Knypersley First SchoolOfsted inspection, 30 Mar 2006

Inspection Report Knypersley First School

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124060 Unique Reference Number Staffordshire LEA 281617 Inspection number 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 Inspection dates Janet Simms AI Reporting inspector

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

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Newpool Road School address First Type of school Stoke-on-Trent Community School category Staffordshire ST8 6NN 3 to 9 Age range of pupils 01782 297900 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01782 297901 Fax number 335 Number on roll Mrs Jackie Shelley Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Leon Scragg Headteacher 24 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281617 29 March 2006 - 3 to 9 30 March 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

Knypersley First School lies in the centre of a village to the south of Biddulph, Staffordshire. It has grown recently to include a Nursery and now has 335 pupils. Many recent entrants come from an area of significant deprivation. Pupils are predominantly White British. Numbers claiming free school meals and of those with learning difficulties and disabilities are relatively low. No pupils are looked-after children, or have a first language other than English.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Knypersley First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006

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Grade: 2

In the school’s judgement it provides a good education and inspectors agree. The overwhelming majority of parents feel that their children are happy in school and make good progress. Pupils’ views endorse this. Standards on entry are below average. Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes because provision is good. They are just below average on transfer to Year 1, but writing is weak. Good achievement continues in Years 1 and 2 raising standards to average by the age of 7. Progress slows in Years 3 and 4 and is satisfactory to the age of 9, when standards are average. Pupils’ personal development is good. A broad curriculum, supported by good enrichment activities, helps them to become well-rounded individuals on transfer to middle schools. Teaching is good, but less consistently so in Years 3 and 4. Staff’s care and commitment improve pupils’ self-esteem well. Strong links with other schools and outside agencies ensure that all pupils’ continued

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Grade: 2

academic and personal development are catered for well. The school is well led and managed. Staff evaluate strengths and weaknesses increasingly well. There is a strong focus on distributing management roles more widely and the capacity to improve is good. There were no major weaknesses in the last inspection report, but the school set itself a sensible agenda which has led to good improvement. This relates particularly to assessment and the use of data to track achievement. Using this information, provision for identified target groups has ensured equality in the progress of minorities. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Improve the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 so that it consistently matches the good teaching elsewhere. •Ensure that recent changes to the senior team result in better achievement and greater sharing of accountability for pupils’ progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress across the school. Standards are below average on entry, with social development, speaking and listening particularly weak. Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. On entry to Year 1, standards are slightly below average. Challenging targets create good progress in Years 1 and 2. Standards were average in 2005 national tests and are average at Year 2 now. Standards are also average in Year 4. National tests in 2004 showed current Year 4 pupils to be above average. The school recognised inaccuracies in teacher assessments however. Subsequent, more accurate data show them to be nearer average. Better procedures have eliminated discrepancies which arose in assessing pupils’ levels against national expectations. This monitoring has also largely prevented any group 2 Inspection Report: Knypersley First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 underachieving, as some previously did. Progress for Years 3 and 4 has been

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Grade: 2

satisfactory. Standards in Year 4 have been lowered by several less able pupils entering the year group after national tests. Good provision in subjects such as the arts and physical education, particularly swimming, leads to good achievement in these and other subjects. Groups such as those with learning difficulties and disabilities, or claiming free school meals, now achieve as well as others.

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Grade: 2

Personal development is good. Children in Nursery and Reception respond well to interesting activities in a stimulating environment. Young children care for each other sensitively. Attendance across all classes is satisfactory and pupils arrive promptly. The welcoming school atmosphere supports pupils’ emotional development well. Behaviour is satisfactory, but a minority of pupils are hard to motivate. Pupils on the school council say that they feel safe, but are concerned by occasional bullying by a small number of ‘naughty children’. Parents have raised the matter with the headteacher who has taken action to resolve their concerns. Pupils’ good understanding of how to live healthily has resulted in the Health Promoting Schools award. This recognises good school initiatives which advocate a healthy diet and well planned, extra curricular physical pursuits. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good and cultural development

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Grade: 2

satisfactory. They understand the difference between right and wrong. Most pupils treat each other fairly, although representatives say some are 'too rough'. Pupils appreciate British and other cultural traditions, but opportunities are missed to help them appreciate the richness of Britain’s racially diverse society. Pupils learn properly the basic skills for future education and work. Successful performances are an example of valued contributions to the community.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall but there is inconsistency in Years 3 and 4. Teaching in Nursery and Reception is good, based firmly in national guidance. Rigorous assessment throughout ensures that all adults know how well children are doing and match tasks closely to needs. Groups such as those with learning difficulties and disabilities are identified swiftly and support provided effectively. Adults understand children’s weak language skills so they engage them well in conversations such as role play. Well paced, engaging activities hold pupils’ attention well and they respond with enjoyment and application. Open questions encourage thoughtful responses and most lessons are calm and orderly because teachers manage behaviour well. Pupils often regulate their own learning 3 Inspection Report: Knypersley First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006 through paired discussions or other evaluations. In Year 2 mathematics for example,

