Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection Report Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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122013 Unique Reference Number Northamptonshire LEA 281154 Inspection number 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge AI 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 Clipston Voluntary controlled School category Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9RU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01858 525261 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01858 525261 Fax number 166 Number on roll Mr Noel Palmer-Walsh Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs S Amson Headteacher 28 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281154 25 May 2006 - 4 to 11 26 May 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This school takes pupils from the village and surrounding areas. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. A well above average number of pupils have specific or moderate learning difficulties. Very few pupils have English as an additional language and these pupils do not require additional support. In some year groups, several pupils have joined the school after the Reception Year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006

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Grade: 3

This satisfactory school supports pupils’ pastoral needs well. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good, with children making especially good progress in personal, social and emotional development. By the end of the Reception Year, most are achieving and several are exceeding the expected goals for learning. Standards are above average in Years 2 and 6, although they vary depending on pupils’ starting points. Pupils do particularly well in science. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in English and mathematics as some make insufficient progress after Year 2. Pupils are enthusiastic and behave well. Whilst there is much good teaching, it is satisfactory overall because pupils’ differing needs are not met consistently. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and make lessons interesting. The basic curriculum is satisfactory, with good enrichment opportunities extending learning and contributing well to pupils’ enjoyment. Pupils

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Grade: 3

receive good pastoral care and support, although sometimes, insufficient use is made of assessment information to track their progress and set challenging targets. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Over the past year, there has been a growing understanding of what needs to be done to make the school even better, although the school’s view of its effectiveness is more generous than the inspection evidence would indicate. There is a renewed drive for school improvement, with an increased emphasis on raising pupils’ achievement. The school has partially addressed the weaknesses from the last inspection and is soundly placed to improve further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Ensure that pupils make consistently good progress in English and mathematics by giving them more challenging work. •Ensure that all teachers consistently plan and provide work that meets pupils’ differing needs. •Make better use of assessment information to monitor pupils’ progress, set challenging targets and rectify areas of weakness.

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Grade: 3

Standards are above average by the end of Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Attainment on entry to the school varies from being above to being in line with the expected levels. Children make good progress in the Reception Year, especially in personal and social development where they work together well and are keen to learn. By the end of the Reception Year, most children are working within the expected goals for learning and several are exceeding them. Progress from Year 1 to Year 6 is satisfactory. In 2005, the national test results in Year 2 were above average. Pupils in Year 2 are quick at mental mathematics and use their writing skills well to support their learning in other subjects. By Year 6, standards are 2 Inspection Report: Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006 generally above those found nationally, although there is variation from year to year

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Grade: 3

because of differences in pupils’ starting points. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make similar progress to other pupils. Although a fifth of the pupils in Year 6 joined the class from other schools, all have made good progress this year, especially in developing the quality of their writing. Standards in science are a particular strength, with pupils developing good knowledge and investigative skills. Annual targets set for individuals are not always challenging enough to ensure that all pupils make sufficient progress in English and mathematics after Year 2. Due to this, the targets set for Year 6 in 2005 were not met in full.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Most pupils are confident, enjoy school and develop positive attitudes towards learning. However, they do not always take enough care with the presentation of their work when it is not specifically for display. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils reflect on their feelings and emotions particularly well during literacy lessons and in class discussions. Good relationships with members of staff enable pupils to respect themselves and others, and are significant factors in their good behaviour. Most pupils say that there is no bullying and are satisfied that it would be dealt with well should it occur. Pupils make a good contribution to the life of the school and the local community. For example, they have established playground ‘Peace Makers’. It is a tribute to pupils’ good behaviour that there have been very few occasions for them to develop this role.

