Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

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115166 Unique Reference Number ESSEX LEA LEA 279532 Inspection number 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr. David Speakman LI Reporting inspector

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

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New Road School address Primary Type of school CM3 2PN Voluntary aided School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01245233206 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01245233612 Fax number 92 Number on roll Mr.Peter Evans Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms. Auriel Newbury Headteacher 22 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279532 3 October 2005 - 4 to 11 4 October 2005 Inspection Report: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005

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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 additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average Church of England primary school. Most of the pupils are of a white British background with small numbers from minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils entitled to claim a free school meal is now about average, having recently risen. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is average. Pupils are taught in mixed age classes. The school has achieved the Investor in People award and has recently had its action plan for Advanced Healthy Schools Award approved.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005

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Grade: 2

The outcomes of the inspection confirm that the school rightly judges itself to be a good school. It provides good value for money. All staff show exceptionally high levels of care for pupils' physical and emotional well-being and for their academic progress. Consequently pupils feel valued and have extremely positive attitudes to all aspects of school life and learning. The quality of life in school for pupils is high. The quality of teaching and learning is good, and rigorous assessment of pupils' work enables teachers to set challenging learning tasks. The school is aware, however, of the need to set more difficult work for higher attaining younger pupils, so that by the end of Year 2, they will have achieved the higher levels of which they are capable. The innovative curriculum is of a good quality and is effective in stimulating and motivating pupils to learn. As a result pupils make good progress. This good quality provision

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Grade: 2

extends to the Foundation Stage. Pupils join the school with below average skills, particularly in communication and in their mathematical development. They soon gain confidence and achieve well in their foundation year. The school is well led and managed and there is close and effective team work between all staff and the governing body. There now remains a need to reorganise staff responsibility so that it effectively meets the demand of the recently developed curriculum and style of learning. Recent initiatives have brought about improvement in areas identified by rigorous school self-evaluation and in those identified by the previous inspection. The school therefore is judged to have a very good capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

-devise and implement new strategies and responsibilities for curriculum leadership and management in line with the school's methods of teaching and learning; -raise standards for higher attaining pupils in Year 2.

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Grade: 2

School assessment information shows that pupils start school with standards that are below those expected for their age. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress overall and by the end of Year 6 standards are in line with the national average. Teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2005 showed a significant rise in the proportion of pupils achieving the nationally expected level in reading, writing and mathematics. All pupils gained Level 2 in each subject, but none gained the higher level 3 in any subject. Test results at the end of Year 6 were in line with those seen nationally in English and science and above average in mathematics. Overall this means that this group of pupils achieved satisfactorily between the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The school has paid particular attention to standards in science, which were below average in 2004, and these have improved. Pupils exceeded the

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Grade: 2

targets set for them in mathematics and met them in English. The school has introduced new ways of teaching and learning, which focus on pupils learning through enquiry 2 Inspection Report: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 whilst studying themes across a range of subjects. Alongside this teachers have implemented rigorous and very reliable ways of assessing and tracking individual pupils' achievement, which show that achievement throughout the school is good.

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Grade: 1

Pupils show exceptionally positive attitudes towards school and learning. They say they enjoy lessons and that 'learning is interesting and fun'. Behaviour in class and at break and lunchtimes is exemplary. Pupils say there is never any trouble and that pupils care for and help each other. They consider school is a safe and very pleasant place to be. Enthusiasm for school is reflected in improved attendance. In 2001/02 attendance was well below average. It is now average. Pupils' spiritual moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils show exceptionally unselfish attitudes and a high level of appreciation for what the school does for them to encourage their growth and independence. Through links with other schools pupils have a growing awareness of how pupils from other backgrounds live. Their moral and social awareness is exceptionally strong and the school operates as a highly harmonious community. Pupils

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Grade: 1

have a very high awareness of how to stay healthy. The school council was responsible for encouraging the parent teacher association to fund the extended provision of fruit each day to older pupils. This is just one of the many ways in which pupils influence school life. All pupils have a chance to contribute through class and school council meetings. In lessons pupils gain very good ideas about how to set up small businesses, such as, in Years 3 and 4, a research and advice company. Through activities such as this they gain effective skills for learning and to prepare them for the future.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good at all stages of the school. Teachers are committed to enabling pupils to acquire skills that will enable them to be effective learners. They use very accurate information they gather on pupils' achievement effectively to set the next steps for learning and move pupils on at a good pace. For most pupils, this ensures challenging activity. However, the school recognises a need to challenge more the higher attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 to ensure that they achieve the higher levels of which they are capable, and is already working on this. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils and they are able to be adventurous in their teaching so that learning is an interesting and enjoyable experience for all. Pupils agree with this. Teachers' very good management of pupils and the resulting excellent behaviour means that they trust pupils to work independently and that pupils

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Grade: 2

become active learners. Lesson planning is meticulous. It builds on whole school curriculum planning exceptionally well and ensures that all subjects of the National Curriculum are covered fully. Teaching assistants are very familiar with teaching and learning styles and are fully involved in the planning and the assessment of pupils' 3 Inspection Report: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 work. They make a highly valued contribution to pupils' achievement and to the good support given to pupils with special educational needs.

