Stockbridge Primary & Pre-School

Inspection Report Stockbridge Primary School

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115949 Unique Reference Number Hampshire LEA LEA 279709 Inspection number 16 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell AI Reporting inspector

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

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London Road School address Primary Type of school Stockbridge Community School category SO20 6EJ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01264810550 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01264 811612 Fax number 120 Number on roll Mr Ryan Bundy Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Pamela Simpson Headteacher 10 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279709 16 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This small primary school serves the town of Stockbridge and the surrounding area. Pupils come from a range of backgrounds with very little apparent deprivation and few are known to be eligible for free school meals. Almost all pupils have White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities varies from year to year and is currently below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Stockbridge Primary School, 16 May 2006 to 17 May 2006

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Grade: 2

The inspection evidence confirms the school's own judgement that this is a good school, which provides good value for money. The care for pupils is good. Good links with parents and agencies support this, contributing to pupils' excellent behaviour, positive attitudes to learning and enjoyment of school. Taken overall teaching is satisfactory. Children receive a very good start to their education in Reception and make good progress. They quickly become lively, confident and expressive learners. Pupils are generally challenged to work hard and achieve well so that by the end of Year 6 standards are consistently above average in English, mathematics and science. However, in a few lessons, the pace of learning slows because work is often too easy and some pupils underachieve. The school has made a satisfactory start on using assessment to plan work which matches pupils' capabilities, but the information is not shared sufficiently with pupils so that they know how well

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Grade: 2

they are doing. The good and rich curriculum meets the needs of all learners. Leadership and management are good and have ensured good improvement since the previous inspection. The school is well placed to improve further because leadership clearly identifies where provision needs to improve, and takes determined and effective action.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the consistency of teaching so that all lessons match the quality of the best • Make better use of assessment information to plan the next steps in pupilsand#8217; learning and to keep them better informed of how well they are doing

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Grade: 2

Standards on entry to Reception vary from year to year, but are average overall, with strengths in personal and social and speaking skills. Children get a good start to their education, make good progress and most achieve the learning goals expected by the time they start in Year 1. A significant number exceed them. The school sets challenging targets for its pupils in English and mathematics. In Years 1 and 2 pupils make good progress towards meeting them. Statutory assessments at the end of Year 2 show that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are mostly above average. In lower Key Stage 2 there is some underachievement and fewer pupils than expected reach their targets. Some parents have rightly expressed concern about this. Older pupils make good progress and by the end of Year 6 standards are consistently above 2 Inspection Report: Stockbridge Primary School, 16 May 2006 to 17 May 2006

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Grade: 2

average. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities also make good progress due to the well planned and managed support they receive. The school continually works to raise standards. It identified weaknesses in mathematics, particularly for more able pupils. With consultancy support and extra provision for more able pupils in Year 6 these pupils now make good progress. The school has looked at boys' writing and considered approaches and materials that bring about a better response from them. This is improving their writing and putting them on a more even footing with girls.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good. They are proud of their school and enjoy all that it has to offer, which is reflected in their good levels of attendance. One parent commented, 'My son runs straight into school everyday without looking back, and wants to stay there at the end of the day'. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. They co-operate well in groups and develop as confident, independent learners. These attributes, together with their good basic skills, prepare them well for secondary school and the world beyond. Pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good. They are very respectful of one another and have a good understanding of people who are different from them. They are proud of their own and others' achievements, particularly when 'stars of the week' are announced in assembly. Pupils are eager to take on responsibility as 'playground buddies'. They contribute to the school community effectively through

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Grade: 2

the school council by highlighting and acting upon playground issues they are not happy with. They develop a growing awareness of the wider community through links with local schools and activities in the town. Their good awareness and concern for the outside world is shown in their charitable giving. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy the good range of opportunities for sport and exercise. Although the school promotes healthy eating, some pupils remain reluctant to take this fully on board. Pupils feel safe in school and are confident that any problems will quickly be resolved.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Many of the lessons observed during the inspection were good or outstanding and helped pupils make good progress in their learning. In all classes relationships are very good and pupils want to learn. One pupil commented, 'The work makes you think and gets your brain working'. Where teaching is most effective, good use is starting to be made of assessment information to plan challenging work that meets the learning needs of all 3 Inspection Report: Stockbridge Primary School, 16 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 pupils, including those with learning difficulties. However, this practice is not fully established throughout the school. Lessons often employ exciting and creative methods that result in pupils' full attention and enjoyment. This was evident in a Reception and Year 1 lesson where children made a life-size scarecrow. Careful questioning and a lot of laughter contributed much to

