Almeley Primary School

Inspection Report Almeley Primary School

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116645 Unique Reference Number Herefordshire LEA 279864 Inspection number 9 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 Inspection dates Graeme Bassett AI Reporting inspector

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

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Almeley School address Primary Type of school Hereford Community School category Herefordshire HR3 6LH 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01544 327267 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01544 327267 Fax number 66 Number on roll Mr Terry A Holden Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Dorrie Coates Headteacher 3 April 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279864 9 February 2006 - 4 to 11 9 February 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller-than-average-sized school and serves mainly the villages of Almeley, Woonton and Lyonshall to the west of Hereford. Most children are White British and none speaks English as an additional language. The school has received an Artsmark award and an Activemark Gold award. Year groups are very small.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Almeley Primary School, 9 February 2006 to 9 February 2006

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Grade: 3

Overall effectiveness of this school is satisfactory and pupils’ personal development and the provision for their care, guidance and support are good. Behaviour is good and attendance is above average. Provision in the Reception class is satisfactory. Standards on entry to the school vary from below to in line with expectations. Last year most children reached the goals expected of them by the time they entered Year 1. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 achieve satisfactorily. Standards in Year 2 are broadly average in reading but are below average in writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, standards in mathematics and science are above average. Standards are average in English but higher-attaining pupils could achieve more. The quality of teaching is broadly satisfactory. However, there are weaknesses in the nature and use of assessment records. The records are not used well enough to set precise targets that challenge pupils, nor are they used to help

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Grade: 3

identify what pupils need to do to improve. Leadership and management are satisfactory and have provided clear guidance in the development of good caring attitudes and pupils’ personal development and well-being. However, there has been insufficient drive to improve pupils’ achievement. The school’s view of its effectiveness is over-generous. The curriculum is satisfactory and staff give good support to all pupils, especially to those with learning difficulties. The school has successfully fulfilled the issues raised at the last inspection. It is securely placed to make the necessary improvements in the future and gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Raise standards in English, especially for the higher-attaining pupils, through planning more challenging tasks. •Make better use of assessment to set targets for each pupil that show them clearly what they have to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

The achievement of pupils is satisfactory. Pupils with learning difficulties also make satisfactory progress. There is no significant difference between the achievement of the boys and girls. Children in the Foundation Stage make steady progress and are on track to meet the expected goals by the time they enter Year 1, but this is not the case every year. Pupils in Year 2 had lower starting points than the current Foundation Stage pupils but have achieved satisfactorily to attain average standards in reading but below-average standards in writing and mathematics. At the end of Year 6, results in national tests have matched the school’s targets for the last two years. Standards are average in English but were held down last year 2 Inspection Report: Almeley Primary School, 9 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 because higher-attaining pupils did not reach the higher Level 5. Currently, standards are better in Year 6, with higher-attaining pupils on course to attain above-average

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Grade: 3

levels. Pupils achieve particularly well in mathematics and science to reach above-average standards. Satisfactory achievement results in average English standards. In information and communication technology (ICT), pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and standards are broadly average in most aspects and above average in their use of graphics.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Children in the Foundation Stage make particularly good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. They settle quickly into the routines of the school. Pupils enjoy school and show interest in their work. Attendance is above average. Pupils’ behaviour is good and often outstanding. Relationships between pupils and adults are very good. The ‘Buddy’ scheme seen in action in the assembly is embraced well by pupils. This fosters good caring attitudes and the older children willingly help the younger ones. Teachers promote each pupil’s self-esteem well through opportunities to become independent. Consequently, pupils build up good self-confidence. They successfully learn the basic skills of ICT, literacy and numeracy, and use them well in other subjects. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ future economic and social well-being. Throughout the school pupils adopt safe practices and know the importance of

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Grade: 2

following a healthy lifestyle. The pupils are purposefully involved in decision making through the activities of the school council. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their cultural awareness is especially enhanced through the imaginative range of visits such as the Hay literature festival and visitors such as the ‘Viking workshop’. The pupils are fully involved in the community life of the village. For example, the school’s ‘Morris Men’ perform at the local church flower festival.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, although there are strengths such as the teaching of children’s personal development. When there are higher-attaining children in the Reception class, they are suitably challenged with tasks that extend their learning well. This was observed as two children worked competently alongside the Year 1 pupils. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 are successfully encouraged to relate what they learn to their everyday experiences. This supports their learning and helps the older pupils to achieve well, particularly in the practical aspects of mathematics and science. One boy described the scraping of a metal wheel on the road as ‘sparking like a grinder’. Teachers plan 3 Inspection Report: Almeley Primary School, 9 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 interesting tasks that promote the pupils’ positive attitudes to learning. Pupils’ targets