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Grade: 2

In an initiative to motivate pupils into more effective and productive learning, the school has revised the structure of the curriculum and the way in which pupils learn. Much of the curriculum is presented to pupils in carefully planned topics, focusing on pupils developing effective learning skills, through which they are able to gain knowledge and understanding in all subjects. The checking of the curriculum is highly structured and pupils' skills are developed systematically. The result is a programme of very interesting learning experiences, which effectively motivate pupils to become enthusiastic learners. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities in which all pupils can take part and which provides a variety of activities, including sports, French and German, a Christian club, computers and a choir. An interesting range of visits and visitors enriches pupils' learning well and effectively supports the school's aim to

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Grade: 2

promote physical and personal skills and well-being.

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Grade: 1

The school shows exceptionally high levels of care for all pupils. Staff consider the emotional well-being of pupils to be as important as caring for their physical needs and this is reflected highly in their work. To this end staff have created an environment in which all pupils feel safe and secure and in which they feel comfortable. They are given ample opportunities to raise personal issues, confidentially if they need to. Pupils know there is someone there to help should they be in need, and all staff are fully aware of the school's child protection procedures. Pupils' health is promoted very effectively. They are taught about healthy lifestyles and are provided with fruit each day and water to drink throughout the day. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, are given high quality guidance on how to improve their work. There is rigorous assessment of each individual's academic progress, and the marking

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Grade: 1

of their work enables pupils to see what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. These provide the basis for exceptionally secure guidance and support for pupils' learning.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. There is a small staff and each teacher has important responsibilities. The headteacher, very well supported by her deputy, has created a united team, which is committed to providing a good quality education for all pupils. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and very effective in establishing the priorities for improvement. Through this the school has identified a need to raise standards by raising pupils' motivation to learn. Strong leadership and guidance have 4 Inspection Report: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 enabled the school to implement very successfully a change in the way pupils learn and consequently in the teaching and learning styles, which very effectively met their improvement targets. This large scale innovation has been very well led and managed, with all staff involved showing great attention to detail, including setting up rigorous

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Grade: 2

assessment systems which carefully track pupils' individual progress. Now that the school knows the strengths of this development, they know that they have to reorganise leadership responsibilities of staff so that they can continue to effectively manage the demands of teaching and learning styles in this school. Under the guidance of knowledgeable and highly experienced chairmanship, the governing body has clearly identified areas for improvement and has set very challenging targets for the school to meet. Recent initiatives have been instrumental in improving pupils' achievement, raising standards in science, improving pupils' attendance and in addressing the issues raised in the previous inspection. The close teamwork of the head teacher, staff and the governing body and their high level of commitment to meeting the learning and personal needs of all pupils, combined with highly effective school self-evaluation

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Grade: 2

means that the school has a very good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 .

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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: Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005

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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 1 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 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 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 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 1 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 2 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 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

I was delighted to meet you when I came to inspect your school. Thank you very much for welcoming me into your classrooms, talking to me and helping me find out about you and how good your school is. You have a good school and I was impressed to see how well you work in lessons. I was very pleased by the way in which you behave in school and how you have made it into a friendly place, with all of you getting on very well together, with your teachers and with other grown-ups working in the school. The school looks after each of you very well and I found all the staff to be very caring in the way they support each of you every day, both in your personal development and in your learning. I found that teaching in lessons is good and that your teachers help you to do well. Your teachers work very hard to make learning interesting and fun for you. They help you to learn how to learn so that you will be able to continue your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

learning even when you are an adult. Your head teacher runs the school well and, with the support of the staff and governors, has been successful in making your school an interesting and enjoyable place for you to be. It is good that she and other teachers listen to what you have to say about school and use your views in planning its future There are some things that could be improved and I am asking your headteacher, the governors and teachers to think about two things: -helping some younger pupils to do harder work; -and who takes responsibility for different subjects, so that your learning gets even better. I hope you all do well in the future.

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