Grindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School

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119686 Unique Reference Number Lancashire LEA 280633 Inspection number 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Delia Hiscock Reporting inspector

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

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Sawley Road School address Primary Type of school Grindleton Voluntary aided School category Clitheroe, Lancashire 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01200 441257 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01200 441257 Fax number 42 Number on roll Rev. David Mewis Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Lloyd Headteacher 1 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280633 17 January 2006 - 4 to 11 18 January 2006 Inspection Report: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 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 one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

Grindleton Church of England (Voluntary Aided) Primary School is a very small school in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire. It provides full-time education for 42 pupils between the ages of 4 and 11. Two-thirds of these are boys. The number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is low. Few of the pupils are eligible for free school meals and none are from minority ethnic families. There are some signs of rural deprivation. On entering school, pupils’ skills are often above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006

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Grade: 2

The school's self-evaluation, confirmed by inspection, is that this is a good school. Parents and pupils think highly of their school. Staff and governors have a clear understanding of the school's effectiveness. They accurately judge teaching and learning, personal development, the curriculum and leadership to be good. By age 11, standards are high in mathematics, science and reading and given the above average level of skills with which most pupils enter the school, this represents good progress. The school’s effectiveness and determination to deliver ‘the best’ for pupils are seen in the successful improvements since the previous inspection and the sustained high standards achieved. Close partnership work with parents, the church, other rural schools and the village community all benefits pupils’ well-being. This is because there is a very positive ethos, an outstanding level of care and a commitment to include all

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Grade: 2

pupils in the activities provided. On entry to Reception, they get off to a good start because the quality of education provided is much improved and is now good. There are weaknesses in features of pupils’ writing which the school is addressing. The progress pupils make is assessed accurately and the school has plans in place to enable them to have a better grasp of what to do to improve their work. Management makes effective use of the funding for this small village school and very good use of building grants. The school leadership is well placed to make further improvements and provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve pupils’ writing by developing their enjoyment of the different styles of narrative and the early formation of good handwriting skills. • Ensure that targets for learning and marking help pupils to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Children generally enter school with skills that are higher than those expected nationally, though in some years their skills are lower in attainment. They make good progress, in their mathematical development in particular, and exceed the learning goals expected by the end of Reception. Pupils continue to make good progress. Standards attained by age 7 are well above those of most schools but the small size of the cohort makes comparison difficult. Inspection findings note that the achievement of higher attainers in writing is not as effective as in reading and mathematics. By the age of 11, standards in reading, mathematics and science are high; two-thirds of pupils attained the higher levels in national tests. Again, the results in 2005 show that the high attainers, most of whom were boys, did not achieve the higher level in writing that they attained in reading. Inspection findings confirm that pupils make

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Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006 good progress overall in English, but that this difference persists despite the good headway the school has made in addressing the achievement of boys in literacy. This is why inspection judged achievement to be good rather than outstanding as the school believed. Pupils meet most of the challenging targets set for them and make good progress in all subjects.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils really enjoy school. Their positive attitudes are reflected in the high rate of attendance and their excellent behaviour and relationships with others. Staff create successful conditions for learning which in turn help pupils gain the skills they need for the future. Pupils adopt a safe and healthy lifestyle, understand the benefits of a balanced diet, take regular exercise and make sensible decisions in life. Pupils are eager to play a role in the planned school council. They make a good contribution to school life and often reach out to people in difficulties by fundraising. There are strong links with parents, the church, other schools and the village community, all of which enrich and help to promote learning. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils become responsible, confident individuals who care about others and show respect as they work and play together,

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Grade: 2

be it boisterously in the playground or thoughtfully in collective worship. Their understanding of the wider cultures of the world is much informed by travel, the arts and local traditions. Even so, the school is right to develop resources to widen their understanding of the range of diversity of cultures in Britain today.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. From Reception onwards, teachers and teaching assistants prepare lessons well and take good account of how pupils learn best. Teachers provide clear explanations, a good level of challenge and vary activities to make learning enjoyable. In Reception, pupils learn quickly and with delight. Infants and juniors know what is expected of them and they listen intently. Interactive whiteboards are used effectively to promote learning and maintain interest. These features mean that pupils build consistently well on their achievements. At times in lessons, when pupils are inspired, they become animated and show a thirst for learning. In these instances, progress is quickened. Equally, those with learning difficulties achieve well because they make good progress towards the small steps set for them and receive thoughtful support from teaching assistants. Accurate assessments are made of the progress pupils make. The school’s recently

