Fleckney Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Fleckney Church of England Primary School

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120129 Unique Reference Number Leicestershire LEA 280742 Inspection number 30 January 2006 to 31 January 2006 Inspection dates John Eadie AI Reporting inspector

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

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Batchelor Road School address Primary Type of school Leicester Voluntary controlled School category Leicestershire LE8 8BE 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01162 402 288 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01162 402 288 Fax number 429 Number on roll Mrs Linda Marshall Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Harvey Headteacher 31 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280742 30 January 2006 - 4 to 11 31 January 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large primary school serves the village of Fleckney, south of Leicester, with a few pupils coming from smaller villages in the area. Almost all pupils are White British with small numbers from a range of other heritages. All speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities has increased in recent years but is still below average. There is a lower than average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, reflecting the economic stability of the area. When they start in the Reception classes, children’s levels of skills and knowledge have been declining in recent years and are now generally below average. The school has won a number of awards recently, including ones for promoting a healthy lifestyle, for teaching basic skills and a prestigious award for developing pupils’ skills in information and communication technology (ICT). There have been a number of changes in senior

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Description of the school

management, through retirement, and to the staff team in the last 18 months, and the headteacher took up his post in September 2004.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Fleckney Church of England Primary School, 30 January 2006 to 31 January 2006

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Grade: 2

Evidence from the inspection agrees with the school’s evaluation that it is a good and rapidly improving school which gives good value for money. Provision is good in the Reception classes where children make good progress and as a result start in Year 1 with above average standards. At the last inspection, teaching in Years 1 and 2 was criticised and standards in Year 2 were broadly average. This has been dealt with well and standards at this age have risen in each of the last four years. A further weakness identified in the previous inspection was that more able pupils were not making sufficient progress. Good initiatives have been put in place recently to address this, and they are having an impact. Standards in science, whilst still average, have not moved on as well as those in English and mathematics, largely because of weaknesses in curriculum provision. This has been rectified and is beginning to have an impact on

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Grade: 2

raising standards. Pupils’ progress is now good through the school and they are being taught well. Pupils are cared for well and their personal development is good. Particular strengths are pupils’ behaviour and their contribution to the school and the wider community; these are outstanding. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the future of the school and this is driving the current rapid progress. He has communicated this vision very well to governors and staff and the whole team is working hard to provide the best for the pupils. The school’s self-evaluation is very clear and accurate and, with the good improvement since the last inspection, the school is well placed to continue its progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Continue to improve teaching so that more able pupils are sufficiently challenged in all lessons. •Use investigative approaches more consistently to raise standards in science.

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Grade: 2

Pupils of all ability levels make good progress through the school. The well organised provision in the Reception classes is resulting in these children making good progress. In the tests in Year 2, standards have improved significantly since the last inspection and were high in the tests last year. These improving standards are moving up through the school. In the national tests in Year 6 last year, the challenging targets for the proportion of pupils to achieve the expected Level 4 were exceeded in both English and mathematics. Those for the higher Level 5 were just missed, showing that at that time the school had not quite solved the problem raised at the last inspection when higher attainers were not making sufficient progress. However, evidence shows that more able pupils currently in Year 6 are making good progress and the proportion of higher levels is 2 Inspection Report: Fleckney Church of England Primary School, 30 January 2006 to 31 January 2006

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Grade: 2

expected to be significantly greater in this year’s national tests. This is partly because of recent initiatives that are beginning to have an impact on pupils’ faster progress. Standards in a range of other areas, particularly the creative subjects such as art and design and music, are high.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ good personal development and well-being are reflected in their positive relationships and the respect that they show for others. Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding both in class and around the school. They are courteous, and reflect the values learned in their circle time. Pupils enjoy their school life enormously. They attend well, and take full advantage of the variety of opportunities available to them. Pupils make a strong contribution to the life of the school as members of the school council and as peer supporters. They talk enthusiastically about the effectiveness of these schemes in giving them a voice and providing additional support, and feel, rightly, that they have made improvements to the quality of life in the school, such as suggesting a wider range of equipment for playtimes. Pupils have made a very positive contribution to life in the local community and have made an outstanding response

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Grade: 2

to local and national charity fundraising initiatives; for example, pupils organised events for the Tsunami appeal which raised over £1,000. They also helped the Fleckney School Association organise and host a village event for St George’s day. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good. The recently set up link with a culturally diverse school in the area has increased the richness of pupils’ cultural awareness. Initiatives, which have led to the Healthy Schools Award, have been successfully reflected in most pupils’ lifestyles, although work is ongoing to persuade some to bring healthy packed lunches. Good provision for developing basic skills and independent work habits contributes to effective preparation for a future working life.

