Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

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119469 Unique Reference Number Lancashire LEA 280566 Inspection number 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Kathleen McArthur Reporting inspector

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

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Preston Road School address Primary Type of school Coppull Voluntary aided School category Chorley, Lancashire PR7 5DU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01257 791403 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01257 791403 Fax number 104 Number on roll Dr Philip Vickerman Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Lorrainne Ellis Headteacher 1 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280566 25 May 2006 - 4 to 11 26 May 2006 Inspection Report: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 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 an Additional Inspector

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Description of the school

This small school is in a semi-rural area which has a relatively stable population. Most children start school with attainment just below that typical for their age. The proportion of children receiving free school meals is below average. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and a much higher than average number have a statement of special educational need. The school holds the Lancashire healthy schools and sports mark awards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that gives good value for money. The inspection confirmed the school’s accurate assessment of how effective it is. The strong leadership of the headteacher is the driving force behind all initiatives for school improvement. Effective teamwork by staff and governors, supported by parents, has successfully created a family ethos in which children are well cared for, happy and secure. Good teaching ensures children achieve well and reach standards appropriate for their age. Children progress well in the Foundation Stage as a result of good provision and teaching, and the majority reach the goals expected for the end of Reception. A few of the more able children, however, do not always reach the higher levels of which they are capable. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress owing to the good support they receive. Parents are positive about everything the school provides, and find the staff ‘open,

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Grade: 2

friendly and encouraging’. Good personal development ensures that children behave well and good relationships are a strong feature of the school. Children are helpful and caring towards each other. Attendance is satisfactory. The good curriculum offers varied learning experiences, effectively enriched through clubs, sports, music and French. The school is working to extend the curriculum through drama and role play to broaden children’s language, writing and vocabulary skills. The school has successfully overcome weaknesses identified at the previous inspection, apart from the attainment of more-able children which in some cases remains a focus for improvement. The school is well placed for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Strengthen the measures to ensure more-able children reach the higher levels of which they are capable. • Complete the review of the curriculum to include more opportunities for drama and the development of children’s language, vocabulary and writing skills.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and children attain standards in line with those expected for their age. Attainment can vary owing to the small numbers in each year group but when children enter the school it is usually just below that normally expected. Good provision in the Foundation Stage ensures children make good progress so most reach the goals expected by the end of the Reception class. Children build on this good start, responding to their teacher’s high expectations for them by achieving well throughout Key Stage 1 to reach the expected standards. Analysis by the school has shown that achievement has been slower in lower Key Stage 2. Resolute action is successfully improving this situation. Achievement accelerates at the end of Key Stage 2 and children work hard to reach their individual targets. Standards vary owing to the small numbers but overall are similar to those seen nationally. 2 Inspection Report: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006

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Grade: 2

A few of the more able children in both key stages, however, do not always reach the levels of which they are capable. The school has recognised this and is working to ensure all children reach their potential especially in English. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well; they make good progress and achieve well in relation to their capabilities. Children use information and communication technology (ICT) competently. Skills are improving rapidly with regular lessons and better ICT equipment.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Children enjoy school and appreciate all the facilities it offers, especially the new interactive whiteboards, the garden area and playground equipment. One young child spoke for them all by saying ‘I like school very, very, very, very much’. They quickly settle and make good progress in the warm, secure atmosphere of the Foundation Stage and respond by developing the positive attitudes to learning found throughout the school. Good relationships are a very strong feature of the school. Children behave well and move round the building sensibly and quietly because they understand and respect the school and class rules. They feel safe, are confident that problems are quickly sorted out and feel that bullying is not an issue. Children speak with enthusiasm about the ‘buddy’ system where older children look after younger ones, saying ‘It’s good to know there’s always someone to talk to’.

