Misson Primary School

122656 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE LEA LEA 281317 Inspection number 12 June 2006 to 13 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Martin Newell LI Reporting inspector

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

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Dame Lane School address Primary Type of school DN10 6EB Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01302 710580 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01302 710580 Fax number 121 Number on roll Mr.Cliff Rowe Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Geoff Ingman Headteacher 7 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281317 12 June 2006 - 4 to 11 13 June 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average sized primary school serving the village of Misson and pupils from further afield. The proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals, with learning difficulties and with a statement of special educational need are below the national average. Almost all pupils are White British and none of the pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds are at an early stage of acquiring English. Attainment on entry to the school is a little above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Misson Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 13 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some very good features. This judgement matches closely the school's own evaluation of its performance. The school's success owes much to strengths in leadership and teaching and how staff work together to ensure that pupils leave the school as well rounded individuals. Parents and pupils speak very well of the school. The school is never complacent, has improved well since the last inspection and is well set to continue to improve. Attainment on entry is a little above average. Good quality teaching and provision in the Foundation Stage ensure all children achieve well, with many reaching above average standards by Year 1. The fun, interesting, and at times inspirational teaching that is evident in Years 1 to 6 enables all pupils to make good progress, achieve well and reach high standards. Although assessment procedures and the monitoring of pupils' achievement are generally good, there is room for

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Grade: 2

improvement through better organisation of information and more regular checks on the quality of pupils' work. The headteacher has played a pivotal and significant role in the school's success and has created a very strong team spirit where staff work together to provide a rich curriculum that is enhanced by outstanding enrichment opportunities. The care and welfare of pupils is high on the school's agenda and staff go the extra mile in promoting the importance of pupils keeping fit, healthy and safe. There is little doubt that pupils contribute greatly to making the school what it is. Their very good behaviour, exuberance, infectious enthusiasm, good attendance and desire to do well all help to create a special atmosphere in the school. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Present test and assessment information in a more organised manner to give a clearer and more accessible picture about how well pupils are achieving and progressing. - Carry out more regular scrutinies of pupils' work so that staff and subject leaders get a better awareness of strengths and weaknesses in pupils' work and standards.

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Grade: 2

Children start school with knowledge and skills that are a little above average. They achieve well in the Foundation Stage and by the time children start in Year 1, their standards of work are above average in all areas of learning. National test and assessment information shows that standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 have been consistently and significantly above the national averages in English, mathematics and science over time. Inspection findings show that standards in Year 2 are currently well above average and they are very high in Year 6, with a significant percentage of pupils on track to exceed the standards expected of 11 year olds. High standards and good progress and achievement across the school owe much to the consistently good and at times better teaching and the very positive attitudes of pupils, which together 2 Inspection Report: Misson Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 13 June 2006

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Grade: 2

ensure that challenging targets are met and at times exceeded. This is also the case for pupils with learning difficulties, who achieve as well as their classmates.

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Grade: 2

The personal development of pupils is good with some very good aspects. Behaviour in school is very good and at times exemplary, only occasionally dropping below these high standards. Exclusions are very rare and pupils are eager to point out, 'Bullying is not a problem here.' Pupils' attitudes are a particular strength. They show a thirst for new knowledge and skills and are often seen hanging on teachers' every word because they want to do well. Discussions with pupils show them to be great ambassadors for the school and their love and enjoyment of learning are reflected in the attendance rates, which are above the national average. Good provision is made for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils reflect on the needs of others in a highly empathetic way and show a very strong awareness of how their actions can impact on the lives of others. Pupils show genuine awareness and respect for different cultures.

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Grade: 2

Pupils put their good knowledge of keeping fit and healthy into practice and follow the school's good guidance on keeping safe. Pupils make a telling contribution to the school and wider community. Pupils have a good knowledge of basic skills, such as in reading and when using computers. These skills are not always put to best use in innovative enterprise initiatives or when organising events.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good, with some outstanding practice. Teaching in the Foundation Stage provides a range of interesting learning activities where children can investigate things for themselves alongside the focused and direct teaching of key skills. In Years 1 to 6 teaching is often fun and exciting and packed full of challenge and is at its best in Year 2. Here the teaching is vibrant and at times inspirational and moves pupils' learning on at a cracking pace. The very good relationships between staff and adults and the good management of all pupils help to create a learning environment where pupils thrive and flourish. Across the school, teaching assistants make a powerful contribution to how well pupils achieve. Teachers use interactive whiteboards well to bring learning springing to life and opportunities are rarely missed to put pupils' writing and computer skills to good use in different subjects of the

