East Markham Primary School

Inspection Report East Markham Primary School

p.1

122638 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE LEA LEA 281313 Inspection number 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Keith Edwards AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Askham Lane School address Primary Type of school NG22 0RG Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01777 870439 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01777 872322 Fax number 112 Number on roll Mr.Michael Heslop Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Jeremy Bingham Headteacher 3 April 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281313 22 June 2006 - 4 to 11 23 June 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 an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is below average size and serves the village of East Markham. Almost all of the children live locally. There are 112 girls and boys on roll who are taught in discrete year groups in the infant classes and in mixed age groups in the juniors. Almost all of the pupils are of White British heritage and all come from homes where English is the first language. Attainment on entry to the school is generally above average although there is a wide range of ability in each class. The range of socio-economic circumstances is broad but favourable for most families. The proportion of children entitled to a free school meal and the proportion with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those with statements of special educational needs, is below that of most schools. The school gained the Investor in People award in 2005.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: East Markham Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory standard of education within a caring environment. The headteacher, in his third year in post, has steered the school through a difficult period in its history and has its strong family ethos at heart. The school provides a good level of pastoral care for its pupils and their personal development is a strength. As a result, relationships are strong and standards of behaviour are outstanding. Attendance rates are above average. The school has the respect of the community that it serves and works well with other schools. The leadership team have resolved the key issues from the last inspection and the school is well set for further improvement. The pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school and achieve standards that are above average in Year 6. Although recent test results for pupils in Year 6 have reflected pockets of underachievement in the past, the current work of

p.4

Grade: 3

the older pupils shows that this trend is being reversed. Although the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, issues remain about the effective use of assessment to match the work set in lessons more closely to the needs of the pupils, because achievement has slipped since 2000. This is particularly evident in the work of the higher attaining pupils and in the pupils' writing. The provision is good in the Foundation Stage and standards are above average. Throughout the school, the curriculum provides a secure basis for the pupils' learning and is enriched by a good range of clubs and activities, particularly in sport and music. The school's view of itself is accurate and has resulted in its current strategy for strengthening its effectiveness. However, greater rigour is required at all leadership levels in raising expectations of the pupils' achievements year-on-year. The governors provide satisfactory support

p.4

Grade: 3

and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

- Raise standards in writing and the achievement of the higher attaining pupils. - Develop the roles of the subject leaders and managers to ensure a clear focus on raising achievement. - Improve the quality of teaching by making more effective use of assessment data when planning lessons.

p.4

Grade: 3

Inspection findings support the school's judgement that standards and achievement are satisfactory. Year 6 results in the national tests in English, mathematics and science in 2005 showed a widening gap between what the pupils were expected to achieve, based on their successes in Year 2, and their actual performance. After the significant underachievement in 2005, this trend is beginning to be reversed. Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average in both key stages. In addition, the Children are well set to exceed the early learning goals in the Foundation stage. The school has set challenging targets for the pupils currently in Year 6 and the quality of the pupils' work in literacy and numeracy shows they are likely to be met. Pupils with learning 2 Inspection Report: East Markham Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 difficulties receive sensitive support and are enabled to reach their potential. Standards

p.4

Grade: 3

in sport and music are above average. In the past, results in the national tests have been impaired by the school's lack of rigour in its assessment procedures. Although the school analyses results to identify gaps in what is being taught, too little attention has been given to using this data to raise expectations of achievement. Furthermore, not enough attention has been given to challenging the higher attaining pupils and to discussing with the pupils what they need to do to improve. This has been particularly evident in the pupils' writing and has dulled their performance in tests.

p.5

Grade: 2

The pupils thoroughly enjoy their school and have very positive attitudes to learning. They are kind and considerate towards each other and they enjoy trusting relationships with the adults in school. They are confident and work very well together. Their behaviour is outstanding. The pupils contribute well to improving the quality of school life through the voice of the school 'TEAMS': the East Markham school council involving all of the pupils and staff. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good and there are particular strengths in the moral and social aspects. The pupils work very well together and they have a clear understanding of right and wrong. Their spiritual and cultural development is promoted well through art and music. This is particularly evident in their current performance of 'Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' which is outstanding. The pupils are aware of world religions

p.5

Grade: 2

through their work in the humanities. They have a strong sense of their own rural cultural traditions and a growing awareness of cultural diversity. Pupils know how to be healthy and safe and are mindful to look out for each other. They are keen participants in the school's drive to encourage healthy lifestyles. The school has good systems to promote attendance and has been successful in discouraging unauthorised absence. Attendance rates are good.

