Stocks Green Primary School

Inspection Report Stocks Green Primary School

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118501 Unique Reference Number Kent LEA 280330 Inspection number 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 Inspection dates David Westall AI Reporting inspector

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

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Leigh Road School address Primary Type of school Hildenborough Community School category Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9AE 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01732 832758 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01732 834083 Fax number 216 Number on roll Mrs Julie Gold Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Susan Yeomans Headteacher 11 December 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280330 22 June 2006 - 4 to 11 23 June 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school serves the village community of Hildenborough, which mainly comprises private housing. The socio-economic circumstances of parents are generally favourable, and there is a low take-up of free school meals. Few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and none speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils identified as having learning difficulties is below average. On entry to the Foundation Stage, children’s overall standards are variable but are usually higher than in most schools.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Stocks Green Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, where pupils achieve well. Its success owes much to the astute and committed leadership of the headteacher. She keeps her finger firmly on the pulse of the school, works tenaciously to improve pupils’ educational opportunities, and communicates her high expectations persuasively so that all staff are motivated and feel part of a successful team. She is quick to recognise and praise the work of staff and pupils, and alert to situations when people need wise advice and guidance. It is easy to see why the parents hold the headteacher in high regard. The teaching is good, and the positive relationships between teachers and pupils help pupils to feel secure and valued. It is clear that teachers like and respect their pupils and that these feelings are reciprocated. The quality of care is outstanding. These features, together with the good range of learning opportunities provided in the curriculum, lead pupils to have

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Grade: 2

positive attitudes to school, and result in their exemplary behaviour. As one parent commented: ‘My child rushes to school and doesn’t stop talking about it when he gets home.’ Because the school provides well for them, pupils make good progress, right from their positive start in the Foundation Stage, and attain standards that are above average. The school has successfully rectified the few weaknesses identified in the last inspection. The school has an accurate view of its effectiveness. It has already recognised that some aspects of assessment and monitoring procedures now require further development, and is well placed to improve further. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

In subjects other than English, mathematics and science: •improve assessment procedures so that pupils’ standards are judged more accurately and it is easier for teachers to plan pupils’ next steps in learning; •improve the monitoring and evaluation roles of subject co-ordinators so that they have a clearer view of the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress, in order to identify and target areas for development.

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Grade: 2

All pupils are achieving well, including those with learning difficulties and the most capable pupils. Parents are pleased with the progress their children are making, and one commented: ‘Because the teaching is good and captures my child’s interest, he relishes school and is doing really well’. Children make a good start in the Foundation Stage, where the staff ensure that every opportunity is seized to make sure that children make the most of the rich range of learning opportunities that are provided. By the end of the Foundation Stage, nearly all children have reached the nationally expected standards. A significant minority exceed these standards. 2 Inspection Report: Stocks Green Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to achieve well as a result of effective teaching. Current standards in Year 2 are above average and broadly reflect the results of the statutory tests in 2005, which were significantly better than in most schools.

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Grade: 2

Standards in Year 6 are also above average, and pupils are on course to reach the challenging targets the school has set. Since the overall standards of these pupils were only average in Year 2, this represents good progress. Similar standards were reached in 2005, when the statutory test results were significantly better than in most schools. Pupils in the current Year 6 class have made better progress across Years 3 to 6 than those in the Year 6 class last year. Well focused plans, tenaciously implemented, have led to this improvement.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Pupils are keen to learn and they enjoy school. Their behaviour is excellent and the attendance rate is good. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive and help pupils to develop as confident learners. As one pupil said: ‘I think I’m doing well. Sometimes I make mistakes but my teacher doesn’t mind as long as I’ve tried hard. I know she will always help me’. Pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good. Pupils work together amicably and have a well developed sense of fair play. They respond well when given responsibility, for example, as members of the school council, as ‘playground pals’ or as telephone receptionists at lunchtime. The school council is very active and has helped to make changes that are welcomed by pupils, for example to playground equipment. At present, the council only includes Year 6 pupils and the school recognises

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Grade: 2

that its membership could usefully be extended to give a voice to younger pupils. Pupils are safety conscious and show considerable concern for the welfare of others. They understand the importance of healthy eating and exercise, enjoying fruit and raw vegetables at breaktime and a good range of physical activities. Pupils have strong social responsibilities, the ability to work together constructively, and good literacy and numeracy skills. Consequently, they are well prepared for their future.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good. All pupils, including the most capable and those with learning difficulties, are consequently making good overall progress in their learning. Teachers plan their lessons well, building effectively on pupils’ earlier learning. They know exactly what pupils are expected to achieve, and their explanations are clear so that pupils are confident about tackling their work. Teachers’ positive relationships with their classes, and their good skills in capturing pupils’ interest, are reflected in pupils’ exemplary behaviour and sustained concentration. ‘Didn’t want the lesson to 3 Inspection Report: Stocks Green Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 end,’ volunteered one Year 6 pupil. In the most effective lessons, teachers know just when to provide well judged advice and when to stand back and let pupils work things out for themselves. In the minority of lessons which are satisfactory, rather than good,