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Grade: 2

curriculum. Occasionally, introductions to lessons are over long and not enough time is provided for pupils to consolidate or extend their learning. Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils' attainment and good quality information is collected. The weaker aspect is that this information is not organised in the best possible way to track more easily how pupils are doing as they move through the school. Marking of pupils' work is often good because it gives good pointers about what pupils need to do to improve. 3 Inspection Report: Misson Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 13 June 2006

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good, with some very good and outstanding aspects. The curriculum is rich and varied and caters well for the needs of pupils. It provides well for the development of pupils' literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils' books and displays around the school, which are often a riot of interest or colour, show the school's commitment to teaching other subjects in depth. Pupils' writing, numeracy and computer skills are enhanced well in other subjects. The Foundation Stage curriculum is good and makes good use of the excellent outdoor provision. The school goes the extra mile in providing a strong personal, social and health education curriculum that covers drug awareness, sex and relationships education and the importance of keeping fit and healthy. The school caters well for pupils with learning difficulties and is putting together a package of exciting and forward thinking activities aimed at enhancing the learning of pupils

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Grade: 2

with particular skills. An outstanding strength of the school is the array of enrichment opportunities through visits, visitors and after school clubs, which are much appreciated by parents and pupils alike and bring another dimension to the quality of pupils' learning.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good, with some very good features. The school places a high priority on the care and welfare of pupils. Staff know pupils very well and this is a school where the uniqueness of the individual is recognised and celebrated. Pupils feel that they have a genuine voice in school and that they play their part in making the school a better place. Members of the school council said, 'We know what we want and we know we will be listened to.' Very good links are in place with outside agencies and these ensure that help is on hand when needed to support pupils with learning and emotional difficulties. Child protection procedures are well known and strictly adhered to by all staff and arrangements for the safety of pupils are robust. The school provides good academic support for pupils but recognises the need to track pupils' progress in a sharper manner to see how well pupils are achieving.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management of the school are good and are key factors in the school's success. The headteacher leads and manages the school very well. He has played a pivotal role in the school's continued and successful improvement since the last inspection and is very well supported by the assistant headteacher. The headteacher knows the school very well and this is reflected in the school's self-evaluation, which is concise and accurate and takes good account of the views of staff, governors, parents and pupils. This is a school that does not rest on its laurels. The school has tackled weaknesses in information and communication technology and outdoor provision in the Foundation Stage, identified at the last inspection, very well. This strong track 4 Inspection Report: Misson Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 13 June 2006 record indicates that its capacity for further improvement is good. There is a whole

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Grade: 2

school commitment to providing a good quality of education for all pupils. A strong sense of team spirit envelops the whole school. Key subjects such as English, mathematics and science are led and managed well. However, there is a need to increase the regularity of scrutiny of pupils' work in these and other subjects to give subject leaders and staff a clearer awareness of how pupils could achieve better. Leadership is enhanced by the governors of the school, who are very supportive, yet challenging, and play their part to the full in holding the school to account and acting as a critical friend. The school makes effective use of its resources and the different skills of teachers to ensure that the value for money is good. 5 Inspection Report: Misson Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 13 June 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: Misson Primary School, 12 June 2006 to 13 June 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 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 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

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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

You may remember that I visited your school not too long ago and now I am writing to let you know what I found out. Before I do, I would first like to say a big thank you to all of you for being so welcoming, polite and helpful. I managed to talk to lots of you and you truly are super ambassadors for the school. It was great to hear how much you enjoy school. It was particularly good to hear that bullying is not a problem and that you know there is always someone to turn to if you are worried. I found that there are lots of good things about your school. Learning is made fun and enjoyable and helps you to achieve well. The school helps you to learn about the importance of keeping fit, healthy and safe and works hard at making sure you are looked after well. The visits and visitors to school, the after school clubs, including the chance to learn a foreign language, all help to make learning more fun and exciting. I am sure you agree! Another

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

strength is the way that the staff, led well by Mr Ingman, are always looking to make the school a better place for you to learn. But a great strength of the school is YOU!! Your behaviour, your enthusiasm, and the respect you show for one another and adults and the way in which you want to do well for both yourselves and your teachers impressed me. I have talked to your school about how they can help make things even better, by recording your test results in a more organised way and by looking at your books more regularly, to make sure that you are always reaching standards that you are clearly capable of. Mr Ingman and all the staff want the school to continue to improve. Having met you, I am sure you will want to play your part as well. I wish you every success in your futures. It was a pleasure and privilege to meet you.

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