Down Ampney Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Down Ampney Church of England Primary School

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115664 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire LEA 279649 Inspection number 17 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 Inspection dates Gerald Griffin AI Reporting inspector

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

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Down Ampney School address Primary Type of school Cirencester Foundation School category Gloucestershire GL7 5QR 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01793 750294 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01793 750605 Fax number 43 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Corinne Martin Headteacher 21 January 2004 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279649 17 May 2006 - 4 to 11 17 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 Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Down Ampney Church of England Primary School is a two class village primary school. There is a class for Foundation, Years 1 and 2 which is the infants class and a junior class for Years 3 - 6. It is much smaller than the average primary school. There are few pupils from minority ethnic groups and none are at the early stage of learning English. Pupils’ standards on entry are average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties is above the national average. Currently no pupils claim free school meals. The headteacher has been in post eighteen months.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Down Ampney Church of England Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 17 May 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory and improving school. The school’s self evaluation agrees with this. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection, having rectified the serious weaknesses in the curriculum, leadership and management. The new headteacher provides good leadership. Through her accurate understanding of the qualities of the school, she provides clear direction for improvement. As a result, standards and achievement are rising. Recently appointed subject managers provide enthusiastic support. However, their role needs developing to enable them to have a better understanding of what is happening in their subject areas. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and children attain the expected standard. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are broadly average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in all years. Pupils with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory although occasionally the work planned does not sufficiently match the needs of all pupils. Pupils behave well and have good attitudes in lessons and around school. The strong Christian ethos of the school underpins pupils’ outstanding spiritual development. They enjoy school and learn to take responsibility well. The curriculum meets the needs of pupils well. The quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory. While the school tracks the progress pupils make in their work well, pupils are not set challenging academic targets which will enable them to make better progress. The school has effective links with other organizations to promote the well being of learners. The school is well placed to continue making improvements. It gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide pupils and teachers with challenging academic targets to ensure they will make good progress. • Improve the effectiveness of teaching by ensuring that work is matched to pupils’ needs and capabilities. • Develop the role of subject managers to enable them to have a clear understanding of pupils’ progress in their subject areas.

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory. They are rising quickly because of the steps being taken to improve the curriculum and other aspects of the school’s provision. A reflection of this was the above average results in the 2005 Year 6 tests when the school successfully met its targets. Children in the Foundation Stage enjoy a stimulating environment and make satisfactory progress to reach the expected standard by the time they enter Year 1. At the end of Year 2 standards are broadly average and pupils continue to make satisfactory progress. Achievement in Years 3 to 6, while satisfactory, is improving because standards in writing, a relative weakness in past years, are better and are now average. The lack of challenging targets to help pupils improve is preventing pupils from making good progress. The school has worked hard to ensure that activities and resources engage and interests both boys and girls. As a result,

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Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: Down Ampney Church of England Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 boys’ standards have improved overall this year and are now similar to those of girls. Pupils with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress because they are provided with an appropriate level of support.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being, including their moral, social and cultural development are good. Their spiritual development is outstanding. Junior pupils are able, for example, to maturely reflect on such challenging issues as “life being precious”. Pupils clearly like school and this is reflected in their very good attendance. Pupils’ good behaviour and their good relationships with each other and staff are based on a clear moral code. Pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures and are well prepared for life in a multicultural society. Pupils understand well the need to eat healthily and taking exercise. They do their best to put this into practice in their choice of packed lunches, in physical education lessons and games. Pupils adopt safe practices and feel free from harassment. If they have a worry they are confident in approaching a member of the school’s staff. They say that staff deal

