Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School

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119361 Unique Reference Number Lancashire LEA 280534 Inspection number 9 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 Inspection dates Mrs Heather Evans Reporting inspector

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

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The Green, Churchtown School address Primary Type of school Garstang Voluntary aided School category Preston, Lancashire 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01995 603050 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01995 601876 Fax number 114 Number on roll Mr John Meadows Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Ann Poole Headteacher 1 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280534 9 November 2005 - 4 to 11 9 November 2005 Inspection Report: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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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

This is a smaller than average primary school. It returned to Voluntary Aided status in April 2005. Most pupils live close to the school but some come by bus from further afield. Attainment on entry varies but overall is about average. Most of the pupils are White British and all of them speak English as their family language. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is about average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November

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Grade: 1

Inspection evidence supports the school’s view that this is a highly effective school. As a result of very high quality teaching, standards are above average in the Foundation stage and excellent by the end of year 6. Pupils’ personal development is outstanding. Pupils’ achievements exceed expectations; there are outstanding strengths in many areas of the curriculum, especially in English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and music. In the 2005 tests, however, although standards in English remained well above average overall, writing was not as good as reading. The quality of teaching, learning, and the curriculum are outstanding as are the care, guidance and support that staff provide. The quality of provision in the Reception class is high and most children achieve and some exceed the expected learning goals. The school works very effectively with the local church and the community as well as

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Grade: 1

with specialist outside agencies. Teachers cater exceptionally well for the needs of all pupils, including those with special gifts or talents and those who experience learning difficulties. Parents and pupils hold the school in very high regard and attendance is good. Leadership and management are very strong. The weaknesses identified at the time of the previous inspection have been remedied. The accommodation is new and very attractive but facilities for sport and recreation still need to be developed. Finances are managed very effectively and the school provides excellent value for money. There is no complacency and the strategic planning for the coming years is ambitious. The school is very well placed to achieve these plans.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Maintain the present programme of work designed to raise the quality of writing to match the very high standards achieved in reading. • Pursue the plans to create an outdoor environment that is as vibrant and inspirational as that inside the school.

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Grade: 1

Standards and achievement are outstanding overall although the small numbers mean that comparisons with national standards must be viewed with some caution. Standards are average when children enter the reception class. They quickly develop as independent learners and make good progress. By the end of Year 2 achievement is very good and standards are above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. This excellent work is continued until the end of Year 6 where, for the past three years, standards overall have been well above the national average in English, mathematics and science although in 2005 reading standards were better than those in writing. The cross-curricular approach to learning enables basic skills to be used superbly well across a range of subjects. 2 Inspection Report: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November Teachers have very high expectations of all children, whatever their starting level.

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Grade: 1

Progress is rapid, resulting in high achievement. In all classes, work is challenging and the pace of work is brisk. Teachers use assessment information to set imaginative targets for individuals and groups and encourage pupils to tackle more difficult work with enthusiasm and confidence. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are given work that is tailored to their needs and sufficient support to enable them to achieve very well. Pupils say that working and learning together is fun.

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Grade: 1

Support for the pupils’ personal development and well-being is outstanding. Pupils enjoy coming to school, their attendance is good and they know that the staff do the best they can to help them learn. They have excellent attitudes to learning and work together very well. Behaviour is consistently good due to the high expectations of all staff. The Christian ethos and values of the school have a very positive impact on the way pupils are treated The provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are introduced to a range of cultures through work in different areas of the curriculum and by visitors and visits. Teachers ensure that all pupils are encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles. The school listens to the views of its pupils and uses feedback from them to make changes. Great value is placed on the deliberations and suggestions made by the school council. Pupils are keen that the plans to enhance

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Grade: 1

the outdoor facilities are completed as soon as possible.

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Grade: 1

Across the school the quality of teaching is very good with many outstanding features. As a result, pupils’ learning is rapid and their achievement is excellent. Pupils work collaboratively on demanding tasks that capture their interest and challenge their thinking. In this school everyone expects to succeed. Teachers know their pupils very well and provide work well matched to their earlier achievements. They ask probing questions that make the pupils think hard. Lessons move at a fast pace and learning is enjoyable. Information and communication technology is used very effectively in all classes to support teaching and increase the rate of learning. Only high standards of work and very good presentation are accepted. Progress towards targets is evaluated extremely well and marking gives pupils clear guidance on how to improve. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities have good support in lessons; staff help

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Grade: 1

them enough so that they succeed and feel proud of their achievements. Behaviour is excellent enabling a relaxed management style. At the end of lessons pupils are 3 Inspection Report: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November encouraged to listen to what others have done, to praise what they like and to suggest possible improvements.

