St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School

Inspection Report St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School

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123110 Unique Reference Number Oxfordshire LEA LEA 281404 Inspection number 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 Inspection dates Jeffrey White AI Reporting inspector

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

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Wenrisc Drive School address Primary Type of school Minster Lovell Voluntary controlled School category Witney OX29 0SP 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01993 775394 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01993 775394 Fax number 91 Number on roll Mrs A Fielden Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr R Alder Headteacher 15 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281404 13 July 2006 - 4 to 11 14 July 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

The school is much smaller than average and almost all pupils are of White British origin. The school serves a Traveller site and the number of Traveller children can vary from 5% to 28% of the school population. Currently about 4% are Travellers. Free school meals eligibility is well below average, and the percentage of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is about average. Attainment on entry to the school is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 2

The inspection's findings agree with the school's view that this is a good school. It has improved well since its last inspection and has the capacity to improve further. Value for money is good. A significant improvement is the very good relationships with parents. Quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are good overall and have noticeably improved recently. Achievement is good throughout the school, not only academically but also in pupils' personal development. Standards are above average overall. There is also some very good work in art and design and history. Pupils behave well and have very positive attitudes to learning. Good teaching ensures that pupils make good progress in much of their work. The teachers' use of assessment is mainly good, but their assessment of pupils' information, communication and technology skills (ICT) is under-developed. ICT is not used often enough to help pupils with their

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Grade: 2

work in other subjects, but when it is used pupils show good levels of competence. Effective support for pupils with learning difficulties helps them to achieve as well as their peers and they make good progress towards meeting their individual targets. Traveller pupils are well supported and make good progress especially in developing literacy skills. The most able pupils are challenged particularly well in English, mathematics and science. The curriculum is good and a very strong feature is the extensive range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils are well cared for and they enjoy their school life. Leadership and management are good and there is a shared commitment to improving the school. The staff work well together and parents and pupils find them very approachable. Parents are highly supportive of the school's work. Governors give good support and are involved well in strategic planning and in evaluating the school's

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What the school should do to improve further

Assess pupils' progress in ICT more thoroughly and ensure pupils use ICT more regularly.

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Grade: 2

Children in the Foundation Stage attain above average standards by the time they enter Year 1. Effective teaching helps them to make good progress especially in communication, language and literacy, for example by using their phonic skills well to read unfamiliar words. Achievement is good throughout the school because the teaching is good. Pupils' oral skills are well developed and the oldest pupils are articulate and confident. These skills are used to good effect, for example when discussing work in history. Standards are above average overall and the school has met its statutory targets. The targets are challenging, especially for high attaining pupils who reach well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. Traveller pupils make good progress, especially in reading, because of effective support. Pupils with 2 Inspection Report: St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 2

learning difficulties or disabilities also make good progress towards meeting their targets.

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Grade: 2

Pupils respond well to the good provision for personal development and well-being. They work together harmoniously and have good attitudes to their work. They enjoy coming to school and attendance is good. They feel happy and safe and confidently turn to staff for help if they have a problem. They welcome initiatives to make them healthier including a wide range of sporting activities. They know how to keep safe. The oldest pupils appreciate that they are taught cycling proficiency to help keep them safe on the roads. Pupils behave well and enjoy their work. This was very evident in their participation in a 'Greek Day' that developed their knowledge and understanding of Ancient Greece. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Art and design contributes strongly to their cultural development. Pupils participate well in community activities and in the after school clubs. They enjoy

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Grade: 2

working together, for instance when producing a class newspaper. Pupils enjoy giving their views and this has led to improvements, for example in the provision of playground equipment.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress because the teaching is good overall. Lessons are well structured and provide opportunities for pupils to work in groups and alone. Discipline is effective and results in pupils settling quickly to work and behaving well, for example, in the Reception class. Pupils are encouraged to discuss their work and explain their thinking, for instance when high attaining Year 2 pupils explained how they rounded up numbers to the nearest 10. Classroom assistants are well deployed and contribute effectively to pupils' learning, especially those pupils with learning difficulties. High attainers are challenged well and sometimes work with older pupils. For example, two very able Year 3 pupils work with Year 4 pupils in numeracy lessons. Key strengths in the teaching include high expectations of pupils and good fostering of their personal development. Teachers generally make good use of assessment to plan and modify pupils' work.

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Grade: 2

However, the assessment of pupils' ICT skills is under-developed and pupils are, therefore, unsure of their progress. Much of teachers' marking is very helpful to pupils and suggests how they could improve, especially in English. 3 Inspection Report: St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 2

The generally good curriculum meets requirements and responds well to local needs. All pupils have good access to the curriculum, including the Traveller pupils and pupils with learning difficulties. The provision for English, mathematics and science contributes well to pupils' standards and achievement. There is some good work in ICT, but it is used irregularly. The art and design curriculum excites and stimulates pupils' interests and much of the work is of a high standard. Good links are made between subjects, particularly history, English, and art and design. The provision for extra-curricular activities is a considerable strength. The variety of clubs and activities is extensive and the take up is very good. Parents comment particularly favourably on this enrichment. Pupils have good opportunities to develop self-confidence and work in harmony, for example when performing in musical concerts for their parents.

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Grade: 2

Parents have high praise for the good care, guidance and support. Pupils are well looked after and feel valued. Arrangements for health and safety and child protection are thorough. Pupils are pleased with the recent introduction of healthy lunches and talk maturely about how to stay safe and healthy. Pupils with learning difficulties are supported well and achieve as well as their peers. As soon as possible they are taken off the special needs register. Support for the Traveller pupils is effective and consequently they make good progress. Children in the Foundation Stage are looked after well and as a result they develop confidence in working with others and choosing their own activities. Data on pupils' performance is used to set annual targets in English, mathematics and science. Individual targets are often used to good effect, particularly in literacy. Guidance for pupils in developing their skills in ICT is satisfactory.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led by the headteacher, and he has the overwhelming support of parents. The oldest pupils comment favourably on having the headteacher as one of their teachers. Improvement since the last inspection is good overall but satisfactory in ICT. The staff and governors work well together and consequently governors are well informed about the school's work. The school's direction is clear and the governors monitor the progress of the development plan regularly. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They visit the school regularly, usually with a clear focus, and report their findings to the full governing body. The monitoring of teaching and learning is effective and has resulted in successful action to broaden pupils' writing and improve provision for pupils with learning difficulties. Performance management targets are closely linked to the outcomes of monitoring. Pupils' personal development is fostered strongly and ensures a positive

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 climate for learning. The headteacher and governors seek and value parents' and pupils' views and, where necessary, improvements are made, for instance in communication with parents of children in the Reception class. 5 Inspection Report: St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 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: St Kenelm's Church of England (VC) School, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 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

Children Thank you for your help on my visit to your school. Your school is a good school and I enjoyed talking to you. You told me how happy you are and how much you enjoy your work. You work hard and you make good progress. You get on well together and your behaviour is good. I know you like working together and also on your own. I am pleased that your headteacher and teachers encourage you to give your opinions. As well as your work in English, mathematics and science, I noticed how much you enjoyed other subjects such as art and design, history and ICT. I have asked your headteacher and teachers to help you do more work in ICT and to check that you are making enough progress in this subject. With best wishes, Jeff White Lead Inspector

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