St Lawrence CofE Primary School

Inspection Report St Lawrence CofE Primary School

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123468 Unique Reference Number Shropshire LEA 281484 Inspection number 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006 Inspection dates Jacqueline Ikin AI Reporting inspector

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

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Shrewsbury Road School address Primary Type of school Church Stretton Voluntary controlled School category Shropshire SY6 6EX 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01694 722682 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01694 724861 Fax number 272 Number on roll Mr Dave Riley Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Richard Langford Headteacher 1 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281484 16 January 2006 - 4 to 11 17 January 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

St Lawrence Church of England Primary School is a larger than average primary school. Nearly all the pupils come from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average as is the proportion that has learning difficulties or disabilities.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Lawrence CofE Primary School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006

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Grade: 2

The inspection team agree with the school’s own view that this is a good school. It provides well for pupils’ academic and personal growth and gives good value for money. Pupils behave well, enjoy school and work hard. They achieve well and standards are above average. The school provides good quality provision for children in the Reception Class where the standards achieved are above average. There is good teaching throughout the school and it is well managed and governed. Assessment is satisfactory but the use of target-setting varies between classes. The curriculum is good and it is enriched well by a very good range of additional activities in sport and the arts. There are some good opportunities for pupils to practise the skills that they learning in English and mathematics in other subjects of the curriculum. However, the way that this and other links across the curriculum are planned varies from class to class. The

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Grade: 2

school declined after the last inspection during a period of instability when there were four different acting head teachers. It has improved rapidly since the appointment of the current headteacher, who has transformed many aspects of its work. These improvements are having a positive impact on standards. Firm foundations for the school’s future growth have been established and the school’s capacity for further improvement is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

ensure that targets for individual pupils are reviewed regularly and used rigorously to support planning for pupils’ progress in all classes. • develop greater consistency in planning for links between subjects.

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average and achievement is good. There is a wide spread of attainment on entry to the Reception Class but overall it is broadly average. By the end of the Reception Year about a quarter of the pupils attain levels above those expected for their age. Standards at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science were declining when the headteacher took over - this was shown in the below average test results of 2004. They improved rapidly to above average in 2005. There is good achievement in art and design and sport, where standards are also above average. Higher attaining pupils and those who are talented and gifted achieve well. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress and quickly reach the goals set for them as a result of the well-focused support that they receive.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. The majority of pupils really enjoy school and are enthusiastic about learning. Behaviour, which declined after the 2 Inspection Report: St Lawrence CofE Primary School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006 last inspection, is now good. Relationships between pupils and pupils and staff are good. The school has a calm and orderly atmosphere and pupils and staff treat each other with respect and courtesy. Pupils report that bullying and racism is rare and any minor issues are quickly addressed by staff. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The pupils make a good contribution to the school community, for example, through their work on the school council, and to the wider community through their good support for the church’s ‘on line club’, the Shropshire Wildlife Trust and a wide range of charities. Their knowledge of traditional British culture is good

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Grade: 2

and they have a satisfactory understanding of the traditions and cultures of ethnic minority groups. Their knowledge about the contribution that members of these groups have made to society is not always as good as it should be. Pupils develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and of how to keep themselves safe. Older pupils are well prepared for their future economic well-being. For example, a mathematics lesson based on preparing mock bank statements resulted in Year 5 and 6 pupils understanding the use of cheque books and positive and negative bank balances. Attendance is good.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good and this is shown in the good progress that pupils make. Two of the lessons seen during the inspection, one of which was taken by the headteacher, were outstanding. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and expect them to work hard, and pupils respond well to this. They concentrate well and try to do their best in lessons. This is particularly demonstrated by the high standards of presentation that are evident in their work. Assessment is satisfactory overall and good in English and mathematics, where it is used well to identify pupils with learning difficulties and the lower attaining pupils who need additional support. Provision for these pupils has improved since the last inspection. Good support from well qualified teaching assistants is an important factor in the good progress that these pupils now make. The arrangements for teaching pupils in ability groups for mathematics in Years

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Grade: 2

3, 4 and 5 are making an important contribution to raising standards. Target and tracking procedures have been improved. They have the capacity to help teachers to plan more precisely for the needs of individual pupils. However, they have not been in place long enough to have a full impact and are not yet being used consistently in all classes.