p.5

Grade: 3

Although much of the teaching seen during the inspection was good, evidence indicates that previously teaching and learning have been satisfactory overall because the pupils have not always achieved as well as they could. Assessment procedures are now satisfactory. The headteacher has recently introduced good arrangements for rigorously tracking the pupils' progress in English and mathematics and for setting challenging targets. As a result, mathematics is now taught well. However, over time this has not been the case and some underachievement in literacy and numeracy has gone unchecked. The marking of pupils' work is satisfactory and is at its best when it clearly states what the pupils need to do to improve. Across the school, very good relationships and the very good management of pupils help to create an environment conducive to learning. The teachers make effective use of the interactive whiteboards to make

p.5

Grade: 3

3 Inspection Report: East Markham Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 lessons interesting. Teaching assistants provide very valuable support. The strong home/school links have been particularly effective in developing the pupils' strengths in reading. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good in Year 2 because lessons are fun and the work set is very well matched to the pupils' abilities.

p.5

Grade: 3

The school teaches all the subjects that it should and has taken steps to ensure that pupils build the skills in different subjects in a logical sequence. The school day is well organised. There is good provision for the pupils' personal, social and health education and it has markedly improved its provision for information and communication technology (ICT) since the last inspection. Pupils with learning difficulties are catered for well and the school has rightly flagged up the need to ensure that the needs of the higher attaining pupils are met consistently. The Foundation Stage curriculum is under review to promote a greater degree of choice and to help the children to enjoy a full range of experiences. The range and quality of extra-curricular activities are good and together with a wide array of visits, visitors and residential visits bring a more exciting edge to the quality of learning. A high percentage of pupils take part

p.6

Grade: 3

in the different activities and the pupils and their parents are very appreciative of what the school offers. The numerous sporting and musical activities do much to promote enjoyment of school and the importance of keeping fit and healthy.

p.6

Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. There are real strengths in the pastoral care of the pupils but the use of assessment data when planning the pupils' work is underdeveloped. The school has introduced accurate tracking procedures for English and mathematics and has recently begun to inform pupils about what they need to do next to improve their learning. As yet, however, not all pupils have a clear understanding of specific targets and some do not achieve as well as they might. The family atmosphere of the school strongly supports the welfare of the pupils. The safety of the pupils is at the heart of school policies and child protection arrangements are clearly understood by all staff. The pupils receive good guidance about how to remain healthy. The pupils are confident that they can talk to an adult if they are at all concerned. Risk assessments are carefully attended to. Arrangements to ensure pupils'

p.6

Grade: 2

transfer into the school and onto the next stage of their education are good.

p.6

Grade: 3

Inspection findings agree with the school's assessment that the leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. Since his appointment three years ago, the headteacher has developed a strong team spirit and has made an accurate assessment of the school's strengths and weaknesses, particularly in terms of standards. 4 Inspection Report: East Markham Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 2006 There is now a clear agenda for improvement. Together with the subject leaders, particularly in literacy, numeracy and ICT, the headteacher has shown great commitment to ensuring that the decline in pupil performance is arrested, whilst maintaining the school's reputation of having a caring ethos. Staff morale is good because tracking data for pupils in Years 5 and 6 indicate that recent initiatives are beginning to bear fruit. However, the school needs to clearly define subject leadership and management

p.6

Grade: 3

roles to ensure professional expertise is fully utilised in monitoring the work of the school. This is to ensure that the work set clearly matches the pupils' abilities to enable the pupils to achieve their best. There has been satisfactory progress since the last inspection and the school has secured the basis for further improvement. The provision for child protection is much improved and the school has resolved the issues regarding accommodation. Governors are committed to the work of the school and provide good support. Their awareness of their responsibility to hold the school to account has grown but there is a need for the further development of their role as critical friends, particularly in terms of monitoring standards. 5 Inspection Report: East Markham Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 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: East Markham Primary School, 22 June 2006 to 23 June 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 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

NA 2 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 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 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

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

I really enjoyed my visit to your school last month because everybody was so helpful and friendly. I really enjoyed my discussions with you because you were brimming with good ideas. I also enjoyed the music, especially in the church when you were rehearsing for 'Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat.' I am sure that all of your parents enjoyed the actual performance. There are many things that make your school special. Here are some of them: - You clearly try to do your best to learn in lessons and are working hard. Well done! - Everybody understands the school rules and your behaviour is excellent. - Everybody tries to be friendly, thoughtful and helpful. - Mr Bingham is a kind headteacher who wants you all to enjoy school and to do well. - The school provides a super range of activities and visits to keep you interested. But, of course, as in all schools, there are still things that can be done to make your school even

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

better: - Firstly I know that you can do even better with your work, and I am asking your teachers to provide a little more information about what you need to be concentrating on to improve. - I am asking your teachers to plan lessons a little more carefully, especially in literacy and numeracy, to make sure that what you are learning is just right for you. Although there is much to be done to make your school even better, you must never forget that the staff work very hard to help you to learn and you must remember to thank them. I would like to wish you all the very best for the future.

p.11