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Grade: 3

are not always precise enough and they do not always get sufficient information about what they have to do to improve. The targets given to the higher-attaining pupils are not always as challenging as they need to be, and this is particularly evident in English. This restricts the higher-attaining pupils’ progress. Specialist teaching in ICT, physical education (PE) and music inspires pupils’ learning well. Teaching assistants support small groups effectively. They help to ensure that pupils sustain concentration and this is especially so for those pupils with learning difficulties.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. The Foundation Stage curriculum is enhanced by teachers often providing pre-school tasks for those who did not attend playgroups. The curriculum for Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory and builds upon what most pupils have learned previously. Provision for ICT is good and all teachers make skilled use of the interactive whiteboards and, together with the use of computers, make sure that ICT is used across subjects. There are good links with other schools. An example is the African project with pupils in Years 4 and 5. Pupils regularly compete with other schools in sporting activities, drama, music and projects for gifted and talented pupils. Visits, including the residential visit, add effectively to the pupils’ understanding of the world outside their rural environment and to their future economic well-being. After-school clubs are well attended and enrich the pupils’ lives.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support given to all pupils is good, and pastoral care and guidance are very good. Parents and children alike consider the school to be a caring place. All pupils are known well by staff and arrangements for child protection are robust and secure. Pupils are supervised well in the playground and pupils are encouraged to organise games and activities involving the youngest and oldest playing together. They are given good opportunities to develop their own ideas, such as the planning and tending of the school gardens. Support and guidance given to pupils so that they understand how they can improve their work is not rigorous enough. At present the assessment records for each pupil are not easy to maintain or interpret. Consequently the targets set for pupils and stuck in their books are too complex and this makes it difficult for them to understand how they can make better progress. Pupils with learning difficulties are identified quickly

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Grade: 2

and are given good support by teachers and teaching assistants. The school works well with other agencies and parents are fully involved in their child’s learning and development. 4 Inspection Report: Almeley Primary School, 9 February 2006 to 9 February 2006

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, with several areas of strength. The headteacher provides a very clear approach to ensuring that all pupils are cared for well. All pupils are totally included in all that the school does. However, the leadership and management have not given sufficient drive to improving the use of assessment records. This has hampered the teachers’ ability to plan specific tasks to increase the progress made by pupils, especially the higher-attaining pupils. The headteacher has delegated responsibilities well. Key staff effectively check up on how well pupils are doing and how good lessons are through watching teaching and analysing pupils’ work. As a result, the school has identified the need to raise standards in English and this is already having a positive effect in raising standards in reading. Whilst the procedures for checking up on how things are going are sound, the

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Grade: 3

evaluation is not as rigorous as it should be and this results in the school having too rosy a picture of how well pupils, especially the higher-attaining pupils, are progressing. The views of staff, governors and parents are frequently sought and acted upon. The governing body provides conscientious support, especially throughout the recent building project, and has a thorough understanding of the issues facing the school. The school has successfully tackled the issues raised at the last inspection. The good development of ICT and the significant improvement to the building demonstrate the school’s effective use of resources. The school has sound capacity to make further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: Almeley Primary School, 9 February 2006 to 9 February 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: Almeley Primary School, 9 February 2006 to 9 February 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 3 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 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 3 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

NA Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily NA Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise NA Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse NA 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 for making us so welcome and telling us about your school. We can see that you all enjoy coming to school and that you have many friends. We enjoyed looking at your books and chatting to some of you about your school. What we liked most about your school •Your behaviour is good and your attendance is better than most schools. •You are cared for well by all the staff. •Your teachers plan exciting activities that keep you interested. •You understand how to get along happily with everyone in school. What we have asked your school to do now •Help you to improve your work in English. •Make better use of the information they collect about what you can do, so that your teachers can set you challenges that improve your work. •Tell you precisely what you have to learn next so that you can make good progress. We hope that you continue to enjoy your lessons.

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