St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield

Inspection Report St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield

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117441 Unique Reference Number HERTFORDSHIRE LEA LEA 280080 Inspection number 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr. John Francis 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 Common School address Primary Type of school WD4 9BS Voluntary aided School category 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01923 262340 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01923 260904 Fax number 220 Number on roll Mr.Stephen Morrill Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Lyndon Evans Headteacher 6 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280080 27 June 2006 - 3 to 11 28 June 2006 Inspection Report: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school serving the village of Chipperfield and the surrounding area. The area is one of relatively high socio-economic advantage and few pupils qualify for a free school meal. Most of the pupils are of White British heritage with a very small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. Attainment on entry is above average and the proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities is much lower than average. The number of pupils moving in or out of the school is lower than average and the school is oversubscribed.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 June

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that provides good value for money, and this is recognised by the school in its own accurate evaluations. Aspects of its provision are exemplary. Children get a very good start to their schooling, and standards and achievement in the Nursery and Reception classes are good. Standards at the end of Year 2 are well above average. Only in mathematics at Level 3 has the rate of improvement been slower than in reading and writing. The good progress is maintained in Key Stage 2 and, by Year 6, standards are consistently well above average. Good provision for more able pupils is reflected in these test results, which show a greater than average proportion of pupils attaining at the higher levels. Good teaching, supported well by detailed marking, with a particularly effective system in English in Years 5 and 6, leads to good achievement. The next stage for the school's development is to make marking

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Grade: 2

consistently good across the school. There are very good systems for setting individual targets for pupils' improvement and tracking these as they move through the school. The continued drive, not only to maintain but also improve on the high standards, for example, in writing, and the improvements since the last inspection, show a good capacity for further improvement. Pupils' personal development is outstanding and much of this is the result of the good curriculum and excellent provision for care, guidance and support. The headteacher gives excellent direction to the work of the school and a very strong lead to the staff. There is a continuous drive for improvement. Detailed monitoring of the school's performance by those staff with management roles, including the senior leadership team, is clearly aimed at providing the best education possible for the pupils. The governors have a good level of understanding

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Grade: 2

about the strengths of the school and where improvements are needed.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Continue to develop the good marking systems for English in Years 5 and 6 for use across the whole school and in other subjects. - Continue the drive to raise the proportion of pupils who attain Level 3 in mathematics by Year 2.

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Grade: 2

All pupils achieve well during their time in school because tasks are well matched to their needs. Over the last three years, standards and achievement have risen steadily. With good teaching, children in the Nursery and Reception classes make good progress and achieve well. This continues through Year 1 and into Year 2, where standards are well above average. However, while still above average, the proportion of pupils attaining Level 3 in mathematics has not improved at the same rate as in reading and writing. While girls achieve slightly better than boys at Year 2, this levels out as they progress through the school. There are high expectations of pupils and, as they move through Years 3 to 6, the rate of progress is maintained. By Year 6, test results are well above average in English, mathematics and science. Good provision for the higher 2 Inspection Report: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 June

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Grade: 2

attaining pupils enables them to achieve the challenging targets set by the school. With the school's strong focus on improving writing, the number of pupils attaining Level 5 in English, not far short of twice the national average, exceeded these targets by a large margin.

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Grade: 1

The school offers pupils much to enjoy. This is very evident in their good attendance, the cheerful start to the day and how happily pupils get on with each other and their teachers. They have a good awareness of the need to stay safe and act safely. As a result, pupils are well behaved and very considerate. Pupils think lessons are interesting and fun. They show this in their positive attitudes to learning and by saying how much they like school. For them, the wide choice of other activities, particularly sports, adds considerably to the value of school. The school's good advice on healthy lifestyles through interest in sports, fitness and diet is received very enthusiastically. While many children start school already advanced in their personal development, the school builds on this well. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional. The school's strong Christian ethos and its promotion of the arts make a significant

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Grade: 1

contribution to the pupils' cultural understanding. Furthermore, the good attention given to learning about the diversity of cultures and beliefs in Britain helps pupils broaden their outlook. They understand the many ways they can make an effective part to the community through supporting charities and active participation in class and school councils. Pupils are confident in taking on responsibilities and, together with the many other skills they acquire, are exceptionally well prepared for the future.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning across the school, including in the Nursery and Reception classes, are good overall and sometimes outstanding. Teaching is based on teachers' very secure understanding of the topics taught. A key strength lies in the high quality of the planning of lessons. A good knowledge of pupils' capabilities means that work is matched closely to their needs. Pupils with learning difficulties are supported effectively as a result and are able to progress as well as other pupils. Assessment across the school is good and is used effectively in planning lessons and to show pupils how they can improve. In Years 5 and 6, the marking of pupils' work is especially thorough and provides a model of good practice for the rest of the school. The ways in which learning resources are chosen and used contributes significantly to effective learning. In particular, the use of interactive whiteboards to explain and illustrate lessons is very