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Grade: 2

pupils described how successful they felt by colouring a pleased, neutral or glum face. Children were eager to explain their choices. In other classes, pupils use a ‘traffic lights’ system to demonstrate understanding. In occasional weaker lessons, written work lacks care. Some Year 4 pupils, for instance, do not use joined script and presentation is careless. Most marking is regular, giving guidance for improvement, but some is unhelpfully superficial. This inconsistency explains why achievement is satisfactory rather than good in Years 3 and 4.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum. Effective planning in the Nursery and Reception offers a good balance between activities led by an adult and those chosen by children themselves. These enable all to progress well in their personal and social skills. In Years 1 to 4, the school maintains successful emphasis on the whole curriculum, whilst remaining responsive to pupils’ needs. For example, the current focus on improving writing results from assessment of this weakness in the past. Non-core subjects, particularly the arts, are well developed. The school has been awarded the prestigious ‘Artsmark Gold’ and pupils perform in a successful annual pantomime. Visits, such as that to Blist’s Hill Museum for their 'Victorians' studies, supplement the curriculum well. A wide range of popular extra curricular activities, including sport, helps pupils to learn the importance of healthy living. The school swimming pool is an unusual, much enjoyed

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Grade: 2

Staff take good care of their pupils. A positive atmosphere pervades the school. Regular assessments ensure that adults know pupils’ standards accurately. Teachers and pupils, even those in Reception, use this information effectively to negotiate targets for future learning. As a result, pupils know what they need to do to improve. Procedures for child protection and for health and safety are secure. The whole school is accessible for pupils with physical disabilities. Background checks on staff are carried out appropriately and risk assessments are rigorous. A good behaviour policy is consistently applied in classes. Pupils understand the system of rewards and sanctions and are keen to ensure that they behave well enough to receive the monthly reward. They appreciate the ‘Work of the Week’ and ‘Student of the Week’ awards. Sound procedures exist to encourage good attendance, supported effectively by external agencies.

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Knypersley First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 2006

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. All staff are highly committed to developing every aspect of pupils’ understanding, experience and safety. The headteacher is good. He has successfully begun to devolve responsibilities to other staff. Plans to develop the role of the deputy headteacher are timely. Improved tracking and monitoring systems now ensure accuracy in judging standards. Information now provides a much clearer view of pupils’ achievement. Self-evaluation is improving as these links become better understood. Target groups and individuals are identified effectively and support provided quickly. Management judgements about the quality of teaching are accurate. Governors do their jobs well and are very knowledgeable about all aspects of the school. They fulfil an increasingly strategic role, challenging senior staff well. Resources are managed well. Focused consideration leads to wise investment in

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Grade: 2

additional items such as new playground games. These have improved behaviour considerably. Information and communication technology (ICT) facilities now support learning effectively. The school listens carefully to parents’ and pupils’ views, incorporating these properly into planning for improvement. There are good links with external agencies such as those needed to support pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. These contribute well to ensuring that all pupils make good progress. A stable staff means that adults know pupils well. Staff hold the interests and safety of all pupils in equally high regard. With no major issues from the last inspection, the school has advanced well towards its own targets. It has managed growth effectively and retains good capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Knypersley First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 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: Knypersley First School, 29 March 2006 to 30 March 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 3 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 3 The behaviour of learners NA 3 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 3 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

Thank you so much for welcoming me and the other inspectors to your school. We really enjoyed your polite greetings and attending some of your classes to see your work. We did not have time to speak to everybody, but we want to thank those who did talk to us for being so friendly and helpful. These are the main things we found out about your school. •Most of you make good progress in your work and enjoy lots of other activities, such as swimming in your own pool, art, music and the good pantomime performances you give. •Your learn a lot from your teachers and they do their best to take good care of all of you. •Most of your behaviour is good and you were polite to us around the school. We know your school council is trying to improve the behaviour of a few pupils who are unkind to others and hope you will help them to do this. •You may find that you have teachers visiting your classes more often because they want to find out more about your progress, especially those of you who

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