Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School

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115701 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire LEA 279660 Inspection number 27 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 Inspection dates Tom Shine AI Reporting inspector

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

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The Village School address Primary Type of school Westbury-on-Severn Voluntary aided School category Gloucestershire GL14 1PA 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01452 760303 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01452 760303 Fax number 72 Number on roll Mr Ian Batham Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Valerie Hoskinstt Headteacher 24 February 2004 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279660 27 June 2006 - 4 to 11 27 June 2006 Inspection Report: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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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

Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School is much smaller than most primary schools and serves a socially mixed community. Because of small admission numbers, pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes. Nearly all of the pupils are of White British origin. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is below the national average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is an effective school that gives good value for money. These judgements match the school’s own views. The school knows what needs to be done to improve. It has made good progress since the last inspection and has the secure capacity to improve further. Although the quality of teaching is good overall, it is satisfactory in one class. Pupils therefore do not make the same rate of good progress consistently throughout the school. Good measures have been put in place to enable pupils to achieve well in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. The quality of teaching in the Reception class is good and, as a result, children achieve well. There is a welcoming, friendly atmosphere in the school and provision for pupils’ personal development and its levels of care and support are good. The curriculum is good and is complemented by a wide range of out-of-school activities for a small school, which are popular with pupils. However, pupils are not given enough

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Grade: 2

opportunities to use their improved skills in information and communication technology (ICT) for learning in other subjects. The headteacher has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. She is determined to raise the quality of teaching to a good level throughout the school, and has already taken some steps to improve it. Leadership and management are good. Parents are very supportive of the school, and say the pupils are making better progress than previously.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Ensure the quality of teaching is good throughout the school. •Provide more opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills when studying other subjects.

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Grade: 2

Children’s key skills fluctuate from year to year when they enter Reception but are broadly average, overall. The provision and teaching in this class enable all children to make a flying start to their education. As a result, they make good progress and achieve well. End of Year 2 assessments in 2005 showed that standards were broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics, although they were weakest in mathematics. Current standards are similar in reading and writing but standards in mathematics are now exceptionally high because of the good teaching in the subject. Pupils in Year 6 are now attaining above- average standards in English, mathematics and science and all pupils, including higher-attaining pupils, are achieving well. Since 2001, there has been an upward trend in standards in Year 6, with some fluctuations as a result of small year-group sizes and turbulence in staffing. Standards in ICT have improved

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Grade: 2

since the last inspection and are now broadly average. 2 Inspection Report: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. They enjoy coming to school and have positive attitudes to learning, reflected in the above-average rates of attendance. ‘I have liked it here from the start; the teachers, my friends and what I do in school,’ is a view from a Year 6 pupil, and one echoed by many others. They behave well, both in lessons and in the playground, where pupils of all ages act in a responsible way at lunchtime while eating their sandwiches on the grassed area in a civilized manner, quietly chatting to their friends. Pupils have good relationships with all adults in the school. Members of the school council say that they try to ‘make things better’ and feel they are listened to and point to the new goalposts, complete with nets, as one of the results of their suggestions. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. At collective worship, they reflect well on what it means to make