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Grade: 2

skilful. Together with good opportunities for pupils to use computers, this serves to increase their engagement. As a result, activities are made interesting, challenging and they move at a brisk pace. Care in explaining the point of the lesson ensures pupils have a clear sense of its purpose. This means they stay closely involved and their 3 Inspection Report: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 June motivation to learn is high. Teaching builds well on pupils' positive attitudes with opportunities for them to learn independently or by working as groups. The well thought out use of questions and discussion heightens their engagement.

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Grade: 2

Well planned programmes of work and activities throughout the school provide a wide breadth of learning opportunities. A good balance is achieved with the strong emphasis on sports and the arts. Team games and individual pursuits make a significant contribution to pupils' physical skills and fitness. Art and design, drama and music are strengths. They are all extended well through good links with other schools and community groups. The provision for literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology is well established. Rigorous monitoring by subject leaders means there is constant development of initiatives to raise standards. For example, the school has focused successfully on pupils' writing, speaking and listening skills in English and extending problem solving activities in mathematics. The Foundation Stage curriculum for Nursery and Reception is planned thoroughly and the wide range of

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Grade: 2

activities is made exciting and enjoyable for all of the children. Children's work in these age groups often centres well on the creative, physical and social areas of learning. Communication, language, literacy and mathematical skills are carefully interwoven with these areas. As a result, all children become really engaged with their work and make good progress.

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Grade: 1

The emphasis on caring for and developing each pupil is very much in line with the school's strong Christian ethos and shows the high priority the school places on pupils' wellbeing. The school has very good arrangements for safeguarding pupils, including systems for child protection and health and safety. Pupils say they are very well supported throughout their time in school, feel safe and secure and know that someone will listen to them if they have concerns or problems. Through the very good systems in place, pupils are encouraged to care for and support each other. The school council and the 'playground squad', for example, actively promote pupils' personal development and prepare them well for life beyond school. Other initiatives such as healthy eating and the many opportunities the school makes for regular, vigorous exercise bring great benefits to the pupils. All of these lead to the excellent quality of pupils' personal

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Grade: 1

development. Pupils' performance over time is tracked and monitored exceptionally well and the careful analysis of test and assessment data provides challenging targets for individual improvement. 4 Inspection Report: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 June

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Grade: 2

Through the clarity of the headteacher's thinking, astute evaluation of the school's strengths and weaknesses and wide consultation, including with parents, the school constantly strives for improvement. As a result, areas for further development are clearly identified and prioritised. For example, the focus on developing writing over the last two years has raised standards significantly. The active involvement of the staff and governing body in the formulation of the school development plan ensures total commitment by all. Governors are very supportive of the school, have a secure understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and challenge the school to even higher achievement. There is a well-developed team approach. Teachers with management roles take responsibility for improving the quality and provision for their subjects throughout the school and carry these out well. The detailed analysis of data and the

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Grade: 2

well-planned and informative monitoring show a commitment to continuous development. The impact of this monitoring is seen, for example, in the good, and improving, provision for higher attaining pupils and the good support for those who have learning difficulties or disabilities. 5 Inspection Report: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 June .

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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: St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield, 27 June 2006 to 28 June

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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 1 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 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 1 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 1 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 us welcome in your school. We enjoyed meeting you and were pleased that you wanted to share your ideas and views about your school with us. What we liked about your school: - Your very good manners and friendliness made it a pleasure to visit your school. - Through your very good attitudes and the things you do for the school, you show that everyone in the school cares for each other. - Your behaviour is very good. In class you listen carefully to your teachers and do all that is asked of you. - You work very hard and reach high standards in almost all that you do. - Your teachers provide you with interesting work and you really enjoy the many sporting and musical activities you can do during and outside of the school day. - All the adults in school work very hard to keep you safe and support you in all you do. - Your headteacher and your teachers work very hard to make your work interesting and improve what

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you do and what you have in school. What we have asked the school to do now: - Use the very good marking systems from Years 5 and 6 right across the school to give you all even more ideas about how you can improve your work. - Help the younger children to do even better in mathematics. I am sure that, if you keep up your attitudes to school and continue to enjoy all you do, your school will become even better.

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