Walkington Primary School

Inspection Report Walkington Primary School

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LEA

280172 Inspection number 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005 Inspection dates Mrs Jane Randall Reporting inspector

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LEA

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

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LEA

Crake Wells School address Primary Type of school Walkington Community School category Beverley, HU17 8SB 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01482 861115 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01482 871118 Fax number 260 Number on roll Mr Christopher Howard Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Susan Eves Headteacher 1 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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LEA

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280172 5 December 2005 - 4 to 11 6 December 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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LEA

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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LEA

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 three Additional Inspectors

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Description of the school

The school serves a large village and the surrounding area. The number of pupils who claim free school meals is very small. When pupils enter the school, their overall attainment is above average for their age. A few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. None is at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties or disabilities is below average; four have a Statement of Special Educational Need at the highest level. The school has just emerged from a difficult period of staffing instability, caused by factors beyond its control.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Walkington Primary School, 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. Personal and social development, care and guidance for pupils and the quality of the curriculum are all good. The inspection team cannot agree with the school’s view that it is good, because pupils’ progress and achievement are only satisfactory. Pupils enter the school with above average skills; by the end of Year 6, their overall attainment is just above average, so progress is satisfactory. The school is aware of the need to improve this and has taken several initiatives to do so. Whilst leadership and management are satisfactory, it is clear that recent difficulties have been overcome as well as possible and there is a good capacity to move forward and improve. Teaching is satisfactory. The pace and challenge of learning are not high enough in some lessons, and the clearly identified learning targets are not yet consistently used in all classes to improve progress for

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Grade: 3

individuals. The school has introduced a number of interesting measures recently to improve the quality of teaching and learning. These add well to pupils’ enjoyment of lessons. The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is good and standards are above average. Pupils feel valued, safe and happy in school, and parents rightly appreciate all that it does for their children’s care and well-being. The school gives satisfactory value for money. not applicable

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What the school should do to improve further

• Use the identified learning targets more consistently to raise standards and improve progress. • Ensure that, in all classes, the pace of learning and the level of challenge and expectation are high enough to raise achievement further.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory; standards are broadly average and improving. The school has experienced a significant upheaval in its staffing in the last two years. Standards fell in 2004, but the national tests in 2005 saw some recovery at the end of Years 2 and 6, as the school began to emerge from its difficulties and tackle pockets of underachievement that had developed. Although children show a wide range of attainment when they join the reception class, the overall level is above average. Achievement in the Foundation Stage (reception class) is good. Attainment in the 2005 national tests at the end of Year 6 was just above average. Progress and achievement across the school are satisfactory. The school knows that it needs to focus on raising standards further, particularly in mathematics. A careful analysis of test data has enabled it to give greater emphasis to the investigating and problem-solving aspects of mathematics. The school attains higher results in science

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Grade: 3

than in English and mathematics. Pupils achieve good standards in both art and design and information and communication technology (ICT). Effective support enables pupils 2 Inspection Report: Walkington Primary School, 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005 with learning difficulties to make good progress. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. They clearly enjoy school and understand the importance of learning. They are mature and confident. They feel safe in school, have a good understanding of right and wrong, and develop the skills required for future economic well-being. Relationships with each other and with adults are good and behaviour is good at all times. Pupils work well together in pairs and groups. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils learn well about their own culture and that of others. The good use of visits and visitors promotes understanding. Pupils are encouraged to think of others less fortunate than themselves and they make a good contribution to the wider community by supporting charities. They understand and adopt healthy lifestyles, and learn how to stay safe. Initiatives such as a healthy lifestyle week and the Healthy School Award support this learning

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Grade: 2

well. Pupils are encouraged to be independent and socially active through a range of activities that prompt them to take responsibility for themselves and others. For example, they offer friendship to vulnerable peers. The school council gives pupils good opportunities to learn about citizenship and to influence the life of the school. Pupils’ views are also sought through questionnaires. Attendance is good; most absences are due to holidays in term-time.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, although the school believes they are good. Some good lessons and one outstanding lesson (in mathematics) were seen, but lessons are not consistently challenging for pupils. In the Foundation Stage teaching and learning are good. Teachers and support staff work very well together as a team. They keep a good focus on ongoing assessment, and use it rigorously to plan for different groups. In Key Stages 1 and 2 teachers organise their lessons well and manage their classes skilfully. As a result, relationships are good and pupils behave well. The pace and challenge in lessons vary and teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what pupils could achieve. Assessment is satisfactory. The school has good procedures to assess progress and to set clear individual targets for learning. However, these targets are not used consistently across the school to check and raise

