Gunness and Burringham Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School

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118010 Unique Reference Number North Lincolnshire LEA 280212 Inspection number 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Jackie Barnes Reporting inspector

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

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Burringham Road School address Primary Type of school Gunness Voluntary controlled School category Scunthorpe, DN17 3LT 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01724 782460 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01724 782460 Fax number 91 Number on roll Mrs Michelle Hughes Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Angela Ellis Headteacher 1 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280212 13 July 2006 - 4 to 11 14 July 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school serves the villages of Gunness and Burringham, west of Scunthorpe, and is located between the two. A minority of pupils come from further afield, and a few are looked after children. Most are from White British backgrounds, with a small number from minority ethnic groups, all of whom speak English as their first language. When the children start school, their attainment is broadly average, although individuals vary widely in what they know and can do, especially in language and mathematical skills. A slightly higher than average proportion has learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Although most pupils attend the school for the whole of their primary education, the school has a higher than average percentage who are more mobile. An independent company provides part time pre-school provision on the school’s site. The school has had significant changes of staffing in the current academic year,

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school, successfully emerging from a difficult period in its leadership and management. The school provides satisfactory value for money and has the capacity to improve further. This agrees with the school’s own evaluation of its effectiveness. Throughout the school, pupils are well cared for and feel safe. Their personal development is good. They behave well, are keen to learn and enjoy school. Children settle quickly into the daily routines of the Foundation Stage and most make satisfactory progress. Throughout the school, pupils’ achievement has remained satisfactory and standards broadly average despite changes in staffing. However, a few pupils in most year groups, including the Foundation Stage, could attain higher standards. Most pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and the more able pupils, achieve well by the end of Year 6. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with examples of good teaching. However,

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Grade: 3

teaching and learning are not yet consistently good enough throughout the school to provide the best conditions for all pupils to make as much progress as they can. This is mainly due to frequent changes of staffing but also to the fact that work is not always matched accurately to pupils’ varying needs. The curriculum is satisfactory overall except in the Foundation Stage, where the full range of pupils’ ages and abilities are not always taken fully into account when work is planned. Leadership and management are now satisfactory. The governors and local authority have worked together quickly and successfully to provide the strategic direction for the school during the changes in headship. A new headteacher has been appointed and has regained the confidence of the parents. She has also initiated several essential improvements in management systems, including developing the role of the subject leaders which has been inhibited by changes in staffing. Good plans for the continuation

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Grade: 3

of the partnership between the school and local authority are in place.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards by increasing the amount of good teaching through using assessment information to match work accurately to pupils’ varying needs and set challenging targets for them to try to reach. • Develop the Foundation Stage curriculum to reflect the full age range and different abilities of the children. • Continue developing the role of subject leaders in managing the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. 2 Inspection Report: Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory overall and standards are broadly average. The school has successfully managed to maintain overall standards despite the changes in staffing and leadership but has not been able to improve on these. Most children in the Foundation Stage make steady progress and over half achieve the expected goals for their age by the end of the Reception year, with a few children exceeding these. Throughout the school, most individual pupils, including the majority of looked-after children and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make at least satisfactory progress with a few making good progress. From the Foundation Stage to Year 6 and across the ability range, a small number of pupils underachieve. The 2005 national assessment and test results at Year 2 and Year 6 were broadly average. At least satisfactory progress was made by Year 6 pupils when compared with their results when they were in Year 2, and some lower attaining pupils made well

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Grade: 3

above average gains, especially in science and English. The initial results for 2006 are similar to 2005, despite the relatively high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school exceeded its targets in mathematics and science but narrowly missed them in English.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. Most pupils are well behaved, keen to learn, and have good relationships with adults, which help them to learn. They value their friends and generally take care of each other, which contributes to their clear enjoyment of school. In lessons and out of school clubs, they particularly enjoy practical and physical activities, making frequent use of their extensive outdoor play areas. Attendance is above average with many pupils having an excellent attendance record. They make good progress overall in their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development, although the best progress is in the development of their social skills. A good start is made in social development in the Foundation Stage and, by Year 6, most pupils are mature and sensible about their work and responsibilities in the school and wider community. They know how to lead safe and healthy lives, and to deal with

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Grade: 2

harassment. Their cultural development is satisfactory and adequately served by their curriculum experiences, especially sport and creative arts. They have basic knowledge and respect for different cultures and faiths around the world. Although satisfactory, they are less confident in their understanding about the multi-cultural society in Britain. Their skills in literacy and numeracy, together with their ability to build relationships, provide a sound basis for their future well-being. 3 Inspection Report: Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 3

