Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School

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116890 Unique Reference Number Herefordshire LEA 279934 Inspection number 27 February 2006 to 27 February 2006 Inspection dates Helen Barter AI Reporting inspector

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

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Kimbolton School address Primary Type of school Leominster Voluntary aided School category Herefordshire HR6 0HQ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01568 612691 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01568 612691 Fax number 85 Number on roll Rev Jeff Middlemiss Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Chris Maurice Headteacher 16 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279934 27 February 2006 - 4 to 11 27 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 small rural village school with four classes. The headteacher teaches each afternoon. Many pupils live in outlying areas and are brought to school each day by bus. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is higher than average, with more boys identified as requiring support than girls. The proportion of pupils who receive free school meals is low. The school was awarded an Activemark in September 2004 for its work to promote pupils’ fitness.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School, 27 February 2006 to 27 February 2006

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Grade: 2

The inspection team agrees with the school’s evaluation that it provides a good education. Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Their enjoyment of education, behaviour and attendance is outstanding. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. The comment made by one parent that the school ‘offers many opportunities for children to grow and develop both educationally and emotionally’ echoes many others. Provision for children in Reception is good. All children meet the standards expected before joining Year 1 and many have particularly good personal and social skills. Pupils make good progress through the school to reach standards which are above average at the end of Year 6. The early identification and good support given to pupils with learning difficulties, and the school’s continued focus on raising boys’ achievement, enables it to successfully meet the challenging targets set. Pupils are taught and cared

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Grade: 2

for well, although the use of targets to help them understand how to improve their work is not consistent across all classes. The good curriculum engages pupils’ interest in learning. The school is well led and managed by the headteacher, staff and governors. Progress since the last inspection has been satisfactory and is gathering pace now that subject leaders are developing their effectiveness in checking up on the school’s work. However, the information gained from this needs to be used more robustly to clearly identify the key priorities for school improvement. The school provides good value for money and has the capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop consistent practice in target setting so that all pupils better understand what they need to do to improve their work. • Strengthen the effectiveness of systems to evaluate the performance of the school in order to clearly identify the key priorities for improvement

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Grade: 2

Throughout the school, all pupils, including those with learning difficulties, make good progress. By the end of Year 6, standards are above the national average and are particularly high in English. Children enter the Reception Year with skills and abilities which are generally in line with those found nationally, although many have good personal and social skills which are fostered through strong links with the on-site nursery provision. Children make a good start in the Reception Year and all achieve expected outcomes by the start of Year 1. Pupils maintain this progress and reach average standards by the end of Year 2, although girls achieve better overall than boys. Standards in reading are consistently good but they fluctuate in mathematics and writing according to the abilities of the different groups of pupils each year. Good 2 Inspection Report: Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School, 27 February 2006 to 27 February 2006

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Grade: 2

quality teaching in Years 1 and 2, with a clear focus on improving writing, particularly that of boys, is beginning to bear fruit. The current group of pupils are working at a good standard. From Years 3 to 6 pupils’ progress accelerates so that they reach above average standards at the end of Year 6. Standards have risen in English, mathematics and science over the last three years with many pupils achieving the higher levels in national tests. Boys’ achievement improves and matches that of the girls. Pupils with learning difficulties achieve as well as others because their needs are identified early and they receive good support in their early years in the school. Pupils reached challenging targets set for them.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Their high attendance levels and clear enjoyment of lessons and other activities indicates the value that they place on their education. Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They need very few reminders from adults. As a school councillor commented, ‘Teachers give us a lot of trust and that boosts our confidence’. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good in all respects. Strong links with the church underpin the school’s good ethos and develop pupils’ good awareness of feelings and beliefs. From Reception onwards, pupils learn to share and be considerate. Pupils’ support for charities, such as Water Aid, and links with families in Tanzania, helps them to think about others who lead different lives to their own. Pupils have good awareness of the need to stay safe. They talk knowledgeably about what they have learned from the nurse, police and fire officers. Pupils are committed