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Grade: 2

The school’s planning provides a good range of learning opportunities to meet the interests and academic development of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and those who are talented and gifted. The curriculum is enriched well through sport and the arts, visits and visitors, good links with other 3 Inspection Report: St Lawrence CofE Primary School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006 schools and the recent introduction of French. The impact is seen in the good standards that pupils achieve and in their positive attitudes towards everything they do in school. For example, during the inspection, Year 4 pupils enjoyed talking to war veterans, and learned a lot of ‘real’ history from them. Provision for information and communication technology has improved and is good. The good attention given to pupils’ personal, social education and citizenship contributes well to their good standards of behaviour

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Grade: 2

and social growth. A good range of health education activities, such as the school’s healthy eating initiative, is effective in promoting pupils’ positive attitudes towards nutrition, fitness and safety. There are some good examples of links between subjects, which raise standards by giving pupils opportunities to practice their literacy and numeracy skills in purposeful ways, on ‘real-life’ tasks. However, there is a lack of guidance to ensure consistency across the school in planning for these links.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support for pupils are good overall and there are some considerable strengths. Induction procedures are good and pupils settle quickly into the Reception Class. Parents and pupils report that children are well supported when they experience personal difficulties. Pupils know that they will be listened to and taken seriously. The school works successfully with outside agencies to support pupils who need their help. There is good encouragement for parents to support their children’s learning and the support that they give is an important factor in the progress that pupils make. Most parents feel that the school is approachable and that it responds well to their suggestions and concerns. However, a significant minority of parents do not agree. The evidence of the inspection is that the school values parents’ views and takes concerns seriously. The introduction of an additional parents’ evening is an example

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Grade: 2

of this. The healthy eating initiative is one that most, but not all, parents agreed with although the school did carefully consider everyone’s opinion, including those of pupils. Child protection procedures have improved since the previous inspection and are now good. Health and safety procedures are good overall. The inspection team agree with the schools’ concerns about the need to strengthen procedures to reduce the danger from cars parking on the school site as pupils are arriving for school.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. Staff and parents agree that he has ‘turned the school around’. Previous standards have been restored and that there is now greater unity, which is driving the school on to achieve even more in every aspect of its work. The headteacher sets a very good example by his exemplary teaching and by the care and respect that he shows for all pupils and members of the school community. Stability has been restored following a two-year period, prior to the current headteacher’s appointment, when the school was led by four different acting heads. Self evaluation is now good as a result of the secure and accurate systems that have been put into place. It is used well to plan for 4 Inspection Report: St Lawrence CofE Primary School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006 improvements and the school is well placed to go from strength to strength. The

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Grade: 2

opportunities for the involvement of staff and governors in shaping the direction of the school were criticised at the last inspection but they are now good. A strong sense of team work has been established. The management of the senior management, special needs coordinator and subject leaders is good overall. However, they have not yet established consistency across the school in the use of target setting and in planning for links between subjects of the curriculum. The governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities well and have developed efficient procedures to support their work. All the school’s resources are carefully and effectively deployed to ensure good value for money. 5 Inspection Report: St Lawrence CofE Primary School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 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 Lawrence CofE Primary School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 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

Dear Children Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed watching you learn in a good school. We liked talking to you about your work, speaking to your teachers and coming into assembly. What we like most about your school • you are all very fair, kind and polite to each other in the classroom and when you are playing outside and you work together well. • you work very hard and try to do your best in everything. • your teachers make lessons interesting and they are good at helping you to learn. • your work is good and you make good progress. • your headteacher runs the school extremely well and both he and all the teachers and adults that help you are making some good improvements to the school. What we have asked the school to do now • set your targets in the same way in all classes and to make better use of them to help you make more progress. • give you opportunities to see

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

how subjects can sometimes be linked together to help you learn. Yours sincerely Jacqueline Ikin Lead inspector Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk

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