Davington Primary School

Inspection Report Davington Primary School

p.1

118338 Unique Reference Number Kent LEA 280295 Inspection number 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006 Inspection dates Ian Hartland HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Priory Row School address Primary Type of school Faversham Community School category Kent ME13 7EQ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01795 532401 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01795 537971 Fax number 436 Number on roll Mr Andrew Ireland Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Michael/ Clive Williamson/ Dunn (2 heads) Headteacher 4 October 1999 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280295 1 March 2006 - 4 to 11 2 March 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is bigger than most primary schools. Standards on entry are below average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is well above average. Most pupils are White British with very small numbers from other ethnic groups. Few have a first language other than English. In September 2005 the headteacher and the former deputy headteacher became the new joint headteachers of the school.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Davington Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

Davington Primary School provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. The school judges itself in this way and inspectors agree. The school is now improving after a period when there was underachievement. Pupils are making satisfactory progress and, in some cases, good progress. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and children make progress in line with national expectations in the reception year. Pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils are well behaved. They have positive attitudes and feel safe and valued. Staff take good care of pupils. Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers seek to make lessons interesting, but some do not make the intended outcomes of the lessons sufficiently clear to the pupils, and assessment information is not yet consistently used to ensure that all pupils are adequately challenged. The curriculum is satisfactory with good provision for extra-curricular

p.4

Grade: 3

activities. The leadership and management are satisfactory. The newly appointed leadership team have made a good start and are taking appropriate action to bring about improvements, but monitoring has not yet been fully effective in raising the quality of teaching. Parents hold the school in high regard and are very happy with what it offers. The school provides satisfactory value for money. The school has addressed most of the areas for improvement in the last inspection report, but standards have not risen in line with national averages. However, the school believes, and inspectors agree, that under the determined leadership of the joint headteachers it now has the necessary capacity to improve.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

•develop greater rigour in monitoring lessons to make clear to teachers what needs to improve to raise standards •improve the quality of lesson planning, so teachers are clear what they expect pupils to learn •ensure teachers make better use of assessment information to raise expectations and consistently challenge all pupils to achieve as well as they can.

p.4

Grade: 3

Overall, achievement is satisfactory. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is lower than average, particularly in language skills. However, rates of progress have recently improved significantly as a result of more rigorous planning and assessment by the Foundation Stage teachers. Children are now achieving well and are on track to reach the expected standards at the end of the reception year. Pupils have not been doing well enough in the rest of the school. Standards have been too low and pupils have made inadequate progress. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 have been significantly below average. Last year, pupils did better in mathematics 2 Inspection Report: Davington Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006 at the end of Year 2 than they did in reading and writing. Last year’s test results for Year 6 rose slightly in English, but fell in mathematics and science. They also fell short

p.4

Grade: 3

of the targets that the school set itself in English and fell well short in mathematics and science. The leadership of the school recognises that boys and girls of all abilities have been making insufficient progress and that standards and achievement need to be raised across the school. Successful action to bring about improvements has begun to have an impact. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils are now making at least satisfactory progress, and in some cases good progress. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are now closer to the national average as pupils catch up in areas where they have fallen behind in the past. As a consequence, and with good reason, the school expects the results in the forthcoming national tests to be a significant improvement on the previous year.

p.5

Grade: 2

Personal development is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to school and are friendly and welcoming to visitors. Attendance is good and pupils clearly enjoy the many additional opportunities offered in after school clubs and enrichment activities. Pupils help to develop their own class rules and behaviour is generally good in lessons and around school. There are a few minor instances of anti-social behaviour and pupils are not always happy about how these are addressed, particularly at lunchtimes. A parent commented that her son ‘strongly feels that he has a voice within the school’ and members of the School Council are enthusiastic about their responsibilities and feel that they are making a difference to the school. In addition, the recently established ‘Eco Council’ has successfully bid for funding for the development of an outdoor activity area, as well as working on other ecological issues, such as conserving energy.

p.5

Grade: 2

The school makes an outstanding contribution to both the local and the wider community. Pupils contribute their work to local art galleries and the library and are involved in many town events. There are good sporting and musical links with other schools and the local community. Pupils develop good social awareness through fund-raising activities and support for the less fortunate. These projects also provide very good economic experiences, often linked to local businesses. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. In particular, pupils’ understanding of different cultures is promoted very effectively through a stimulating range of first hand experiences, such as the annual multicultural festival and links with other countries, including the twin town in France. The school’s annual ‘Festival of Health and Well-being’ encourages pupils to develop a healthy lifestyle, good eating

p.5

Grade: 2

habits and participate in a wide range of outdoor and sporting activities throughout the year. 3 Inspection Report: Davington Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006