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Grade: 2

improved assessment arrangements are set to check that all pupils work more consistently to their capabilities and become skilled in learning for themselves. That 3 Inspection Report: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006 said, pupils do not always have enough information to know for example, how to improve features of their writing. Marking does not regularly clarify this.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good, fully complying with national requirements and effectively meeting the needs of the pupils. Provision for sporting activities and school clubs is outstanding. These extend pupils’ skills and promote much enjoyment. The many successful improvements in the curriculum since the previous inspection include: • investigations in science • learning to speak French • experiences of art • the curriculum for children in Reception • provision for information and communication technology (ICT). Good emphasis on learning skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT assures that pupils use them well. The school has plans to develop pupils’ skills for writing narrative to a higher standard and to improve the outdoor area for Reception to widen the experiences of the youngest pupils. For older pupils, the importance of keeping safe and healthy is stressed so that they are able to make thoughtful decisions when faced with risks.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very keen to be involved in the life of the school; as one Year 6 pupil commented: ‘It’s a great school you know.’ •

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Grade: 2

The level of care, guidance and support provided for pupils is good. The shared work of teachers, assistants, parents, governors and outside agencies ensure that pupils’ well-being is evident in their good personal development and achievement. The care and support for individuals is often outstanding. Pupils feel valued and parents say so. Assessment arrangements ensure that teachers keep an eye on pupils’ academic and personal progress. Although pupils say they are supported well in their learning and know some of their targets to achieve, they do not always have effective guidance to know how to improve their work. Pupils’ welfare and safety is important and any pupil who has a worry is supported very well; pupils say they know who they would turn to. Child protection procedures and risk assessments are applied by all staff. Year 6 pupils were unanimous in stating: ‘There is no bullying in the school’.

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Grade: 2

Inspection confirms the school’s view that leadership and management are good. The headteacher leads an effective team and, with governors, has made substantial improvements in the conditions in which pupils learn so they all flourish and achieve 4 Inspection Report: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006 well. The school’s evaluation of its work is accurate and takes good account of, and acts upon, views expressed, including those of the local authority. Improvement since the previous inspection is good. The school has already acted upon the need to improve the standards in writing and has started to help pupils understand what to learn next and how best to improve. The provision for children in Reception and for ICT is now effective. Accommodation is considerably enhanced. Governors carry out their responsibilities with much thought, commitment and determination. Staff training and roles are clearly linked to identified priorities in the

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Grade: 2

school improvement plan. The school pulls together well to improve, adapt and learn. Management promotes pupils’ personal development and well-being effectively and pupils recognise that they are much valued. The school, which provides good value for money, has a strong commitment to performance and improvement. The leadership demonstrates good capacity to move forward. The school acknowledges that there is more to do to develop writing, use assessment to further learning and to implement the plans to develop a covered outdoor area for Reception. 5 Inspection Report: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 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: Grindleton Church of England V A Primary School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 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 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 1 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 www.ofsted.gov.uk Grindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Sawley Road Grindleton Clitheroe Lancashire BB7 4QS 17 January 2006 Dear Children I enjoyed my visit to your school last week. Thank you so much for making me feel welcome and for being so helpful. As you probably know, I came to find out if you are getting the education you should receive. I really enjoyed talking with you and finding out about the things you enjoy most. I think your school is good. The things I like are: everyone is really friendly and helpful and so your school is a very happy place your teachers help you to do well in lessons and so you learn quickly you said your teachers make most lessons interesting and enjoyable your behaviour is excellent and you all work very well together your school cares for everyone and makes sure you are safe you enjoy the very good range of clubs and activities outside lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I would like you to work with your teachers to improve the way you learn and I have asked your teachers to: help you to achieve your targets quickly teach you how to improve your writing. Thank you for helping me with the inspection of your school. Please share this letter with others. I hope you will carry on enjoying learning and helping your teachers to make Grindleton a really happy school. Yours sincerely Delia Hiscock School Inspector Annex B

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