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Grade: 2

to healthy living and relish participating in many sports. They contribute well to their community through participation in village events. The Eco committee is keenly aware of the need to preserve the environment. Pupils’ confidence, positive attitudes and the ability to act responsibly demonstrate that they are well prepared in the key skills necessary for everyday life.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is consistently good and pupils learn well during their time at the school. Activities for Reception Year children are carefully planned to ensure there is a good balance between independent learning through play and tasks directed by adults. Children’s progress is monitored well through good assessment procedures. In Years 1 to 6, teachers plan work effectively for the different ages within each class. Although teachers know pupils well, in some lessons assessment information is not always used effectively to match work to the different abilities within each year group. Pupils with learning difficulties learn successfully as a result of carefully targeted support in the 3 Inspection Report: Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School, 27 February 2006 to 27 February 2006 classroom and when withdrawn for additional help. Teachers and assistants establish a good learning atmosphere in lessons and set clear expectations for pupils. Pupils’

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Grade: 2

positive attitudes contribute to their good learning. A whole school focus on using more challenging questions to extend pupils’ thinking, speaking and listening skills has resulted in their being very keen to respond and contribute ideas.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Children in the Reception Year are provided with a good range of experiences, fully reflecting their needs in all areas of learning. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 follow a broad curriculum which is enriched by a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils’ health and fitness is promoted very well through the many opportunities to participate in sport. Drama and music productions are greatly valued by pupils, parents and staff as an effective way of promoting pupils’ confidence, speaking skills and enjoyment of the arts. The school has identified the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning in other subjects as a focus for school improvement. It is currently updating its ICT resources and providing training for staff in the use of interactive whiteboards to support learning as part of this process.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils are good. Parents describe a ‘lovely family atmosphere where the whole school looks after each other.’ They are very pleased with teachers’ approachability and the quality of information they receive. Procedures to ensure pupils’ safety, protection and welfare are very effective. Pupils feel that they are well looked after. They are very positive that their views are heard in the school council and that they can speak easily to staff about their ideas and concerns. Staff know pupils well and give good support in lessons. They take time to explain when pupils find work difficult. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are set clear targets in literacy and numeracy, based on assessment of their work, which help them to understand what they are expected to achieve. This practice is not shared consistently across all classes and is a focus for school development.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher strives to improve provision for the pupils. He is well supported by a strong staff team who have a clear commitment towards all pupils being valued equally and achieving well. This has led to an improving trend in standards at the top of the school and good morale amongst staff. Parents are loyal to the school and appreciate the way in which it listens to their views. 4 Inspection Report: Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School, 27 February 2006 to 27 February 2006 Partnerships with other schools and organisations are good and effectively extend pupils’ learning and experiences beyond the small school environment. All staff have subject leadership roles and are beginning to develop their skills in checking on the quality of provision and identifying where improvements need to be made. Good leadership in English, for example, has led to a marked improvement in

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Grade: 2

standards. This has been achieved through a whole school focus on speaking and listening and a careful analysis of boys’ achievement in writing. Planned monitoring activities are beginning to give leadership a better view of the school’s effectiveness. However, this is not yet leading to the identification of the most important long-term priorities for improvement and setting clear criteria to evaluate success. The governing body supports the school well, has a clear view of its strengths and is beginning to gain a better understanding of how to use assessment data to question the school about its performance. The school is well placed to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School, 27 February 2006 to 27 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: Kimbolton St James CofE Primary School, 27 February 2006 to 27 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 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 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 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 1 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 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 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 for making the inspectors welcome when we came to visit your school this week. You were very friendly and we enjoyed talking to you. As a result of our visit, we have come to some conclusions which we would like to share with you. Here they are: We were very impressed with your excellent behaviour and attendance. You clearly love coming to school. You do well because you are well taught, you learn lots of interesting things and your teachers care a great deal about you. We think you have a very good understanding of how important it is to be healthy and are pleased that so many of you enjoy sport. We hope that your cross-country running went well on Monday afternoon. From the pictures on display, you obviously enjoy taking part in the school performances. It’s great that so many of you enjoy acting and singing – and your parents love watching you too! They are very proud of your school. Your headteacher cares a lot about Kimbolton St James School and works hard with all the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

teachers to make it even better. These are the two things which we have asked the school to do now: Check how well you are doing and then give all of you targets to work towards to help you understand how to make your work even better. Decide which are the most important things to improve and then check regularly to see how well these are getting on. We enjoyed meeting you and wish you all the best of luck for the future.

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