Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School

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119440 Unique Reference Number Lancashire LEA 280557 Inspection number 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr Michael Onyon Reporting inspector

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

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Church Avenue School address Primary Type of school Baxenden Voluntary aided School category Accrington, Lancashire 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01254 234074 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01254 238064 Fax number 230 Number on roll Mr Neil Howarth Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Kathryn Adnitt Headteacher 1 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280557 29 June 2006 - 4 to 11 30 June 2006 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school serving the parish of St John’s in Baxenden. It provides for pupils from a range of social backgrounds. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion entitled to a free school meal is below average. There is a below average number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and a high proportion of these are judged to be moderate difficulties. Six pupils have statements of special educational need, an above average number for the size of the school. Attainment on entry is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with a strong Christian ethos, and this judgement matches the school’s own view. It extends a genuine welcome to pupils and to the community and has a successful record of improvement. Parents and pupils agree. All pupils are valued and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are cared and provided for well. Pupils’ achievement is good and standards are above average by the end of Year 6. Standards in mathematics tend to be a little weaker than in English and science. Provision in the Foundation Stage is sound; children achieve satisfactorily and most attain the expected goals for their age. Throughout the school, most pupils make good progress, although a few could do better. The most capable pupils attain above nationally expected standards. Teaching and learning are good overall, but there is some variability throughout the school that occasionally slows pupils’ progress. Recent

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Grade: 2

successful initiatives in the use and analysis of assessment information have yet to be fully effective in involving pupils in the process, and helping them to understand how they can improve. The school offers a good curriculum with a strong focus upon the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. The school is well led and managed, with good support from the governing body, focusing well on identified areas for improvement. The school has focused on developing the role of subject leaders but they are not yet making enough impact on their areas of responsibility. This has been accurately identified as an area for ongoing development by the school’s good improvement plan. The school provides good value for money. Improvement since the last inspection has been good and it has the capacity and commitment to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase the amount of good teaching by sharing the identified good practice. • Involve pupils in the outcomes of assessment to enable them to understand what they need to do to improve. • Ensure the plans are implemented to increase the impact of the subject leaders on the quality of teaching and the progress made by all pupils.

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Grade: 2

Overall, pupils’ achievement is good and standards are above average by the time pupils leave the school. Pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make good progress. A satisfactory start is made in the Foundation Stage, where children’s achievement is appropriate for their age. A suitably wide range of learning experiences is provided but outdoor learning opportunities are constrained by the school’s limited accommodation. By the time they are due to go into Year 1, most children are close to reaching the learning goals for their age. 2 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 By Year 2, progress is good overall and standards are above average. The most capable pupils attain particularly well in writing. There is an upward trend in the results of National Curriculum assessments at Year 2. The pace of progress slows in Year 4, where

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Grade: 2

some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The overall results in the 2005 national tests for 11 year olds were above average in English and science and average in mathematics. A third of the pupils attained the higher Level 5 in English and mathematics, whilst two-thirds reached it in science. This level of performance has been sustained in 2006. Science results were unavailable at the time of the inspection. The school’s challenging targets for the higher levels were met in English and mathematics in 2006. Overall, the school reached its targets. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well and make good progress in their academic and personal development.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their good attendance. The strong focus on the personal, social and emotional development of children in the Foundation Stage ensures that they settle quickly into school routines and know what is expected of them. This is recognised and appreciated by parents. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall and reflects the strong Christian ethos that is evident across all aspects of the school’s work. Relationships between adults and pupils are good and this ensures that pupils learn in a warm and safe environment. Pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes contribute well to the good progress of most pupils. However, not all pupils fully understand what are acceptable ways to behave. As a result, there is a minority of pupils whose behaviour is not as good as it could be. Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to take on responsibilities around school and

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Grade: 2

to look after one another. The recent introduction of a school council is beginning to give pupils the opportunity to contribute to decision-making. Their decision to introduce and organise a healthy tuck shop at break times demonstrates their good understanding of making sensible food choices in order to stay healthy. In addition, pupils have good opportunities to demonstrate their developing life skills in organisation, initiative and teamwork. However, there is scope for pupils to become more involved in understanding how well they are getting on and taking responsibility for their own learning.

