Beswick and Watton CofE (VC) School

Inspection Report Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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117970 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire LEA 280200 Inspection number 29 March 2006 to 29 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr Keith Bardon Reporting inspector

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

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Watton School address Primary Type of school Driffield Voluntary controlled School category East Riding of Yorkshire YO25 9AR 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01377 270339 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01377 270339 Fax number 34 Number on roll Mr Simon Fry Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Christine Bennison Headteacher 1 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280200 29 March 2006 - 4 to 11 29 March 2006 Inspection Report: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29 March 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 one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This very small primary school serves village communities with average social and economic characteristics. It is linked with another small school some four miles away and the headteacher manages both schools. The attainment of the children when they first start school is typical of the age group. All pupils are of white British origin. An average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. A relatively large proportion of pupils change schools part way through their primary education.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29 March 2006

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Grade: 2

Inspection findings agree with the school’s own evaluation that Beswick and Watton Primary is a good school. The provision made for children in reception gives them a secure start to school and most move into Year 1 with the skills and knowledge expected of that age group. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 to 6 is good and, although standards vary between years, they are generally above average. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan lessons carefully and provide interesting activities. Pupils concentrate well and are prepared to think for themselves. Pupils of all ages make good progress in their personal development. They show positive attitudes to learning, behave well and attend regularly. The curriculum provides a stimulating range of learning opportunities. The school takes good care of its pupils and makes effective use of its links with other organisations. Parents and pupils hold very positive opinions of the

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Grade: 2

school, but it does not seek their views often enough. The school is led and managed well. The work of the school is evaluated carefully and managers and governors have an accurate picture of how well it is performing. The monitoring of teaching and learning lacks detail. Since it was last inspected, the school has improved steadily. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and makes full use of the benefits provided by the confederation to strengthen educational provision. The capacity for future improvement is good. The school provides good value for money. not applicable

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What the school should do to improve further

• Implement clear procedures for monitoring all aspects of teaching and learning. • Provide pupils and parents with regular opportunities to express their views and opinions about the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good and standards are above average. Children make a solid start while in reception and by the time they enter Year 1 most are working securely at the level expected for their age. The number of pupils who take the national tests each year is small and, consequently, statistical results vary considerably year on year. After a number of years of increased performance, the results of Year 2 pupils fell in 2005. However, the group contained three pupils with learning difficulties who only joined the school that year. Taking a long term view, test results show that pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2. Year 6 pupils performed much better in 2005 than in the previous three years. They attained good standards in English, mathematics and science, and the school met or exceeded the targets it had set for their results. The trend of improvement is continuing and pupils progress well and are on track to

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Grade: 2

achieve the challenging targets the school has set for 2006. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are fully involved in all lessons and make good progress towards the targets set for their attainments. 2 Inspection Report: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29 March 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. They enjoy school and arrive punctually. Attendance rates are outstanding. Pupils of all ages are keen to learn new things and willingly involve themselves in the activities teachers provide. Friendliness is the order of the day and pupils of all ages work and play happily together. As a result, the school is free from bullying and children feel safe and secure in its warm atmosphere. Younger pupils comment on how the older ones run to pick them up and look after them if they have fallen over in the playground. Pupils behave well and listen attentively in class. They respond well to praise and take pleasure in their own achievements and those of others. As they grow older, pupils develop strong social awareness and this, along with a good range of key literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT)

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Grade: 2

skills, prepares them well for the future. Pupils readily take on responsibilities around the school and value the contributions they make through the school council. However, they are not given regular opportunities to express their views of the school and lack a full appreciation of why this is important. Pupils have an extremely detailed understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and recognise how important it is to their well-being. They enjoy meeting pupils from other schools for sports events and other activities, and have a clear appreciation of their own culture and that of others.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Each class contains pupils of different ages who are at various stages in their development and learning. Teachers give careful thought to the needs of individuals and adapt activities skilfully so that all pupils have the same opportunities to learn. Relationships are good and the calm atmosphere makes for productive lessons. Pupils concentrate well and go about the tasks they are set with interest and enthusiasm. Lessons are organised well and progress at a good pace. Teachers ask well-judged questions which encourage pupils to make decisions and to think for themselves. Pupils rise well to the challenge; they think carefully before answering and put forward sensible suggestions and ideas of their own. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly, give praise for accuracy and effort, and indicate clearly where mistakes have occurred. However, the comments they add do not tell pupils