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Grade: 2

a promise and appreciate the efforts of others. Through the curriculum, pupils develop a good understanding of themselves and their place in the wider world, and express this well in their use of language. Pupils develop a strong sense of their own well-being and learn how their decisions will affect others. They know the best ways to stay healthy, through eating the right foods and taking exercise. They feel safe at school. Several have special responsibilities around the school, such as checking no-one runs in the corridors, which they carry out well. Pupils’ acquisition of good basic skills, their strong links with the local community and their work for charities equip them well for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall, although in one class they are satisfactory. In this class, work is not consistently planned to meet the needs of all pupils and the more able are not consistently challenged enough. Since January, the headteacher has taught mathematics in Year 2 only, and has successfully raised standards in this group. Effective teaching in the Years 4–6 class since last September has made a major contribution to pupils’ good achievement by the time they leave the school. Teachers use their good subject knowledge effectively, particularly when teaching literacy and numeracy, and have high expectations that all groups of pupils in the mixed-age classes will do their best. Teachers know the pupils well, enabling them to set realistic targets, and they have good systems to check on how well the pupils are learning. Teachers’ marking is generally good and shows pupils clearly what they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Pupils with learning difficulties receive good quality support from well-briefed teaching assistants, either in class or in small groups, that enables them to make good progress in achieving their targets. 3 Inspection Report: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 Teaching is good in the Reception class, which is broadly split between children of Reception age and pupils in Year 1, and good planning ensures that work and activities are set that match the needs of the children well. The children respond well to the teacher’s lively and engaging manner and as a result of this good teaching and supportive staff, they get off to a cracking start.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is enriched well through a wide range of visits and after-school clubs that are very well attended. Parents appreciate that these have improved in recent years and like the fact that some are now open to the younger pupils. The curriculum is adapted well for the mixed-age classes and as a result successfully meets the needs of all pupils. Pupils in the class for Years 4, 5 and 6 are set by ability to enable work to be more closely matched to their needs. In the Reception there is a good learning environment and an attractive outside play area. Good resources are used to enhance an interesting range of activities. Although standards in ICT have improved since the last inspection, pupils are not given enough opportunities to use the technology to support learning in other subjects.

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Grade: 2

The school provides good care for its pupils. Child protection procedures are effective, are known to all staff and have improved since the last inspection. All pupils are very well known to the school as individuals, and their personal and academic progress is effectively monitored overall, although the standard of monitoring is not consistent throughout the school. A few pupils have been identified as gifted and talented and are given appropriately challenging tasks to stretch them; for example, in mathematics. The school believes that for a child to learn effectively it must feel safe and secure, and it pays very careful attention to ensuring the school represents stability for all pupils. The school supports the relatively few pupils with learning difficulties well. Good induction procedures in the Reception class enable children to settle into school routines happily. Pupils in Year 6 are well prepared to move onto their next school

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Grade: 2

through an effective programme of planned visits.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a well-developed understanding of what the school does well and how it might improve further. Since she was first appointed in 2001 she has had to deal with a number of staffing issues involving unsatisfactory teaching that she has addressed robustly. The school has improved well since the last inspection and effective measures have been introduced to counterbalance the instability in staffing, including teaching mathematics in Year 2 and setting the older pupils by ability in English and mathematics. These arrangements 4 Inspection Report: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 have been very successful in raising pupils’ standards and in enabling them to make good progress. The two core members of the teaching staff, together with the headteacher, work well as a team, leading and managing their areas of responsibility well. They have very

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Grade: 2

positive attitudes and high expectations, and are focused on ensuring all groups of pupils achieve well. Data is analysed carefully to identify where support should be targeted. Good procedures are in place to ensure that monitoring takes place on a regular basis. A small minority of parents would like the school to seek their views on school matters more than they consider it does. Governance is good and has improved since the last inspection. The governors are very supportive and committed and have a much more strategic view of the school than previously and are not afraid to call it to account. 5 Inspection Report: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 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: Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 27 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 2 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 2 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 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 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 2 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 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 me when I came to your school recently. I liked talking to you and to your teachers and coming to your assembly. Now I would like to share with you what I found in your school. These are the things I liked most about your school: •You make a good start to your education in the Reception. •You are all very friendly and polite. •You told us you feel safe and well supported. •Your headteacher makes sure those of you who need extra help get it. •You enjoy school and attend regularly. •You also behave and get on well with each other and with all members of staff. •You are taught to realise the importance of exercise and healthy eating. •You enjoy the range of out-of-school clubs. But there are some things that would make the school even better: •I think some of you could make more progress if you were asked to do harder and more interesting work. •I also think you could use your computer skills more when you study other

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