They are prepared to challenge the school’s management when they 4 Inspection Report: Horrabridge Community Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 12 June 2006

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Grade: 3

consider this necessary and successfully fulfil the role of ‘critical friends’. The school’s strategic improvement plan is a good reflection of its needs and its evaluation of its performance prior to the inspection largely matched that of the inspectors. Parents are regularly consulted about the school’s work. With the support of the headteacher and the local authority, subject managers are beginning to gain a whole-school overview of their areas of responsibility. They are all enthusiastic and committed but their role is still not developed enough, and has not had time yet to fully impact on the standards and achievement of the pupils. 5 Inspection Report: Horrabridge Community Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 12 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: Horrabridge Community Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 12 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 making us so welcome at your school. We enjoyed meeting you and hearing about your work. You told us how much you like your school. We enjoyed our visit and now want to share with you what we thought about the school. These are the things we especially liked: You are well behaved and care well for one another, which means that the school is a safe and happy place. You enjoy your education and have a good sense of loyalty to your school. You have a good understanding of how to keep fit and healthy. You are well cared for, guided and supported. The headteacher and staff are working hard to help the school get even better. Here are some things we have suggested to help the school improve further: We think some of you could do better in lessons, particularly in English, if teachers made sure that your work was more challenging. The way the grown-ups in charge of subjects keep a check on how well you are learning could be improved still further.

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