Nazeing Primary School

Inspection Report Nazeing Primary School

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114972 Unique Reference Number ESSEX LEA LEA 279487 Inspection number 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Paul Cosway AI Reporting inspector

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

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Hyde Mead School address Primary Type of school EN9 2HS Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01992 893344 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01992 893945 Fax number 250 Number on roll Mrs.Melanie Seymour Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss. Cheryl Macleod Headteacher 13 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279487 13 June 2006 - 4 to 11 14 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school, with a standard admissions number of 45. This leads to some classes having children of different ages in them, for example, a combined Year 1 and 2 class. The school serves the village of Nazeing and rural areas nearby. The proportions of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, and those entitled to free school meals are close to average. Pupils are mostly of White British background and the school also educates small groups of children from Traveller communities. The school has been awarded Investors in People, Sportsmark and Healthy School status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Nazeing Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school's judgement that its overall effectiveness is satisfactory and it gives satisfactory value for money. It is improving rapidly because of effective action taken by the leadership team. There are some good and outstanding aspects to the work of the school. Pupils' attainment on entry is close to average. Sound provision in the Foundation Stage ensures that almost all pupils reach the standards expected for their age by the time they reach Year 1 and progress is sound. Because children do not start school until the term in which they are five, those who start in the summer term miss a significant amount of the Early Years curriculum and these children do not always reach the levels expected by the time the move into Year 1. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is satisfactory overall, but there are some weaknesses. Satisfactory teaching up to Year 2 has led to levels of

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Grade: 3

attainment that have varied slightly year by year, but have been close to average overall at the end of Year 2. In recent years, pupils have made satisfactory progress and reached standards close to or above average in the national tests at the end of Year 6. However, in 2005 pupils' performance in the national tests in English and mathematics was below average. Overall, progress was not as good as it should have been. The school was rightly disappointed with these results and throughout the current academic year has sought successfully to improve provision through Years 3 to 6. The quality of teaching for these older pupils has been inconsistent, ranging from outstanding to sometimes inadequate. It is becoming increasingly more consistent with lessons meeting at least satisfactory levels. The effective leadership and management of the headteacher and her senior team have brought about improvement.

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Grade: 3

The reasons for the low results last year were identified. With help from the local authority, the teaching of writing and numeracy was revitalised. Pupils know their targets and are aware now of how to improve their work. Teachers monitor the short-term progress of their pupils carefully and intervene when pupils fall behind, but not all teachers have a secure understanding of how to use data to check whether their pupils are on track to achieve their full potential in the long term. This limits the school in its ability to ensure that all pupils progress as well as they might, particularly the more able. Achievement has improved this year and has returned to a satisfactory level. The school is on track to reach its challenging targets, having failed to do so last year by a wide margin. Currently, pupils are achieving satisfactorily in English and mathematics and standards in Year 6 are close to average. Good provision for science,

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Grade: 3

physical education (PE) and information and communication technology (ICT) leads to pupils learning well and in these subjects standards are above average. The skills learned in such lessons, along with pupils' self-confidence and ability to work well as part of a team, are good preparation for their future economic well-being. The main reason for pupils responding so quickly to the greater challenges that have been set for them is their outstanding personal development. This has long been a strength of the school and is underpinned by the approach taken by the school leading to excellent provision in relation to spiritual, moral social and cultural development. Pupils are eager to learn, very well behaved and very respectful of their teachers. They love coming to school and want to do well. One Year 6 girl wrote that she was ashamed of 2 Inspection Report: Nazeing Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 3

the standard of her work and her ambition is to reach level 5. Relationships through the school are excellent. There is almost no bullying or inappropriate behaviour of any kind. Attendance is satisfactory and improving. Pupils make an excellent contribution to their school community and wider community through the many responsibilities that they take with pride in school and, for example, work for charities. Parents value the school highly and many apply from out of the school's catchment area. They very much appreciate the way that the school helps their children to become confident and happy learners. The care and support offered to pupils is good. The school is a safe environment in which every child is valued and respected, including those from ethnic minorities and those with learning difficulties or disabilities. The curriculum is good, broad and enriched by a wide range of clubs and visits. Leadership is satisfactory

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Grade: 3

overall, although some aspects are good. The headteacher manages people well and the way in which she involves parents is outstanding. The leadership team has overcome the staffing difficulties that were affecting pupils' progress in some classes last year. Staff morale is high and parents and governors are contributing well to school development. The governors work hard for the good of the school. Issues identified in the previous inspection have been addressed successfully and the school is well placed to continue to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Ensure that teachers monitor pupils' progress more closely in relation to their targets to ensure that all are doing as well as they can. - Improve teaching quality by ensuring that assessments are used consistently to guide lesson planning and so provide sufficient challenge for more able pupils and support for those with learning difficulties.

