Knayton CofE Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 9 Mar 2006

Inspection Report Knayton CofE Primary School

p.1

121506 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire LEA 281029 Inspection number 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Linda Murphy CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Stockton Road School address Primary Type of school Knayton Voluntary controlled School category Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 4AN 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

p.1

01845 537 291 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01845 537 257 Fax number 109 Number on roll Mrs C Mullins Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr A Keane Headteacher 4 December 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281029 8 March 2006 - 4 to 11 9 March 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an additional inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is smaller than average and serves families from outlying villages near Knayton. Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those entitled to free school meals is below average. Since the last inspection there has been a significant change in staffing including the appointment of a new headteacher which followed a period when the school was led by an acting headteacher. The school gained an Investor in People award in 2005.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Knayton CofE Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory level of education for its pupils. Strengths are in the Christian ethos which promotes pupils' personal development well. As a result, pupils' behaviour, attitudes to school and attendance are good. Pupils have a strong sense of community and contribute well to their school and local community. The care, guidance and support the school provides are satisfactory overall. The aspects of care and support are good. However, arrangements for checking and guiding pupils' progress over time are in the early stages of development. Standards are broadly average across the school: reading is a strength and writing is a weakness. The quality and achievement in the Reception class is satisfactory. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 to 6. This is because the quality of teaching, learning, leadership and management is also satisfactory. Self-evaluation is mostly accurate,

p.4

Grade: 3

although the school has an over-generous view of the curriculum and guidance it provides. Development planning is basic. It identifies key priorities appropriately but does not provide sufficient clarity about the precise actions the school needs to take to raise standards. The school has overcome hurdles since the last inspection in terms of acquiring a stable staffing situation and has, this last year, made sound progress indicating it has the capacity to improve. The school has a good partnership with parents and sound relationships with other partners. It provides satisfactory value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in writing across the school. • Ensure the systems to track pupils' progress are sufficiently rigorous to drive improvement in standards. • Develop planning for school improvement so that it leads to focused priorities for development with clear timescales and is used to guide monitoring and evaluation.

p.4

Grade: 3

Standards are average at the end of Years 2 and 6 in English, mathematics and science. On entry, standards are broadly typical for pupils' ages although standards for most are lower in writing - especially for boys. At the end of the Reception year, pupils generally attain the goals set nationally for pupils of their age, yet writing remains a weaker aspect. Throughout the school, pupils make satisfactory progress. Strengths are in reading - an area where the school has really involved parents well in their children's learning. This, together with good levels of speaking and listening, helps pupils succeed as independent learners. They are let down by lower standards in writing. Too few Year 6 pupils attained the expected level in writing in the national tests in 2005. At Years 2 and 6, very few attained highly in writing. Weaknesses are in sentence construction and in the completion of longer pieces of writing of good quality. Work

p.4

Grade: 3

has begun to remedy this and standards in lessons are higher than in 2005. There is 2 Inspection Report: Knayton CofE Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006 more to do, however, to enable pupils to match the levels reached in reading and mathematics. Overall, the school exceeded its targets for Year 6 pupils in 2005 at the expected level for their age. It fell far short in its targets for writing.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are of good quality and are underpinned by close liaison between home and school. The school is good at helping pupils understand their rights and responsibilities to the immediate and wider communities and pupils contribute well. The Christian ethos is part and parcel of the pupils' personal growth including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is high and reflects pupils' good attitudes to learning. Pupils behave well - an improvement since the last inspection. They are sensible and mature and take responsibilites such as being elected to the school council, being playtime buddies and helping others or acting as junior road safety officers very seriously. Pupils are encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle and they clearly understand what is required to bring this about. They develop satisfactory skills overall that contribute to their

p.5

Grade: 2

future economic well-being, although a weakness is in skills at writing. Strengths are in the good use of technology and the way that pupils work with partners to discuss their work. As one school councillor explained 'two heads are better than one'.