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Grade: 2

clearly enough how to improve. The work provided for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is matched closely to their needs, and effective work by competent teaching assistants ensures their full involvement in all activities. 3 Inspection Report: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29 March 2006

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Pupils study all the required subjects and acquire skills in the key areas of literacy, numeracy and ICT. Subjects are often linked together in well-considered ways, providing cohesion and relevance to the pupils’ learning. A shortage of space places some limitations on what can be offered in physical education. However, the school compensates well with a good range of outdoor activities, some of which are taught by outside providers. The curriculum is enriched with a good range of visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities. A well-planned personal, social, health and citizenship programme supports pupils’ personal development and helps them understand their role within the school and the wider community. The curriculum for reception children is well suited to the age range and gives them a secure start to school, although a shortage of equipment places some restrictions on what can be

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good and the school has a strong sense of community. The close relationships pupils have with staff help them to feel safe and secure, happy in the knowledge that they have an adult to go to if they have concerns. Arrangements for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ health and safety are thorough. Pupils who are experiencing difficulties with their learning are identified at an early stage and effective support provided. The school assesses pupils’ academic progress regularly and uses the information productively to plan their future learning and to set them targets for improvement. Pupils’ involvement in assessing their own work is developing, but many do not have a full understanding of how to use targets to help them progress. The school makes good use of its close links with parents to involve them in their children’s education and to extend pupils’ learning beyond the classroom.

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Grade: 2

The quality of leadership and management is good. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s future. The opportunities provided by the confederation are utilised well to strengthen the school and to improve the quality of education pupils receive. The school has a pleasant, highly inclusive ethos built around good relationships and a caring environment. As one parent put it, ‘‘Beswick is a well-run, family orientated school which allows individuals to progress according to their needs and abilities.’ Systems for monitoring the school provide a clear and accurate overview of how well it is performing. However, procedures for monitoring teaching and learning have not been formalised and do not provide the detailed information the school needs. The school’s plans for development derive logically from its effective self-assessment and reflect the areas that need the closest attention. The expertise of staff from both the

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Grade: 2

confederated schools is utilised well to provide effective subject and aspect 4 Inspection Report: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29 March 2006 management. Since it was last inspected, the school has made steady progress and addressed the issues raised at the time satisfactorily. The advantages to be gained from the confederation are already becoming apparent and the school’s capacity to improve in the future is good. Governors support the school well and have a clear picture of its strengths and weaknesses. The school’s finances are managed efficiently. Staff are readily available to parents and pupils if they have matters they wish to discuss. The school responds to their concerns or suggestions but lacks procedures for systematically seeking their views and opinions on a regular basis. 5 Inspection Report: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29

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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: Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 29 March 2006 to 29 March 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 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 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 1 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 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 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 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

Nord Anglia Inspections Anglia House Carrs Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 2LA T 0161 491 4191 F 0161 491 9677 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Beswick and Watton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Watton Driffield East Riding of Yorkshire YO25 9AR 31 March 2006 Dear Children, Thank you very much for the very friendly welcome you gave me when I visited your school recently. Although I was with you for only one day, I thoroughly enjoyed finding out about the work you do, and a special thanks to those who talked with me about the school. Beswick and Watton Primary is a good school and I can understand why you enjoy it so much. These are the things I particularly liked about the school. The school is a happy place to be and everyone gets on well. You make good progress and enjoy learning new things. You behave very well and concentrate in class. Teachers plan interesting lessons which encourage children to think hard.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You willingly help each other and the staff. Adults take good care of you and are always there to help. You understand very well how to do things in safe and healthy ways. There are lots of interesting visits and you enjoy meeting children from other schools. Since the school joined with Middleton, you have been provided with even more interesting opportunities to learn. I also looked at what the school might do next. Here are some of the things I suggested. Provide children and parents with more opportunities to express their views and opinions of the school. Look for ways to make lessons even better. Keith Bardon

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