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Grade: 3

Overall, achievement and standards are satisfactory. The strengths are: - Children make satisfactory progress through the Foundation Stage and up to Year 2, reaching average standards in the national assessments for seven year-olds. - Currently, by the end of Year 6 standards are close to average in English and mathematics and above average in science, PE and ICT. - The school is on track to meet the challenging targets set for the end of Year 6 this year. - Most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and those who are at the early stages of learning English, make sound progress. The weakness is: - Given the above average standards achieved in science, PE and ICT standards in other subjects, especially English and mathematics could be higher still.

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Grade: 1

The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are outstanding. The strengths are: - They love coming to school. - Pupils are mature, courteous and a pleasure to be with. Their behaviour is excellent in lessons, around the school and out on trips. - They are proud 3 Inspection Report: Nazeing Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 of their school, their own achievements and talents. - They have very positive attitudes to work and strive to meet their targets. - Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. - The school has worked very effectively to bring historically low attendance rates up to average. - Pupils understand how to lead a safe and healthy life. They are particularly well involved in sport and physical activities.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The strengths are: - Some teaching is outstanding and highly motivating. - Teachers have excellent relationships with their pupils and manage them well. Consequently, pupils behave excellently and they work very hard, showing interest and enthusiasm. - Most teachers have good knowledge of their subjects, plan their lessons well and provide a good variety of tasks to keep the pupils involved and interested. - Most teachers use marking very well, especially in literacy and numeracy, to help pupils to improve their work. The weakness is: - In some lessons, teachers do not match the work to meet the needs of pupils with differing levels of ability. They are not sufficiently aware of their pupils' potential grades and so do not always have high enough expectations.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good range of lessons and activities. The strengths are: - The management team has successfully introduced grouping by ability in Year 6 to improve achievement in mathematics and literacy. - In an effective move to raise writing standards teachers organise interesting activities and 'creative corners' to stimulate imaginative writing. - Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those pupils with special gifts and talents are increasingly being given good opportunities to progress at their own pace. - Information and communication technology is now a valuable part of many lessons and is preparing the pupils well in skills they will need in life beyond school. - Pupils benefit from an extensive range of clubs, outings and visitors. The weakness is: - Some children who join the school in the Spring or Summer term in which they are five, miss significant elements of the curriculum. Consequently some

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Grade: 2

do not meet the levels expected of them when they move to Year 1.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The strengths are: - Relationships in school are outstanding. - Individual needs are identified early and there are effective links with external agencies. - Child protection procedures are good. - Involving pupils in assessing their own performance is leading to them knowing their targets better and how they can improve their work. - Parents' views on the school are very positive. Pupils say 4 Inspection Report: Nazeing Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 they enjoy coming to school and wouldn't change anything, saying, 'It's great here.' The weakness is: - Though teachers know pupils well, they are not tracking progress well enough from year to year.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. There are strengths in: - Inclusion; the way that every child and adult is valued and cared for. - Relationships with parents are outstanding; they are very involved in the work of the school and play a full part in their children's education.  All the adults in the school are managed well and, along with the governors, work as an effective team, contributing well to school development. The weakness is:  The school did not analyse its assessment information rigorously and act quickly enough to prevent a fall in results in 2005. Much improved use of assessment data is now in place at a whole-school level to try to ensure that it does not happen again, although it is not yet embedded in the school's work. The school is now better placed to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Nazeing Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 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: Nazeing Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 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 3 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 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 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 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 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 all the help you gave to the inspectors when we visited your school. You were all very polite, happy, friendly and helpful. You are very proud of your school and we could see why. These are the things we thought were good or excellent: - We think you work hard and want to do well. You respect and like the adults in school and they like and respect you. - Your behaviour is excellent and you are all very kind and helpful to each other. - You enjoy school and we think you do some interesting work. You feel well cared for and safe. - You have a very good range of clubs, teams, visits and visitors. - Your headteacher, the deputy headteacher and all the staff are improving the school to make it an even better place for you. We have suggested something that will help make the school even better: - We think some of you could learn even more. We want your teachers to make sure that you make better progress

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

between Year 2 and Year 6 so that you finish up with the best grades you can by the end of your time at this school.

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