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Grade: 3

improving their skills in design and technology. However, some lessons are less effective. A number of pupils in lower Key Stage 2 say their work is too easy. Inspectors agree that currently some of these pupils are not always faced with sufficient challenge. The conclusions to most lessons provide opportunities for pupils to show and talk about what they have done. Teachers however do not always give enough time for pupils to evaluate their learning, to express what they found easy or difficult and to discuss what they need to do next to improve.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum that meets the learning needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and those identified as gifted and talented. Good opportunities are developing for pupils to use and practise their various skills in topic work. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use their computer skills in this way. In Years 3 to 6, pupils benefit from specialist teaching in French, drama and physical education which many say they enjoy. Planning takes good account of health and safety through visits by the emergency services, talks by the school meals provider to encourage healthy eating, and opportunities for sport, drawing well on the partnership with a local secondary school. This partnership also provides good opportunities to extend the learning of more able pupils. Further enrichment activities, such as 'Book Week', add interest to pupils' learning. Good use is made of visits to broaden pupils'

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Grade: 2

experiences and a range of clubs extends their learning.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good overall. Parents and pupils wholeheartedly agree that this is an 'extremely happy and caring school'. Pupils know that adults have their well-being at heart. Staff provide good role models and children's confidence and self-esteem are nurtured throughout the school. Health and safety routines are reviewed effectively. Risk assessments are fully in place and conscientiously observed. Child protection procedures are clear and widely understood. The school works closely with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils with learning needs and disabilities are very carefully supported. One parent commented, 'My youngest child had learning difficulties, which have been handled sensitively, allowing him to grow in ability and confidence'. All pupils are set learning targets, 4 Inspection Report: Stockbridge Primary School, 16 May 2006 to 17 May 2006 which are recorded in books, shared with parents and reviewed regularly. However, in

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Grade: 2

their day to day work, pupils are not sufficiently aware of their targets as a means of helping them to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides good leadership and management for the school. She is ably supported by the newly formed leadership team, and together they give a clear direction for the school's work, focusing on the all round development of pupils. The school is accurate in its self-evaluation and makes good use of this to plan improvement. As a result, standards in mathematics and boys' writing have been raised. There has been good improvement since the last inspection in developing assessment procedures and making good provision for religious education. These successes illustrate the school's good capacity for further improvement. Lesson observations are carried out regularly. Evaluations have identified areas for professional development leading to improved teaching in the majority of classes. The work of the governing body is good. Governors are very supportive of the work of the school, increasingly understand its strengths and weaknesses, and ask pertinent

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Grade: 2

questions. The headteacher has worked hard to establish good links with parents, so gaining their confidence, although some feel their views are not sufficiently sought. Regular newsletters, an outstanding web site, questionnaires, frequent reports on children's progress and opportunities for informal chats keep parents well informed and provide opportunities for them to make their views known. Links with other local schools and the community are very good. This is shown in the very strong support given to the work of the school and to children's learning. 5 Inspection Report: Stockbridge Primary School, 16 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: Stockbridge Primary School, 16 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 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 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 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 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

Pupils I am writing to let you know what I found when I visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. I spoke to many of you during my visit and you were always interesting to talk to, polite and helpful. You spoke enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. Stockbridge is a good school. I liked these things the most:* You behave extremely well and enjoy school.* You are proud of your school and what you achieve; it's great to be 'star of the week'* The school is extremely caring; pupils who need extra help are well supported.* You understand the importance of taking plenty of exercise, although some of you seem reluctant to take on healthy eating.* Teachers provide good lessons and you are all very keen to learn. Class 1 had a great time making a scarecrow, finding out how to join things together and stopping the straw from falling out.* The school provides many interesting and exciting things for you to do.* The school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

listens to you when you suggest how things could be even better.* Your head teacher does a good job. I have asked the school to work on these things now:* Make sure that you learn as much as possible in all lessons.* Use information on how well you are doing to plan more carefully what each of you needs to learn next and to let you know how well you are doing. Thank you again Yours sincerely, Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector

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