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Grade: 2

Overall, as a result of good quality teaching and learning, pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, achieve well. For example, strong teaching in Years 5 and 6 helps pupils to make great strides in their learning. In these classes, pupils rise to teachers’ consistently high expectations of them to work hard and to 3 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 achieve more. Good teaching and learning were observed in other parts of the school and, where teaching is good, thorough preparation, good organisation, skilled use of new technological resources, sensitive deployment of support staff and successful and positive approaches to discipline are all good features. These ensure that pupils behave well, have good attitudes to learning and are keen to do their best. In addition, recent improvements to the marking of pupils’ work in books is beginning to help them

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Grade: 2

recognise their own achievements, understanding how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work. However, these good practices are not yet used consistently across the school or successful practices shared well enough amongst staff to bring the quality of teaching up to the standard of the best.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum meets statutory requirements and is matched well to the needs of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It gives a strong emphasis to English, mathematics and science. Where numbers of pupils are large, pupils are organised into smaller groups of similar ability for English and mathematics lessons. This makes a good contribution to their good academic achievements. Teachers use the information gathered about pupils’ achievements to ensure the curriculum provided is adapted appropriately to improve achievement further, for example, more problem-solving in mathematics and a focus on spelling in English. Since the last inspection, the school has improved provision for information and communication technology (ICT), including better resources and staff training. Furthermore, provision now ensures that pupils have plenty of opportunities to practice their ICT in other

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Grade: 2

subjects and particularly in literacy. The curriculum is enriched by an interesting and varied range of trips into the locality and visitors into school. Links with the local church are particularly good. However, the school has rightly identified that it needs to broaden opportunities for pupils to participate in additional activities outside the classroom, particularly for the younger pupils.

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Grade: 2

The staff take good care of pupils, and the school gives due attention to procedures for their protection and safety. The Christian ethos of the school is appreciated by parents and pupils and the school has a good reputation for making sure pupils of all abilities are provided for and included in all that is offered. Pupils with identified learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support in lessons and in groups. The school has made considerable efforts to ensure that good support and guidance is provided for those pupils, (and their parents) who find good behaviour a challenge. A recent focus on making sure pupils are informed about how to improve their work is going well. Some pupils are beginning to receive guidance on what to achieve next, and improvements in the marking of books, in some classes, ensure that they know what they have done well. Many older pupils understand the objectives of their learning

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Grade: 2

and are beginning to recognise what they need to do to improve. The school has 4 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 undertaken a survey of parents’ views on homework and provides information about subjects being studied each term. The process helps to keep them in touch with their child’s progress, as do parent meetings and annual reports.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The school judges these to be satisfactory, based on its desire to continue to improve. The school is well led by the capable headteacher, who operates without a deputy headteacher but works closely with managers for each key stage. A good and improving feature is the analysis of data collected on pupils’ progress and attainment which, together with other school documentation, is efficiently organised and accessible. This information is beginning to influence how pupils’ learning is managed, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Although at an early stage, there is clear potential for further flexible use of teaching strategies and staff to make sure all pupils progress equally well across the year groups. The leadership team has successfully become involved in the primary leadership programme and there is a clear commitment to school improvement from all those involved.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher’s modest approach has resulted in a calm and welcoming atmosphere for learning, in which all pupils have a broad range of experiences for personal and academic development, and most achieve as well as they can. The headteacher is responsible for the ethos of the school and provides its sense of direction, for example, in the good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school’s self-evaluation is informed by a range of views on the school’s effectiveness, including those of governors. It has accurately identified areas for improvement, including the involvement of pupils in understanding how they can improve their work, and the impact of the subject leaders on standards and the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. Good examples of subject leadership already exist, notably in English, where standards have risen. The contribution of the governing

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Grade: 2

body is good and it is increasingly involved in the work of the school, particularly through the work of committees. It has taken difficult decisions to ensure that resources are targeted to support improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

NA 2 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of 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 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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Personal development and well-being

NA 2 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the 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 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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The quality of provision

NA 2 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? NA 2 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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The quality of provision

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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Leadership and management

NA 2 How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement 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 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 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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Leadership and management

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 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 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

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Leadership and management

wider community 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 The Pupils Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School Church Avenue Baxenden Accrington Lancashire BB5 2RQ 29 June 2006 Dear Pupils Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We very much enjoyed meeting you all. You helped us to understand how much you enjoy school. We saw how you care for each other and are helping some children to behave better. We were impressed by your work with the school council, and the way you are becoming involved in decisions in school, for example the introduction of the healthy food tuck shop. You are well behaved and polite, and you know how to keep safe and healthy. You respect your teachers and help to make the school work smoothly. The adults in school look after you well, and you help them to make your school a welcoming and happy place. We think some of you can do even better. I have asked your school to help you to do this by

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

helping you to understand how well you are doing and what you need to do to improve. I have also asked your headteacher and teachers to share the good things about teaching to give you good teaching all the time. The leaders of subjects will become more involved in checking on things in their subjects. You could also contribute by thinking about the things you need to do to improve. Thank you for all your help and our best wishes to everyone. Yours faithfully Michael Onyon Lead Inspector

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