Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 2 Nov 2006

Inspection Report Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School

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116310 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 279789 Inspection number 1 °2 November 2006 Inspection dates Michael Pye Reporting inspector

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

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Whichers Gate Road School address Primary Type of school Rowland's Castle Voluntary controlled School category PO9 6BB 4 °11 Age range of pupils 02392412095 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02392413730 Fax number 198 Number on roll (school) Mrs Sue DeGuisa Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Kay Pennicotte-Henrie Headteacher 27 September 1999 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279789 1 °2 November 2006 4°11 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. Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is of average size and serves an area of mixed housing. The numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below average. There are above average numbers of pupils who enter or leave the school other than in Years 1 and 6. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is above average, but there are below average numbers of pupils with a statement of special needs. The school has experienced a recent period of serious staffing problems. This is now ended and a new head teacher was appointed this year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November

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Grade: 4

The school fails to provide a satisfactory standard of education for a significant number of its pupils in Years 1 and 2. This is partly due to a recent, prolonged period of staffing problems, which included the appointment of a new headteacher. The various changes introduced by the new headteacher have not had sufficient time to bring about an improvement in standards and achievement, particularly in Years 1 and 2. However parents and pupils correctly recognise that the care for pupils is good and their personal development is progressing well. This caring approach is very evident in the good Foundation Stage, for example, where the pupils settle quickly and progress well. Standards in 2005 in the national tests were significantly above average. Partly as a consequence of staff and pupil upheaval, results in 2006 appear likely to be broadly average, reflecting satisfactory achievement. In Years 1 and 2 there has been a pattern

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Grade: 4

of slowly declining results since 2003. In 2005 results were in line with the national average but given their starting points the pupils made inadequate progress. In 2006 it appears likely that results in writing will be well below average and in mathematics below average, particularly for high attainers. This is linked to the teachers not using assessment data sufficiently well to plan work that is sufficiently challenging for all pupils. The new headteacher has been quick to identify where improvement is needed. Regular monitoring of teaching now takes place and is well linked to performance management. It is bringing improvements, for example in the teaching of phonics. The school acknowledges that more work is required to tackle inconsistencies in the use of specific learning objectives to guide pupils' learning, and in raising teachers' expectations. The school now has some good assessment systems that help track pupils' progress more

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Grade: 4

carefully. The management structure is undergoing change to give managers more responsibility. The full impact of this change has not yet been seen although subject action plans are now in place to guide future development, and this has already resulted in a new handwriting scheme being introduced. There is a secure capacity to improve the school. The school has established good links with a wide range of external bodies which support learners well. Thriving links with a local secondary school result in French and mathematics lessons being provided for older pupils. Pupils enjoy school, behave well and there are good opportunities for them to discuss issues affecting their lives. Pupils make a good contribution to the running of the school through the school council. The curriculum is enhanced by some good visits and visitors. In accordance with Section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion

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Grade: 4

that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to standards and achievement in Years 1 and 2. 2 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards and achievement in Years 1 and 2, particularly by raising teachers' expectations of pupils • Ensure that all assessment information is fully used to plan work that challenges all pupils • Ensure that teachers in all lessons make use of learning objectives that focus clearly on what pupils are expected to learn.

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Grade: 4

By Year 2 the teachers assess the pupils' attainment as well below average and pupils make inadequate progress. Children join Reception with skill levels above those normally expected for their age. They make good progress, and the majority leave Reception having achieved the expected learning goals, and with a significant proportion exceeding them. In Year 6, test results are broadly average and achievement is satisfactory. Although the results in 2005 were well above average, the 2006 results reflect a dip in performance, with results in mathematics below average. Year 6 performance in 2006 has been adversely affected by the significant number of pupils joining the school at different times, including some with learning and behavioural difficulties. The weaker performance in Years 1 and 2, and the dip in standards by Year 6, can be partly explained by the numbers of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and

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Grade: 4

the considerable changes in staffing, leadership and management in recent years. Unless the school's predictions for the end of the current Year 2 are exceeded, achievement and standards here will remain inadequate for significant numbers of pupils, with particular weaknesses in the achievement of higher attainers. The development of curriculum managers, the emphasis on speaking and listening and the introduction of a phonics programme is starting to show an improvement in pupils' reading and writing standards. However, these actions have yet to have a substantial impact on achievement across the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. A good range of sporting activities, employing the use of a sports coach, encourages pupils to be physically active and pupils have a good understanding about healthy lifestyles. Pupils feel safe at school and say that adults deal quickly with any problems. Most pupils say they enjoy school. As one pupil said, and;quot;I would recommend the school because it's a happy place where you are helped to learn welland;quot;. Attendance is average but is improving as a consequence of school actions. Behaviour is good and very good relationships are quickly established. Pupils contribute well to the life of the school. Older pupils enjoy supervising and playing with younger ones. School council discussions 3 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November have brought about improvements to playground equipment and toilets. Pupils work

