Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School

Inspection Report Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School

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123782 Unique Reference Number Somerset LEA 281560 Inspection number 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 Inspection dates Shirley Billington RISP Reporting inspector

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

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Upton Noble School address Primary Type of school Shepton Mallet Voluntary controlled School category Somerset BA4 6AU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01749 850375 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01749 850 447 Fax number 144 Number on roll Mr Robin Day Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Mike Narraway Headteacher 26 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281560 8 December 2005 - 4 to 11 8 December 2005 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a small primary school serving a widespread rural area in Somerset. There are six classes and, because of unevenness in pupil numbers, all classes for Years 3 to 6 include two age groups. The number of pupils that join or leave the school other than at the normal times is broadly average. Most of the pupils coming into the school join in Years 3 to 6. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly average. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and none speak English as an additional language. Children starting school in the Reception class have levels of skills and understanding that are above average for their age.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School, 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005

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Grade: 3

The school provides a sound education for its pupils and gives satisfactory value for money. It has some particularly strong features. These include the good care and support for pupils, the wide range of activities in which they participate outside of lessons and the ways in which they are helped to mature. The youngest children get a sound start in the Reception class. Almost all achieve expected standards at the start of Year 1. Progress is good in Years 1 and 2 and many pupils achieve high standards at the end of Year 2. While pupils in Years 3 to 6 make steady progress, the rate slows in these year groups. Classes are larger and teachers are planning for two year groups in each class. In addition, the number of support staff in these classes is limited and this means that it is difficult to cater for the range of needs. There is good attention to pupils with learning difficulties and they do well. However, the more capable pupils

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Grade: 3

sometimes mark time and are not stretched as much as they should be. Some could achieve more in mathematics and aspects of their written work. The school has a realistic view of its effectiveness and has accurately identified some key areas for improvement and demonstrates reasonable capacity to improve. Since the last inspection, there has been very good improvement in provision for information and communication technology (ICT) and standards in this subject are good. Most other areas for improvement have been tackled successfully. However, there is still a need to improve the use of assessment information and target setting for pupils. Systems to check on planned improvements are not as rigorous as they should be. The school has a reasonable range of information on pupils’ achievements and this is used well to pick up those who may need extra help. However, it is not analysed systematically to check on the progress of all pupils and this is another factor that

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Grade: 3

affects the achievement of those that are capable of reaching high standards.

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What the school should do to improve further

•ensure that more able pupils make a consistent rate of progress as they go through the school •strengthen the systems for checking on the effectiveness of the school’s work •provide more support for classes catering for pupils in Years 3 to 6.

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Grade: 3

Children in the Reception class get a secure grounding in basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Almost all achieve at least expected standards at the start of Year 1 and are well prepared for work in the National Curriculum. Pupils do well in Years 1 and 2 and standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 2 are high. Progress for the majority of pupils is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6 but the good start that they make at the lower end of the school is not consistently built on. As a result, while standards are above average at the end of Year 6, they are not as high as they are at the end of Year 2. The school sets fairly challenging targets for pupils’ performance in national tests at the end of Year 6 but does not always meet these, particularly for the higher 2 Inspection Report: Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School, 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 levels. Some more able pupils could be achieving more, particularly in using their skills

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Grade: 3

in problem solving in mathematics and in their creative writing. Girls made better progress than boys in the last academic year. The school does not regularly analyse the achievement of different groups. As a result, there is no way of telling whether this is a particular pattern or whether there is no difference in boys’ and girls’ achievement over time. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities benefit from the extra support that they get and they achieve well in relation to their starting points.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and are enthusiastic learners. Attendance is good. The older pupils are mature and responsible and enjoy taking on responsibilities. They are able to use their initiative, as was demonstrated in the sensible way that a Year 5 pupil organised the sorting of the Christmas post. The school council plays a good role in decision making and manages its own budget to improve facilities for pupils where possible. Pupils are involved in fundraising for a range of causes. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They benefit from a wide range of experiences to raise their awareness of the school and the wider community. Participation in local events, visits to places such as the Bristol Museum, and visitors who share their interests and expertise extend pupils’ horizons and experiences. Pupils throughout the school show good awareness of the need to lead a healthy lifestyle and keep safe. They

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Grade: 2

respond well to the strong emphasis on eating a balanced diet; one Year 2 pupil described carrots as ‘nice healthy nutrition’. Pupils’ good skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT, together with their mature attitudes and good behaviour, mean that they are well prepared for their future well-being.