Throughout the school, teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, with some good lessons. The school has had a complete change of the six teaching staff in the current academic year, including three headteachers and two newly qualified staff. The Year 5/6 class has had three teachers during the year, all on temporary appointments. These changes have caused parents considerable concern, although rarely about individual teachers. However, their confidence is now returning as the staffing begins to stabilise. Despite the instability, the strong commitment of individual teachers to planning and preparing lessons, building relationships with pupils and helping them to learn, has maintained satisfactory progress and standards for most pupils. However, until recently, staff had been working without the benefit of consistent leadership. The key systems, such as planning and assessment, were also limited. As a result, some pupils do not

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Grade: 3

do as well as they should because work is not always matched accurately to their varying needs. As there is a wide range of age and ability in each class, this results in some pupils not fully understanding what is being taught or not being challenged sufficiently. Since the appointment of the current headteacher, the situation has improved rapidly. Staff morale is good. Improved arrangements for planning lessons and an increase in resources have helped provide interesting lessons with a clear focus on pupils’ learning. Assessment information is becoming more readily available and being used effectively to identify pupils who need additional support. The provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has been reorganised so pupils have ready access during lessons and are very proud of their increased competence. The work of the teaching assistants has been clarified, so they are better able to support individuals

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Grade: 3

and groups of pupils who have been accurately identified as needing additional help in learning.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. The National Curriculum is in place, and the school places due emphasis on developing pupils’ basic skills in literacy and numeracy, and ICT provision is developing well. The curriculum includes a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities, together with visits out of school that bring additional interest to the pupils’ work, which they describe with great enthusiasm. There is good provision for pupils to learn about health and safety, and about the local and world community. Arrangements for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are satisfactory overall, although recent reductions in the provision for some pupils with particular learning difficulties have caused parents some concern. The school has responded as well as current staffing levels permit. In liaison with the local authority, the school plans to review provision to try to improve the situation. The planning of

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Grade: 3

4 Inspection Report: Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 the curriculum in the Foundation Stage, although generally satisfactory, lacks sufficient challenge for the most competent pupils.

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Grade: 3

Pupils are well cared for by staff and the school gives due attention to their safety and security. Pupils who need support for their learning in literacy and numeracy are accurately identified and receive additional teaching in small groups. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are included in all the school’s activities, and have satisfactory support. The school’s assessments are not yet fully in place, so pupils’ knowledge about how to improve their work is mainly undertaken during lessons or through the teachers’ marking. This works reasonably well overall but tends to be inconsistent between classes.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The appointment of the current acting headteacher on a permanent basis has provided the school with the stability it needed. The pace of change since her involvement with the school has been rapid and successful, with suitable priorities and good leadership. The staff work well as a team and the plans for the next academic year are a good basis for continued improvement, especially in the wider availability and use of assessment information. The local authority and the governing body have worked quickly and effectively together, to set the strategic direction for the school during the period of changes in headship. This successful partnership is to continue, with the involvement of the headteacher, and good plans are already in place for supporting the school in the next stages of its improvement. The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and based on a range of

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Grade: 3

consultation. Providing stability in the staffing is almost complete, so the work on developing the role of the subject leaders is now set to continue. At present, these roles do not have sufficient impact on the quality of teaching and learning, with the exception of the leadership of literacy which has developed well. Overall, the school has overcome the challenges of a very difficult year, and now has the stable leadership needed for the next stage of its development. 5 Inspection Report: Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 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: Gunness and Burringham C of E Primary School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 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 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 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 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 3 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 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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 To the pupils of: Gunness and Burringham CofE Primary School Burringham Road Gunness Scunthorpe DN17 3LT 13 July 2006 Dear Pupils Thank you for making me so welcome in your school. You helped me to see how much you enjoyed school, especially your friends, and had confidence in your teachers. You are well behaved and are keen to learn, and this helps you to be successful. Most of you are kind to each other, and you know how to keep safe and healthy. I was pleased to see how proud you were of your school. I think you can be even more successful, so I have asked your teachers to make sure each one of you is working as well as you possibly can. You can help by continuing to come to school every day and to know what you need to do to make your work better. My best wishes for your future. Yours sincerely J M Barnes Lead inspector

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