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Grade: 2

very well together, show independence, and have very positive attitudes to school. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Visits to different places of worship and class discussions help them to respect people who are different from them. They are satisfactorily prepared for future life and learning.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning throughout the school are satisfactory. There are current improvements resulting from the regular monitoring of lessons. In an outstanding lesson older pupils made the most of many good opportunities for becoming independent learners. A good working 'buzz' is established as pupils settle well to their work, reflecting very positive relationships and pupil attitudes. In some work there are examples of good on-going assessment that result in appropriately challenging work being set. However progress slows, as in Years 1 and 2, where this has been inconsistent. Some teachers are uncertain about using assessment data to plan work, and assessing the levels at which pupils are working. This adversely affects teachers' expectations of pupils and their ability to set appropriately challenging work. As a consequence the pupils' make slower progress. Teachers inconsistently set clear learning

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Grade: 3

objectives that allow pupils to assess how they have progressed.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and effective changes have been made in the planning for phonics and handwriting. There is a good range of additional activities to support pupils' learning, for example, in sport and French. Pupils benefit well from a good range of additional activities such as in music, and there are particularly active links with the local village. When pupils study topics such as the 'Polar Bear', teachers provide good opportunities to make links between subjects. These help to reinforce pupils' learning about healthy living for example. An effective personal, social and health education, together with class discussions in circle time helps ensure that pupils learn social skills. The school has insufficient information to track the delivery of information and communication technology (ICT) across the school. The good Reception curriculum balances teacher-led activities with opportunities for the children to work

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. Child protection procedures, risk assessments and health and safety procedures are robust and well implemented. Parents and pupils feel that the school knows its pupils well and provides a high level 4 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November of care. Good relationships are established and as one pupil said, 'We trust all of the teachers and staff'. The school carefully prepares children for entry into the Reception class and consequently they settle in well. A good range of external agencies are used that help support individual pupils and their families. Pupils with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress, benefiting from the support they receive from good classroom assistants. Pupils are now regularly assessed and targets are set. There are inconsistencies in the extent to which teachers use such assessment information to

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Grade: 3

plan future work for pupils of different abilities. Most, but not all pupils know their targets and understand how they can be used to help them improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. There are also strengths, for instance, the very competent headteacher, and the committed governing body have coped well with a period of great change. They have done so whilst maintaining a high quality of pupils' personal development, well-being and care. Good behaviour and positive pupil attitudes exist. Monitoring, involving all staff and governors is now embedded. The new headteacher gave priority to the development of a clear and relevant school development plan, which is shared and understood by all. Some developments, such as the introduction of more speaking and listening opportunities in lessons are having an immediate effect on pupils' vocabulary and writing. Others, such as the introduction of new assessment procedures and the new handwriting scheme have yet to have a significant impact on standards and achievement. For instance, the use of assessment has yet to be

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Grade: 3

sufficiently developed to the point where all teachers are consistently using the information to plan appropriate work for all pupils. Performance management targets are set. The introduction of the new regular assessments to track pupils' progress has been one positive outcome. A further development has been the very recent appointment of managers who now have responsibility for their subject areas. This has resulted in more shared involvement in monitoring and evaluation and the drawing up of subject development plans. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection particularly with regard to pupils' presentation of work and the Reception outdoor area. The governing body is increasingly able to hold the school to account. Taken with more recent developments a secure capacity for further improvement is indicated. 5 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

4 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You may remember our visit. We enjoyed meeting you and listened carefully to what you had to say. Thank you. Your school has some good features but it is failing to provide a satisfactory standard of education for many pupils in Years 1 and 2. We particularly liked: • The many changes which your new headteacher has made • That you are benefiting from the new way that the school teaches word and letter sounds and handwriting • How well you behave, and that you get along well together and care for each other • Your enjoyment of school and that you feel your ideas are valued • You said that the school cares very well for you and gives you good opportunities to talk and listen about issues that concern you • The way you benefit from visits, and visitors - you obviously enjoyed the fire engine! We have asked that: • All teachers give you work that challenges you • The school improves your work and how well you progress in Years 1 and 2.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Perhaps you could help your teachers by telling them when you are uncertain about what you are expected to learn in lessons. Thank you again for all your help. I wish you well for the future. Yours sincerely, Michael Pye Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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