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Grade: 2

Pupils have a sound understanding of how to keep themselves safe and to eat healthily. They are well prepared for their future economic well-being with good basic skills and the ability to take the initiative, such as organising fund raising events. Attendance is satisfactory. Although the school takes all reasonable steps to stress the importance of regular attendance, several parents take their children on term time holidays.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory, although lessons vary from outstanding to unsatisfactory. The teachers’ good relationships with their classes are reflected in the enthusiasm and behaviour of pupils. Investigative skills are taught particularly well in science. Teachers in the Reception class and in Years 3 and 6 have high expectations and their planning is effective in meeting the wide range of pupils’ different needs. In the Reception class, there are particularly high expectations for the children’s social skills. 3 Inspection Report: Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006 However, in other classes, weaknesses occur when pupils of different capabilities are required to tackle similar work. As a result, some pupils make less progress than they should, with the more able pupils not being challenged and lower attainers struggling to keep up. Teaching assistants contribute well to the sensitive support provided for pupils with

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Grade: 3

learning difficulties and disabilities. However, they are not always sufficiently involved in the start of lessons and occasionally they are asked to support tasks that are too difficult for the pupils. Assessment is satisfactory. Teachers assess pupils’ learning frequently and there are examples of good marking in some classes. However, this information is not always used well to ensure that work builds consistently on what pupils already know.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory, with strengths in science and personal development. The needs of most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and those learning English as an additional language, are met satisfactorily. However, the variability in planning means that some pupils do not consistently receive the level of challenge that they need. A particular strength is the way that the English curriculum has been adapted to engage the interest of boys in the Reception class and in Year 6, where boys greatly outnumber girls. Increasingly effective opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills across the curriculum are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress. For example, pupils in Year 2 have particularly good opportunities to write in history and religious education topics. Good use is made of visits and visitors to make learning interesting. For example,

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Grade: 3

history was brought alive when pupils wore costumes during a visit to a Victorian house. Good use is made of specialist teaching in French, music and games to enrich the curriculum. The school promotes healthy and safe lifestyles soundly by encouraging pupils to drink water and eat fruit.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. This happy school has a welcoming atmosphere. Teachers are committed to the pupils’ well-being and this is reflected in the way they care for their everyday needs. Health and safety procedures are satisfactory, although the school is aware of some minor inconsistencies that need to be addressed. Induction procedures are good and there are good arrangements for pupils to move between classes and on to secondary school. Arrangements for child protection are thorough and good training has ensured that all members of staff are aware of the procedures. Pupils say that they feel safe and secure and know what to do if they have a worry. 4 Inspection Report: Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 2006 Although teachers know the pupils’ personal needs well, systems to monitor academic achievement are not rigorous enough. Some individual targets are insufficiently

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Grade: 3

challenging, allowing pupils to fall behind in their learning. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported satisfactorily.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Pupils and members of staff are valued and supported well in their personal development. The school has good links with parents and pupils so that their views can be taken into account when monitoring overall effectiveness. School self-evaluation is satisfactory, although more generous than the findings of the inspection. The headteacher, subject leaders and governors have a clear understanding of where provision is strong or needs to improve, and are committed to raising achievement. However, recently improved procedures for checking the school’s work are too new to have had a significant impact. An example of how the school has started to take effective action has been the drive to improve pupils’ writing by providing them with more purposeful tasks. However, teaching and learning vary in quality and leaders need to ensure that pupils receive a consistently good education

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Grade: 3

throughout the school. National test results are analysed and there is a wealth of other performance data. However, this other information is not presented clearly to enable governors and teachers to see at a glance whether all pupils are making enough progress. As a result, some pupils do not learn quickly enough and this shortfall is not tackled vigorously. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive and keen to extend their responsibilities. However, they are dependent on the headteacher for information on pupils’ progress and this reduces their effectiveness in holding the school to account. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory and the school is soundly placed to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 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: Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 25 May 2006 to 26 May 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 3 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 2 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 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 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 3 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 welcoming us to your school and for showing us your work. You were very polite and friendly. What we liked most about your school: You are particularly good at science. You behave well, enjoy school and work hard in lessons. Your teachers are very kind and caring and they plan lots of interesting things for you to do. Your headteacher, members of staff and governors are working hard to make the school even better. Your parents and carers are pleased that you come to this school. What we have asked your school to do now: •Help you to learn more quickly in English and mathematics. •Make sure that you are given work that is neither too hard nor too easy. •Check how quickly you are learning so that you can be given more challenging targets. We thoroughly enjoyed talking to you about your work and watching you learn and we wish you all well for the future.

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