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Grade: 3

Throughout the school relationships are good and pupils respond well in lessons. Some teaching is good and pupils respond well to challenging activities. This was evident in a mathematics lesson where they had to organise a television viewing schedule to fit a variety of programmes into a two hour slot. At times, however, teaching tends to be aimed at the middle level of ability and this is what slows the progress of potentially more capable pupils. Good attention is paid to supporting pupils with learning difficulties. Where teaching assistants are available, they are used well. However, at times teachers are stretched to meet the wide range of needs in a mixed age class and the limited extra support in Years 3 to 6 slows pupils’ progress. In some lessons, interactive whiteboards are used well as a teaching tool to demonstrate key teaching points. 3 Inspection Report: Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School, 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005

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Grade: 3

The curriculum includes all the elements that it should and has some good features. All subjects are taught and teachers of mixed age classes make good efforts to draw from different programmes for different ages to cover the ground that they should in subjects such as mathematics. The curriculum meets the needs of most learners but does not ensure that more capable pupils progress as well as they should in all subjects. There are some good links between subjects such as ICT and art. The school is looking to extend this further and to improve aspects of planning to develop pupils’ creativity. There is a very good range of activities to extend learning in the classroom. These include visitors and visits, a variety of out of school activities such as sports, drama and animation clubs and special projects, for example, the ‘Big Arts’ week.

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Grade: 3

Very good care is taken of the pupils and they are confident that they are safe in school and have someone to turn to if they have any concerns. The school is extremely successful at integrating pupils new to the school, who often have some specific needs. A group of pupils who have joined classes over the past two years were very positive about the support that they have had from peers and staff. One described the school as ‘the bestest I’ve ever been to’. Academic guidance is not as strong as the pastoral. Targets have been set for all pupils this year but some are not sure what these are or what they have to do to achieve them. There are very good arrangements in place for safeguarding pupils. Risk assessments are regularly carried out and child protection arrangements are fully in place.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher provides a strong lead in ensuring pupils’ safety, welfare and enjoyment of school. Parents and pupils are regularly consulted on their views of the school and improvements are made where it is possible to do so. Sound systems are now in place to check on the effectiveness of the school, but much of what is being done is in the early stages. A priority this year, for example, is to extend the role of subject leaders in monitoring the quality of the work in the area for which they are responsible because they are not routinely involved in doing this. Information from national tests is analysed to identify areas for improvement. This has been helpful in targeting the need to improve pupils’ problem-solving skills in mathematics and some aspects of their written work. However, there has been no check on the impact of what has been done to bring about improvements. As a result, the school does not

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Grade: 3

know whether the work that has gone on is making a difference. Information on pupils’ progress year by year is used well to pick up those who may need extra help but not to check whether all pupils, particularly the more able, are making progress at a consistent rate. 4 Inspection Report: Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School, 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 The governing body is well organised to fulfil its key responsibilities. Governors have a good level of involvement in school life and are very supportive. They play a role in planning for the school’s development, but are not fully involved in strategic planning. At the moment the school has a significant underspend in the budget. Governors are aware of their responsibility to use this for the benefit of the pupils and are in the process of allocating the excess funds to further enhance learning and improve achievement. 5 Inspection Report: Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School, 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005

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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: Upton Noble CofE VC Primary School, 8 December 2005 to 8 December 2005

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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 3 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

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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 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 3 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 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 2 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

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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

Upton Noble CE VC Primary School Upton Noble Somerset BA4 6AU 9 December 2005 Dear Pupils Thank you very much for all the help that you gave us when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking to you during your lessons and at lunchtime. You gave us lots of useful information about all kinds of things that go on! Some of the things that we think are particularly good about your school are: •You learn how to keep healthy and safe and to think about the needs of others. •You become very mature and responsible as you move through the school. •You have lots of good activities to do outside of your lessons. •Those of you who need extra help are given it and you do well. We have asked the school to do a few things to make your school even better. These are to: •Make sure that you do as well as you can, especially in maths and in your written work. •Find better ways of checking on how well the school is doing •Provide some extra help for your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

teachers in Years 3 to 6. Thank you again for your help. Good luck in your learning and keep enjoying it! Yours sincerely Shirley Billington Lead Inspector

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