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Grade: 1

Curriculum provision is outstanding. Staff make sure that all pupils receive a lively and stimulating curriculum that goes beyond the National Curriculum. They are constantly looking for ways to increase opportunities for learning. An impressive feature is that every child in Years 3 to 6 is taught to play a musical instrument. A strength of the curriculum is the balance between teaching basic skills in mathematics and English and finding interesting ways to apply these accomplishments in real-life situations. A distinctive aim of the school is to make the curriculum relevant and enjoyable for all children. This is done by making links between subjects and changing teaching styles if it is believed that individuals or groups of pupils are not responding to their full potential. This constant review process and the flexibility of the teaching and support staff are outstanding strengths of the school.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care provided is outstanding. Teachers know all pupils and their needs exceptionally well. They have created an invigorating learning environment. Teaching and maintenance staff make security a priority. Pupils say they feel safe and know that they are well cared for. Younger children say that the older pupils look after them in the playground. Teachers are fully committed to pupils’ welfare and help them to develop healthy lifestyles. There is an overarching sense of respect and trust between adults and children and between children of all ages. These excellent relationships mean that the pupils feel safe to push the boundaries of learning to the limit. Clear systems are in place to track how well pupils make progress. Staff constantly check that the needs of all pupils are being met effectively. Pupils know what they have learned already and are very clear about how they might improve. The school goes out of its way to

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Grade: 1

work with other agencies, parents and local schools. Child protection is secure and risk assessments are carried out rigorously.

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Grade: 1

The leadership of the headteacher with the governors and the subject leaders is inspirational. They know the school and its pupils very well. This team has worked hard and successfully to involve pupils and parents in the process of improving the high standards seen at the previous inspection and resolving the few issues identified at that time. The way that all staff work together in the processes of self-evaluation and planning for improvement is exceptionally good. Governors have an excellent grasp 4 Inspection Report: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November of the school’s strengths and have plans for further development. The school manages its resources very well and provides excellent value for money. The shared monitoring by staff has enabled them to set targets for groups and individuals aimed at raising pupils’ attainment to even higher levels. There are no

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Grade: 1

significant weaknesses but the school is committed to a long-term strategic plan that reflects the vision of the staff. The ambitious plans for future improvements are linked to the concepts of excellence and enjoyment. The efforts to obtain good quality sporting facilities adjacent to the school are well in hand. Pupils are delighted with the improvements in the accommodation. All teachers work together with great success to promote the Christian ethos of the school, to recognise each child as an individual and to promote their social, spiritual, academic and creative learning. 5 Inspection Report: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November .

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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: Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 9 November

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

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 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

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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 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 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 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 1 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 Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Primary School The Green, Churchtown Garstang Preston Lancashire PR3 0HS 11 November 2005 Dear Boys and Girls Thank you for your help when I inspected your school. Please let everybody know how much I enjoyed visiting you. It is an exciting place for learning and you work together very well. There are many very good things and these are some that I particularly liked. You work and learn in a beautiful school that is full of light and excitement about learning. It is very good to see how well you behave and help one another. Your work in English, mathematics, science, ICT and music is excellent. All of the staff work very hard and care for you extremely well by planning interesting lessons. They help you to learn very well. The governors of your school have been very successful at helping to get your new classrooms.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The places you visit and visitors to the school all help to make your work more enjoyable. You do very well in your tests because you come to school every day except when you are ill. This is because your work is exciting and together you learn very well by sharing opinions and testing ideas. There are no important things wrong with your school but there are one or two things that could make it even better and I know that your teachers are already working hard to get these right. You have begun to explore more exciting ways of writing about what interests you. Your teachers want to help you reach even higher standards. You know that the governors are trying to buy the field next to the school to let you have better opportunities for sport and seating areas. They know you are impatient for this to happen but they hope you understand that some things take time. Thank you Heather Evans Additional Inspector

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