Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection Report Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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121528 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire LEA 281033 Inspection number 22 March 2006 to 23 March 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Rosemary Rodger CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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

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Thorpe Lane School address Primary Type of school Fylingthorpe Voluntary controlled School category Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4TH 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01947 880 429 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01947 880 429 Fax number 57 Number on roll Mrs Jane Mortimer Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Lisa Acting Jones Headteacher 10 July 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281033 22 March 2006 - 4 to 11 23 March 2006 Inspection Report: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 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

This is a small school of 57 pupils. It serves a rural area that is advantaged both socially and economically. A very small number of pupils are eligible for free school meals and there are very few pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Attainment of pupils as they start school is above average. Almost all pupils are white British, although there are a small number of pupils from minority ethnic groups. At the time of the inspection the school had an acting headteacher covering for the absence of the substantive headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. Pupils' standards on entry to school are above average in all areas of learning. They make good progress in the Reception class and in Years 1 and 2. They maintained above average standards in the 2005 national tests in reading, writing and mathematics. This good progress was not maintained in Key Stage 2, however, where pupils made slower progress. Standards in the 2005 tests were above average in mathematics and average in English and science. The school has taken measures to improve the situation and current achievement in Key Stage 2 is now satisfactory in English and science, with improvements needed in writing where higher attaining pupils could do better. The school's self-evaluation is over generous in its judgements on teaching and learning, leadership and management and its overall effectiveness. Personal development is good. The behaviour and attitudes of pupils

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Grade: 3

in Key Stage 1 is outstanding. Pupils take many responsibilities throughout the school. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, with good teaching in Key Stage 1 but it is variable in Key Stage 2. The use of assessment systems is satisfactory. Occasionally pupils are not given sufficient responsibility for their learning. The curriculum is good, as is the care, guidance and support pupils receive in this caring school. Provision and standards in the Foundation Stage are good. Leadership and management are satisfactory with good features in the vision and impact of the acting headteacher on raising standards and improving achievement. The school has the capacity to improve, and improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory overall, and good in the improvements to information and communication technology (ICT). Value for money is satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 so that it is all good or better. • Improve the progress in writing made by the higher attaining pupils throughout Key Stage 2.

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Grade: 3

Standards on entry to the school are above average in all areas of learning, especially in mathematics, writing, and personal, social and emotional development. The children in the Reception class make good progress which is maintained in Years 1 and 2. Good progress has not been maintained consistently in Key Stage 2 and standards have not been high enough. The acting headteacher has tackled underachievement by improving teaching, analysing assessment data to identify pupils needing additional support and providing training for staff. Currently, achievement and progress throughout Key Stage 2 are satisfactory and pupils in the current Year 6 are on target to reach the standards they are capable of in the forthcoming national tests. However, more needs to be done to raise the achievement of higher attaining pupils in writing throughout the key stage. Achievement in mathematics is good, as a result of effective teaching. Standards in

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Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 2006 ICT are above average by Year 6 where, for example, pupils showed good understanding of interpreting data and creating graphs. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. This is a close-knit, caring school. Very young children are well supported and develop good levels of confidence. Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Older pupils are articulate and share their views with others maturely. They have several responsibilities around school but do not have a school council that would enable them to represent the views of others in school decision-making. Pupils work hard and are well mannered and polite. Their enjoyment of school is reflected in the above average attendance. A strong commitment to racial equality is reflected in the seriousness the leadership attaches to the rare racist incident that occurred recently. Procedures were followed in an exemplary way. Pupils talked excitedly about the opportunities to have ICT lessons in the fire station and the way the interactive whiteboards enrich their learning in