p.5

Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Strengths are that teachers have good relationships with pupils. They expect pupils to behave well and respect others. They give timely reminders when pupils' concentration wanders as it does on occasion in Year 5. Pupils are positive about their learning. They have a broad understanding of what they need to do next to improve. Teachers help them to set targets for learning although these are not always sufficiently precise. The pace of teaching and learning is variable. When the pace is sluggish, the higher attainers in particular miss out and mark time rather than moving on to the next challenge. Day-to-day lesson planning is inconsistent and this makes it more difficult to monitor. The quality of marking is variable. At its best, as in English in Year 3 and Year 4, it is precise and challenging and helps pupils to make progress. Teaching assistants provide sound, and sometimes

p.5

Grade: 3

good, support to pupils. This helps pupils who have difficulties with learning tackle their tasks with increasing confidence and so progress at the same rate as other pupils. Their individual plans for their learning are clear and reviewed regularly. Teachers make helpful assessments of pupils' learning and mostly adapt tasks to give pupils a satisfactory level of challenge. The teaching of writing is a focus for improvement. Steps are being taken to help pupils enjoy writing and get better at recording their ideas. 3 Inspection Report: Knayton CofE Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006

p.5

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory with some good features. Arrangements in the Reception class and the basic curriculum in English, mathematics and science are satisfactory. Where year groups are split between two classes the teachers plan together to provide equal opportunities for all pupils. Teachers do not consistently plan how they will include literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. This limits pupils' opportunities to practice and improve these skills. Information and communication technology is used well and safely. A satisfactory range of extra strategies helps those pupils who might otherwise fall behind with their work. There is good provision for music: many pupils have instrumental tuition and play in the school orchestra. A good range of extra-curricular activity enhances the broad and balanced curriculum with a focus on sport and safe, healthy lifestyles. This is enhanced by a residential visit for pupils in

p.6

Grade: 3

Year 6 which gives them opportunity to meet pupils from other local schools.

p.6

Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall although the school judged them good. Academic guidance is satisfactory rather than good because the targets for pupils do not always make exactly clear the quality of work that is required to raise standards. The school has not yet organised its systems for checking pupils' progress year on year. As a result, it has not always looked ahead as much as it should to identify where academic improvements are needed. Strengths are in the care and personal support given to pupils which is of consistently good quality. As a result, pupils say that they feel safe and really well cared for in school and parents strongly agree. Arrangements for child protection are good and have improved since the last inspection.

p.6

Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher balances effectively the role of teaching with leading and managing the school. Teaching staff are taking on new subject leadership roles with commitment and, collaboratively, provide effective support to the school's leadership. Previous instability in staffing led to a dip in standards between inspections. Staffing is now stable and standards are rising - pupils' attainment in lessons is better than the school's latest national test results. The school has the capacity to improve. Since the last inspection good improvements have been made in attendance, behaviour, pastoral care and in nurturing pupils' personal development. The school meets its mission to enable pupils to feel fulfilled by their school experiences and to be responsible and respectful. Staff work well with all those who have a direct interest in the school and parents are pleased with their children's

p.6

Grade: 3

rounded development. 4 Inspection Report: Knayton CofE Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006 Governance is satisfactory although at times over-reliant on a core of governors to attend meetings regularly and to provide support and challenge to the school. The development plan has recently been improved. It identifies key priorities but is not sufficiently well supported by subject action plans. The plans lack key milestones when checks on progress can be made. Responsibilities sometimes inappropriately overlap leaving accountability imprecise. Self-evaluation is satisfactory and has identified that systems to record the analysis of standards achieved and to set targets for pupils' attainment are patchy. This means that the school's overview of standards and progress is insufficiently precise to really challenge pupils' achievement. As a result, standards in writing are not good enough. 5 Inspection Report: Knayton CofE Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006

p.6

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Knayton CofE Primary School, 8 March 2006 to 9 March 2006

p.8

Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

learners?

NA 3 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 3 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

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 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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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.

p.9

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 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for all the help you gave me when I inspected your school. I enjoyed talking to you and looking at your work. I found that your school provides you with a satisfactory quality of education overall. The strengths are that: - the school helps you to behave well and to be thoughtful to others - you know how to keep healthy and safe because the school cares for you well - you attend school very regularly and enjoy it - many of you are good at reading, using computers and playing musical instruments. You speak well and enjoy discussing tasks with partners which helps with your learning - there are plenty of after school activities for you to attend especially sports clubs and Year 6 have a residential visit each year when they meet children from other schools - the school gets on well with your families. The teachers really want to do their best for you and you need to help them by improving your

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

writing. The school also needs to keep a better track of how well you achieve year by year and to make its plans for improvement clearer.

p.11