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Grade: 3

the pace and quality of learning and progress. Pupils with learning difficulties receive good support and make good progress. Some local initiatives and projects are raising the quality of teaching and learning in some classes. 3 Inspection Report: Walkington Primary School, 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Sound planning ensures that pupils of the same age, but in different classes, all benefit from a full and appropriate curriculum. The school emphasises the teaching of basic skills and holds the Basic Skills Charter Mark. Links between subjects are becoming more effective, particularly with ICT. Pupils in Key Stage 2 clearly enjoy learning French. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is flexible and provides good opportunities for children to take part in whole-class and group activities and in those that they choose for themselves. Well-planned programmes promote good progress for pupils who have learning difficulties, particularly those with statements. Across the school, pupils have good opportunities to learn how to lead safe, healthy and socially responsible lives. The extracurricular provision is good and includes opportunities for older pupils to take part in outdoor and adventurous

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. It is a caring school. Procedures for ensuring pupils’ health, safety and well-being are thorough and effective, and child-protection procedures are very secure. Pupils state that they would have no hesitation in seeking the help of a teacher if they had a problem. They feel safe in the playground and support each other through a system of elected friendship representatives. There are good procedures for identifying and supporting pupils who have learning difficulties, and for ensuring that they make good progress. The school has introduced systems to encourage and guide pupils to assess their own learning, and these are developing well in some classes. Individual targets are set to ensure that pupils can always progress at their best rate of learning. However, inconsistency in the way teachers use these targets hinders such progress.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, although the school thinks they are good. The school has just emerged from a period of difficult staffing issues and is now back on track to improve further under the leadership of an effective senior management team. New subject leaders have not been in post long enough to have made a measurable impact on raising standards, although they have the knowledge and understanding to do so. An efficient system for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress has yet to be consistently implemented in all classes as a tool for improving achievement and raising standards. The school evaluates itself satisfactorily. As a result, the improvement plan accurately identifies the main areas for improvement. Parents show good overall support for the school, although some concerns about progress and the level of challenge stem from the staffing difficulties recently faced

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Grade: 3

by the school. Parents are consulted through questionnaires and by feedback sheets 4 Inspection Report: Walkington Primary School, 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005 after meetings. The school is good at identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with learning difficulties. The Foundation Stage is led and managed well. Efforts to include, support and value all are particularly effective for pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and also for those who have learning difficulties. Inconsistencies in other areas limit the effect of the school’s good effort. Governors recognise that further work is needed to monitor and evaluate the school’s action to improve progress. All statutory requirements are met. 5 Inspection Report: Walkington Primary School, 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005 .

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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: Walkington Primary School, 5 December 2005 to 6 December 2005

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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 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 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 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

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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Walkington Primary School Crake Wells Walkington Beverley HU17 8SB 30 November 2005 Dear pupils Following our visit to your school this week, the inspection team would like to thank you for being so friendly, helpful and polite. We enjoyed our visit very much and think that you are right to enjoy your school. We were impressed by your good behaviour and your efforts to learn. The best things about your school are the way in which you are cared for and your personal development. We think that these aspects of your school are good. You try hard with your work and the results in your tests are improving. Your results have been better in science than in English and mathematics. Your teachers intend to make sure that they are even better this

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

year, particularly in mathematics. I know that you will try to help in this by working even harder, and your teachers are going to challenge you more in your lessons. They are going to make better use of your targets for learning and attainment so as to make sure that you make more progress. The inspection team think that you are right to appreciate your school and all the opportunities it gives you for activities and learning outside lessons. We particularly liked the work that you have done in art and design. Yours sincerely Jane Randall (Lead Inspector)

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