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Grade: 2

quickly and effectively with their concerns. Pupils enjoy their charity work and are gaining good experience of taking responsibility through the school council. Pupils’ average standards in English, mathematics and information and communication technology are providing satisfactory support for their developing economic well being.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and improving. There is some good teaching. Teaching engages pupils well. As a result, they are interested and keen to work. High expectations for the quality of work are improving pupils’ presentation of their work. Clear lesson targets ensure pupils cover a lot of work at a lively pace. Pupils are encouraged to become independent, for example Year 1 pupils refer first to a dictionary if they are unsure about a spelling. Whilst there are good examples of teachers planning work to meet the needs of all pupils in mixed age classes, this is not consistent and occasionally pupils are not sufficiently stretched by their work. Good feedback through very thorough marking supports learning well by showing pupils how much progress they are making and how they can improve further. This has been particularly effective in raising standards in writing and the achievement of boys.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum is contributing to rising standards by building on prior attainment and experience well. Past weaknesses in the curriculum have been rectified. It meets the specific needs of pupils in a small school well. In the junior class, English and 3 Inspection Report: Down Ampney Church of England Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 mathematics are taught in smaller groups to a narrower age band enabling planning to better match the learning needs of pupils. As a result, this is helping to raise standards and achievement. The school makes good use of the local community and nearby schools to enable pupils to broaden their experiences. This is contributing to pupils’ good personal development. For example, pupils meet a wider range of their peers in booster classes shared with other schools and team games and choir are also organised jointly. Pupils’ learning is enriched well through the many visits to places

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Grade: 2

of interest and talks from visitors to school. The school feels that the curriculum would be improved by providing the opportunity for pupils to learn a modern foreign language. There are many opportunities for pupils to participate in clubs and sports and this develops their personal development and aspirations well.

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Grade: 3

The care, guidance and support of pupils is satisfactory. Arrangements for the care of pupils are good. Parents feel children are safe and well supported. Child protection arrangements and health and safety procedures are robust and procedures to ensure good behaviour and good attendance are very effective. Individual Education Plans for pupils with learning difficulties provide clear guidance and strategies for improvement. The school makes good use of external agencies and specialists to promote care when the need arises. Teachers’ accurate analysis of work provides pupils with targets on how to improve their work. Progress is carefully tracked and shared with pupils. If progress slows teachers provide further support. While this is contributing to improving standards and achievement the targets do not stretch pupils enough and are not sufficiently challenging to make their progress good.

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Grade: 3

The serious weakness outlined in the last report has been successfully resolved and leadership and management are now satisfactory and improving. The leadership of the new headteacher is good. Her clear direction has resulted in an improvement in standards and achievement for boys and for all pupils in Years 3 to 6. The headteacher is enthusiastically supported by the recently appointed subject co-ordinators. Whilst they are clear about their roles and responsibilities the school recognises that they need training, for example in the checking and evaluation of the work in their areas. Through monitoring and evaluation of its work the school has an accurate picture of its strengths and weaknesses. This is evident in the recent work done to improve the quality of teaching. Weaknesses were found in the teaching of writing and in the planning of work for boys. The school responded with clear and effective strategies

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Grade: 3

that have successfully raised standards and achievement in these areas. The school recognises that planning for mixed age classes needs to be improved for standards to rise further. Financial management is secure. Parent’ views are readily sought and acted upon. The inspection survey shows they are happy with the school. However, the school council feel the school’s management do not always respond quickly enough 4 Inspection Report: Down Ampney Church of England Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 to some matters that they raise. The governing body provide the headteacher with good support. Through their developing understanding of data, governors are beginning to challenge the standards and progress pupils achieve. 5 Inspection Report: Down Ampney Church of England Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 17 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: Down Ampney Church of England Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 17 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 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 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 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 3 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 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

Dear Pupils Thank you for welcoming me to your school and being so friendly. I enjoyed my conversations with you about your work and the other things that you do at school. What I liked most about your school: • You are polite and well behaved. • In lessons, you enjoy your learning and work hard for your teachers. • All of the staff care for you well. • The good number of extra activities such as visits and clubs that you enjoy. • You reflect on spiritual matters very maturely. • The school is improving as a result of the new leadership team. What I have asked your school to do now: • Set you clear academic targets that will enable you to make good progress. • Make sure teachers plan work that helps every boy and girl achieve well. • Ensure that those teachers with responsibilities for subjects check on the work that you do. Yours sincerely Gerald Griffin Lead Inspector

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