Markington Church of England Primary & Nursery School

Inspection Report Markington Church of England Primary School

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121576 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire LEA 281049 Inspection number 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr Graham Martin 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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High Street School address Primary Type of school Markington Voluntary controlled School category Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 3NR 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01765 677442 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01765677442 Fax number 52 Number on roll Dr D Russell Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs L Paisley Headteacher 2 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281049 5 October 2005 - 4 to 11 6 October 2005 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 an additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small school situated in a rural village. It has been providing education for its community since 1789. All pupils are White British. The proportion claiming free school meals is below average but the percentage with learning difficulties or disabilities is above average. Attainment on entry to the reception class is mixed and below average overall. The school has a Basic Skills Quality Mark. It also has a Special Educational Needs (SEN) Quality Mark and has been awarded Highly Effective School status by its local authority. It is part of a partnership cluster of eleven village schools and one of a group of schools focusing on improving learning skills.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Markington Church of England Primary School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005

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Grade: 1

Every child matters in this outstanding school. This judgement confirms the school's own view of its effectiveness. The school has many excellent features, sustaining the very high quality of provision seen in the last inspection. By providing outstanding learning opportunities it enables all pupils to achieve very well. Excellent opportunities to enrich pupils' learning stem from very successful links with other schools and the community. The quality of care for pupils is outstanding and there is excellent provision for pupils' well-being. In a school with so few pupils, comparisons with national test averages must be treated with caution. Scrutiny of pupils' work shows that all make very good progress. Many attain standards above national expectations at Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils who find learning difficult achieve exceptionally well because their learning needs are provided for effectively. Partnership links provide opportunities for improving learning skills.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are often excellent. The school enhances teaching by providing information and communication technology (ICT) resources such as interactive whiteboards. Provision for reception children in the Key Stage 1 class is very good, leading to broadly average standards by the end of the reception year. The headteacher's outstanding leadership and vision inspires excellent teamwork and support from all staff. Governors know the school well and check on its effectiveness purposefully. They recognise the limitations of the accommodation, planning further improvement. The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils now have extensive opportunities for recording science investigations and for using literacy and numeracy skills widely. There is good capacity for the school to sustain and improve its outstanding effectiveness. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

Continue with the work on the following school development plan priorities: • Further develop ICT resources as a teaching tool. • Carry out the planned refurbishment of the school building. • Successfully achieve the objectives of the Primary Learning Network partnership.

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Grade: 1

With small numbers in Years 2 and 6, the comparison of the school's test results with nationally published averages is unreliable. The inspection confirms the school's judgement that pupils achieve very well and standards are above average. Children start school with a wide range of ability and a larger than average number have learning difficulties or disabilities. Attainment on entry is mixed and below average overall. The reception class children make excellent progress and achieve at least the standards expected by the time they start Year 1. All pupils continue to make very 2 Inspection Report: Markington Church of England Primary School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 good progress. By the end of Year 2 they attain average standards in reading, writing and mathematics, with some exceeding them. Year 6 boys and girls achieve the challenging but realistic targets set for their learning so that standards are generally

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Grade: 1

above average. The school is particularly successful in helping pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities to achieve very well. Parents expressed great appreciation of the school's work to assist children who, for different reasons, find learning difficult. The school is continuing with robust strategies to improve learning, including participation in a project to enhance speaking and listening skills.

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding feature. Pupils enjoy learning immensely and behaviour is excellent. Attendance is above average and pupils arrive at school punctually. Very positive attitudes mean that pupils are confident, eager learners, proud of their achievements. Very good relationships reflect the school's Christian ethos, promoting responsibility and equality. Pupils agree that they are expected to be mature and independent learners. Parents greatly appreciate the way the school promotes personal development, valuing the efforts made to support their children's educational and emotional needs. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils have very good insights into the world and its wonders. They recognise unfairness, intolerance and injustice. Pupils make a very positive contribution to their community, such as through improvements to an environment area. The school council actively leads such work,

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Grade: 1

setting good role models for other pupils in the conduct of meetings and co-operation with adults. Excellent links with Bradford and Romania give pupils an insight into how others live and cultural diversity within and beyond their own country. Pupils know the advantages of a healthy lifestyle. They understand the damaging effects of substance abuse and they know how to assess risks and work in safety. Very good links with local companies and a partnership between local education and businesses provide pupils with an understanding of commerce and the skills needed to succeed in the world of work.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is outstanding overall. As a result, pupils learn and achieve very well. The quality of teaching is embedded in the school's ethos of care for each pupil's individual needs. Rigorous planning, assessment and target setting ensure that differently aged pupils in the same class make very good progress. Parents recognise and value the high quality of teaching that enables their children to be effective learners. 3 Inspection Report: Markington Church of England Primary School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 The headteacher and senior staff check teaching and learning carefully. Teachers new to the school receive very good support to use their skills to best effect. Best practice is shared across the school, ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning is sustained. Very good teaching of vulnerable pupils and slower learners results in these pupils making very good progress. Teachers understand and respond to their pupils'

