All Saints CEVA Primary School and Nursery

Inspection Report All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit

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121998 Unique Reference Number Northamptonshire LEA 281152 Inspection number 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 Inspection dates Paul Weston HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Castle Street School address Primary Type of school Wellingborough Voluntary controlled School category Northamptonshire NN8 1LS 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01933 225888 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01933 225888 Fax number 240 Number on roll Father Tony Lynett Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Lindsay Hall Headteacher 6 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281152 9 November 2005 - 3 to 11 10 November 2005 Inspection Report: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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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 of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of schools and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

All Saints C of E (Controlled) Primary and Nursery School is an average sized school in Wellingborough. No pupils claim free school meals. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is similar to that found nationally and very few speak English as an additional language. The school has a larger proportion of pupils with learning difficulties than found nationally. The school is a Beacon School and has received a range of awards in recent years, including, the intermediate level International School Award, bronze standard in the Healthy Schools Award and ECO Schools Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, which provides well for its pupils and gives good value for money. Inspectors agree with the school’s view of its overall effectiveness. There are many strengths. Chief amongst these are the effective care, guidance and support for pupils that result in their good behaviour, positive attitudes to their work and their enjoyment of learning. Parents are appreciative of the school’s work. One said, `All Saints is a wonderful school’, another commented, `The school is a place where I feel my child is well cared for’. Pupils make good progress from their starting points. In the Foundation Stage most pupils make good progress and this continues in subsequent years, enabling standards to be above average by the end of Year 6. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well. It has taken effective action to improve standards in information and communication technology (ICT) and physical

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Grade: 2

education (PE). A useful start has been made in setting targets to help to ensure that all pupils make best progress. However, not all pupils remember them or have these reinforced in teachers’ marking. Leadership and management are good. Half the governing body is new and although keen, recognises the need to become increasingly involved in the school. There is an enthusiasm and capability to drive the school forward. Curriculum co-ordinators provide good support for colleagues, but they do not all monitor standards.

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What the school should do to improve further

Focus on: •increasing pupils’ understanding and awareness of their targets so that they ensure all pupils make best progress •developing monitoring and evaluation strategies so that curriculum co-ordinators check on standards and use the findings to plan to further increase pupil progress •further developing the role of the governing body so that it increases its understanding and involvement in the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good. They make good progress and by the end of Year 6 attain above average standards. Pupil’s starting point in the Nursery is broadly average. They make steady progress, settle well to the routines and are keen to investigate and explore the many different experiences provided. The rate of progress increases in Reception because of the firm foundation laid in Nursery and the well thought out curriculum. From this secure footing, pupils flourish in Years 1 and 2 and most pupils do well, particularly in reading and writing. Standards in mathematics are high in 2005, but are more variable over time. The school is aware of this and has plans to raise levels in this subject. Good progress carries on throughout Key Stage 2, where pupils continue to achieve above average standards. Boys and girls achieve equally well. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities also do well. Standards in science are exceptionally high

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Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 and this is a particular strength of the school. Mathematics is good, but not as strong. Following an analysis, the school has begun to target pupils’ knowledge and instant recall of mental facts for improvement. In addition, although most pupils in Year 6 reach the expected Level 4 in English and mathematics, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 has reduced. The school has therefore increased the challenge for the brightest pupils in their work. The school is setting increasingly challenging targets to help improvement and has generally been successful in meeting these.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. There is a strong emphasis on spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The spiritual dimension of the curriculum is particularly well planned and delivered in a variety of ways. Social experiences are built effectively into the school calendar. For example, four year groups have residential visits each year. Pupils clearly understand what is right and wrong, feel fully involved in the school and have a wide range of opportunities offered to them. The school promotes a good work ethic and pupils show good attitudes to their learning. They enjoy their work and are supportive of each other. They work and play well together. For example, pupils work effectively as teams to gain points for effort, behaviour and achievement in the house system. Pupils understand the school rules and think they are fair. Behaviour is good. The behaviour policy is consistently applied throughout the school. Rare occurrences of