p.5

Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory overall. Most teaching seen was satisfactory, but there were instances of good and unsatisfactory teaching in the lessons observed. The teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. In the better lessons, teaching is lively and purposeful. In these lessons, the planning is well matched to the needs of the learners, as teachers become more aware of individual needs. In the weaker lessons, the teachers do not make the intended outcomes sufficiently clear to pupils and this makes it difficult for them to measure progress during the lesson. In weaker lessons, the teacher’s expectations are too low and not all pupils are challenged to achieve as well as they can. As a result, they make slow progress. Assessment is satisfactory. The recently introduced tracking system is beginning to have a positive impact. Teachers are now more effective in using the information gained to plan the next stage of learning and to set individual targets but this is not

p.6

Grade: 3

yet consistent across the school. Marking is of variable quality. The practice of setting in the upper part of the school is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ learning and progress.

p.6

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. It is broad and balanced though there are missed opportunities to develop numeracy and literacy through other subjects. There are good opportunities for the development of personal, social and health education. The school provides a wide range of well-attended clubs and activities which develop pupils’ interests well. Pupils report that these activities contribute to their enjoyment of school life. The school successfully promotes a healthy lifestyle through participation in a fruit-for-schools scheme and a healthy eating initiative. The outdoor swimming pool is used well to extend provision for physical education and to emphasise the value of keeping fit. The outdoor learning environment is a developing resource, with the school’s butterfly garden used effectively to support a range of subjects.

p.6

Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. The school rightly prides itself on its caring ethos in which all pupils are valued, and this is also recognised by parents. Effective induction procedures, and the very positive partnerships with parents, ensure that children in the reception classes make a confident start to school. Before and after-school care is well organised and valued by parents. The school’s effective child protection arrangements and good use of inter-agency links ensure that vulnerable children are well supported. Pupils are given clear guidance and support in their personal and social development. 4 Inspection Report: Davington Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006 The procedures for tracking pupils’ progress are beginning to make a positive impact on the quality of academic guidance that teachers provide and to raise expectations of achievement, although this is not yet sufficiently consistent in all classes. Pupils

p.6

Grade: 2

are aware of their targets and how the teachers help them to improve. Parents are given good information and training to enable them to work more confidently with the school in supporting their children’s learning. The school’s accommodation and premises are continually being improved to provide a safer and more attractive learning environment.

p.7

Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The joint headteachers and newly formed leadership team have set a clear direction for improvement. Inspection evidence confirms that the headteachers are taking appropriate action to tackle the shortcomings which have resulted in low standards and achievement in the past. Careful monitoring has accurately identified areas where teaching and learning need to be improved. Records show an improvement in the quality of teaching, which is confirmed by the inspection, but some unsatisfactory teaching remains. Teachers are given feedback on the strengths and weaknesses within their lessons, but are not provided with sufficiently clear judgements about their overall quality. The school leaders recognise that more consistently good teaching is needed if all pupils are to make up lost ground and to reach their full potential. Subject leaders, some new to the role, are beginning to hold themselves more accountable for the quality of provision

p.7

Grade: 3

in their subjects. Self-evaluation is becoming more rigorous and takes into account the views of parents and pupils and acts well upon them. Parental responses to a questionnaire were full of praise for the genuine care shown for pupils and indicated high levels of satisfaction with the school. Governors are playing an increasingly active and effective role in improving the work of the school and holding it to account. Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and of those areas that need to be improved. The local authority continues to challenge and support the school well. The school leaders have demonstrated that they have the capacity and determination to drive forward the further improvements needed in order to raise standards. 5 Inspection Report: Davington Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006 .

p.7

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Davington Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 2 March 2006

p.8

Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

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

p.9

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 3 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 1 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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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.

p.9

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am writing on behalf of the team of inspectors who visited your school recently to let you know what we think about the school. Thank you for your help in talking to us about the work you do and telling us what you think about the school. We think your school provides you with a satisfactory education. We think that your headteachers are working very hard to make the school better so that you can all do as well as possible. The school helps you to stay fit and healthy. You give a great deal to your school and the local community, especially with your art work. We know you like all the clubs and activities that the school provides. You and your parents told us, and we saw for ourselves, how much you enjoy coming to school. Your parents are very happy with the school and all that it provides for you, in and out of lessons. Your behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. We think everyone in your school takes good care of you and you get on well with each other. You told

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

us that you know that there is always someone to talk to if you have a problem. Teachers listen to what you say and the school council makes things happen. We saw that you try hard in lessons but we think that you could do even better. We want your headteachers to make sure that all your teachers become good teachers, who make it clear what you should have learnt by the end of each lesson, and who challenge all of you to do as well as you can.

p.11