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Grade: 2

A significant feature of the good teaching in the school is strong staff teamwork which has helped to develop consistent practice, despite recent staff changes. Children make a good start in the Reception class, happily choosing from a range of interesting activities within a carefully organised programme. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 has improved considerably since the previous inspection and is now good. Lessons are generally planned and organised well, with a strong emphasis on learning by doing, so pupils are keen to learn. Resources are used well to focus attention, with instances of very effective use of computers. Expectations for attentiveness, considerate behaviour and hard work are high. Tasks are generally adjusted carefully so that pupils with learning difficulties can take part successfully. More able pupils are usually set 3 Inspection Report: Fleckney Church of England Primary School, 30 January 2006 to 31 January 2006

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Grade: 2

harder work, although the school recognises the need for greater consistency in this, particularly in science. There are examples of marking which is very effective in explaining how work could be improved, although pupils are not always required to make the suggested improvements. Assessment procedures have been tightened and are now good. The information is beginning to be used well to guide the next steps in learning for individuals of all abilities.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is well balanced and stimulating. There is an emphasis on English and mathematics, for which pupils are taught in sets according to ability from Year 2 onwards. This is helping to ensure a close match of work to individual needs, with signs of better progress by more able pupils in particular. Provision for science has been strengthened recently, although the school recognises that an investigative approach is not used sufficiently. Targets for pupils with learning difficulties are integrated well into lesson planning. The school offers a wide range of clubs and other activities. These are of high quality, and the school has a commendable record of success in music and drama performances, displays of art and sports competitions in the area. Many pupils learn to play instruments and have good opportunities to perform in public at local events. Members of the computer club make an impressive contribution to the school’s website.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good because staff and pupils work hard to establish a caring and welcoming atmosphere in the school. In the words of one pupil, ‘Our school is special because everyone cares for each other’. Secure child protection procedures are in place, and regular training is given to staff. Pupils are well supervised at playtimes and use additional play equipment safely. Risk assessments are carried out routinely and governors conduct regular health and safety reviews. All this ensures that pupils are kept safe. Good tracking systems enable pupils to receive regular guidance from their teachers on how to improve their work. However, these systems are relatively new and are not yet used consistently. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported well and good links are made with other agencies to provide additional support where necessary. Close links have been established with other providers to ensure that parents

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Grade: 2

and pupils receive good induction to the school and effective support on transition to secondary school. 4 Inspection Report: Fleckney Church of England Primary School, 30 January 2006 to 31 January 2006

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good overall. Although the current senior management team has been formed fairly recently, members share a common purpose and drive and are already having an impact in raising standards. Some subject coordinators are relatively new to their posts and their monitoring of their subject areas is not yet as well established as in English and mathematics, for example. The headteacher has carried out very perceptive analysis of strengths and areas for development and successfully led the school through some difficult changes in his first year. He has a clear vision for the way forward, which is shared by the staff team. A particular strength is the astute five-year forecast created to plan for the demographic fall in pupil numbers. Governors also share this vision and are fully involved in developments. Governance is good and all statutory requirements are met. Parents are consulted widely and many said that the headteacher and staff are

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Grade: 2

‘approachable’. Changes have been made as a result of their views, such as to school meals and having single-age classes. They are very supportive of the school and are particularly pleased with the way they are listened to and action is taken if necessary. There are productive links with other schools, for example a successful initiative to improve pupils’ learning is a current project for the local group of schools. Bearing in mind the clarity of the school’s self-evaluation, the involvement of governors and parents, and the commitment by all the staff to raise standards, the school is well placed to continue to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Fleckney Church of England Primary School, 30 January 2006 to 31 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: Fleckney Church of England Primary School, 30 January 2006 to 31 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 1 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 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 No 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 so much for welcoming us to your school. We were impressed with how polite and well behaved you are. We enjoyed looking at your work and talking to you and hearing how proud you are of your school. Your school is good and getting better rapidly. There are a number of things your school does well. We think the most important are the following. •You make a great contribution to the school community, for example through the hard work of the peer supporters and the school council. You also contribute to the life of your village splendidly and raise impressive sums for charities. •Your behaviour is excellent and you work hard. •You make a good start in the reception classes and make good progress through the school because you are being taught well. •Your headteacher has a very clear plan to improve the school, which is shared by all the staff. •You take full advantage of the wide range of activities which are available and reach really high standards in sport and music, for example.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

•All adults look after you very well. There are a few things that we think your school could improve. They are already working at these. •Some of you who find work easier than others would benefit from being given harder work more often. •You do not do as well in science as you do in English and mathematics. You are enjoying school life enormously, well done.

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