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Grade: 2

bullying are dealt with quickly and sensitively. Attendance is above the national average. Pupils are encouraged to take on many responsibilities, such as in ‘helping hands’ playtimes. School councillors take their responsibilities very seriously. They discuss the concerns and ideas of classmates and suggest appropriate improvements such as providing sun shelters for the playground.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good and this confirms the school’s own view. The strengths in teaching include, good planning that is matched to learners’ needs, good subject knowledge, skilful questioning, high expectations of behaviour, good management, and lessons that move at a brisk pace. These strategies enable pupils to maintain their interest, enjoy their learning, make good progress and achieve well. However, in lessons where the pace is slower, pupils achieve less well. Effective use is made of teaching assistants who are fully briefed and they support pupils well. Assessment of pupils’ progress is good overall. It is very good in the Foundation Stage and good in English and mathematics. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ attainment and progress and this information is used well to set different tasks for groups in 3 Inspection Report: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

English and mathematics. Assessment procedures in other subject areas are satisfactory overall. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. Some teachers help pupils to identify how they can improve, but this approach is not used consistently by all teachers.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum fulfils statutory requirements and matches the needs of pupils well. The school places a strong emphasis on improving pupils’ skills in English and mathematics. This helps pupils to build a good foundation for their next stage of learning. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is good. The school seeks to constantly improve the curriculum. For example, teachers are currently developing the oral and mental start of mathematics lessons and relevant extension activities for brighter pupils. There have been good improvements in ICT and PE since the last inspection. Visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities make pupils’ learning enjoyable and stimulate pupils’ enthusiasm. Visits and topics for visiting speakers are carefully linked to the current areas of learning or are used very effectively to extend pupils’ understanding of a subject.

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Grade: 2

The school is a caring community. The quality of care, guidance and support is high and most pupils achieve well because of this. Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils, including child protection, are well established. There are good arrangements for ensuring that the school environment is healthy and safe and pupils have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. They are well supervised and taught to use equipment safely. There are very good relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils know that adults will listen to their concerns and support them if they have a problem. Procedures to tackle unsatisfactory behaviour and to reward good work or conduct are effective. A useful start has been made in setting targets to help pupils progress. They have relevant learning targets for work in English, mathematics and science, based on good assessment and monitoring procedures. However, not all pupils remember their targets

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Grade: 2

or have these reinforced in teachers’ marking. Therefore, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher has a clear vision and gives a strong sense of direction to ‘aim higher’, with a well articulated focus on raising standards and on promoting the care and well-being of pupils. She is well supported by her deputy and subject leaders, who have an accurate understanding 4 Inspection Report: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 of the strengths and areas for improvement. The school is well managed and runs smoothly, enabling teachers to focus on pupils’ learning. The school makes good use of all of its resources, including staff who are deployed effectively. Over half the staff have been appointed to the school in the last two years. The newly established team has rightly spent time putting into place plans and systems for future development. Assessment and tracking information is used effectively by the

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Grade: 2

headteacher and subject leaders to establish sensible priorities and target improvement. These are included in the school development plan. Newly established curriculum co-ordinators provide good curriculum and planning support for colleagues. However, their roles in checking the implementation and impact need further development. Half the governing body has been appointed recently. The new recruits have attended appropriate induction training. They are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and committed to the school, but recognise the need to develop their role further. The governing body ensures that all legal requirements are met and has embarked on a rebuilding programme, which is benefiting all pupils. 5 Inspection Report: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 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: All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 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 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 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 2 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 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 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

All Saints Church of England Primary School Castle Street Wellingborough Northamptonshire NN8 1LS 10 November 2005 Dear Children, Thank you for the help you gave to inspectors when we visited your school recently. We really appreciated your friendliness and politeness and the way you helped look after us. What you told us about the school was very helpful. We would like to tell you what we think as well. There are lots of good things happening at All Saints CE Primary and Nursery School: •children in Nursery and Reception enjoy their learning and they learn to work together sensibly •pupils in Years 1 and 2 like coming to school and are keen to do well •the pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn things fast and by the end of Year 6 have gained a lot of very useful skills and knowledge •you have a good headteacher, who wants your school to be the best it can be for you •you are taught well, and the adults in school take good care of you •your behaviour is

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

good, and you work hard. You play together happily, and help each other if there are problems or difficulties. We think that yours is a good school, though there are things that could be better such as: •you need to know your targets and use them to make your work better •the headteacher and teachers should make sure that they check how well you are taught and learn in some subjects •your school’s governors need to look much more closely at how you are getting on, so they can help the school to be even more successful than it is now. Our report will be sent home. Some of you might want to look at it, as it includes many more good things. We wish you a very successful and enjoyable time in school. Good luck for the future. Yours Faithfully, Paul Weston HMI

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