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Grade: 2

mathematics. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are good links with the local community; for example, through involvement in a Victorian weekend and an annual May Queen ceremony. Older pupils have a clear understanding of the economic implications of Fair Trade products. They have a good understanding, which they share with their parents, of how to eat healthily.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with good features in Key Stage 1 and the Foundation Stage. This judgement disagrees with the school's view because teaching and learning are only satisfactory in Key Stage 2. High expectations and challenge for all pupils is a consistent feature of good teaching and lack of it a weakness of the satisfactory teaching. Pupils are capable of taking responsibility for their learning, which was very evident as Year 2 pupils pored intently over the junior dictionaries; there was less evidence of this in Key Stage 2. Lessons are generally well planned, but there is some variation between subjects with English planning not making learning intentions explicit, particularly for the most able pupils. For example, 'to write a report on a visit made the previous day' is too general a learning objective. Support staff are well deployed to work with pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 3

Teachers are starting to make effective use of interactive whiteboard technology in mathematics lessons, but less so in English. These issues contribute to the underachievement of higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 2. The dedicated area for the Foundation Stage is used effectively. 3 Inspection Report: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 2006

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. A high priority is given to basic skills. Numeracy and ICT skills are taught well across the curriculum; literacy is satisfactory. The Foundation Stage curriculum covers all the required areas of learning and provides a wealth of practical activities, although the limitations to the outdoor environment has been recognised by the school as an area for development and is in hand. Pupils really enjoy the special events that are held, such as the Victorian weekend and trips away. They love reading and feel that personal, social and health education lessons help them to become 'more confident and braver'. A wide range of clubs after school helps to develop a range of musical and artistic skills in the pupils that are of benefit to the local community, through, for example, the Year 6 folk band. The physical education curriculum is effectively extended through sports clubs and competitions with other schools.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are well cared for. The school's calm and welcoming ethos is much appreciated by pupils and parents who value the approachability of the acting headteacher. Pupils who transfer from other schools integrate well. Health and safety for all are strongly promoted. Links with parents and other agencies are a strong feature of the support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The arrangements to safeguard pupils follow the local authority's rigorous procedures. All adults working with pupils are checked and procedures to protect vulnerable pupils are robust. Risk assessments are thorough and shared with supporting adults, for example, when pupils go on educational visits. The use of assessment information to track the progress of pupils year by year is developing satisfactorily; it is in place for mathematics. Pupils are usefully given individual targets to assist them in knowing what to do to improve their

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Grade: 2

work. Weekly achievement assemblies reward good progress, behaviour and attitudes through 'star of the week'.

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Grade: 3

The inspection judgement that leadership and management are satisfactory disagrees with the school's view that it is good because many of the actions to raise standards have been introduced recently and have not yet had sufficient impact on improving teaching and learning in Key Stage 2. Governors are well informed and committed to the school. The acting headteacher has a clear vision, and actions to improve achievement have some good features, such as the improvements in ICT, the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 and the introduction of new assessment systems. The views of parents have been sought and their views considered. For example, following some concerns raised by parents about supervision, staff are more vigilant at break times and when pupils leave school. The leadership of mathematics is effective and has had a good impact on improving standards and teaching through training and the 4 Inspection Report: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 2006

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Grade: 3

use of ICT. The improvements to the climate for learning are valued by parents, governors and staff. The acting headteacher keeps parents well informed through the weekly newsletter. Under the current leadership, the school has the capacity to improve. There have been satisfactory improvements since the last inspection, with several only happening in the past two terms. 5 Inspection Report: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 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: Fylingdales Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 March 2006 to 23 March 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 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

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Achievement and standards

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

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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

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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 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 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

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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

Thank you for making my visit to your school so enjoyable. I especially enjoyed talking to you and having my lunch with you. I am writing to tell you what I liked about your school and what needs to be improved. What I liked about your school - Most of you work very hard, especially in Class 3, when you were using very difficult dictionaries to find out the meanings of words and when some of you were learning to count to 30 in the hall. - You really enjoy mathematics. It is best when your teachers use the whiteboard. - You say your teachers are nice and help you feel safe; I agree. - You all love reading, physical education and sport and going to the fire station for ICT lessons. What needs to be improved - You and your teachers need to concentrate more on improving your written work. You can help by making sure you always try your best when writing. Good luck for the future.

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