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Grade: 2

Attendance is broadly average. The school is strongly committed to helping children understand the importance of healthy lifestyles. There are many physical activities, healthy menus and the ‘Fruit for Schools’ scheme. Older children are proud to contribute to school as buddies and school councillors and know their views are valued. Their efforts have resulted in extra playground equipment and refurbished toilet facilities. Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Enjoyable lessons and varied teaching styles make learning interesting, so children work hard and achieve well. Children know what they will learn in each lesson, although they are sometimes asked to spend too long writing all their learning objectives so that they have less time for the actual task. Lesson planning and the way staff monitor children’s progress have been improved. As a result, work is more suitably matched to the learning needs of children of different abilities and builds their knowledge and understanding in small meaningful steps. Children know their individual targets and say teachers’ marking helps them improve their work. However, more able children do not always reach the higher levels of which they are capable. The school is implementing strategies to overcome this. 3 Inspection Report: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching assistants provide skilled support, particularly for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Work for these children is well matched to their individual needs so they progress well. The school’s positive partnership with parents provides valuable support for children’s learning.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum is broad, balanced and meets all statutory requirements. Good lesson planning provides a varied range of interesting, practical learning activities. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well and used in other subjects, for example describing and measuring sounds in science investigations. A two-year planning cycle ensures topics are not repeated in the mixed-age classes. The school is responsive to children’s needs and is developing the curriculum to add drama and role play activities to improve further the pupils’ language, vocabulary and writing skills. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well and included in all activities. All the children enjoy using the ICT resources, particularly the new interactive whiteboards. The curriculum is effectively enriched with visits, French, sports and music tuition. The popular after-school clubs are changed regularly to provide greater choice, although

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Grade: 2

only one club is currently available for younger children. The pupils worked with the local parish council on an environmental project and are keen to organise fundraising and charity events. Preparation for their future economic well-being is satisfactory.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Children feel safe and happy in the school’s friendly, family atmosphere. They are confident that any problems can be discussed with a trusted adult. Child protection training is up-to-date, and all risk assessment and health and safety procedures are rigorously applied. Parents have positive views of the school and their views, and those of the children, are valued and acted on. Effective assessment of academic progress provides a clear view of how well children are doing. Staff use this information well when planning future learning and to set children realistic yet challenging targets. The school has recognised that more-able children could attain higher standards, and is implementing strategies to overcome this. Good provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities ensures their progress is carefully monitored and supported well. Induction procedures are

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Grade: 2

good and children settle quickly into the Foundation Stage. Older children transfer confidently to local high schools.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher’s strong leadership is firmly rooted in her clear vision for school improvement. She has the full support of the 4 Inspection Report: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006 united team of staff and governors who all share her vision for children to reach their full potential in a safe, secure atmosphere. She has successfully guided the school through a very difficult period of staff absence and building refurbishment, effectively ensuring that academic standards were maintained and children continued to progress well. Subject leaders manage several curriculum areas well and their monitoring of teaching and learning gives them an accurate view of standards and areas for further development. Equality of opportunity is promoted effectively through varied teaching styles and good deployment of the skilled teaching assistants. Governance is good

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Grade: 2

and the governing body is well led. Governors are knowledgeable and challenging. They are well informed as a result of the training they have undertaken and individual governors are linked with particular subjects. Rigorous school self-evaluation provides a clear picture of the areas for development. Improvement planning and staff performance management targets are firmly linked to raising standards. The budget is shrewdly managed to support this, and to continue the programme to improve the building. There is good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 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: Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 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 3 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 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 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 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 2 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 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 The children Coppull St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Preston Road Coppull Chorley Lancashire PR7 5DU 28 May 2006 Dear Children You will remember that I visited your school to find out how well you are doing. I really enjoyed meeting you all and was very impressed by how friendly, polite and helpful you are. Everyone I met told me lots of good things about your school. The school council works well, and I know they helped choose your new playground equipment. Mrs Ellis, all the staff and the governors work hard together with your parents to give you a good school. They make sure you are well cared for and feel safe. You all work hard, listen to your teachers and enjoy your lessons. I was very glad to see that everyone behaves well, and that you all get on so well with each other. It was good to see how much the ‘buddies’ enjoy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

their work and care for the younger ones. The teachers provide you with interesting lessons and many things to do. You told me how much you like the new whiteboards, the quiet garden and your art, PE and DT lessons. You also enjoy the different clubs and sports activities, and I know how much the older ones are looking forward to visiting Hothersall Lodge. I have asked the staff to make sure you all do as well as possible in your work and in your tests. They are also looking at ways to add drama and role play activities to give you even better language, writing and vocabulary skills. Many thanks again for making my visit to your school so enjoyable. Please continue to work hard and enjoy everything you do in school. I wish you all well for the future. Yours sincerely Kathleen McArthur Lead inspector

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