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Grade: 2

questions are not always used effectively to check pupils’ understanding and to challenge their thinking. In these lessons, teachers sometimes spend too long talking and do not allow enough time for pupils to complete their work. This slows the pace of learning. In the Foundation Stage, assessment procedures are good and are used consistently well to benefit children’s learning. In Years 1 to 6, assessment is good in English, mathematics and science, and is generally used well to match future work to pupils’ needs. In other subjects, assessment procedures are considerably less rigorous. This means it is more difficult for teachers to judge pupils’ standards and next steps in learning. The school recognises this weakness and has already planned for improvement.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Children in the Foundation Stage benefit from a particularly rich range of learning opportunities, including through purposeful play. As a result, they love coming to school. In Years 1 to 6, while a strong emphasis is given to the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, the school also takes care to provide a broad range of worthwhile learning experiences. For example, good opportunities are provided in music and pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn French. Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved since the last inspection, and is satisfactory. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to encourage pupils to use ICT in other subjects. The curriculum is enriched by a good range of additional learning opportunities, including clubs, visits and visitors. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their residential visit in Year 5, when they have learned to budget for their needs. ‘Focus weeks’ are

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Grade: 2

particularly successful. For example, during a recent ‘Media Week’ pupils benefited from learning from a journalist, an advertising specialist and a local broadcaster.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support of pupils are outstanding. The staff know the pupils particularly well and the school works very effectively with parents so that pupils’ needs are met. Parents are justifiably confident that their children are well looked after at school. Pupils feel very safe and share any worries they may have with staff, due to the positive relationships that exist throughout the school. Child protection procedures are robust and rigorous health and safety checks are regularly carried out. First aid provision is very good, and includes training for the older pupils. The school works well with external agencies to provide support for pupils when this is required. Strong links with the on-site pre-school group help children to settle quickly into Reception, while very effective liaison with secondary schools means that Year 6 pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Grade: 1

4 Inspection Report: Stocks Green Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 Support and guidance is exemplary for pupils’ personal development and is good for their academic development. Pupils’ progress is tracked rigorously in literacy and numeracy and well judged support is given if a pupil is seen to be falling behind. Pupils are given useful feedback from teachers’ marking, and have sensible targets in English and mathematics which help them to improve.

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher is a key strength. She has high expectations of pupils’ academic and personal development, and motivates others through her strong commitment. As a result, the school has a clear sense of direction. The school has an accurate view of its effectiveness, due to its good self-evaluation procedures. The headteacher checks pupils’ performance rigorously, and provides staff with well focused feedback to secure any required improvements. Teamwork is promoted strongly and the senior leadership team is making an increasingly valuable contribution to school improvement through its monitoring activities and work on strategic planning. The work of the Foundation Stage coordinator is exemplary. In Years 1 to 6, a range of effective strategies is used to raise standards in English, mathematics and science. In other subjects, coordinators provide useful guidance for

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Grade: 2

their colleagues, particularly in planning, but their roles in monitoring teaching and learning require improvement. This restricts their ability to identify and target areas for development accurately. The school recognises this weakness and plans are already in place to rectify this situation. The few areas for development found by the last inspection have been addressed successfully, and the school is well placed to improve further. The school improvement plan focuses on sensible priorities and has a beneficial impact. For example, recent initiatives helped to increase pupils’ progress in English and mathematics in Years 3 to 6. The school works effectively with parents so that there is a strong sense of partnership in children’s development. The work of the governors is satisfactory and set to improve, following recent training to develop aspects of their monitoring roles. Good use is made of resources, and the school provides good value

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Grade: 2

for money. 5 Inspection Report: Stocks Green Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 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: Stocks Green Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 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 1 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 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 2 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 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

Thank you for welcoming us into your school and for being so friendly, polite and helpful. Here are some of the good things we found out. •You think Stocks Green is a good school and we agree with you. •You enjoy school, like your teachers and have lots of friends. •Your behaviour is excellent in lessons and at other times. •The adults take very good care of you, and you know who to go to if you need some help. •The teachers are good at making sure that you do well in your lessons, and that your work is usually better than in most schools. •You are lucky to have such a very good headteacher who works with the hard-working teachers to make sure you have lots of interesting things to do. We could not find many things your school needs to do better but we have asked the headteacher and governors to make sure that there are more careful checks on how well you are taught and are getting on in some subjects. Thank you again for your help.

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