Longhoughton Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Longhoughton Church of England First School

p.1

122277 Unique Reference Number Northumberland LEA 281215 Inspection number 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr David Shearsmith Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Longhoughton School address First Type of school Alnwick Voluntary controlled School category Northumberland NE66 3AJ 4 to 9 Age range of pupils 01665 577204 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01665 577204 Fax number 154 Number on roll Mrs Audrey Jamieson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Julie Henderson Headteacher 1 December 2003 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281215 29 March 2006 - 4 to 9 30 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 one additional inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

Longhoughton First School caters for pupils aged 4 to 9 and works closely with the separate nursery on-site. The school serves the village of Longhoughton and surrounding communities. Pupils are taught in six classes; they enter school with broadly average standards. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is in line with the national average. However, because some families work in the services, the mobility of pupils is twice the national average for all year groups.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Longhoughton Church of England First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school which provides well for its pupils. This matches the school’s own view of its effectiveness. There are effective links with the nursery and these links, together with good Foundation Stage provision in Reception, enable the children to make good progress and a good start to their education by the time they join Year 1. They make good overall progress in Key Stage 1, although standards should be higher in reading. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 2 and achieve above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school at the end of Year 4. They also achieve well in other subjects, particularly in art and information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils enjoy school. It provides a safe and secure environment to support their learning. Relationships are good and pupils are well behaved. The staff work well as a team; they know the pupils well as

p.4

Grade: 2

individuals and provide them with good guidance and support. However, the pupils are not involved enough in assessing how well they are doing. The curriculum is satisfactory; it is carefully adapted to meet pupils’ differing needs and is enriched by a good range of activities. There is a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, as well as ICT, but the curriculum is constrained in the Foundation Stage because the children do not have sufficient access to outdoor activities to ensure their effective physical development. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher and together they provide good leadership and management. The school has accurately identified the areas needing further improvement. Overall, the school offers good value for money and has the capacity to improve further not applicable

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

The school should: • raise standards in reading in Key Stage 1 • enable the children in the Foundation Stage to make faster progress in their physical development through better access to outdoor play • involve pupils more in assessing their own learning in all subjects.

p.4

Grade: 2

Standards are above average and pupils achieve well. Pupils enter the Foundation Stage with broadly average levels of attainment. They make good progress through the Foundation Stage, except in their physical development because of limited access to outdoor play. They continue to make good overall progress throughout Years 1 to 4 and generally reach above average standards by the end of Year 4, even though some of them have only been in the school a brief time because of the high level of mobility of the service children. 2 Inspection Report: Longhoughton Church of England First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 The results of Year 2 national tests in 2005 were well above average overall. They were well above average in mathematics and writing but pupils do not make as much progress with reading and the results were only average. The school acknowledges this as a matter for improvement in its action plan. Good progress is maintained in Years 3 and

p.4

Grade: 2

4 and the school’s highly effective monitoring and assessment indicates that pupils reach standards above average for their age by the time they leave at the end of Year 4. All groups of pupils make equally good progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress as a result of carefully planned provision, based on individual education plans which are well matched to their needs.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Pupils like coming to school; they enjoy their work and take pride in their achievement. Relationships are very good and all pupils and adults work well together. Attendance and behaviour are good. Social, moral, cultural and spiritual development is good. Pupils have a good understanding of different cultures and understand the difference between right and wrong. Their social development is enriched by a wide range of activities that encourage them to work together. Pupils play an active part in the running of the school through their participation in the work of the school council. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They appreciate the importance of a healthy diet and physical exercise. Pupils understand the importance of developing their basic skills and the need to prepare for the next stage of their education. They also develop a good range of computer skills and are

p.5

Grade: 2

prepared well for their future economic well-being.

p.5

Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well planned and teachers have a very good knowledge of their pupils as individuals. Teachers provide clear instructions and match work carefully to the range of needs in their class. Targets set are accurate and pupils make good progress through carefully structured activities. Pupils are attentive in lessons and work well in groups, pairs and independently. All pupils make consistently good progress throughout the school. Standards in reading are now rising as a result of the intervention strategies that the school has put in place alongside its careful monitoring of pupils’ progress. Teaching assistants support pupils well in lessons. They help pupils to understand the purpose of the lesson and show them how to improve. 3 Inspection Report: Longhoughton Church of England First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 Teachers make good use of resources such as the interactive whiteboards and involve

p.5

Grade: 2

pupils actively in their work. They use careful questioning well to further improve pupils’ learning, although pupils could be better involved in assessing their own work.

p.6

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. The school has recently improved its curriculum and it is structured in order to meet the needs of all pupils. The school has placed a strong focus on literacy and numeracy; it is now improving the provision for other subjects and is also increasing the range of visits and visitors to support pupils’ learning. The needs of pupils in mixed age classes are well met because of the care the school takes to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can. Sporting activities are being developed well through a programme of links with other schools, particularly in dance. ICT is also developing well in the school, thanks to the expertise of support staff. Art is becoming a strength of the school and is celebrated through good quality displays. The Foundation Stage curriculum is satisfactory overall but the children’s access to outdoor play is restricted. The school is aware of the need to improve this.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school takes good care of its pupils. Parents have a good opinion of the school and know that their children are well cared for. The school’s measures to ensure health and safety are good and there are clear child protection procedures. The school ensures that pupils know what to do if they are worried or concerned and know what to do in an emergency. The school ensures that all pupils have two hours of physical exercise, including swimming, each week; it provides fruit to encourage healthy eating and drinking water when pupils are thirsty. The procedures for tracking pupils’ progress are good, particularly in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Although pupils understand their targets, they are not sufficiently involved in evaluating their own progress. Pupils with learning difficulties are well supported and included in the life of the school. In the Foundation Stage, staff assess pupils well and use the results to

p.6

Grade: 2

ensure that the children make the progress that they should. The high level of mobility of pupils is managed very well. The school actively promotes pupils’ participation in decision-making through the school council.

p.6

Grade: 2

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher takes a strong lead in improving standards. The school’s self-evaluation is effective and accurate and the school’s performance is examined in detail to ensure that all pupils make good progress. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher, working in close partnership with subject leaders to improve the school. As a result, teaching and learning are monitored methodically and areas of weakness are identified 4 Inspection Report: Longhoughton Church of England First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 for improvement. Governance is good. The governors are well informed and fully involved in school improvement. The school’s good improvement plan gives clear direction to its work. Finances are well managed. Parents are well informed and their views on new initiatives are taken into account. The school has improved considerably

p.6

Grade: 2

since the previous inspection and has the capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Longhoughton Church of England First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 .

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Longhoughton Church of England First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 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 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

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

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 2 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 2 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 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 2 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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 The Children Longhoughton Church of England First School Longhoughton Alnwick Northumberland NE66 3AJ 29 March 2006 Dear Children Thank you for making me so welcome in your school and for your help during the school’s recent inspection. I thought you were polite, courteous and well behaved and worked hard in your lessons. The displays of your work are good, particularly the art displays. You take part in a range of exciting activities which help you to learn about the world. I enjoyed talking to you and listening to what you had to say about the school. Your school is a good school. You have a good headteacher, teachers and support staff who all make sure that you do well. You told me that you like your school and enjoy your lessons. You know a lot about staying safe and being healthy from your work in school.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Your headteacher and governors also have the right ideas about improving your school. There are three things that we have asked them to do now. We would like them help the children in Foundation Stage to play outside more. We would like the school to improve reading in Years 1 and 2. We would also like the school to involve you more in finding out how to improve your learning. I wish you all every success in the future. Yours faithfully David Shearsmith Lead Inspector

p.11