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Grade: 1

needs very well. Pupils have confidence in their basic skills; they have excellent relationships with their teachers and so learning is enhanced. Good opportunities to use literacy and numeracy across the curriculum enable pupils to develop the basic skills needed for their future economic well-being. The school is improving resources to enhance the teaching of ICT, for instance by introducing interactive whiteboards.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding, meeting statutory requirements and providing rich and stimulating learning opportunities well matched to pupils' needs. The school is working to increase the number of interactive whiteboards to enhance teaching and learning. The locality is used very well, enriching pupils' learning. Outstanding local partnerships provide rich experiences that would otherwise be difficult to sustain, including sport, art, residential visits and opportunities for pupils to work with and befriend other children. Pupils say that this helps them transfer confidently from a small primary to a large high school. They also proudly assume responsibility for organising events, including the successful harvest celebration during the inspection. Pupils enjoy learning outside lessons and from numerous visitors and educational visits. They show great enthusiasm learning French. Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils produced

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Grade: 1

an impressive French rendition of the song 'Heads and Shoulders'. All pupils were well able to tell their 'tete' (head) from their 'pied' (foot) and their 'bouche' (mouth) from their 'nez' (nose)! Extra-curricular clubs and a very effective personal, social and health education programme enhance pupils' learning and promote their health and safety.

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Grade: 1

The school provides outstanding care, guidance and support for its pupils. Relationships are excellent. Younger pupils are welcomed by older pupils and express pride in the special story books made for them by older pupils. The school is a very happy place where pupils are cherished and have someone they can depend on if they have a concern. This makes learning all the more effective. Very successful systems encourage, acknowledge and reward good behaviour and positive learning attitudes. Close attention is paid to ensuring pupils are safe, with special attention paid to teaching pupils about hazards that are found in rural areas. Risk assessments are carried out rigorously. There are robust procedures for checking that children are protected from harm. Parents express great satisfaction with the way the school cares for their children. Excellent support is given to vulnerable pupils. High praise from a parent for

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Grade: 1

the school's care for a child's particular needs was typical of many noted among the 4 Inspection Report: Markington Church of England Primary School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 very positive comments from families. Pupils develop a strong sense of responsibility as members of society through active support for charitable causes.

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Grade: 1

The inspection agrees with the school's view that its leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher's vision and commitment to equal opportunities are excellent, reflected in a strong Christian ethos and the work of all staff. The school evaluates its work very accurately and takes appropriate action to improve. The headteacher shares responsibilities well, enabling her to fulfil a significant and important teaching role. All staff are well aware of their part in the school's success and their role in school improvement. Governors contribute very well. Their understanding of the school's work and aims is very good. They fulfil statutory responsibilities and plan strategically for the school's future, actively working to improve the accommodation. The school makes very good use of resources. It accesses good support and guidance to sustain its outstanding provision, such as through excellent Primary Learning Network links to improve learning skills.

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Grade: 1

Good systems are in place for checking the effectiveness of the school's work and for taking appropriate action. Parents and pupils are consulted closely as part of this process, for example when the school was considering options for after school care. The strengths in leadership and the quality of teamwork indicate that the school has very good capacity to sustain its quality and continue to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Markington Church of England Primary School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 .

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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: Markington Church of England Primary School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005

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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 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 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 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 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 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 1 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

I recently visited your school to inspect its work for the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). My job was to find out how well your school is working for you, your family and your community. I would like to thank you for your friendly welcome to Markington school and for helping me to find out about the work that you do together. There are many excellent things about your school that you can be proud of. These are the things that I especially liked: - The way that your teachers give you lots of excellent activities to help you to enjoy learning and achieve as well as you are able. - The way the adults in your school care for each of you equally well and help you when you find learning difficult. - The way you all see your school like a large family, caring for each other and showing very good kindness to each other. I agree with you and your teachers about the things that will help your school to improve some

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more. Here they are: - Your teachers plan to make more use of computer equipment that helps you to learn, such as computer whiteboards. - The adults plan to keep on improving your old and historic school building. - Your school is working to keep the promises it has made with other local schools to find ways to help you to learn better. I enjoyed my visit to your excellent school very much and send you my best wishes for the future.

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